Florida Pools

Why Have A Pool?

admin — Wed, 19 Oct 2011 19:51:26 +0000

Why Are Pools So Popular?

Whether you live in a warm sub-tropical climate, the suburbs of a major metropolis, flat midwestern farmlands, or a heavily wooded mountain region, owning a swimming pool can greatly enhance both your property and overall lifestyle. Most swimming pool owners design a backyard oasis, but some people choose to build their pool indoors. Whether it is located on a back deck and simply screened in, or in a home’s main living area, an indoor pool can provide extra privacy and create opportunities for year-round swimming. There are many advantages to owning an outdoor or indoor pool, and many pool owners consider their pool to be an essential lifestyle item.

The Advantages of Owning Pool

Having a swimming pool provides you with many unique opportunities to enjoy the outdoors, stay fit and spend quality time with family and friends. If you were to calculate the amount of money you save by exercising, entertaining and destressing in your own backyard, your pool would likely pay for itself over time.

Exercise: Swimming is one of the most effective muscle toning, calorie burning workouts you can undertake. Additionally, swimming is a low impact exercise that can be considered appropriate for most people of any age or fitness level. Water provides a natural buoyancy that makes moving easier and many pool exercises can even help with physical rehabilitation and the process of strength building.

While exercise pools are available at many gyms, fitness facilities and community centers, having your own pool increases the likelihood that you will maintain a regular swimming exercise program. It is much more convenient to walk into the backyard for your daily workout, than to drive to the local gym, fitness facility or community center. A swimsuit is really the only equipment you need for a pool workout to be effective, and you can exercise in your pool at any time of day. If your pool is heated, or located indoors, you may even be able to work out through the winter months.

Entertaining: Whether you are planning a child’s birthday party, company get-together, Fourth of July bash or themed pool party, having a pool makes entertaining friends and family very easy. Adult guests can lounge by the pool to enjoy grilled foods and mixed drinks, or a volleyball net can be set up in the pool area for a vigorous match. Guests who enjoy swimming can float around the deep end of pool on inflatable loungers, while children splash and play in the shallow areas.

When you plan a pool party, you can use a tropical or tiki theme to decorate the area around the pool. Or, choose tradiitonal party music and balloons. If filled with waterproof treats, you can even string some pinatas up over the water. Plastic lily pads, rubber ducks or corked plastic bottles with fun messages inside can serve as floating pool decorations. Or, you could use colored bulbs inside the pool lights to ‘dye’ the water green, blue, red or yellow, and place floating votive candles on the surface of the water.

Be prepared for potential water emergencies. Maintaining an easily accessible supply of lifesaving flotation devices, and knowing how to use them, is an important part of entertaining family and friends in your pool. It is important that you are able and ready to respond to a swimmer in distress, so seek out CPR training and practice your own swimming skills regularly. Keep a phone near the pool area when swimmers are in the water, and never let unsupervised children spend time in or near the water.

Relaxation and stress reduction: After a long week at the office, or a few hectic days spent traveling, you can save money by unwinding in your backyard pool instead of the spa. Lounging in the water, with the heater and pool lights on, you can gaze up at the stars and shift into relaxation mode. Or, slather on some sunscreen, blow up an enormous float with cupholders, grab your favorite hat and sunglasses, snatch up a copy of your favorite magazine and spend an afternoon distressing in the water.

Backyard pools can also make ‘staycation’ vacation alternatives. If your family needs a summer vacation but you can’t afford to book a cruise, fly to a tropical destination or take the kids to an expensive waterpark, consider planning a ‘staycation’ in your own pool. You can create fun themes for each day, and plan meals and activities around the theme.

A Hawaii themed day might include wearing flowery leis in the pool, listening to hula music outdoors and ordering a pineapple and ham pizza for dinner. Or, a summer Olympic themed day could feature water sports contests like relay races, water volleyball and diving from the diving board. Ribbons or small cash prizes could be awarded for each event, with the overall winner getting to choose where the family goes out to eat for dinner that night. Simply be creative and come up with themes and events that will be appropriate for the ages and interests of your family.

