Cost of running a swimming pool

MikeandLeann wrote on Sun Feb 18, 2024 1:37pm:

Hi all.

We currently own an apartment in a gated community. We pay €85 per month service charge for grounds and pool, lifts etc.

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My question is, does it cost a lot more to run your own 8 x 4 pool.

And what are the costs of installing a system to run your pool by solar power. We plan to retire to Spain in 12 to 18 months and will be looking for a villa shortly with pool shortly. Planning to maintain it myself. 

Many thanks Mike 

Geordiemark wrote on Sun Feb 18, 2024 5:20pm:

If you have solar panels, the power the pool pump pulls depends on how long you have it on for. Mines on for an hour a day at the moment as the pool has its winter cover on and it's just ticking over. Maybe 1.5kwh or less, which is less than a 10th of the solar panel output at this time of the ye...

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...ar. In the summer when the pools in use I run it 4 hours a day so maybe 4 to 5kwh, again around a tenth of the panel output. My setup is 12 panels. I've seen systems with 2 panels just for your pool use, but don't know the cost. You could try the guy with did mine. Antonio,  Pools and More +34 686 25 69 99. His company is a specialist pool company.

MikeandLeann wrote on Sun Feb 18, 2024 1:37pm:

Hi all.

We currently own an apartment in a gated community. We pay €85 per month service charge for grounds and pool, lifts etc.

Read more...

My question is, does it cost a lot more to run your own 8 x 4 pool.

And what are the costs of installing a system to run your pool by solar power. We plan to retire to Spain in 12 to 18 months and will be looking for a villa shortly with pool shortly. Planning to maintain it myself. 

Many thanks Mike 

Andymac1951 wrote on Sun Feb 18, 2024 7:17pm:

Hi Mike,  we have a 10 x 5 pool which can be heated.  We also have a solar power system consisting of 14 panels.  At the height of the summer we have found that the running costs are therefore minimal.  We generally start heating the pool to 29C, slowly at first, around the be...

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...ginning of March and do so through to end September, sometimes longer. Often we find that we do in fact have to cool the pool down, this by the same heating / cooling system.  It all depends of course on just how much use you intend to get out of it. It is a great bonus to have should you have friends and or family visiting, ours love spending hours just relaxing by and in the pool, we have found it to be great value for money.  In addition you will of course need to add chemicals, this will depend on the type of pool, that is fresh or salt water.  Ours is a fresh water pool and we spend some 150 euro a year on chemicals.   Bear in mind also that the pool will require cleaning on a regular basis so an automatic pool cleaner will be required, so much easier than doing it by hand, at a cost of euro 700 or there abouts.  The bottom line is I guess that if you both enjoy swimming and the idea of a pool, I would say just go for it.  Best of luck.

Clair wrote on Fri Feb 23, 2024 1:08pm:

Since you haven't decided on your new home yet, you might want to have a look at "swim spas" or "endless pools". They don't have the luxurious vacation feel to them as traditional pools, but they are cheaper to install (I think), cheaper to run (definitely), and you can use them all year round. T...

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...hey have built-in current generators, which means you can swim for a long time without having to change direction. You can adjust the strength of the current, so it's more supportive to health than a conventional pool. And there are models with built-in Spas, i.e. seats, jets, etc. The best models in my opinion are the ones with separate tubs for the swim and the spa part, as you can keep them at different temperatures. I lost myself recently for a whole night googling the different options. 🤣

And in case you find your dream home, but it doesn't have a pool yet, and the Ayuntaminto would not give you a permit to install one, I trust that a swim spa would still be allowed.

Clair wrote on Fri Feb 23, 2024 1:08pm:

Since you haven't decided on your new home yet, you might want to have a look at "swim spas" or "endless pools". They don't have the luxurious vacation feel to them as traditional pools, but they are cheaper to install (I think), cheaper to run (definitely), and you can use them all year round. T...

Read more...

...hey have built-in current generators, which means you can swim for a long time without having to change direction. You can adjust the strength of the current, so it's more supportive to health than a conventional pool. And there are models with built-in Spas, i.e. seats, jets, etc. The best models in my opinion are the ones with separate tubs for the swim and the spa part, as you can keep them at different temperatures. I lost myself recently for a whole night googling the different options. 🤣

And in case you find your dream home, but it doesn't have a pool yet, and the Ayuntaminto would not give you a permit to install one, I trust that a swim spa would still be allowed.

sloop John B wrote on Sat Feb 24, 2024 11:19am:

I would advise to give swim spas a wide berth. I had one fitted some years ago, the worst purchase I ever made. Nothing but trouble. The company that fitted it didn't want to know and now sells camper vans. Wish there was a forum like this then. It now needs re fiberglassing to stop the endless l...

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...eaks