When it is hot, and the desire for sea and relaxation grows, those who have an outdoor space always think of a beautiful pool. It is known that installing a real in-ground pool is a very expensive operation and not suitable for everyone. Who wants something smaller, has for many years available aboveground pools, those with rigid walls, a fairly economical and practical solution, yes, but certainly that of the Intex inflatable pools was a real revolution!
Intex is a Milanese company that is monopolizing the aboveground pool market thanks to its inflatable pools, which have the characteristic of being very practical to assemble and maintain, very economical and … great!
If until a few years ago with the term, ” inflatable pool ” identified the piscinetta-toy for children, today the panorama is very different: the inflatable swimming pools ” adult ” reach even 5 and a half meters in diameter 120 cm high, and are equipped with all the accessories of a modern swimming pool.
Intex Inflatable Pools: How they are made
The Intex inflatable pools can be divided into two categories: the first is that of pools similar to those of children, but larger: they can have a round, rectangular shape, and even seats. These are generally small, in particular, they have low height, are to be inflated and used for short periods and suitable for the beach and camping. Pretty, but I’m nothing revolutionary.
The most interesting line is instead of the ” Easy “, round swimming pools with decidedly superior characteristics, designed to be installed at the beginning of the season and held throughout the summer. They do not have inflatable walls, but they are self-supporting: just inflate the upper ring, and it is ready. This guarantees greater durability and ease of use. The dimensions range from a minimum of 183 cm in diameter up to 549 cm.
The most centered ones are, in our opinion, the intermediate ones of about 3 and a half meters. These models are equipped with a pump outlet, which serves both to inflate the edges and to create water recirculation: always buy this essential accessory or better, buy the complete kit.
Advice for installation
The measures vary if you intend to install the pool in a garden or on a terrace.
Installation on terraces and balconies
One of the most frequently asked questions about these pools is the owners of balconies and terraces: will it hold weight? The official installation recommendations do not take responsibility for an answer, and then we give it to you.
The answer is: it depends, we are at the limit. The floors of normal homes are generally tested to withstand at least loads of 250/300 kg/sqm. This translates into being able to have a maximum of 25/30 cm of water, which is a bit ‘for pools designed to be used with at least 60 cm of water.
In truth, the loads that can be borne by the slabs are always much greater, but this depends on the construction characteristics, the state of maintenance and, not a little, from the construction period of the building, as in the 70s it was often built with poor materials.
To guarantee greater loads, you should place the pool in correspondence with beams and columns or of master walls and never in the Central Point of a ” span “. Another trick could be to create a sort of platform (for example, example with wooden boards) to distribute the weight on a larger surface.
In summary, having one of these pools on a terrace is possible, but you must orient yourself on the smaller models and avoid filling it to the maximum.
Installation in the garden
The main defect of these inflatable pools lies in having to be positioned on perfectly flat surfaces. If for the terraces the main obstacle is given by weight, in the garden, the enemy is the slope. A slightly sloping garden will result in an asymmetric feeling.
The edges will make a ” belly ” with tensions, and you will have to overcome it by filling it with less water. It goes without saying that you have to choose the most even and levelest area of your garden, or prepare it for the purpose.
What to put under
The Easy models do not have a soft bottom, but a simple cloth, so it will be very useful to prepare the support surface with a special plastic sheet, or perhaps with synthetic grass. Never use cardboard or other moisture-sensitive material because it would rot all!
Obviously if you place it in the garden on the lawn, the problem of hardness will be less than if you place it on a terrace or on a concrete surface, but you will still need a protection to avoid damaging the fabric.
Maintenance of water
To fill a pool of 350 cm in diameter it takes about 5,000 liters of water, which is 5 cubic meters. It is really a lot of water, and it takes hours and hours of filling, for a cost of several tens of euros of water (if you use that of the tap). It is easy to deduce that it is essential to reduce the water changes as much as possible or to keep it always clean and sanitized.
The supplied pump filters and circulated the water, but this is not enough. We suggest you equip yourself with a chlorine doser and some cleaning tool like a net. The covering cloth is fundamental to avoid dropping dirt and insects when not in use and especially at night. If you use it intensively, with many people and in areas where water tends to get dirty easily, it might be a good idea to buy a larger pump as the standard ones are all quite small.
Another advice that we consider useful is to set up a basin for washing the feet before entering the water. The dirt in the garden would go into the water and clog the filter.
Benefits and Defects of Intex Inflatable Pools
We summarize the pros and cons of inflatable swimming pools Intex:
PROS :
- The very low price even compared to rigid aboveground pools.
- The practicality of installation: only 15 minutes, and you should not even blow!
- Good build quality.
CONS :
- The duration that is certainly not eternal, but evaluable on average in 3/4 years, more if you pay attention not to wear out the materials too much.
- The need to purchase some accessories not included (see at the end of the article for a list).
- They must be installed flat.
Is it worth buying it?
But ultimately, buying one of these pools is advisable? Absolutely yes!! They are really a fast and economical solution to have a swimming pool in the garden or on the terrace. If you have children, it will be the most apt purchase of the summer; adults will appreciate it equally but for shorter periods.
Intex Easy
The best-selling line has various sizes and capacities: we can advise you to buy the largest according to where you have to put it and your wallet, but in reality, the most successful model as size and quality/price ratio according to us is the following, equipped pump and perfect for both adults and children, both in the garden and on the terrace.
- Intex Easy Set Pools are great for adults and kids alike
- Ready for water in 10 minutes
- Included 330 GPH filtration pump comes with a GFCI (Ground Fault Circuit Interrupter)...
Have you seen the price? We bet you thought they cost a lot more! And it is sent to your home with a right of withdrawal for a full 30 days. If you have a garden and want something bigger, here is the model for you:
With whirlpool
Look at this model, and you’ll fall in love … it’s a cross between a small pool and a luxurious outdoor Jacuzzi. Obviously inflatable, in this case, completely and not only the edge is equipped with 120 nozzles for the whirlpool, a powerful pump, and a very good build quality.
It also has the heater, which allows its use even in the warmer months. Given the size, it is also perfect on the terrace. It costs much more than the normal pools, but the quality is of another category, and anyway, it is about … 10 times less than an outdoor whirlpool tub!
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