Pool Safety

admin — Wed, 19 Oct 2011 18:36:01 +0000

Insider’s guide: Pool safety tips

Behaving safely around the pool

Never leave children unattended near a swimming pool: Accidental death and injury from submersion in a swimming pool or spa is a risk factor for children who are left unattended. According to the U.S. Product Safety Commission, more than 300 children under the age of 5 die from accidental drownings in a pool or spa each year. Additionally, over 3,000 children in that same age group sustain serious injuries from submersion in pools or spas. Even if a child knows how to swim, they should be supervised when they are in, or near, the water.
If a child disappears, check the swimming pool first: When a young child wanders off, check the pool or spa before looking anywhere else. Time is of the essence, and lifesaving procedures, such as CPR, may be necessary if the child has fallen into the pool and swallowed a large amount of water or has stopped breathing.
Teach children to avoid the pool’s pipes, drains and other openings: Even children who are competent swimmers can be at risk of submersion due to accidents with pool pipes and drains. If a child gets too close to a pool opening, the suction from the pipe or drain can pull their hair or clothing underwater and prevent them from breathing. In addition to teaching children to avoid pipes and drains, adults should be aware of the danger to themselves. Pool drain covers are an inexpensive way to reduce the risk of accidental death or injury.
Do not allow glass items around the pool area: Glass is especially hazardous around a swimming pool because shards from a broken bottle have a high probability of entering the water and settling on the bottom. Once small pieces of glass are in the water, they can injure swimmers and cause damage to the pool’s liner and filtration system. Additionally, broken glass around the perimeter of the pool creates a hazard for barefoot swimmers walking to and from the pool. Instituting a ‘plastic bottles only’ policy is a good way to keep the pool area safe.

Being prepared for a pool emergency

KNOW/LEARN HOW TO SWIM: If you own a swimming pool, it is very important that you know how to swim. Even if you don’t plan on getting in the water yourself, as a pool owner and for pool safety you have a responsibility to be equipped for water emergencies. If you don’t know how to swim, you won’t be able to rescue a swimmer in distress or assist in an emergency. Additionally, you put yourself at risk by not learning how to swim. If you slip and fall near the pool, you may end up in the water and swimming skills will become necessary. Many adult swimming classes can be found at community centers and public pools.
Take CPR Training: Knowing how to swim is the first step to being prepared for a water emergency, but being trained in CPR is equally important. CPR, an abbreviation for a lifesaving intervention known as Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation, is taught at many American Red Cross offices and community centers. CPR training will teach you how to clear an accident victim’s airway, pump the chest to stimulate a heartbeat, and breathe air into their lungs. CPR procedures are different for children and adults, and a good CPR class will teach you both interventions.
Keep a phone near the pool, in case of an emergency: In a water emergency, a 911 phone call provides access to lifesaving information and instructions. When your pool is in use, keep a cordless or cellular phone nearby. Just make sure to store the phone in a safe location, not near the pool water.

Invest in pool safety equipment

Install a 4 foot fence with a self-latching, self-closing gate around the pool, and encourage neighbors with swimming pools to do the same: A pool fence and gate will prevent unsupervised children from accessing the water, effectively lowering the risk of accidental death and injury. Consider installing a pool alarm for added security, especially if the rear wall of your house provides direct access to the swimming pool.
Install drain covers that fit properly over the openings in your pool: Make sure that your pool pipes and drains are fitted with covers to prevent the accidental submersion of children and adults who get too close. Once your drain covers are in place, inspect them regularly for signs of wear and tear and replace as necessary.
Store your life saving vests and flotation devices near the pool for easy access: If correctly stored near the swimming pool, life jackets, life vests, rings and floats can be quickly tossed into the pool when a swimmer shows signs of distress. A flotation product helps to prevent drowning by providing buoyancy and keeping a distressed swimmer above water while a rescue is underway. You should routinely check your flotation products and test them regularly for buoyancy.
Routinely check your pool cover for signs of wear and tear, and replace it in a timely manner: Your pool cover provides an extra line of defense against unauthorized, unsupervised use of your swimming pool. Even if you have a pool fence and gate in place, it is important to routinely inspect your pool cover and ensure that the integrity of the the barrier is maintained.

