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• If you have an animal that requires outside time, you’ll want to install a fence around your pool to prevent them from entering at unwanted times
• Pets should safely enter the pool using a pet-safe ladder
• You may want to equip your pool with an alarm just in case your furry friend finds their way into the backyard without your knowledge.

A pool party can come to an end fast if bees show up uninvited. It turns out, most bees are attracted to pools because they want to quench their thirst. Luckily, there are a couple of ways to make sure they don’t crash the party.
Bring out the plants. While bees normally love plants, they aren’t friends with all of them – including mint and lemongrass. Feel free to plant these near your pool to act as a natural repellant.
Use dryer sheets. As mentioned before, certain smells can be a real turn off for bees. We use dryer sheets to give our clothes a fresh smell, but bees hate them. Place the dryer sheets in cups around the pool to keep bees away. Be sure to change them once they lose their scent.

If your goal is to reduce your pool operation costs and be kinder to the planet, you might want to consider installing solar panels to help heat your pool.
Solar pool heaters allow water to be pumped through a filter and then through a solar collector, where it is heated. The heated water is then pushed back into the pool. The $3,000 to $4,000 investment can be great for those who are able to install solar panels in an unshaded area to collect direct solar energy.
As an added bonus, the solar collectors can also help cool the pool during the summer months.

Pool safety for children is a major concern for parents but there are a handful of things you can do to keep your family safe.
Teach your children to swim. Expose your children to the water at an early age (with adult supervision) through swimming lessons and fun water activities. The more they are acquainted with the water, the less curious they will be about wanting to run into the pool when no one is looking.
Say no to drains. Show your children what a pool drain looks like and explain to them why they should not go near them. Many pools have strong suction that helps circulate water. Hair, loose items and swim suits can get stuck in the drain if you’re nearby too long. Be sure all drains are covered.
Find the best barriers and door locks. Pool fences and special locks should be installed near your pool and on the doors that help access the pool. This will keep children out when the pool is not in use.
Learn CPR. You never know when an emergency could happen. As an adult supervising children in a pool, knowing how to perform CPR correctly could save a life.

Like many kids, your daughter loves the pool. She’s a blonde and you can’t seem to keep the green tint out of her hair. There could be two reasons this is happening – one is easily fixed, and more common, and the other is a more difficult (but luckily, less common) issue. Let’s start with the more common of the two – the presence of copper in your pool water.
Some people believe it is because chlorine is green and that it only happens to those with blonde hair. Neither of these beliefs is actually true. Pool water contains high concentrations of copper compounds that chemically interact with chlorine and can then bind to hair follicles. These copper compounds do not seek out or favor blonde hair. In fact, the compounds bind to hair of all colors. It is easier to see on blonde hair because it is so light.
One cause of copper buildup may be the corrosion of copper in your pool heater, if you have one, which can come up if you use chlorine or bromine to treat your pool. There is a solution for this. After testing your water for copper and once you know exactly how much copper is in your pool, you can treat your water with a double dose (for each 1 ppm of copper) of a quality mineral treatment. Something like phosphate-free liquid METALTRAP will do.
Another possibility as to why your child’s hair is turning green is the chlorine is reacting with his/her hair and/or hair products being used. Simply using ¼ to ½ cup of baking soda mixed with enough water to form a paste can be applied to the green areas of the hair, then rinse with clean water. Then, shampoo and condition as usual once her hair is free of the baking soda. This should help bleach the green (without damaging her hair) and return her hair to its natural color.
However, not all situations are equal and will be treated with these two solutions. Contact us today to schedule an appointment.

Hot tubs offer a simple “getaway” in your backyard. However, when you’re ready to go on a vacation it’s important to make sure your hot tub is taken care of properly. These tips will ensure you hot tub stays in the best shape possible when you return.
First, test the water for proper pH levels to ensure the best plumbing. If your kit shows levels are too low, add chemicals to get your water to reach the correct level.
Next, know your hometown forecast before leaving. If there will be freezing temperatures while you’re gone, don’t turn your hot tub off! Keep your hot tub running with warm water to make sure the pipes don’t freeze. Feel free to turn down the temperature about 10 degrees cooler than normal to save on heating bills. We don’t recommend doing this for everyday use but it’s fine to turn down your hot tub temperature for an extended amount of time.
If your hometown weather shows it will be warm while you’re away, be mindful of algae. Add shock to the water and allow the jets to run for half an hour. Afterwards, unplug the heater, pump and power source. There is no possibility of your pipes freezing during the warmer months so your hot tub does not need to keep running.
Finally, if you’re not in the habit of putting the cover on your hot tub every night, make sure to do it before you leave! The last thing you want is to come home from a beautiful vacation to a hot tub full of dirt and debris.
If it helps put your mind at ease, ask a neighbor or friend check on your hot tub every few days while you are away to ensure safety and proper care. Otherwise, relax and enjoy your well-deserved vacation!
Have a question? Please use the “Contact Section” to submit a question about your pool or hot tub.
 
-Kim