Because they are smaller than an average-sized swimming pool, building a plunge pool is less costly than a traditional pool. In-ground swimming pools cost about $67,000, while plunge pools cost around $20,000. You won’t have as much room to swim in, but the smaller size means you spend less on land excavation, materials, and hourly labor rates.

Yes, adding a pool to your property will almost always increase your homeowners insurance premiums. This is because pools are considered a greater liability due to their potentially hazardous nature, and the added replacement cost of the pool is factored into your home's rebuilding cost when considering coverage limits. The amount of the increase can range from as little as $50 to a few hundred dollars more per year, depending on your insurance provider, location, current coverage, and the safety features installed. Before building a pool, it is highly recommended to contact your insurance agent to get an estimate, discuss their specific guidelines and requirements, and factor the increased premium into your total pool installation costs.

Any number between 7.2 and 7.8 is an ideal pH for swimming pools or 80 to 120 ppm. Your pool testing kit should be able to measure both of these numbers. If your pool’s pH is below this range, the water is too acidic and can cause scaling and damage to pool equipment. If the water’s pH is above this range, it can decrease the effectiveness of necessary chemicals, like chlorine.

Yes, pool pumps use a significant amount of electricity, making them one of the biggest energy consumers in a home. A pool pump can use up to three times as much electricity as a refrigerator. Typically, a residential pool pump consumes about 1 kilowatt-hour (kWh) for every hour it runs. Because pumps often need to run for about eight hours a day to properly filter the water, this can add up to an annual consumption of 3,000 to 5,000 kWh, which can cost between $480 and $800 per year based on average electricity rates.

The amount of electricity your pump uses depends on its size, energy efficiency, and daily run time. To lower your energy consumption, you can choose an energy-efficient or variable-speed pump, ensure it is correctly sized for your pool, and run it only for the minimum time required to keep the water clean.