With summer approaching rapidly, you’re probably ready to get your swimming pool prepped for the long, hot days ahead. Cleaning the pool is a big part of that process, but you may also want to consider adding accessories, such as pool lights, to your preseason prep. Some pools have built-in lighting, but this lighting may need replacement this season. You’ll find several options for lighting your pool, like underwater or above water lights and either LED or non-LED ones. If you’re not sure whether you need or want lights for your pool, consider these reasons your pool needs pool lights.

Why You Need Pool Lights

Regardless of whether you have an in-ground or above-ground pool, lights can be an attractive and essential feature. While most pool owners think about the pool cleaning supplies and equipment that they need, they may overlook other accessories. 

However, having fixtures like lights can be as important as having the proper cleaning supplies, but you may be asking yourself, “do I need lights in my pool?” and “why should I put lights in my pool?” Explore several ideas that might help you answer these questions and more about adding or upgrading your pool lights.

Safety

One of the primary reasons to add lights to your swimming pool is safety. You can see more easily when you have lights in or around your pool. This lighting can help prevent accidents around the pool, especially for those families who have pets or young children. By making your pool more visible, you can reduce the risk of someone falling in or around it and creating serious consequences. With the proper lighting, your entire backyard can become more functional.

It’s essential to achieve the right amount of lighting around your pool, as you don’t want it so bright that it hurts your eyes, but you also want to maintain enough illumination that people can see what they’re doing around the pool, not just when they’re in the pool. LED pool lights are a great option because they can often be adjusted to suit your lighting needs.

Ambiance

Adding lights to your pool can help you create the poolside ambiance you want while you’re swimming. For example, if you like to have parties where people can swim, you may need brighter lights than if you’re going to enjoy your pool alone at dusk. You can likely add colors to the outdoor light scheme by opting for LED lights. This color choice can be a fun way to enjoy your pool and add variety to your swim. 

Some LED lights can even change colors, meaning you can have a different experience every time you get in the water. A lighting expert should be able to program the pool lights so that you can control the color of the lights and the brightness from a switch or control panel, making it easy to set the mood around the pool.

Usability

Proper lighting makes your pool more visible, safe, and usable for you, your family, and your friends. With the correct pool lighting setup in place, you can use your swimming pool at night, even when your environment is pitch black. You can also use the pool at dusk or dawn and in the early morning. Those who have to work early can still enjoy a swim before heading off for the day. When you have a pool, you want to use it, and having a suitable lighting system can be the difference between swimming regularly or not at all.

Cleaning

A clean pool makes for happy swimmers, and that’s where lights can help. If your pool area is dark and dingy, it can be challenging to see the dirt and grime that can build up on your pool’s walls and floor. However, those swimming can feel the buildup that can occur. If you have lighting in your pool, you can more easily see objects you don’t want in your pool and remove them. Correctly cleaning your pool is key to increasing its life span. With pool lights, you can keep your pool clean between its uses.

Savings

Although having older halogen light bulbs around your pool may not offer much savings, adding LED pool lighting can be a very cost-effective feature. These lights are known for running efficiently and using the least energy possible. They typically only cost pennies a day to run. Some communities offer rebates to homeowners who upgrade their lighting to LED bulbs, making this upgrade an attractive option for those who have halogen bulbs but want to upgrade their lighting to LED lighting formats. 

Having a pool already increases your home’s value, but adding a well-suited lighting system around your pool can boost its equity even more. LED lights aren’t just energy-efficient; they’re also attractive.

Durability

Another point to consider about LED pool lights compared to halogen lights is durability. LED lights last much longer than halogen bulbs by a lot. Most incandescent or halogen lights last only about a year, but LED lights can last anywhere from five to 20 years, making them a good investment for your pool. Since LED bulbs are small, they tend not to break like their incandescent and halogen counterparts. As a result, you’ll replace lights less often, saving you money on this investment for your swimming pool in the long run.

If you want to have your pool cleaned and prepped for summer swimming, call our professionals at Manning Pool Service. We can help you with your pool servicing needs, from cleaning to pool inspections, repairs, and maintenance. Our experts have the experience and the tools needed to keep your swimming pool running and looking its best. If you’re thinking about adding lights to your pool, make sure it’s clean and sparkling before you do so that you can show off your pool to your guests in its best light