Safe pool temperature for various health conditions

The noodlers have succeeded, again, in getting the pool temperature raised to 86 degrees! :bitching: I have sent an e-mail to the American Red Cross, however, the more information I gather, the better! If any of you have any published articles on this topic, I would greatly appreciate it! Here is the e-mail I sent to the American Red cross: Hello, I live in an adult community with an indoor swimming pool. After doing internet research, I am still not sure of a definitive recommendation of appropriate water temperatures for the following: 1. Adults (55 years old or older) swimming laps and/or participating in water aerobics who have high blood pressure or other heart conditions. 2. Adults (55 years old or older) swimming laps and/or participating in water aerobics who have diabetes. In addition, what is the recommended air temperature and humidity percentage for an indoor pool? The pool temperature in our community was raised from 84 to 86, so I am trying to build a case for lowering the temperature to suit the needs of the majority of our residents. And, it is my guess that most of the residents using the pool have either high blood pressure, other heart conditions, diabetes, or other health conditions making it a health risk to exercise in 86 degree water. Any assistance and documentation you can provide would be most appreciated! Thank you very much, Elaine Krugman Thanks, Forumites, for any documentation you send my way! By the way, if you can post links in the forums, perhaps it would help others, as well, who are battling the same issues. If you have articles to send as attachments, please send me a PM and I will provide you my e-mail address. Thanks! Elaine P.S. Anna Lea: If you see this, does USMS have any "official" documentation at your offices?
  • Unless your pool is open 24x7, or is enormous, perhaps the key to a single facility trying to address all the groups is controlling the thermostat (and water inflow) and the scheduling of groups. As example, set the pool thermostat to have the pool achieve the highest temperature at 12:00 noon each day, making the hours of 10:00AM to 2:00PM the "warmest". Let the thermostat off just after noon and the pool should be the "coolest" later in the evening and most cool early in the morning. This presumes the facility is not maintaining a constantly high air temperature. Or, decide you want it warmest in the morning, coolest in the evening. Everyone cannot have the pool at their prime tempurature ALL the time, so schedules would need to be adjusted to meet the temperature that best meets a class, or individual needs.
  • Everyone cannot have the pool at their prime tempurature ALL the time, so schedules would need to be adjusted to meet the temperature that best meets a class, or individual needs. Unfortunately, a few whiny noodlers (who come and go; never more than 2-3 times per week) DO have the pool at their prime temperature all the time, because the HOA manager seems to cater to their desires.
  • Unfortunately, a few whiny noodlers (who come and go; never more than 2-3 times per week) DO have the pool at their prime temperature all the time, because the HOA manager seems to cater to their desires. I think Redbird was suggesting something you might propose as a way to address the different needs of members.
  • I think Redbird was suggesting something you might propose as a way to address the different needs of members. Sorry, Redbird and Philo! I appreciate the suggestion; I guess I'm just getting cranky about this whole thing... :bitching: Is it possible to heat and cool an indoor pool that fast?
  • Sorry, Redbird and Philo! I appreciate the suggestion; I guess I'm just getting cranky about this whole thing... :bitching: Is it possible to heat and cool an indoor pool that fast? Just thinking about trying to swim in a pool that hot makes me cranky. I don't know anything about heating and cooling pools, so I will let others comment on that.
  • Is it possible to heat and cool an indoor pool that fast? No, if you turned off the heat entirely it would still take a long time to cool the pool especially if the air is warm. A pool filled with water has a lot of thermal mass.
  • No, if you turned off the heat entirely it would still take a long time to cool the pool especially if the air is warm. A pool filled with water has a lot of thermal mass. That's exactly what I thought, but I posed it as a question, since I didn't have the facts. In theory, it's a great idea to have the pool set at temperatures to please everybody, but the reality is that it can't happen. So, I say this: Follow the recommendations of the American Red Cross and other experts to keep as many pool users as safe and healthy as possible, rather than :bow: to the noodlers who feel 84 degrees is "...TOO COOOOOOLD!"
  • What I read here it is not the noodlrs who are whinninng. Geo, the noodlers whined on a DAILY basis about the water being "cold" at 84 degrees. I'm not whining; this isn't just about me and my training in warm water. As I have said (over and over), this is a health and safety issue that affects my friends and many of the residents who use the pool who have common health problems (high bp, other heart conditions, diabetes).
  • Perhaps since you have already fought WWI with the HOA last spring (when you wanted to share the pool with the noodle class) and lost the battle all your friends whose health you are concerned about could fight this one for you. Just give them all your research and let them talk to the mgt. I think you are already on the black list. :( sorry but that's the impression I get from your posts.
  • Former Member
    Former Member over 13 years ago
    What I read here it is not the noodlrs who are whinninng.