Main Type of Water Features

There are three main types of water features: in-pool fountains, deck fountains (that flow into the pool), and waterfalls/sheer descents.

Both types of fountains have a plumbing line that runs from the equipment pad to the water feature and are turned on and off that way. Fountains don’t require a lot of explaining – they’re what they sound like—beautiful sprays of water. They can be decorated with lights to make them look even nicer.

Sheer descents can be created in one of two ways. Either they are made with a waterfall that flows off the side of the pool and into the water or they can be connected with a hot tub. Connecting a sheer descent with a hot tub works because an attached hot tub is often raised ten to twelve inches above the rest of the pool, creating a place for the water to flow down.

Other Types of Features

A less common type of water feature is an infinity edge or negative edge. You may have seen photos on Instagram of travelers relaxing in infinity pools and you can have a version of this effect in your own backyard. Basically, an infinity effect is created by allowing the pool water to spill over the edge of the pool and into a little moat, giving the impression that there is no edge at all. There is something extremely magical about this type of pool, like you’re swimming in an endless body of water even though you’re just in your backyard.

Pool lights are another feature that our customers enjoy. Typically, we put lights on the ends of the pool and on the long sides. In the past these were single-color halogens. Now, these lights are much more atmospheric LED lights that are multicolored and programmable. Imagine flipping a switch and watching pink and blue lights shimmer on the surface of your pool like the aurora borealis.

We can also install rope lighting along the coping at the edge of the pool, but this is a more expensive option.

Additionally, lights play a role in water features as discussed above. Our water features have their own lights to illuminate them so they can be appreciated at dusk and at night. For instance, if you have a deck fountain spilling into your pool, you can relax at twilight and watch the light catch in the spray of water.

Finally, hot tubs (also called spas) and cold plunges are also considered a water feature. They’re essentially the opposites of each other—hot tubs are more traditional and are designed for relaxing in heated water and cold plunges are becoming more common and are designed for the shock of chilling water.

Commercial Features

While they can be installed in a residential pool, these features are typically intended for kids at commercial pools. We can create deck-mounted water features like up-sprays on the concrete deck or a water drum that is filled up by a fountain and then spills down in the middle of the pool. Some of our readers can probably remember going to the pool as a kid and playing in these types of features. This writer can certainly remember the joy of waiting for the bucket to fill with water and the anticipated surprise of it dumping down on her head!

In Conclusion

About half of the pools we build have water features. People enjoy the chance to look at something atmospheric and beautiful, like a fountain, relax in a hot tub or dare to get in the cold plunge, or watch their kids play in a feature like concrete deck up-sprays.