Pool Types Guide

admin — Wed, 19 Oct 2011 18:02:28 +0000

Pool Types and Structures

Above ground pool: An above ground pool is the least expensive, and least durable, swimming pool types on the market. Easy to assemble from prefabricated wood, metal or plastic walls and a vinyl liner, most above ground pools do not require professional assembly. Generally, after preparing a smooth outdoor area and setting up the pool walls, an installer will evenly spread sand across the entire pool area and lay out all of the plumbing components. A vinyl pool liner can then be fastened inside the swimming pool, filled with water and secured in place.
In-ground vinyl-lined pool: An in-ground vinyl-lined pool is more expensive, and more durable, than any of the above ground pool types, but it is considered the least expensive, and least durable, of any type of in-ground pool. Similar to the structure of an above ground pool, in-ground vinyl-lined pools rely on wood, metal or plastic walls and heavy duty liners to hold pool water and retain the shape and integrity of the structure. Installers create an in-ground vinyl-lined pool by digging a hole in the ground and setting up the walls underground before fastening the liner and filling the pool with water. Generally, most vinyl liners need to be replaced every ten years.
In-ground fiberglass pool: A fiberglass pool is generally a pre-formed basin structure made from molded plastic and fiberglass. To install an in-ground fiberglass pool, installers will generally dig a hole to match the size and shape of the pre-formed pool and set up the plumbing before dropping the pool inside. Fiberglass pools generally require the least weekly maintenance of any structure type, and there is significantly less risk of future repair costs.
In-ground concrete pool: An in-ground concrete pool is one of the most difficult pool type structures to install and poured concrete installation, a method where concrete is filled into a constructed wooden pool frame, is heavily declining. Masonry block pools, where installers dig a hole for the pool and fill in the walls with concrete blocks, are still being constructed but are generally not popular with most consumers. Additionally, most concrete pools need to be re-plastered every ten to twelve years.
In-ground gunite pool: In-ground gunite pools are replacing concrete pools as the most popular pool structure in America because they can easily be built in any shape and size, and they are extremely durable. To construct a gunite pool, installers dig a hole in the desired shape and size, set up the plumbing, and lay out a network of rebar rods and wiring. The rebar framing is then sprayed with a wet gunite solution of sand, cement and water to create the bottom and walls of the pool. The in-ground gunite pool must be allowed to dry for several weeks before it is filled with water, but the results will last for a lifetime once the structure is completed.

Types of Pool Sanitizing Systems

Chlorine: Chlorine is the most common type of pool sanitizer in America, and this system relies on a strict maintenance schedule of testing the pool for appropriate chlorine levels, adding chlorine to increase chemical levels as needed and administering routine shocking treatments to kill algae and other bacteria. Chlorine can be added to pool water in liquid, tablet or granulated form. And, because chlorine can be considered a hazardous chemical, it is important to carefully test chlorine water levels with high quality test strips or test kits.
Saltwater: A saltwater pool utilizes a chlorine generator to create natural chlorine from salt that is periodically added to the pool water. A chlorine generator can be added to a traditional chlorine pool’s plumbing system if the pool owner wants to switch to a saltwater system, and some pools are constructed with saltwater systems already in place. A saltwater plumbing system utilizes a natural electrolysis process, where the added salt molecules are separated into one sodium atom and one chlorine atom, to purify the pool water without added chemicals. Many people consider saltwater to be a safer alternative to traditional chlorine.

Types of Pool Filtration Systems

Sand filters: A sand filter utilizes a large fiberglass, metal or concrete tank, filled with professional grade sand, to filter dirt and debris from a swimming pool’s water supply. A sand filtration system relies on gravity to draw water into the filter tank, and the thick layer of gritty sand inside the tank traps debris and small pieces of dirt while the pool water passes through.
Cartridge and DE filters: A cartridge filter is constructed from corrugated paper or polyester, and dirt and debris often become lodged inside the cartridge as the pool water is filtered through. When enough debris is collected, the cartridge filter can be washed clean. Generally, cartridge filters only need to be replaced every 8 years. A DE filter is constructed from diatomaceous earth, a dust created from the fossilized remains of tiny sea organisms called diatomes. Like a cartridge filter, a DE filter cleans the pool environment by trapping dirt and debris while allowing water to pass through.

Celebrity Pools

admin — Wed, 19 Oct 2011 17:55:53 +0000

Lance Armstrong's Pool

Celebrities have the time, imagination and resources to create amazing outdoor playgrounds, and celebrity pools feature some of the most amazing details and designs in the world. From an early 1900s Roman revival mansion, to the Playboy mansion, the former Hollywood home of a 1950′s pin-up girl, a famous action film star’s Miami compound and the White House itself, this guide to the world’s top 7 most interesting celebrity pools will look at what makes each famous pool unique.

In some cases, the artistic design and care that went into building a celebrity pool will set it apart. And sometimes, simply knowing that a celebrity, or groups of celebrities, spent time swimming or lounging in a certain swimming pool will make it interesting and famous. The secret history of a historic swimming pool can certainly entertain the imagination, while we marvel at the sheer grandeur and indulgent excess of gold-plated pool tiles, underwater speakers and chandeliers hanging over the swimming pool.

Each of the top 7 most interesting celebrity pools tells a unique story and features remarkable elements:

White House Swimming Pool 1992 after Renovation

The White House Pool:The President of the United States swims in an outdoor, in-ground swimming pool built by Gerald Ford in 1975. Located near the tennis courts, it features a cabana with expansive windows and a thermal heating system. In 1997, Bill Clinton’s administration installed a 7 person jetted hot tub. The hot tub, which features 25 jet settings, was a gift from the Watkins Manufacturing Corporation. The tile walls of the another White House swimming pool, the now-empty indoor pool located directly beneath the James S. Brady press room, has a secret history of autographs from the famous artists, musicians and politicians who have visited the White House.

