Pool Heating
About pool heating at Breezy Oak Villas, and why we charge extra for it.
Pool Heating is the most common optional item that our guests choose, and yes we do charge extra for it, beyond our seasonal nightly rates.
There are a number of reasons for this, but one of the most significant is that it is simply the common and normal practice in the Orlando area. That is an important point to keep in mind. We could simply build it in to our regular rates, but this would mean raising them and making us at first glance appear uncompetitive with almost all other area vacation rentals which wouldn’t be providing pool heating ‘for free’. We do want to have a shot at gaining your business too!
Plus, not all guests want the pool heated because they won’t be using the pool {*Gasp*}, or they’re staying during summer months and are content with the natural temperature of the pool water from the sun’s warmth. And some in the summer actual use the pool to cool down! They don’t want it that warm!
It is our policy to not include things in our regular rates that many guests don’t want or use, and give every guest the benefit of the best nightly rate we can. You can read more about this here: Vacation Rental Fees and Add-ons Beyond the Nightly Rates
As of this writing, the average charge for Pool Heating in Orlando is $25 per night, and the heaters are typically set to 82 degrees, because that is what Disney sets their resort pool temperatures to. We charge $20 per night for pool heating, and set our heater to 89 degrees, because those seven degrees make a HUGE difference and we want our guests to truly enjoy our pool.
Personally, I’m not very well insulated, so I love warm pool water. I just find it very comfortable and relaxing, so we set our pool heaters to what I prefer it to be. Most of our guests love it too!
During the winter months pool heating is necessary for the pool to be useable (Except for the very, very brave polar bear swim types!) and almost all of our guests choose to include this option with their reservation.
All Pool Heating is Not Equal
Our modern, monster pool heaters.
To heat our pools, we have high-quality, recent, over-sized heaters at our homes that can heat the pool faster than smaller, standard models, so it gets to a comfortable temperature sooner in the morning.
We also run them later into the evening too, allowing for more enjoyable evening swims.
In addition, we have special high-tech monitoring systems, which record the pool water temperature, the outside air temperature, and the temperature of the heated water being supplied to the pool, logged every fifteen minutes and reported to us over the internet. If there is a problem, we can often be aware of it and take action on it before the guest is even aware of it!
These are little things (actually, they’re really big things) that make a huge difference in the enjoyment of our pools.
Unfortunately most guests aren’t aware of these things, or ask about them. They just want to know what the price is for pool heat, and assume they are getting the same thing from different vacation rentals.
But our past guests, particularly those that have stayed at other properties, know better. And now you do too!
For Further Information:
Pool Heating is an option provided to all guests. For dates during winter months that are quoted by us directly, we include Pool Heating in the quote indicating that it is at the option of the guest to included with their reservation or not. For guests who find and book our property through VRBO, HomeAway or other listing site, the site’s online booking system has no means for including seasonal options. These guests are provided the option of including Pool Heating with their reservation when completing our own Booking Form online as part of confirming their reservation.
When is it needed: Occasionally we will have a guest request that pool heating be provided for only part of their reservation, or want to wait until they arrive to decide if they would like it or not. This is not something we can accommodate. If the pool heating has been off, it will take approximately three days to bring the water back up to temperature. There is no way to “turn it on so you can swim today.”
When a guest books pool heating, we actually turn the heater on in advance of the guest’s arrival to ensure that the water is warm when they arrive. The last thing we want is a guest to arrive to a cold pool!
For these reasons, pool heating must be booked in advance, and must be included for all days of the guest’s stay. (If the guest will be staying with us for a period of longer than two weeks, we can accommodate these types of requests based on the guest’s schedule, within the limits of what we can provide.)
Cost: The charge for Pool Heating is $20 per night. This helps cover the cost of electricity, maintenance and the heating system itself. The average charge for this service in the Orlando area is $25 per night at most vacation rentals.
What you receive: The pool system runs on a timer daily in order to circulate the water through the filter and chlorinator in order to keep it clean and clear. This only requires about two hours of operation per day. When the pool heater is being used, the pump will start around 8:00 AM and run until around 7:00 or 8:00 PM so that pool water is being circulated through the heater (and filter and chlorinator) for about fourteen hours per day. During this time, the heater will operate continuously until the water is at 89° F. Once the water reaches this temperature, the heater will come on intermittently to maintain it throughout the day until the evening. The water will retain the heat through the evening hours, but then cool during the night. The next morning the cycle repeats.
The pool blanket: During winter months when the water can lose much of its heat overnight, a liquid polymer pool blanket is added to the water which prevents overnight evaporation and heat loss. This dramatically increases the retention of heat in the water overnight, when temperatures can get quite cool during the winter months.
How we control it: Our pool systems are remotely monitored. We get reports of water temperature, pump schedule, heater performance and other things electronically every hour. This allows us to ensure the pool system is always operating at its best. The pool equipment is physically locked off from guest access with padlocks and security boxes, and monitored by CCTV cameras. Guests are not to tamper with pool systems in any way. To do so will result in loss of the guest’s security/account deposit as per the Terms and Conditions of their rental.
Of course, if you have any questions about this or anything else connected with your rental, please call or send us an email.
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