Plunge Pool

What is a plunge pool?

A plunge pool, but not as you know it: Endless Pools and Hot Spring plunge pools can be cool or warm, athletic or relaxing, used for health and wellness or family fun.

‘Plunge pool’ is a term that can be applied to a number of different things. The small, deep pools found at the base of waterfalls were the inspiration for the backyard equivalents, which now range from small and unheated versions of backyard swimming pools to fully featured Endless Pools swim spas.

Backyard plunge pools are traditionally simple constructions; usually small, in-ground and unheated, measuring just a couple of metres long, wide and deep. The main purpose of these pools is to provide a refreshing dip, often as a cool-down after exercise. But these pools are of limited use – unable to be heated, they can become too chilly for some owners over the cooler months of the year.

But there is another type of plunge pool – one that offers an incredibly diverse and luxurious experience that can be enjoyed year-round – Hot Spring spa pools and Endless Pools swim spas:

• Choose your temperature: Our portable plunge pools can be heated to a toasty 40C or cooled to a refreshing 15C with the optional CoolZone™ System. Simply pick your temperature using the digital display!
• A complete exercise machine: Far from just a place to cool down, an Endless Pools plunge pool is your workout. Featuring an adjustable current generator, you can swim, jog, row or even cycle on an aquabike!
• More than just a post-workout plunge: Where standard plunge pools simply offer a refreshing cool down, our portable plunge pools offer a complete post-exercise experience, from hydromassage jets and seating to relaxing lights and water features.

How much does a plunge pool cost?

Plunge pool cost can vary greatly, and will depend on a number of factors: size, backyard space and accessibility, and whether you choose in-ground, above-ground or something in between.

But in terms of value for money, a portable plunge pool, whether a Hot Spring spa pool or an Endless Pools swim spa, can be the far wiser choice, for a few key reasons:

• Temperature: With the ability to warm or cool the water with the press of a button, most people will spend far more time in a heated portable plunge pool than in an unheated traditional plunge pool, especially in the depths of winter.
• Capabilities: A traditional plunge pool is used for one thing: short, brisk dips. A portable plunge pool like an Endless Pools swim spa offers a long list of capabilities: they can be used for relaxation, socialising, quality family time, and as a complete home workout machine.
• Installation: A major cost consideration, traditional in-ground plunge pools can be expensive to build – between planning permission, excavation and installation it can be a long and costly job. Portable prefab plunge pools, meanwhile, are self-contained, self-supporting units that can simply be placed on a suitable surface and filled!

How much space is needed for a plunge pool?

Plunge pools are compact by definition, with traditional constructions often measuring just a couple of metres long and wide. For in-ground plunge pools the most important measurement is often depth, which tends to vary between one and two metres.

But traditional in-ground pools need more space than their basic measurements suggest, as most local governments will require safety fencing to be installed around them. Add the challenge of finding an appropriate place to excavate, and landscaping around the pool, and you may struggle to fit even a small plunge pool.

Portable plunge pools tend to require far less space. Hot Spring spa pools have footprints as tiny as 2m², while Endless Pools swim spas need as little as 8m² of spare space.

As above-ground models, no excavation or landscaping is required, and as they are easily covered, they may not even need safety fencing. All this means that a portable plunge pool can be installed under porches, on decks, and many other places that traditional plunge pools cannot.

What is the maintenance like for a plunge pool?

Hot Spring and Endless Pools have worked hard to make the maintenance of portable plunge pools simple, through such features as:

• 100% No-Bypass Filtration: Say goodbye to unwanted intruders – the Hot Spring no-bypass filtration system ensures 100% of your water is filtered 100% of the time.
• The FreshWater Salt System: This system uses titanium cartridges to naturally convert salt to chlorine, and helps your water last far longer.
• The FreshWater Ozone System: Less work, fewer chemicals – the FreshWater Ozone System pulls O3 from the air to sanitise your spa, reducing your reliance on chlorine.

Traditional plunge pools can be slightly harder work. They often feature simple filtration systems, and water care tends to be more manual.

Can plunge pools be used all year round?

Any plunge pool can be used all year round… if you’re brave enough. While cold water therapy has its benefits, particularly in terms of exercise recovery, unheated plunge pools aren’t for the faint of heart, particularly in winter.

But by choosing a portable plunge pool fitted with a CoolZone™ System, you can set your pool temperature with the press of a button, anywhere from 15C-40C. This allows you to enjoy your Endless Pools swim spa or Hot Spring spa pool all year round, and capitalise on the benefits of warm water hydrotherapy too.

Can I install a plunge pool indoors?

Traditional plunge pools are in-ground constructions. Depending on your home, you may be able to install one indoors, but if that’s possible it is likely to cost you a small fortune.

Portable plunge pools, meanwhile, can be placed on any surface that’s strong enough to hold their weight, including those found indoors. While pool chemicals and moisture mean it’s important to choose a well ventilated space, a portable plunge pool can certainly be installed inside.

The final question: why settle for a traditional plunge pool when you can get so much more? If you’re looking to take the plunge, a portable pool can make the experience more comfortable, more soothing and more varied than ever before.