White House Seimming Pool with President Ford, 1975

In fact, in 2008 the popular Jonas Brothers band autographed the pool wall during a visit. Other famous pool wall signatures include Sugar Ray and Bono. Originally, the Roosevelt administration built a swimming pool outdoors so President Roosevelt could treat his polio with regular swimming. When the Nixon administration took over several years later, President Nixon ordered the pool drained and built over. President Nixon built the press room over President Roosevelt’s pool, but the original structure remains in the press room basement.

The Playboy Mansion Pool: It was built by architect Arthur R. Kelly in 1927 and acquired by Playboy from Louis D. Statham (1908–1983), an engineer, inventor and chess aficionado, in 1971 for $US1.1 million. The Playboy mansion is most famous for a legendary swimming pool and grotto.
Playboy Mansion Pool 2010

The swimming pool features large decorative rocks, aquatic plants, a waterfall and decorative stone patios. The grotto, a cave-like structure built from smooth rocks, sits in the middle of the swimming pool and features built-in benches, napping areas and several whirlpools. Gardens and stone walkways surround the entire pool area. For decades, celebrities have flocked to the Playboy mansion for parties, events and fundraisers.

Playboy Mansion's infamous Grotto

Many modern movie stars and musicians, as well as idols from the 1960s, 70s, 80s, and 90s, have spent time in the Playboy pool and grotto. Additionally, many Playboy bunnies, featured in the popular men’s magazine over the years, have frequented the famous swimming pool.

The Neptune Pool:One of the most photographed pools in the world, is the brainchild of publishing mogul William Henry Hearst. Built in the 1920s, the Neptune Pool is one of two swimming pools featured at the historic Hearst Castle in San Simeon, California. Modeled after an ancient Roman castle, The Hearst Castle adheres to exact specifications and the Neptune Pool underwent renovations twice by Hearst between 1924 and 1936.
The final version of the pool as it stands at the Castle today is 104 feet long, 58 feet wide and 95 feet wide at alcove. It is 3.5 feet deep at the west end, 10 feet at drains and holds 345,000 gallons of water.

Additionally, the Neptune Pool also renovated by architect Julia Morgan in 2008. The outdoor pool features intricate mosaic patterns and exquisite marble and serpentine tiles. Reproductions of ancient Roman columns and several fine art statues surround the water. The Heart Castle also features an equally exquisite indoor pool, The Roman Pool, tiled in smalti glass squares of orange, blue and gold. Around the water, eight marble statues pay homage to Greek gods and goddesses, while underwater mosaic designs depict ancient Roman marine monster mythologies.

Other unique aspects of the Neptune Pool include the oil burning heating system, the light-veined Vermont marble decorating the pools and colonnades, and four 17-century Italian bas-reliefs on the sides of the colonnades

The Roman Pool is carefully designed by Hearst to mirror authentic Roman baths from centuries ago, and the blue tiled ceilings imitate the look of ancient mausoleums.

Tycoon Lev Leviev’s Private Pool: The most expensive private swimming pool in the world belongs to famous diamond tycoon, Lev Leviev. Leviev’s $70 million mansion in London showcases a stunning indoor swimming pool with gold-plated mosaic tiling. The grand pool converts into a ballroom via an electronic retractable cover, and features a full spa and sauna amid grand Roman columns and a beautiful cathedral-style
ceiling.

Sylvester Stallone’s Private Pool: At Sylvester Stallone’s 14 acre Miami compound, the swimming pool sits next to a life-size bronze likeness of Rocky Balboa, a movie character made famous by the actor in the
1980s. White stone vases, engraved with intricate designs, adorn two corners of the rectangular outdoor pool, and white marble-like tiles surround the water. A spa, tiled in blue mosaic, sits near the bronze Rocky statue at one end of the pool, while a lone tree towers grandly over the opposite end.

Jayne Mansfield’s Heart-Shaped Pool: The late actress Jayne Mansfield insisted that her future husband, Mickey Hargitay, promise to build her a heart-shaped house with a heart-shaped pool, before she accepted his marriage proposal. Hargitay agreed and fifty years later, people still talk about that Beverly Hills house with its one-of-a-kind heart-shaped pool. The outdoor pool featured underwater speakers, and mosaic tile letters in the shallow end of the pool spell out “I love you Jaynie” . Two small heart-shaped islands graced middle of the pool, while the pool steps descended from the top section of the heart design. This famous pool is no longer heart-shaped, due to demolition and remodeling by new owners several years ago.

