Swimming Pool Lights: Multiple Options for Safe Swimming

A great benefit to having your own backyard swimming pool, whether it be an above ground pool or an in ground pool, is enjoying the freedom of swimming at your own convenience. Night time swimming, though, is not safe unless your swimming pool is equipped with pool lights to illuminate the sides and bottom of the swimming pool. Swimming pool lights come in a wide variety of styles, colors, and shapes, and choosing the right one depends only on the type of pool you have and your own aesthetic goals for your backyard pool area.

In ground swimming pool lights are usually put in when the pool itself is constructed, but this is not the case for above ground pools. Above ground pool lights must be attached to the pool in one of several ways. Some lights hook over the top of the pool wall, some are mounted to the side of the pool wall, and some are installed directly to your pool's return line. All these models have fundamental advantages; however, a large number of above ground pool owners lean toward lights that hook over the top of the pool wall because this prevents the need to drill holes in the side of the swimming pool and makes the lights easier to remove or adjust.

Another factor to consider when selecting swimming lights is color. White lights are the standard choice, but colors add variety and ambiance to the swimming experience. Some lights offer the best of both worlds -- a white bulb and different colored lenses that can be snapped into place as desired. Other lights are able to cycle through a series of different colors for an ever-changing effect.

The most splashy, vivid, and festive swimming pool lights are floating lights. Floating lights can illuminate both in ground and above ground pools, and they are offered in numerous fun and delightful varieties. Floating lights that resemble lily pads or graceful jelly fish are just two of the many different pool lights available. Some floating lights feature a fountain on the top which sprays colorful streams of water. A favorite choice for pool parties is floating lights whose multiple colors dazzle and illuminate the water like a kaleidoscope.

Having so many choices for swimming pool lights makes the selection process fun, but the choice itself doesn't matter as much as ensuring that there are some kind of lights installed in your backyard swimming pool. Safety should always be the first consideration.

*Safety Note: Children, even older children who may have strong swimming skills, should never be permitted to swim after dark unless closely supervised by a responsible adult.