How Many Gallons of Water Are in a Swimming Pool?
Many people who are interested in the installation of a swimming pool want to know how many gallons of water will be used to fill it. It’s not something you generally need to worry much about, but we understand why people want to know everything they can about their new pool.
Technically speaking, one cubic foot of water contains 7.5 gallons. In terms of how many gallons of water will translate into a swimming pool, it depends on the size of the pool. A small rectangular pool that’s 12 feet by 24 feet will typically be just under 11,000 gallons, whereas a large rectangular pool that’s 20 feet by 40 feet will be 30,000 gallons. There are also other popular shapes such as oval, Grecian, kidney, etc.
The average in-ground swimming pool in the United States is approximately 16 feet wide, 33 feet long, and 42 inches deep. This pool size will hold around 20,000 gallons of water. But, again, sizes are determined by a variety of factors.
How Do You Determine the Size of a Swimming Pool?
Once you decide to install a brand new swimming pool or get your current pool remodeled, you need to decide on the size. This will determine how many gallons of water your new pool will be able to hold.
Here are a few factors that will be involved in your decision:
Size of Your Backyard
The most obvious factor that will often determine the size of your swimming pool is the actual size of your backyard. After all, it’s not like you can construct a swimming pool that’s larger than the space that’s available for you to work with. Plus, you’re going to need to take your fencing, vegetation, and surrounding area into account.
Size of the Household
When deciding how large you want your swimming pool to be, you need to consider how many people are in your household. If you’re a single person or couple, you may only want to build a small pool. But if you have a family that will routinely be swimming, then you may want to build a pool that’s a little bit bigger.
Function of the Pool
You want to take into account what your pool is going to be used for. If all you’re going to do is hang out at the pool with family and friends, then it probably won’t need to be very big. For those of you who want to swim laps, however, we’d suggest a pool that’s at least 30 feet in length to ensure that you’re getting some proper exercise.
Landscape Design
Another important factor to consider is landscape design. Not just what you have going on right now in your backyard, but what you may have in your future.
This will include everything from trees and shrubbery to an outdoor kitchen and fire pit. It will also include a pool deck and/or hot tub. All these things may alter the size of your swimming pool.
Future Family Size
In many cases, there’s a very good chance that your family will grow. Even if you’re not planning on having kids in the future, perhaps you’ll have grandchildren from existing children, nieces, nephews, or kids of friends who will end up coming over. If any of these occur in your lifetime, then you may want to install a larger pool to make sure there’s plenty of room for everyone.
Personal Preference
Finally, the size of the pool that you choose could ultimately come down to your personal preference. Even if there isn’t a logical or functional reason to have a larger pool, you may simply choose one because you think it looks cool or fits with the landscape. There’s nothing wrong with that. Your designer will follow your lead.
Do Kids REALLY Need a Large Swimming Pool?
Kids will sometimes get excited about a large swimming pool because they’ve seen one at a friend’s house. But kids get excited about everything, so that doesn’t mean you need to succumb to their every whim. Your child is going to be happy about getting a swimming pool, regardless of its size. If in doubt, add in a few cool toys or maybe a slide.
Contact Larsen’s Pool & Spa for New Pool Construction or Remodeling
Larsen’s Pool & Spa can assist you with building or remodeling a backyard swimming pool, regardless of its size. If you have any questions about new pool construction or pool renovations or need information about our pool financing options, reach out to our pool installation experts at (727) 786-POOL today.