The “True Blood” Pool: “True Blood” fictional vampire queen Sophie-Anne Leclerq: La Villa Contenta, the grand Malibu house used as the home of Evan Rachael Wood’s gripping character in the HBO “True Blood” series features a natatorium, or indoor pool, surrounded by cathedral-like walls and an ornate ceiling. Gleaming tile floors, regal furniture and ornate iron chandeliers frame the Malibu home’s long, rectangular swimming pool. The largest chandelier hangs directly above the center of the pool, and the skylight enhanced ceiling arches toward the heavens. Intricately engraved tiles outline the edges of the ceiling. The “True Blood” house and swimming pool have been featured in many other television shows and films, including ‘Funny People’, and ‘I Love You, Man’. The stunning property is for sale, and is listed as one of the ten most expensive homes in the world.

Diving Board Safety

admin — Wed, 19 Oct 2011 17:20:00 +0000

Dive safely: 5 simple steps

Diving is one of the most exciting pool activities you can undertake. Mastering and demonstrating the ability to dive cleanly into the water, leaving only tiny ripples behind, will keep you and your friends entertained for hours. But, diving accidents can cause death or very serious injuries so it is important to learn and practice diving safety precautions. When followed, these simple safety rules will greatly reduce the risk of diving accidents and injuries.

Know how deep the water is before you dive: It is important to only dive into water that is at least six feet deep. Diving into shallow water can result in serious injury, or even accidental drowning, if you hit your head on the bottom of the pool. When planning a dive into a swimming pool, you can use the location of the diving board as an indication of deep water.
Generally, the diving board is placed in the region of the swimming pool where the water is deepest. Also, numbers indicating the depth of the water are often painted on the ground, near the edges of the swimming pool. It is generally not recommended that you dive into unknown waters where you are unable to verify the depth of the water.
Plan your dive and check for the water for obstacles: Pay attention to the pool environment and scan the water for submerged pool toys and other potentially hazardous objects. Don’t dive into water that you have not checked for obstacles. If children or adults are using flotation devices or pool loungers in the water, make sure that they know where you are planning to dive. Ask everyone in the pool to stay clear of your dive path.
Only dive from the end of a diving board: If the pool where you swimming has a diving board, use it. Most diving boards are equipped with a heavy duty, slip-resistant tread, made from sand or gravel, to prevent you from falling into the pool and sustaining an injury. Once you get up on the diving board, be sure to dive from the end.
Hold up your head and arms and make a shallow dive: Specialty jumps and dives, such as flips, belly flops and cannon balls, may be fun but are generally not considered safe. Attempting a complicated or silly dive can put you at risk of losing your balance or steering the dive incorrectly. A flip can be miscalculated and cause you to hit your head or limbs on the bottom of the diving board, while belly flops and cannon balls can easily veer away from the middle of the pool and put you at risk of crashing into a wall.
Know what to avoid: Diving into shallow water, running on or near the diving board, consuming alcohol or drugs before making a dive and diving from the side of the pool are the top causes of diving injuries. It is important to refrain from diving into water that is not at least 6 feet deep, and it is especially important to avoid making dives into bodies of water where the depth is not known or verified

DIVING ALERTS

Diving from the sides of the diving board is not safe because your chances of hitting the sides of the swimming pool increase greatly. Diving from the end of the diving board assures you a safe entry into the deep middle region of the pool. If the pool where you are swimming does not have a diving board, it is not recommended that you dive.
If you are going to dive into a swimming pool, it is recommended that you aim for the deepest region of the pool and hold your arms over your head in standard diving position. Keep your head up and steer with your hands once you have left the diving board and are airborne. It is important to steer your dive towards middle of the pool, away from the pool edges where an injury could be sustained.
Running on or near the diving board is unsafe because, even though modern diving boards are equipped with high quality tread to reduce slipping, a wet surface is difficult to navigate. Running can increase your chances of slipping off the diving board, or crashing into it, and sustaining a life threatening injury. In general, running should be avoided in all pool areas.
Consuming alcohol or drugs is especially dangerous in relation to diving because these substances impair your ability to assess the amount of space and distance you need to dive safely. Alcohol and drugs can also lower your inhibitions and cause you to feel overconfident about your diving abilities, encouraging you to throw caution to the wind and attempt unsafe maneuvers.
And, diving from the side of a pool is strongly discouraged because of the importance of avoiding contact with the cement, fiberglass, gunite or metal walls of the pool. The likelihood of miscalculating your dive and crashing into the side of the pool increases greatly when you dive near the water’s edge. A diving board is designed to reduce this risk by positioning you away from the walls, near the middle of the pool’s deep end.

