A plunge pool is very small swimming pool or large spa pool. They are a lifestyle choice and functional pool that fits into a small backyard landscape. It’s often said that a swimming pool is for the kids and a plunge pool is for the adults.
Maybe your backyard is too small for a normal size swimming pool. Your children have left home or you never had any kids. Maybe you’re not really a swimmer and you only want a tiny pool for relaxing and cooling down on those hot summer days. Don’t close the pool during the winter. You can heat the water and use it like a spa pool to relax your tired muscles and joints. A plunge pool has many uses and makes good value for money as they are less expensive to build, easy to clean, simple to maintain and consume less chemicals and electricity than a large swimming pool.
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What is a Plunge Pool?
A plunge pool is simply a very small pool that is designed for sitting, wadding or dipping in and out. These pools are excellent for cooling off in a hot climate or warming up in a cold climate. Some people build a plunge pool for the aesthetic qualities of having a water feature in their backyard. It creates a nice area for relaxing around the pool and taking a dip to cool off.
You cannot swim in a plunge pool because it is too small. Maybe a toddler thinks it great for swimming but an adult will not be able to swim at all. However, these small pools can be built with water jets to enable you to swim in one spot against a water current.
In these small pools you may be able to perform hydrotherapy and low impact water aerobic exercises to keep yourself fit and active. The water resistance provides a great way to exercise without jarring and straining your body.
Plunge pools are popular in many parts of Asia and Europe where home prices are very high and lot sizes are small. Plunge pools have become popular in the USA as the average size of our backyards have shrunk due to the increase in land prices. More people are living on smaller land sizes where the house takes up most of the block leaving very little backyard space.
The narrow lot with a two-story home is now the affordable new house development in many countries. Many people live in attached homes or a townhouse which has a tiny backyard only suitable for a spa pool or a plunge pool.
How Big are Plunge Pools?
The average plunge pool is less than 15 feet in length and only 6 to 10 feet wide. The most typical shape is square or rectangular which makes the most use out of a small space. However, round and oval shapes are also popular. The most common size is 8 x 8 feet and 8 x 16 feet.
Typically, a plunge pool is shallow at 3 to 5 feet deep with a shelf around one or more sides for sitting and relaxing. They are not suitable to dive or bomb in to the water as a user may injure themselves.
Most plunge pools are custom designed to fit the small space available in the backyard. L-shaped plunge pools are built around the corner of a home when land is scarce.
These pools are usually installed inground but can be elevated above or partially above the ground. A plunge pool can be installed at the side of a house in between the building and the fence.
How Does a Plunge Pool Work?
Plunge pools work the same as a normal backyard pool. They need chemical sanitation and a filtration system just the same as a larger pool. The water chemistry must be balanced and chlorinated to kill bacteria and other contaminants. The entire water volume needs to be ‘turned over’ or filtered every day to ensure the pool is clean and safe for bathing.
However, the small volume of water is a lot easier to clean and sanitize. The workload and cost to clean and maintain the pool is way less than a larger pool.
A plunge pool needs a cover and must have a fence for safety and security.
How Much Does a Plunge Pool Cost?
The cost of a plunge pool depends on many factors:
- Size, shape & style
- Construction method – vinyl, fiberglass or concrete shell
- Access to the site
- Surrounding paving & landscaping
- Saltwater or freshwater
- Cold water or heated
- Spa jets & lighting
An inground, concrete shell plunge pool can cost one third to half the cost of a conventional backyard pool. Expect to pay over $10 – 15,000 for a basic inground plunge pool.
Plunge Pool Water Temperature
The water temperature in a plunge pool may be cold, warm or hot depending on your climate and the application.
Some people heat their plunge pool so it’s like a big spa pool. They can use their pool during the cooler months to relax and enjoy the spa-like nature of warm water on their body.
Some users just want a cold pool to cool off in a hot climate.
Others make the pool cold so they can get out of their hot tub and cool off in the plunge pool. There are many therapeutic benefits of moving between hot and cold pools of water. The ancient Romans discovered moving backwards and forwards between pools of hot and cold water resolved muscular aches, joint pains and inflammation.
You should not bath in a hot pool for longer than 20 minutes to prevent the onset of health-related conditions such as dizziness or nausea. You should only dip into a cold pool for a maximum of 2 minutes to prevent hypothermia where your body loses too much body heat.
