How much does it cost to fill up a paddling pool?

AS Brits face another week of rocketing temperatures, many will be racing to the shops to bag themselves a paddling pool to cool down.

Temperature records were set over the weekend, when a tropical blast from the Atlantic thrust the UK into the furnace with the mercury shooting up to a sizzling 32C.

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The nation is facing another scorcher of a day today, as temperatures are set to shoot up to a sizzling 32C.

So if you’re thinking of bringing the paddling pool out of the shed, you’ll want to know how much it costs to fill it up.

Here’s all you need to know before taking a dip.

How much does it cost to fill up a paddling pool?

How much it costs to fill up your paddling pool depends on how big it is – and how you pay your water bill.

According to Uswitch, it won’t cost you any more to fill up a paddling pool if you’re on an unmetered contract.

This is because your bill is not based on how much water you use – instead, it’s based on a standard charge.

But if you’re a water meter customer and pay for the exact amount of water you use, you could see your bill shoot up by as much as £16 to fill your pool up, according to data from Uswitch.

Swimming pools come in a range of sizes, but the smallest standard size is usually 6ft wide – enough room to fit three to four kids in.

These sized pools can hold up to 3,000 litres of water – and filling it up will cost you £9.60 every time you use it.

An 8ft paddling pool will cost you £14.40 per dip, while a 10ft pool – room enough for the whole family to fit in – will cost you £16, which is the equivalent cost of around 140 showers or 65 baths.

So if you’re using your pool once a week and filling it up each time, that could add on up to a whopping £64 each month onto your bill.

Will Owen, energy expert at Uswitch, said: “A paddling pool is a great way to cool down, but filling it up could be costly if you’re on a water meter.”

How can I cut down on costs?

If you’re not on a water meter, then you could face rocketing water bills by using your pool.

But you can lower costs by buying sterilising tablets, or using a filter, to limit the amount of times you’re filling it up.

We spotted that sterilising fluid can be picked up for as little as £1 from Sainsbury’s, and helps to prevent the growth of bacteria and algae.

Or you could get a filter that you place into your pool – when we checked prices online at Amazon, we found the cheapest ones would cost £9 to £15.

But before you splash out  make sure to compare prices online as you could find the item you’re looking for even cheaper.

Will said that you could make your pool water “last all summer” by using one of these cleaning solutions, but this depends on the size of your pool and what product you buy.

Shoppers are furious as Tesco, Asda, Sainsbury’s and more ‘run out’ of ice cream as Brits face soaring temperatures.

Here’s where to buy the cheapest swimming pools from shops including Aldi and Argos.

We’ve also got a list of the cheapest inflatable paddling pools for you to check out, with prices starting from just £4.

This post first appeared on thesun.co.uk