Swimming Pool Designs

admin — Sun, 16 Oct 2011 02:35:46 +0000

The first thing you need to consider when designing your swimming pool is its intended use. Do you want to swim laps, do physical therapy, exercise, entertain guests, let the kids have some fun, or impress your neighbors? After all, you want to get a pool for a reason or a multitude of reasons to enhance your life. A swimming pool’s intended use has arguably the greatest impact on the way it should be designed, and therefore, the needs and wants your swimming pool is intended to fulfill should be identified very early in the design process. It is also useful to recognize the pool’s primary functions to help you narrow down your design choices. In the following sections we’ll go over some of the most popular benefits people get from owning a swimming pool, and how these impact the swimming pool’s design.

Fun and Leisure:

The most frequent motive for obtaining a swimming pool is for family fun and leisure. A backyard pool is a great place to cool off during the summer, have fun with the kids and throw some inflatable toys around. If this is your only reason for wanting a pool, then the simplest, least expensive swimming pool designs will suffice. If your budget is large, then you may want to invest in some luxury, but otherwise an above ground pool or a shallow in ground pool would be enough to meet your needs. A pool that’s at a constant depth of 4 feet is sufficiently deep to splash around and swim the occasional lap in, but also shallow enough to provide safety for the whole family.

Exercise:

If you want to use your swimming pool for some serious exercise, then the dimensions of your swimming pool require more critical consideration. For lap swimming, a pool at least 25 feet long and 3.5 feet deep is recommended, with typical lengths ranging form 25 to 40 feet. There are also dedicated lap pools that are relatively very narrow, and therefore fit in constrained spaces. Water aerobics require some more depth to avoid touching bottom. Typically a section of the pool that’s 5 to 6 feet deep is enough for this purpose.

Another option for swimmers is the swim spa, which is a small pool, usually no more than about 12 feet in length that can generate a strong current to swim against. One can then swim against the current while remaining in place. Their small size also makes the installation of indoor swim spas a very viable option in many cases.

Parties and Entertaining Guests:

If pool parties are in your future you may have a few other design issues to think about. These largely involve the landscaping and design of the area surrounding the pool. You may want to surround the pool with a patio or a deck, add a pool house, a gazebo, an outdoor bar, furniture, etc. In addition, you may want the pool itself to be designed for looks, with a stylish shape, rather than just for functionality. Carefully hiding pool equipment will also make the pool area more appealing.

Relaxation:

Spending time at your pool can be very relaxing, and the proper amenities will make it even more enjoyable. An addition of a spa or a hot tub to the pool area is a great complement to the swimming pool itself. Like pools, these come in the in-ground, and portable, above-ground varieties. An in-ground spa is typically connected to the pool’s filtration and heating systems. And if that’s not the case, a portable spa is a much more economical option.

If you’re going to spend time pool-side sunbathing, be sure to leave the space for it. And if you opt for the above-ground pool variety, the addition of a sizable pool level deck makes great sense.

Jerry Westly is an avid swimmer and swimming pool enthusiast who writes his thoughts on building and maintaining the perfect backyard swimming pool on Swimming-Pool-Designs.com Please visit the site for tips and advice on topics such as inground swimming pools, above ground swimming pools, swimming pool covers and much more.

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Find and Fix Pool Leaks

admin — Sun, 16 Oct 2011 01:52:09 +0000

Pool leaks are not uncommon for pool owners after opening their pool for the year. But where is the leak coming from? Let’s take a look and see how to find and repair swimming pool leaks.

First of all, you have to make sure that it really is a leak in the first place. What do you think is a leak, may be something else. There are actually three main causes of water loss from swimming pools and they are:

1. Swimming pool plumbing leaks

2. Swimming pool shell leaks

3. Normal evaporation or excessive splash

So before you go any further let’s rule out number three in the list above. It’s important to do this, because actually the sun can evaporate quite a bit of water from a pool on a daily basis without your realizing it, and swimmers can splash a lot of water out of a pool too..

To find out for sure if the water loss is due to evaporation or not, take a fairly large container and fill it with water and place it on the first step of your pool. Then remove enough water from the container so that the water level in the pool and in the container is exactly the same. Now leave the container there for a couple of days to see what happens with no one using the pool in the meantime. If after a couple of days the water level in the pool has gone down, and the water level in the container has gone down the same amount, then you know that the water loss you are experiencing is most likely just evaporation due to the sun.On the other hand, if the water in the pool has gone down farther than the water in the container, then most likely there is indeed a leak in your pool somewhere.

To find pool leaks, the first place to inspect is around your filter and pump. Do you notice any water spots or damp areas there? If so, try to trace back where the water is coming from. Very often, it will be a connection on one of the pipes in this particular area.You may need to turn on the pump for a while and observe it to see if any leaks develop while everything is running. If the leak begins to show, and you feel comfortable with repairing the pool plumbing, then this is a job that you may wish to do yourself. However, for most people it will be a job that is best left to a pool professional.

