Pool Home Experts-please help

[pk1959]

We have been exhaustingly searching for a pool home with spa for a trip May 20, 2007. I found what appears to be a very nice pool home for that time at a fair price. The only thing I am not understanding is the 'pool and spa heat' question that I posed to the owner. The way it looks, pool heat would not be needed for that timeframe at the end of May. However he said that the spa can not be heated seperately from the pool and that if we wanted to add heat it would be an additional $110 for the 6 day rental period he quoted us. Does that mean that we would be paying to heat the pool also?? In other words, would we be paying $110 just to get the spa hotter? Sorry if this is a stupid question!! If we didn't pay the $110, would the spa just be 'air temperature'???? Thanks to anyone who can offer an explaination. The home is in the Indian Creek subdivision and is #IC431.

 

[Kellydelly]

I'm going to guess the spa is attached to the pool and the same water runs through both, which is how our last rental home pool was. The water in the spa is the same temp as the water in the pool. So yes, you would be paying to heat the pool and the spa together. I wouldn't even call it a spa, really. It has jets, but it won't be very hot.

 

[mbb]

Yep

Generally once the spa jet (big bubbly spa sort, but not specific multiple massage jets) is turned on, the waterfall to the pool shuts off.

The water just gets circulated in the spa, smaller volume of water, so, it heats up quicker...but definitely recommended NOT to leave it on for more than 20 minutes. you'd be able to cook Mac'nCheese in there eventually

No heat added, you'll have a bubbly paddling pool - same temp as the big pool.

I know of a few homeowners that have somehow added spa heaters to their attached spas, and heat can be controlled - up to that toasty 104*.

HTH!

Just some additional points for folks looking at renting a villa...

Electronic pool heat REALLY depends on the outside air temp...if there's a cold snap, and temps drop below 50-55* air, the pool heater will NOT work until temps come up...and if they only get into the low 60's, the pool will be coolish.

Using the -hopefully supplied- pool blanket will help hold the heat, a little, overnight.

Gas heat is a different story. It's more expensive, but the heating source is not dependent on the outside air temps.

Solar heat is a whole different beast, and if we have an owner who could chime in on that, we'd appreciate it.

Please, please ask your homeowner how their pools are heated - if pool and spa heat are important to you.

For us, it's critical that the pool be warm, and the hot tub or spa be hot.

Now in August, pool heat is less of an issue
I think I'd still get it though

 

[FLParadisevilla]

Mbb,
You are right on with the pool and spa heat. I am not 100% on how the spa heat works with an attached spa. Ours is a stand alone spa and is heated independently from the pool.

Electric heat does depend on the outside temp... and when its very cold the pool will never get warm enough.

Gas heat is much more expensive, but will keep the pool warm no matter what the outside temp.

Solar heat is great for a booster system to electric or gas, I would not count on it heating a pool or spa in the bitter cold.

 

[Cherylzw]

Our spa is an inground pool but heats separately from the pool. If a guest does not want pool heat they still have a very HOT spa.

It is heated by gas and the spa heats up in about 5 minutes and get very toasty is a short period of time.

I guess what I am trying to say it depends on how the heating is set up for the pool. Our pool and spa heat separately.

 

[pk1959]

Received a reply back from the owner and he said that if we decided to pay for the pool/spa heat that it would get the spa temperature up to about 90 degrees. That doesn't sound very hot to me!!! Anyone know what a good hot spa temperature should be?? I don't want to cook or anything but almost 9 degrees below body temperature doesn't sound to inviting!!

 

[mbb]

Cherylzw, that's good to know that they can be heated separately from the pool, and with gas heat too

Can I ask if your pool is heated electrically?

pk1959, the stand alone hot tubs, and the inground spas (with separate or turn off the waterfall heating capabilities) should get up to 104*..and I think that's as high as they're legally allowed to be set to.

90* is going to be toasty warm pool heating, IMHO But not so much that "ahhh feeling" that you get when you step into a hot tub/spa.

Pool heat is a tough one for owners, I think. It costs so much to maintain a pool, and keep it heated..and a tough one for renters. Pool heat has to be the one thing we're (our little family!) crazy for

Again, renters, if pool heat is important to you, ask up front
1) how the pool is heated...
2) how the spa is heated and what/how many jets does the spa have?...
3) What temps can they be set to, and expected to achieve
4) Is there a pool blanket?

Better to tell an owner "thank you, but no thank you" and why, than get to your booked and paid for vacation and discover it wasn't what you assumed it would be

HTH!

 

[dwaddict]

Received a reply back from the owner and he said that if we decided to pay for the pool/spa heat that it would get the spa temperature up to about 90 degrees. That doesn't sound very hot to me!!! Anyone know what a good hot spa temperature should be?? I don't want to cook or anything but almost 9 degrees below body temperature doesn't sound to inviting!!

Most spas will and should only be heated to 104 degrees. This said most people find is soothing at about 99 or 100. If that is as warm as it will get it is not worth the money extra you will have to pay!

