Temperatures are raising, the summer is coming and the Coronavirus lockdown we have lived, comes to an end. This two factors, added to the economic crisis, will increase the number of portable pools at many spanish homes.

But…is this recommendable? Which is the security degree of this increasing tendency? Where should be the pool fitted?  What measurements? Which factors should we take into account?

Watch out! It is a matter to think about seriously. The consequences could be unpredictable, specially if you think to fit the pool at a high floor of a building and, also in terraces or balconies, as advises the Building Engineers College.

The speciallists of this institution insist that the characteristics of the building framing that is going to support the weight of the pool with swimmers inside. “Framing, as a structural element, is developed for certain use overloading. For example, to support shelves, furniture, beds, meetings for a meal, and similar things”, says David Arias Arranz, memeber of the Technological Assessors Building Engineers College.

The allowed overload depends on two factors: year of building of the property and stuctural type of framing. The oldest it is, the bigger the limitation. This is due to the overloading calculation of that time, probably they could never take it into account. In this cases, the risk can be bigger and the need of analysis, higher.

Acording to David Arias, “the type of structure that forms the framing is another basic element, its ressistence to overload is extremely variable. Wooden framing is not the same as concrete framing, steel or mixed”. Moreover, as this expert affirms, ” is important to know the structural state of the building, just in case it has a previous pathology, as cracks, rusted armour or rusted steel beams”.

Considering all these factors, caution and common sense, the Building Engineer College affirms that the framing overloading varies between 200 and 300Kg (maximum) per square meter. For that reason, the depth of the pool shouldn’t  exceed 20-30cm in use, in building floors and terraces.

Location? As David Arias says, “portable pools should be placed int the meeting area between pillar and beam, not at edge areas”

If the pool is going to be fitted on a ground floor, in contact with the soil, ” we don’t have to worry”, “the ground resistence is perfectably acceptable for portable pools. In that case, the depth can be  of 60, 70 and even 80cm”.  

But, anyway, the Building Engineers College recommends the visit of and engineer that checks and controls all parameters. In extreme cases, we could suffer a tragedy.