If no obvious leaks can be found in the plumbing, then perhaps the leak is in the shell of the pool itself. And in this case, it’s almost always advisable to leave any of this type of work up to a well-qualified professional.

As you can see, finding and repairing swimming pool leaks is usually just a matter of eliminating possible causes until you find the real problem. Once the problem is found, your final decision is whether to fix it yourself or pay someone to do it instead.

Thad Pickering writes on many consumer related topics including home improvement. You can find out more about swimming pool designs and swimming pool safety covers by visiting our Home Improvement website.

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Dont Forget Pool Steps

admin — Sun, 16 Oct 2011 01:37:46 +0000

Owning a nice above ground pool is wonderful. It can transform your backyard into your own personal family resort. There’s no better way to beat the heat and to enjoy the summer than in the water of sparkling swimming pool. Having a pool alone isn’t really enough, though. You will also need the right accessories. Swimming pool steps are one of them.

You need swimming pool steps or a ladder in order to get up the side of the pool and back down into the water. Swimming pool steps or ladders may be optional for a below-ground pool, but they’re an absolutely necessity for those with above ground pools.

Swimming pool steps can be made from a number of different materials. You will find steps in plastic, resin, aluminum and stainless steel. Generally speaking, stainless steel swimming pool steps offer the best quality. Unlike the other materials, they tend to last longer. They’re also sturdier–if you’ve ever scaled a flimsy plastic ladder or climbed down thin resin stairs, you’ll understand just how important sturdy construction can be! The cheaper products may be adequate for those who only make occasional use of their pools or if the pool is used only by smaller children, but most pool owners will appreciate the quality that comes with stainless steel swimming pool steps that can handle more weight.

As one would expect, prices for swimming pool steps are primarily determined by the materials used in their construction. Plastic and resin stairs are usually the cheapest options. Aluminum steps run a bit more than those options. Stainless steel steps do cost the most. However, most buyers will say that the higher quality swimming pool steps are well worth the extra expenditure.

Choosing the right materials is important, but so is picking the right structure. You want swimming pool steps that you can easily and safely use. You should always check rung spacing if there’s an outside ladder or the spacing of the outside stairs, as well as the side of the accessory that will be emerged in the pool.

It’s easy to ruin an otherwise ideal afternoon with an accident. Safety must be priority in the selection of pool stairs. Look for added safety features including sturdy handrails and anti-stick stairs when you shop for your swimming pool stairs. At the very least, the surface of the stairs should be ribbed or otherwise built to provide some degree of traction. Smooth stairs are a series of accidents just waiting to happen.

You can skip some above-ground pool accessories, but there’s no way to avoid purchasing pool stairs. When you go out to find a set of steps, be certain that you’ll receive the best quality stairs in the proper design with all available safety features. That’s the best way to begin enjoying your personal oasis.

To find out more information about picking the right swimming pool steps be sure to visit our website at http://www.SwimmingPoolSteps.net.

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Swimming Pool Covers

admin — Sun, 16 Oct 2011 01:31:00 +0000

A swimming pool is the perfect spot to have fun and cool off during the hot summer months. While swimming pools allow for exercise and enjoyable recreational activities when taken care of, if they are not well managed, they can become eyesores or even the scene of a dangerous accident. Swimming Pool Covers reduce the cost of maintaining your pool as well as the chances of accidents occurring.

Swimming Pool Covers not only reduce the risk of accidental drowning of unsupervised children and pets, swimming pool covers also help reduce the cost of maintenance in the following ways:

Prevent leaves and debris from getting into the pool, keeping it clean and inviting.
Reduce the amount of water evaporation on those hot summer days, as well as prevent unnecessary loss of chemicals.
Keep the water warm at all times by locking in the heat.

There are many different types of swimming pool covers, each with its own features and qualities:

Plastic: This type of swimming pool cover is lightweight and a good choice if all you need is to keep your pool clean and reduce your maintenance costs. It is also good for people who live in warmer regions and do not need to worry about keeping their pools warm.

Vinyl: This type of swimming pool cover is perfect for insulating pools and preventing heat loss and the evaporation of pool chemicals. Some vinyl covers can even be locked and unlocked with a key, a good option for those who do not want intruders or unsupervised children in their pool.

Mesh or solid: These swimming pool covers are sturdy, and some can hold up to 485 pounds per square foot. They are usually anchored to a deck to keep them stretched over the pool, and are a very secure way to prevent accidents from occurring.