Please read our article on How Long is it Safe to Stay in a Hot Tub
Plunge Pool Benefits
Plunge pools have become popular because they many advantages over conventional swimming pools.
Low Construction Cost
Obviously, the smaller the pool you build the less it will cost. The dig out is easier and there is less soil to remove. The amount of concrete and steel is considerably less than a large pool. These pools can also be built with fiberglass or vinyl liners but concrete shells with plaster or aggregate is the best option. A concrete shell pool will last over 50 years whereas fiberglass or vinyl lining lasts a lot less and requires more maintenance.
The pool surrounds and landscaping are a commonly underestimated cost associated with swimming pools. However, a plunge pool is far less expensive when it comes to landscaping around the pool. The tiny pool only requires a small pump motor and filtration system.
Fit in a Small Space
Homeowners can more easily fit a tiny pool into any space at the side or back of their property. These pools are ideal for small lot homes and townhouses.
Low Operational Costs
A plunge pool takes less water, less chemicals and less power to run the filtration system. Many people choose to heat their tiny pool because it’s not expensive to run a small water heater.
Easy to Clean
As plunge pools are small in size it’s far easier to keep clean than a conventional swimming pool.
Scooping the surface only takes 30 seconds.
Emptying the skimmer box is quick and if you use a skimmer basket filter bag the filtration system will have little work to do.
Vacuuming the bottom takes a couple of minutes. There is no need for a suction or robotic cleaner.
Applying and removing a cover is quick and effortless.
Easy to Maintain
A small filtration system can easily cope with the filtering requirement of a plunge pool. I recommend a small filter cartridge as they are easy to clean. When you use a filter sock in the skimmer basket you won’t need to clean your filter cartridge as often.
If you would rather install a sand filter, at least use filter balls instead of sand. The filter balls are so much easier to handle, filter better than sand and last longer than sand.
Another great advantage of a plunge pool is that you don’t need to operate the pump for 8 hours a day as with a large pool. Even a small pump will turn over the entire volume of water in the plunge pool in only an hour or two. So only running a pump for 2 hours will save a lot of electricity.
Many small pool owners choose to have a freshwater pool rather than saltwater chlorination. This saves the cost of a chlorinator unit but you will need to have a chlorine dispenser or manually add chlorine to the pool.
Safer than a Large Swimming Pool
Many people find plunge pools safer than larger pools.
A plunge pool is shallow with no deep end so you can stand up with your head above the water making it less likely you would drown.
As you will not be diving or jumping in to the pool there is less chance for accidents.
However, as with all pools, small children can drown or injure themselves in shallow water. So a small pool requires a child safety fence.
Plunge Pool Disadvantages
Plunge pools have become very popular and don’t have many negatives.
- The main disadvantage is that they are too small for lap swimming.
- You will not be able to dive or bomb into your tiny pool. The pool is too shallow and you would injure yourself striking the hard bottom.
- Some people think they lack the grandeur and style of a large swimming pool. They see them as more of a water feature rather than a real pool.
- You can only fit a few people in a tiny pool so they’re not suitable for a pool party with lots of guests.
- Probably won’t add as much value to your property as a full-size swimming pool.
Please read more in How to Prepare Your Pool to Sell the House
Can I Build My Plunge Pool?
This is a job for a professional pool builder and not recommended as a DIY project.
A concrete inground pool requires a structural engineering design complying with local building codes and a local council permit.
A building inspector from the local council will inspect the excavation, steel reinforcing and pool plumbing to ensure everything complies with local regulations.
All pools, no matter how small, must have a fence and comply with local safety regulations.
A completed pool must have a safety inspection and be issued a safety compliance certificate. Whenever a home is for sale or lease it must have a current safety certificate. In some jurisdictions a certificate is required from an electrical contractor to prove the pool has been earthed to prevent electric shocks.
Please read more about safety in our post Why Do I Need a Pool Fence?
Conclusion
If you have a small backyard or courtyard area and you still want a pool why not choose a plunge pool.
Plunge pools are less expensive, easier to clean and cheaper to operate than a conventional swimming pool.
You can have a cold pool for dipping in and cooling off on hot days. You can use the pool during the winter by heating the pool. The cost of heating will be affordable as the volume of water is small.
Besides a plunge pool will add value and functionality to your home.
