They can even pose a structural risk.
The news has recently reported on the growing number of residents who, because of lockdown and the heat that is already starting to hit at this time of year, have had the idea of buying a portable inflatable pool and setting it up on their terrace or balcony to find some relief.
But the truth is that it can be very dangerous.
The load-bearing elements of buildings have been designed to bear a certain weight. Floor slabs, columns and even cantilevered elements (such as balconies or terraces) have been designed, in the structural calculations, with a specific load-bearing capacity, which normally far exceeds the weight they will have to bear, but not to withstand an extra load that can be far too great.
An inflatable or portable pool, despite its harmless appearance as a children’s toy, can weigh an enormous amount once it is filled. In fact, during construction, the load tests carried out on certain floor slabs are done precisely by filling portable pools to check that the slabs can bear the load they were designed for. What is not done is to add more weight than they were designed for, with the serious risk of compromising the mechanical strength and stability of those elements.
Bear in mind that if we fill even a very small pool of barely one square metre up to a water level of 10 cm, it will already weigh 100 kg. A medium-sized pool of the kind now on sale, filled with water, can weigh around 400-1,000 kg. That is an unacceptable overload for any terrace.
That is why it is extremely reckless to use inflatable pools on private terraces, or even on roof terraces or roofs not designed for them, because it can pose a serious structural risk affecting a neighbour, the homeowners’ association, the people living in the building and even passers-by.
If a pool has been installed in your building and you need an expert to check whether it has caused significant damage and/or to claim against those responsible, contact us.
Any questions?