Solar covers: This is the cheapest kind of swimming pool cover. Solar covers lock in the heat and prevents leaves and debris from getting into the pool, but they do not function as safety covers. Unsupervised children and pets should be kept away from the pool area if a solar cover is used.

Whether you have an above ground or an in ground pool, a swimming pool cover is an affordable way to protect your swimming pool from the elements. However, it is still important to regularly check your pool to ensure that the chemicals are well balanced, and that the components of the pool are in good shape, or you can hire a professional pool maintenance service to carry out routine pool maintenance and cleaning for you.

Walter Lee Davis is the owner of Piranha Pool Management, an Atlanta pool service company offering pool maintenance, chemical treatment, and Atlanta pool repair. With competitive prices, a drive for perfection, and extensive experience, Piranha Pool Management is the standard for pool management in metro Atlanta.

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In Ground Pools and Prices

admin — Fri, 14 Oct 2011 22:35:12 +0000

Swimming Pools are always a hit, especially for little kids. Adults enjoy them very much as well. There are public and private pools. Public pools are those used by many people or by the general public. In ground Pools, which are used exclusively by a few people in their homes or clubs, are referred to as private pools. Health clubs, fitness centers and private clubs have pools that are used mainly for exercise. Massage parlors and hotels, on the other hand, have in ground pools that are mainly for recreation.

In ground Pools have many add-ons and features, like pool lights and pool ladder. They should be cleaned using a Kreepy Krauly or other devices. In ground Pools can be simple, elaborate or completely out of this world, depending on the design and the budget. Let us start by knowing the two types of pools. In-ground swimming pool prices vary widely. You could have a decent sized pool installed for as little as $12,000. Other pools may reach 6 figures and upwards depending on the materials.

There are 2 types of swimming pools, namely, above ground pools and in ground pools. The main difference between the two types of pools largely depends on how the basin is constructed.

Above Ground Pools

These have the cheapest in-ground pools prices to construct and he easiest to build. Most of this type of pool is made from prefabricated kits. Amateurs can put this together but more people opt to hire professionals to do it for them. The disadvantage to this type is it is less durable than other designs and it is not very attractive. It is easy to disassemble and move to a new location.

In Ground Pools

These pools seem like a solid, unmovable structure. However, it is more like a boat. It floats in the surrounding ground water. The ground water pressure can actually push the structure out of the ground when the pool is empty. This is one of the many reasons why it as to be filled with water all year round.

There needs to be equal pressure on each side of the pool. Most modern pools of this kind have a special hydrostatic valve near the main drain. This guards against damage from ground water pressure. If ground water pressure is enough, it will push up on a small float, which opens the valve. When the valve opens, ground water flows in and equalizes the pressure.

Types of In Ground Pools

· Vinyl-lined Pools. This is one of the simplest types of in-ground pools to build. It is somewhat similar structurally to an above ground pool. What contractors do to install this is to dig a hole in the backyard. A frame is then constructed around the border of the hole and then a layer of san d is placed in the bottom. Lastly, he vinyl layer is secured to the frame. This takes anywhere between 1-3 weeks to build. Vinyl in-ground swimming pools prices may be costly because the kit includes things like framing, steel walls and the vinyl liner itself. However, they are very quick and easy to install. Most vinyl-lined pools are available with a starting price of $7,000 upwards.

· Fiberglass pools. The shell of this kind of pool is built before the pool itself arrives. The pool itself is constructed in a factory and it is delivered to the house in one piece. Before installing the pool, the ground is dug out, plumbing s laid and sand is poured into the bottom of the pool hole. The pool, which looks somewhat like a bathtub, is lowered into the hole. The pool is then leveled before being connected to the plumbing. Pools of this type can be built in just 2 weeks. Fiberglass in-ground pool prices range from $10,000to $17,000 for a small one and from $13,000 to $18,000 for a big one.

· Concrete Pools. This is one of the most durable types, however, it is also the most difficult and the most time consuming to install. These can be customized by painting the concrete in whatever color you like. Embellishments can also be added, like pebbles or plaster for a one of a kind look. The pool may also be custom built to fit the shape of the yard. Materials for concrete pool are not that expensive but the labor is very much so.

· Gunite Pools. These have a similar construction to concrete. The only difference is after the framework grid of rebar is laid in the ground, a thick coating of gunite, a mixture of cement and sand is mixed with water to produce concrete material, which is sprayed around the rebar. The gunite is then smoothed with trowels. After a week, a smooth finished is applied. Gunite, just like concrete, takes longer time to build but the durability you get with the product is worth the wait. The cost of this type of pool is more or less like concrete pools.

There are many kinds of pools you can choose from for your enjoyment and recreation. Do read up though on in-ground pool prices and accessories like the kreepy krauly to make your decision cost-effective for you.

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