How pleasant it is to plunge into cool water at the dacha in the hot summer. However, not every summer cottage is located next to a reservoir, and not everyone is satisfied with the level of pollution of natural sources. Therefore, more and more often, summer residents are purchasing inflatable pools. Such bathing tanks have many advantages: they are cheap, safe, easy to install, easy to clean, and do not require extensive maintenance. In addition, they can be moved, and can be easily stored and transported when folded and deflated.
To buy a high-quality inflatable swimming tank that meets all the requirements, you need to take into account its characteristics, design features and your preferences in choosing products of this type. 11 tips for choosing an inflatable pool for your summer house will help you purchase the right product.
Which form to choose
The shapes of inflatable pools are:
- rounded: oval, round;
- corner: square, rectangular;
- original.
Which form to prefer is up to you; here the decision depends primarily on the taste of the buyer. However, remember that in round tanks the water pressure is distributed more evenly than in other types.
Required area
Next you need to calculate the area of the artificial reservoir. Ideally, 1.5-2 square meters of pool are allocated for each adult swimmer; for a child the norm is slightly less - 1 m2. It is better to follow this rule to ensure the safety of swimmers and extend the life of the inflatable product.
Tank height
Another important characteristic that you need to pay attention to is the height of the product. Depending on the age of vacationers, you need to choose a pool with the following height:
- 15-20 cm – for children from 0.5 to 1.5 years;
- 30-50 cm – suitable for children under 3 years old;
- up to 70 cm – for preschoolers;
- 70-100 cm – this is comfortable for schoolchildren aged 7 to 15 years;
- more than 100 cm – for adults and teenagers.
Design features and quality of materials
Based on the number and size of the inflatable cavity, there are 3 types of inflatable bathing tanks:
- Full cavity - the walls of the bowl are inflated completely - most often this is how children's bathing tanks or high-quality adult ones are designed. Cheap swimming pools for adults with such sides will quickly become unusable;
- Single-ring - there is one ring with an air cavity: it encircles the bowl in the upper part. Due to its rise, the entire font is supported by water. In this case, most of the pool located below does not inflate.
- Multi-ring - the sides consist of 2 or more glued rings filled with air and encircling the tank.
The material of inflatable pools is dense polyvinyl chloride. Even models for adults are made from it. The number of PVC layers is often 2 or 3. There are also tanks with 5 layers, but they are quite expensive. The more layers of PVC, the longer the product will last.
In single-ring tanks, a polyester mesh should be attached over the base material, which makes the structure more durable and stable.
Determining the type of bottom and the safety of the sides
The bottom is:
- standard – flat, does not inflate;
- soft, inflatable;
- corrugated.
For small children, it is better to choose an inflatable bottom to avoid injury.The ribbed bottom is suitable for teenagers, it is easier to keep balance and not slip.
It is better to choose voluminous sides - the wider the sides, the safer swimming.
Equipment
Different models have different equipment. The larger the pool, the higher its price, the more additional elements are included in its kit.
Children's pools usually come with a repair kit - consists of a piece of polyvinyl chloride and glue. For large inflatable swimming tanks, the kit may include the following elements:
- Repair kit;
- Filter pump;
- Skimmer - a hinged element for cleaning water from surface contaminants;
- Net - designed for manual fishing of large objects from the water.
- Bedding under the bottom - reduces the likelihood of damage to the bottom;
- Ladder - used in products more than 1 meter high;
- Awning - it covers the surface of the bowl to protect it from environmental contamination (leaves, branches, dust, midges).
If the kit does not contain any elements, you need to take care of their purchase in advance. Usually, all related products are sold in the same store where the pool was purchased.
Availability of a drain tap
If you buy a large specimen, it is important to ensure that there is a drain pipe. Otherwise, you will have to manually empty the pool when it is necessary to change the water or deflate it.
In small inflatable swimming tanks, the absence of a drain is acceptable. Although even in children's models, a drain is often present.
Buying a pool for children
In this segment, the choice of products is replete with variety. There are many types of children's pools:
- similar to baths for babies with soft sides and bottom;
- baths with a canopy - protection from the sun;
- standard models for children and teenagers – heights up to 50, 70, 90 cm and higher, depending on age;
- tanks with a slide;
- complexes with trampolines and slides.
When choosing a children's tank, it is important to evaluate the degree of its safety and correlate the level of complexity of the model in question with the age of the children for whom the product is intended.
Manufacturer and warranty period
The majority of the inflatable pool production market is occupied by Chinese companies: Intex, Bestway, Jilong, Polygroup and HappyHop. They supply stores with average quality products at low prices.
Among Russian manufacturers, TimeTrial stands out. Its prices are an order of magnitude higher, but its quality indicators are also more stable. TimeTrial produces inflatable products for sports and recreation. It does not produce children's products.
Among the expensive European brands, Waterman (Germany), Zodiak (France) and Sevilor (USA) are well known. They produce swimming pools for adults of the best quality, fully equipped, at high prices.
The warranty period for high-quality models is at least 1 year. If the manufacturer offers a shorter period, think about it: maybe it’s not worth buying such a product.
Price or quality
Prices for bathing tanks vary. Typically, the better the quality, the higher the price. But this does not mean that you need to choose the most expensive option, because:
- For a certain manufacturer, the cost of one product is often higher than another due to the presence of additional functions (massage, jacuzzi), differences in configuration or design. Whether it's worth paying more for it is up to you to decide.
- If you are not going to swim often, you do not need to choose the highest quality and most expensive model. In this case, it is better to save money: purchase a tank at an average or low price. Over time, any inflatable product becomes unusable, even if it is rarely used.
Swimming pools for children are often produced by economy companies. The quality of most children's pools is average. But little bathers don't need long-lasting tanks, especially babies - they quickly outgrow them. Interesting options can be purchased from 1,500 to 5,000 rubles. The cost of the most complex complexes with slides and trampolines, as a rule, does not exceed 80,000 rubles.
Inflatable tanks for adults have a wide range of prices. You can buy models of the same size for 5,000 or 250,000 rubles. Moreover, Russian and Chinese models cost up to 100,000 rubles, and high-quality European copies cost from 200-250 thousand rubles. If you often visit the garden and have the funds to buy an expensive product, then it may be worth investing in a high-quality model. If one or both points are not true, then there is no need to spend more: budget inflatable pools also serve well.
Canopy for country inflatable tank
Some inflatable pools are sold with a canopy included. If you don’t have a canopy, it is advisable to purchase one. It protects the water from dirt, and the material of the tank and bathing people from the sun's rays. Awnings come in the following types:
- awning, its height is about 100 cm. It covers the bathing bowl itself. Used to maintain the integrity of the material and the purity of the water when the owners are not swimming. Sometimes, instead of an awning, the pool is covered with ordinary film.
- greenhouse type, height – up to 200 cm.You can swim under such a canopy. In addition to performing the functions of an awning, it protects floating hosts from the sun.
- pavilion is the largest canopy, up to 300 cm high. Under such a shelter you can additionally place a recreation area (table, chaise lounge).
By paying attention to the main characteristics of the product, as well as taking into account your tastes and preferences, you can choose an inflatable pool, the use and operation of which will bring you only positive emotions.
