What temperature is too hot to swim in?
While pools should be never above 95 degrees, anywhere in the 90-92 degree range creates a comfortable, yet therapeutically warm environment for older swimmers or infants and toddlers learning how to swim.
If you're looking for a perfect pool temperature, not too hot, not too cold, 77 – 82 degrees (25 – 28°C) may be the way to go according to most recreational swimmers. In most cases, pools should be comfortable, and the average swimmer will agree with this.
According to the World Health Organization, water temperatures ranging from 78 to 86 degrees Fahrenheit are generally comfortable and safe for those engaging in moderate physical activity in a pool.
Swimming in water that is too warm -- over 90 degrees Fahrenheit -- can lead to overheating and exhaustion -- particularly when you are exerting yourself by swimming several laps or a marathon. Warm water increases your body temperature, which also raises your sweat rate and quickens dehydration.
Don't Swim if Your Pool Water Is Below 70 Degrees
According to the National Center for Cold Water Safety, water temperatures below 70 degrees Fahrenheit should be treated with caution. The “perfect” temperature for a swimming pool tends to range between 77 and 82 degrees. The average is somewhere around 79 degrees.
Cold shock can be just as severe and dangerous from water temperatures of 50-60F (10-15C) as it is from water at 35F (2C). Gasping for a breath or rapid breathing from sudden immersion can be triggered by water as warm as 77F (25C).
The best air temperature for swimming depends on the activity you're using your pool. For instance, if you want to achieve comfort levels, then go for an air temp of 82 to 84 degrees. If you're using the pool for aquatic therapy, then the air temp must be 84 degrees.
Picking the Perfect Temp
So you could say that 78 degrees is the minimum swimming pool temperature and anything over 82 degrees could be too warm. A temperature of 80 degrees is generally warm enough for children and senior citizens to enjoy and cool enough to make for an invigorating dip.
What Is the Perfect Temperature? Pool water temperatures typically run between 78 and 82 degrees. Any cooler than 78 and you will feel chilled when you exit the pool. Any warmer than 82 and the pool will feel like bath water.
Remember: bodies heat up faster than cool water or air, so aim for an outdoor temperature around 78-82 degrees Fahrenheit when looking to swim.
Is it OK to swim in 74 degree water?
1. 74 degrees is the ideal water temperature to wear a wetsuit, but any warmer and you may overheat. The range of 50 to 78 degrees means that there's a perfect level of warmth for using a wetsuit. Wearing a wetsuit will help keep you warm in waters as cold as 74 degrees Fahrenheit.
Most lap swimmers like the water temperature to be somewhere between 75-80 degrees. Being active by swimming laps will cause the body to heat up fairly quickly.
Swimming in hot water is dangerous. It prevents the body from dissipating heat, potentially leading to muscle spasms and cardiac arrthymias. And when muscles don't work properly, lung function can be compromised leading to swallowing water and drowning.
If the water feels slightly warm, but not hot, it's around 100 °F (38 °C).
Can you get heat exhaustion while swimming? Yes, heat exhaustion can occur after long periods of exercise. So, if you are exercising a lot in the pool you can have it!
Swimming Pool Temperatures for Seniors
Older adults engaging in moderate to high-intensity swimming activities can swim comfortably in water measuring between 83 and 86 degrees Fahrenheit. Senior adults engaging in low-intensity activity will require warmer waters between 86 and 88 degrees Fahrenheit.
Chlorine: When water temperatures are 51 degrees and below, you will not need to add chlorine because algae and bacteria stop growing at this temperature.
70 Degrees - 60 Degrees
Now things are getting chilly! This water temperature is, unless you are accustomed to it, probably uncomfortably cold. Your breathing will be harder to maintain in this temperature, and you won't be able to hold your breath nearly as long as you would otherwise.
Even water temperatures as high as 75 and 80 degrees F (24 and 27 degrees C) can be dangerous, but it would most likely take much longer than 15 minutes to become debilitated. There is no set time for when hypothermia will set in, but generally the colder the water, the faster it happens.
Warm Water
Swimming in water that is over 90 degrees Fahrenheit can lead to overheating and exhaustion. Especially if you are swimming several laps or a marathon. With warm water it increases your body temperature while also raises your sweat rate and dehydration will be quicker.
Why does an 80 degree pool feel cold?
Water temperatures are slow to heat up, and just as slow to cool down. Water is very "stubborn" to change temperature. It takes 4 times the energy to heat up water than to heat air. Water also "feels" colder because water is a more efficent medium than air to cool our body down.
For personal recreational swimming pools, the ideal water temperature is generally around 81 degrees Fahrenheit. For other types of swimming pools or uses, such as exercises and competition, the temperature may vary. The best water temperature for competitive swimming is between 77 and 82 degrees Fahrenheit.
Hot water is typically about 130 degrees Fahrenheit or warmer. Between 90 and 110 degrees is considered warm water. And water temperature between 60 and 80 degrees is cold. If your cold water is below 60, it's likely too cool to wash your clothing well.
When looking for a temperature that is neither too cold nor too hot, you should definitely go for a range between 78 to 82 degrees. As you may have already noticed, competitive swimming requires colder water and air temperatures.
Doctors warn that swimming in the pool in excessive heat can dehydrate you. They're warning individuals to stay hydrated and to take breaks from the sun during the heatwave.
It is always important to be careful when swimming in hot weather, but it's especially important to be aware of the risks associated with 100 degree weather. If you are going to swim in this heat, make sure that you take all of the necessary precautions and stay hydrated.
If the water is above 30 degrees it's recommended to avoid strenuous swimming because it can lead to dangerous heat stroke.