Hydrotherapy pool running costs are important to factor in if you’re thinking about investing in one. With hydrotherapy pools being quite a large specialist item, you understandably want to explore every detail before you choose to install one.
Running costs vary depending on a few different factors, but we hope that this blog post will give you a better idea of how much you need to budget to sustain your hydrotherapy pool.
Please note: these are approximate costs and can vary greatly depending on how much you are charged by your water and energy suppliers. These costs are also based on stainless steel hydrotherapy pools which are approximately 10 — 15% cheaper than traditional concrete ones.
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Running costs for the pool
The cost of running a hydrotherapy pool itself will cover quite a few things. For the actual pool, you’ll need to think about heating the pool, the chemicals used in it, and any electrical elements for extras like LED lights or air jets. Like hot tubs or swim spas, hydrotherapy pools can be customised with additional features.
For the running cost of a hydrotherapy pool (being just the pool and no environmental features), we estimate that it’s about £5 to £10 a day. That means that on a monthly basis you can expect to be paying anywhere between £140 and £280. Keeping the pool running and heated is key to hydrotherapy, but it also allows you to keep swimming all year.
This cost varies depending on lots of different factors like how big your pool is and the energy source you’re using to heat it. The bigger the pool, the higher the running costs because you have a larger body of water to keep heated.
An important factor in reducing running costs is having a good quality thermal pool cover which is used when the pool is not in use. This helps reduce condensation but most importantly reduces heat loss within the water and therefore the cost of reheating.
Air handling system costs
The air handling system (which controls the humidity and heat of the room) is another thing when considering hydrotherapy pool running costs. The environmental control system will help to keep your hydrotherapy pool environment in good shape for as long as possible as well as provide a comfortable air temperature for bathers
It costs approximately £1200 a year for the environmental controls, based on a heat recovery unit with a ducted air supply, — which breaks down to £100 a month. A basic wall-mounted dehumidifier and air heater would be much cheaper but are a lot less effective and are only recommended for domestic use.
These air handling running costs are a rough estimate because it very much depends on the size of your air handling system, which again depends on the size of your hydrotherapy pool and room.
Pool maintenance costs
Ongoing maintenance and servicing should also be included in your hydrotherapy pool running costs. This is necessary to ensure that your pool stays in top condition for as long as possible.
Daily checks should be carried out by the pool owners or operators, but a monthly visit should also be carried out by a trained servicing team to carry out the following:
- Net the pool of any solid debris
- Backwash and rinse media bed in the pool filter
- Test and maintain water balance to include pH, residual sanitiser (chlorine, bromine etc), alkalinity, total dissolved solids, and when needed any other specialist tests for ozone
- Ensure the water temperature is maintained at the client’s desired set point
- Check and inspect the pool shell and all equipment for the onset of any defects, i.e. leaks, bearing noises, etc.
- Ensure filtration systems are operating correctly and empty strainer(s) as required
- Full water chemistry analysis
Again, the cost varies depending on the size of your pool. But generally, we’d say it’s around £300 to £350 a month for the maintenance of your hydrotherapy pool.
Summary & totals
With those costs in mind, here are some rough figures for you if you’re considering a hydrotherapy pool.
| Component | Estimated Monthly Cost |
| Pool heating, chemicals, and electrics | £140-£280 |
| Air handling | £100 |
| Maintenance | £300-£350 |
| TOTAL | £540-£730 |
Bear in mind that these hydrotherapy pool running costs are estimates and depend on many different factors. And do remember that they’re based on the approximate prices for running a stainless-steel hydrotherapy pool. Stainless steel pools are a little cheaper than others as fewer chemicals are required to maintain a good water balance and prevent bacteria build up.
More information on the price of a hydrotherapy pool.
