BLOG

• Build family memories: Whether it’s a pool party of a lazy afternoon in the sun, a pool is the perfect place to gather around.
• Great form of exercise: You can skip the gym and use your pool as a low-impact form of exercise.
• It’s your vacation spot: When you’ve had a long day at work, your pool will be the place you’ll want to unwind.
• Make a good impression: When selling your home, potential buyers could be truly impressed by your pool amenity and which could help close the deal.
• It’s great for your kids: Teens will want to hang out with their friends (which means they’ll be closer to home) and kids will play until they tire out.

My family is looking to buy a home soon with a pool in the backyard. What are some items we should look for during the process?

We’re excited to hear your family is interested in purchasing a new home (and pool). Many homeowners believe pools add value to their property and provide an outdoor space for families to make memories. 

While you’re on the hunt, here are a few things to ask:

– What was the estimate monthly maintenance charge for the pool?

– How old is the pool?

– When was the last time the pool has been cleaned/maintained?

– Is a pool fence required for safety?

Additionally, once you’ve discovered a home you’d like to put an offer on, you’ll want to find an inspector familiar with pool maintenance. 

• Swimming can give you a full body workout
• Great way to destress as many believe the water has a calming effect
• A gentle swim can burn as many as 200 calories in 30 minutes
• Lowers the risk of cardiovascular disease
• Increase energy levels
• A form of exercise that doesn’t require much sweating

• 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.

If you’ve been a pool owner for any amount of time, you’ve been told to use a pool cover. Traditional pool covers help keep dirt, leaves and other unwanted items out of your pool.
There is also another type of pool cover that has gained popularity – a solar pool cover. Not only does it keep debris out of your pool, it also heats your pool without fancy cords or machines. Solar pool covers capture the energy of the sun to keep your water warm.
In addition, solar pool covers also help keep more water in your pool by limiting the amount of evaporation that occurs.
 This type of pool cover is recommended for those who live in a sunny area and want to save money.

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.

There is a good reason why everyone is throwing tennis balls into their swimming pools. Not only are they the star of the show during a tennis match, they can also help you clean your swimming pool.
Sure, you can use traditional chemicals, but tennis balls can help give your pool a little scrub when you’re not in the mood to do it yourself. The rough exterior of the tennis balls will soak up dirt and oil that don’t belong in the pool – like sunscreens, lotions and hair products that have made their way into the water.
All you’ll need to do is toss in a tennis ball or two and let them work their magic.

A wristwatch alarm is simply a safety device that your child or anyone else that might be in danger around your pool can wear. It’s one of many other precautionary measures you can take to warn you when something dangerous might be happening in or near your pool.
 
The wristwatch alarm is generally linked to a centrally located “base,” probably somewhere in your house where you can easily hear it. You will be alerted with an alarm when it comes into contact with water – i.e., when your child falls in and is in distress. The device is no bigger than a wristwatch and is a great preventative measure to keep your children safe around the pool. It’s not a replacement for a good eye as you should always watch your kids while they’re in the pool.

Routine maintenance of your pool is critical to the enjoyment of your pool. Even if you employ a service company to maintain your pool, there are steps that you need to take to ensure your pool is swim ready at all times:

1. Skim the surface: This should be done every few days. When debris falls to the bottom it can be harder to remove, so be sure to remove debris before it sinks to the bottom.
2. Empty the baskets: This will help lower the need for chlorine, thus saving you money. This task should be performed at least once per week and it may help to spray out and scrub the basket as well.
3. Maintain the water level: A lot of water is lost from your pool regularly. Whether it is due to evaporation or splashing and swimming, it is important to check the water levels regularly so they don’t get to low and compromise the pump. If levels do get low, you can quite simply use your garden hose to fill it back up.
4. Scrub the walls: Be sure to scrub the walls regularly to prevent calcium deposits and algae buildup. The kind of pool you have will dictate what kind of brush to use. For example, a stiffer brush can be used with a concrete pool, but if you have a fiberglass pool you should use a softer brush.
5. Check the pH: Make sure the pH in the water is between 7.2 and 7.8 to ensure safety for swimmers and that sanitizers are working.