Everything You Need to Know About Swimming Pool Lights
swimming pool lights

Swimming pool lights are pretty cool. They add color and character to water. Some people like that crystal clear view, but some would like to be able to make their pool reflect them or the rest of their yard. Pool lights are a simple and effective way of doing that, and Aqua Leisure Pools and Spas can help explain how.

What Exactly Are Swimming Pool Lights?

They’re exactly what they sound like, lights that you can put in your swimming pool. Of course, since they’re made with water in mind, they’re waterproof. This means they’re perfectly safe to leave underwater or around water for long periods of time. They won’t electrocute anyone, they’ll just add color and/or light to your pool.

What Colors Do Pool Lights Come in?

They can come in any colors that you want. You can get them all to light up as one color, a rainbow of colors, or if you want to be fancy, you can get swimming pool lights that change colors. Some of these let you manually control and change colors at will, or they come with a preset selection of colors they cycle through.

When Do Pool Lights Look Their Best?

Swimming pool lights always look good, but you get the most out of them at night. During the day, the sun makes your pool appear crystal clear as long as it’s clean. Unless your pool sits in the shadows for a large portion of the day, your pool lights will be pretty little blurs that add color to the lining of your pool.

But at night, it looks like a new pool entirely. With the light of the sun, well-placed pool lights fill the water with color. The pool lining and anyone swimming in it can appear like they’re the color of the rainbow as they go out for a nighttime swim.

Are There Different Swimming Pool Light Types?

There are 9 types of swimming pool lights for you to choose from. Some must be installed when the pool is being built and some can be added on later with ease. These include:

  • Flush-Mounted Underwater LED Pool Lights: These do not stick out further than your pool does. These are built inside the wall of your swimming pool, so it’s best to install them with your pool. Otherwise, it can become very difficult to install them later. Their shape allows them to fill a pool with color easily. You only need a few well-placed pool lights of this model to fill your pool with color.
  • Flush-Mounted Underwater Halogen Pool Lights: These are shaped similarly to the LED variety. The only difference is the type of light bulb they use. LEDs last longer and require less maintenance, but halogen lights are less money upfront and less to replace. No matter what you choose, you’ll have to replace the bulbs in both types eventually. Which is better depends on how you want to budget your money.
  • Surface-Mounted Underwater LED Pool Lights: These will light up your pool without being difficult to install. They can be used to upgrade existing lights or as new additions to a pool. Because they are not a part of the wall, they’re not in line with it and are more susceptible to breaking. We’ve had many customers whose children have broken these pool lights by using them as a stepping spot.
  • Surface-Mounted Underwater Halogen Pool Lights: These lights are functionally the same as the LED model but use Halogen lights instead. They are still susceptible to being broken like the LED variant.
  • Pool Garden Lighting: Not all lights have to go in the pool. These lights go around the pool’s edges and shine lights down into the water. This is the most practical swimming pool light type. They can also be placed to light up more than just your pool water, but a surrounding garden as well.
  • LED Flood Lighting: Flood lights are large square lights that can shine direct and bright light on specific spots. These are less for aesthetic purposes and more to light up the ground or other spots you need to see. Think of these as safety tools so you can see what’s on the ground in front of you when you’re walking outside of the pool at night. It’s also perfect for helping you see what’s inside your pool at night.
  • Halogen Flood Lighting: These work the same as the LED variant, but use Halogen light bulbs.
  • Feature Lighting: These are light fixtures that are added to selective spots to add color and brightness to parts of your pool. This means they offer the most versatility in terms of location and color. They also use LED lights.
  • Submersible and Floating LED Lighting: These are temporary swimming pool lights you can throw into your pool when you want to brighten it up. They float on the surface or sink and submerge themselves under the water. The one thing you have to remember is that you need to swim and pick them up. If they’re left in the pool for days or even weeks on it, they can break and contaminate it. If you just use them for special occasions, you should be able to make them last a long time.

Contact Aqua Leisure Pools and Spas for Help Getting the Right Swimming Pool Lights

It’s your pool, you can make it look how it wants. Sometimes having lights is great for safety, and other times it’s purely an aesthetic choice that will make your pool look that much more inviting. If you’re not sure which type is best for you and which types you can add to your current or future pool, contact the experts at Aqua Leisure Pools and Spas. We’re happy to help.