 

[pk1959]

mbb, very good advice. In fact, I have contacted a couple of the owners whose homes we are interested in and asked them just those questions.

Again, renters, if pool heat is important to you, ask up front
1) how the pool is heated...
2) how the spa is heated and what/how many jets does the spa have?...
3) What temps can they be set to, and expected to achieve
4) Is there a pool blanket?

Better to tell an owner "thank you, but no thank you" and why, than get to your booked and paid for vacation and discover it wasn't what you assumed it would be

Most spas will and should only be heated to 104 degrees. This said most people find is soothing at about 99 or 100. If that is as warm as it will get it is not worth the money extra you will have to pay!

That is exactly what we were thinking. Seems like a lot of money to add to just acheive those results.

 

[Mainebound]

Having experienced those attached spas the last two years, I agree they are only slightly warmer than the pool, and they also have jets. I will say that even that has been very enjoyable for us -- you can sit, relax, watch the kids -- and on hot days in May, we didn't want much more.

I will also say that although we had hot weather last May, we liked having pool heat.

If I wanted a really hot jacuzzi type experience, I would rent a home that had a separate detached spa.

A lot of homes also have spas in the master bath which get very hot and are very nice.

 

[pk1959]

I guess what we need to consider is the fact that it could very well BE hot in Florida in May, so maybe the spa would feel pretty good not being overly hot. I guess thinking of the weather in Michigan in May makes me think we would need a really hot spa, but that may not be the case. Thanks to all who shared their experiences.

 

[Mainebound]

I guess what we need to consider is the fact that it could very well BE hot in Florida in May, so maybe the spa would feel pretty good not being overly hot. I guess thinking of the weather in Michigan in May makes me think we would need a really hot spa, but that may not be the case. Thanks to all who shared their experiences.

I don't know if it was unusual, but we had 90 degree days most days last year, May 5-15, 2006.

 

[Cherylzw]

mbb

Our pool and spa are both heated by gas but we can set up the heater to heat each one separately.

The spa heat is always ready to be heated. It is set on a timer. We usually turn on the timer, the spa starts to bubble. By the time, we go in and get out suits on , the spa is heated. We usually have it set at 102 degrees. Max temp by law is 104 degrees. The timer is for about 40 minutes at a time and then you have to reset it again. This way it turns off and is not left on all day by mistake.

 

[ruadisneyfan2]

I don't know if it was unusual, but we had 90 degree days most days last year, May 5-15, 2006.

We thought this too once when we went in May and didn't opt for pool heat. It was really warm during the day while we were in the parks but once the sun went down, the water was freezing. We were so used to being able to swim early in the morning and late at night too. We swore from then on, we'll always get pool heat, no matter what the daytime high temp will be. Pool heat extends the usable hours of the pool and it's just so yummy after walking all over the parks during the day.

 

[5mins2disney]

Well I can tell you this...we've been down to our place there the last 2 Mays in a row, and we had the pool heat turned on both trips! It does get cold / cool a lot of nights...and we really like our pool warm!

We went over Memorial Day weekend both times...and even though it got up to 90 during the day time on many days, the pool would have been too cold for us without it.

We have the electric heat exchanger type of pool heating system.

 

[horseshowmom]

We were there the middle of June a couple of years ago and the pool was cool. There had been some heavy rain the week before, and the pool was definitely on the cool side. It was fine during the day, but we wouldn't have been able to swim at night without being cold.

 

[pk1959]

Again, renters, if pool heat is important to you, ask up front
1) how the pool is heated...
2) how the spa is heated and what/how many jets does the spa have?...
3) What temps can they be set to, and expected to achieve
4) Is there a pool blanket?

Apparently these are questions that pool home owners don't want to answer!! We had narrowed down our choices to 3 homes, I emailed all three the above questions to get answered and have not heard a word back from any of them. I had asked them each 2 other questions and heard back from them really quickly. So it looks like it is back to square one in the search. I figure if you can't get a simple question answered, there is no hope of communication if something bigger were to arise. From what I gather from peoples experiences here it would be smart to get the pool heat and be sure the pool is useable. Better to have it and not need it than to not have it and wish we did. I am beginning to see why people just stay in hotels lol!!!

 

[FLParadisevilla]

Please don't feel that way! All owners are not like that at all! I know this must seem frustrating, but we are all here to help you with planing this. I am sure once you get in the home you do rent you will be so happy with your decision!

 

[Mo-Yo]

Yeah...but the problem with hotel spas is that in order to get the benefits of a hot tub you have to be willing to climb into that "human soup" with strangers. Yuck!!

 

[pk1959]

Yeah...but the problem with hotel spas is that in order to get the benefits of a hot tub you have to be willing to climb into that "human soup" with strangers. Yuck!!

YUCK IS RIGHT!! Personally I have never gotten into a public hot tub except for 23 years ago on our honeymoon when I was younger and obviously much dumber!!

I did not mean to imply that all pool home owners are the same by any means. It just seems like I have found the more 'uninterested' ones maybe. I'm not giving up though. We have until the end of May until we go. If we don't find one? There is always the car to sleep in!!