5 Benefits of a Plunge Pool

Photograph by Mike Crane. Landscape design by Mainstay Landscape.

Photograph by Jon Caron Art. Landscape design by Jenn Nawada. Hardscape by Frank Walsh Landscape. Specialty stone by Stone Sourcerer.

Photograph by Murphy Foto Imagery. Landscape design by Mainstay Landscape.

For those who love taking a cool dip in the pool on a hot summer day but don’t love the upkeep of traditional pools, plunge pools are the answer. These tiny pools, which are typically no larger than thirteen feet by seven feet, offer big benefits including easy upkeep, energy efficiency, sleek design, and the ability to use the water feature like a pool or hot tub.

We spoke to Karen Larson, owner of the family-run, New Hampshire-based Soake Pools, about the small-pool revolution in backyards across New England and the country.

Here’s why you might want to opt for a tiny pool over a full-size pool.

1. Combine the Best Features of a Pool and Hot Tub

When it comes to plunge pools, good things do come in small packages. These cocktail-sized pools let homeowners create a spa-like sanctuary in their backyards with the option of keeping the water cool on hot days, or quickly heating it up to hot-tub temperatures in the winter. The addition of a cover will further help keep temperatures stable, and the cover’s small size means it’s easy enough for one person to remove and replace it.

Additionally, you can customize the pool to match your design aesthetics. The interior can be outfitted with your tile of choice. Soake hand-tiles all their pools in their controlled environment in NH. For the exterior, choose from rock, slate, tile, or other materials so the pool seamlessly blends into your outdoor surroundings.

2. Save Backyard Space

The two most popular plunge pool sizes are thirteen feet by seven feet and ten by six. This gives homeowners the flexibility to design an outdoor living space that suits their needs—leaving room for everything from a cooking or lounge area to a fire pit or garden.

“More homeowners are using their yards as an extended living and entertaining space, but they still want the benefits of a pool. Whether they live on several acres or in urban single-family homes, we are seeing more people choose a plunge pool over a traditional pool,” explains Larson.

Photograph by Murphy Foto Imagery

Photograph by Murphy Foto Imagery

Photograph by Murphy Foto Imagery

Photograph by Murphy Foto Imagery

 3. Fast Installation

Unlike traditional in-ground pools, pre-cast plunge pools only take a few days to a week to install, depending on any additional landscaping surrounding the pool. You’ll still need to excavate and prepare the site, but once your pool arrives, the process moves quickly. That’s due to off-site construction.

“Our plunge pools are precast and hand tiled by an artisan in New Hampshire, so your pool arrives completely intact,” notes Larson.

She explains that the turnaround time is about eight to ten weeks less for a plunge pool versus a traditional inground pool.

4. Get in Your Aquatic Workout

While you can’t practice Olympic-style water polo in a plunge pool, there are plenty of low-impact workouts you can do.

The addition of a swim tether lets you swim against your own resistance, giving you the same workout as if you did laps in a full-sized pool. Plunge pools are deep enough (typically five feet) for underwater barre, water aerobics, or aquatic weight training.

5. Soak in the Benefits of Saltwater

With plunge pools, you can opt for a saltwater sanitation system instead of traditional chlorine. The saline water keeps the pool clean, and it also offers health benefits to those who take regular plunges.

“The saltwater chlorination helps to relieve sore joints and muscles, and it’s much gentler on the skin and eyes versus manufactured chlorine,” adds Larson.

Those saltwater benefits come without the sticky residue of taking a swim in the ocean, as the pool’s salt content is far less concentrated. Instead, your skin will feel silky and smooth post-plunge.

Whether you’re working in a small footprint, looking for immediate gratification, conscious of your environmental impact, or seeking to improve your health, plunge pools have you covered. “One of the most exciting aspects of a plunge pool is that it offers the benefits of a backyard pool to more homeowners while being designed to be more environmentally friendly than traditional pools,” adds Larson.

Soake Pools, Pembroke, NH, 603-749-0665