Inspecting your Swimming Pool

With the varied availability of swimming pool equipment and designs, you have a lot to think about when it comes to safety. Whether you use different types of swimming pool liners, or think about purchasing a new swimming pool toy, there are a lot of pool inspection tips you should consider. It may also help to ask questions at your local swimming pool supply shop, because talking to experts face to face about your swimming pool safety needs can help you in the long run.

Your swimming pool design and capacity

A lot of things depend on your pool's design and capacity. Some of these things include the amount of water treatment chemicals you'll need, the type of liner you should have, as well as the aesthetics of your swimming pool. It's important to calculate the average depth of your pool using this equation: Deep End (feet) + Shallow End (feet) ÷ 2 = Average Depth. It will help you determine your swimming pool capacity. The swimming pool design you choose will also aid you in buying the proper swimming pool covers that you will need during different seasons. Leaf-catcher covers are effective during summer, fall and spring, while a different swimming pool cover is available for winter. These allow you to keep your pools in top shape despite the seasonal and climatic changes. Almost any swimming pool supply shop has a good stock of covers for your swimming pool. Keep in mind that a well-covered swimming pool is a safe pool.

Getting the ideal swimming pool liner

The quality of your swimming pool liner is essential to your pool's water quality. This is because it prevents the water from being contaminated. It also maintains your water's pH, and helps keep algae and mildew from growing. Also consider the type of material used for your liner. Swimming pool liners are usually made with vinyl or plastic, and can be quite decorative.

Inground Swimming Pool Safety

The elegance of inground swimming pools attracts a lot of buyers. However, it is important to keep in mind that inground pools have their own safety risks. It is important to always have someone watch the pool such as a "lifeguard" or simply an adult who can swim. This is because children (and unmindful adults) have a higher tendency to fall into an inground swimming pool as opposed to an above ground swimming pool. It will help to keep your inground swimming pool covered when not in use, or fenced off in certain areas.

Safe swimming pool toys for added fun

While purchasing fun and colorful swimming pool toys can be exciting, there are some accessories that can be considered as a "must-have". Goggles are important, especially for children. There are also special swimming pool toys and floats available for toddlers. Swim aids such as swimming pool floats, swim belts, and water wings, are also considered as safe swimming pool toys. Your local swimming pool supply shops probably have a good toys department - take a look around in order to get the best prices.

Swimming Pool Renovation Ideas - 5 Best Upgrades to Consider for Your Swimming Pool

Making a decision to renovate a swimming pool is not an easy task, but the recent advancement of swimming pool technology makes renovations well worth your while. Homeowners can now transform an old, troublesome pool into a luxury swimming pool, with every possible amenity, that runs smoother than it ever did. Unfortunately, many people settle for their existing pool because they do not receive adequate information regarding the possibilities of a pool renovation. Maybe they simply underestimate the transformative possibilities of renovating an existing pool. Don't be intimidated by the task of renovating your pool with the latest industry trends.

Here are the 5 best upgrades to consider for your swimming pool renovation:

1. Salt Water Chlorinator - Swimming Pool Purifier Extraordinaire

Salt Water Chlorinators represent a new wave in swimming pool service technology. Salt water chlorinators remove the need for liquid chlorine, granular chlorine, or chlorine tablets. The key here is convenience. Salt water chlorinators eliminate the storage and manual application of chlorine. When chlorine is needed, salt is converted into chlorine through a simple chemical process, the same process that is used to create these other chlorine additives. The creation of chlorine within the swimming pool itself has increased sanitizing effects due to the chemical process by which the chlorine is formed. Overall, a renovation that includes a salt water chlorinator cuts down on the hassle of adding and monitoring chlorine. These chlorinators will also prevent itchy eyes and green hair by regulating their own chlorine levels. Save your goggles for the beach. Spend more time swimming in your pool and less time taking care of it. Salt water chlorinators take complete responsibility for your pool.

2. Color LED and Fiber Optic Pool Lights - Swimming Pools That Shed Light on Backyard Nightlife

One renovation that would significantly upgrade your pool's visual effects is the addition of color LED and fiber optic lighting. This new trend of backyard night lighting is heating up swimming pools and landscapes all over the world. Color fiber optic and LED pool lights can be inserted directly into the floor or wall of a pool or spa, allowing entire bodies of water to glow in a wide array of neon colors. A well-lit pool surrounded by fiber optic spot lights can bring your pool and landscape to life. These fiber optic and LED lights increase the overall value of your pool; they enhance the functional use of an outdoor living space by encouraging homeowners to swim and entertain in their back yards well after sundown. In addition to extending the hours of swimming pool use, color LED and fiber optic lights also create dynamic backdrops to evening gatherings. Fiber optic star lights can be sprinkled along the bottom of the pool, wall of a waterfall, or inside of a grotto with astronomical effects. Dazzling visual displays can be seen as the LED and fiber optic lights shift in color and set the mood for a romantic late-night swim or a bustling backyard bash. Including fiber optics or LED lights in your pool renovations will change your nightlife.

3. Aggregate Finish Pool Plaster - A Durable Surface That Sparkles from Top to Bottom

Much like pool lighting, aggregate pool plaster finishes produce richly-colored pools. Pool plaster protects concrete gunite pools from damaging, but new plaster technology has developed much more aesthetically-pleasing alternatives to boring, white Marcite plaster. Aggregate finishes not only produce more durable surfaces than the outdated Marcite but they also come in a wide variety of textures and colors. As quartz, crystals, and pebbles have increased the plaster's durability, the standard has also been raised for the overall visual appeal of pool plaster. These surfaces reflect and refract colors and light, producing exhilarating effects from the bottom of the pool all the way up to the surface. Aggregate finishes can be polished and smooth or bumpy, using pebbles, for a natural feel. Overall, renovating your swimming pool with an aggregate finish can garnish it with sparkling color and increase the life-expectancy of the finish to anywhere between 10 and 20 plus years, as opposed to Marcite which lasts no longer than 10 years.

4. Electronic Auto Fill - The Endless Water Supplier

Renovating your pool with an electronic auto fill can provide an excellent, practical addition to a swimming pool. Much like the salt water chlorinator, electronic auto fills, in general, cut down on the time you spend worrying about your pool. Water levels in pools drop every day as a result of evaporation and people coming in and out. If the water is too low, pool pumps and filters cannot function properly. Electronic auto fills monitor the water level of the swimming pool and fill the pool accordingly until it reaches its proper level. You no longer have to worry about where the water level should be, nor do you ever have to run a hose into the pool for an hour or two. Renovating with an electronic auto fill serves as yet another solution to your swimming pool concerns.

5. Natural Stone Coping and Decking - Swimming Pools Decked Out in Natural Stone

Another useful swimming pool renovation is the addition of natural stone coping and decking. Stone coping and patios bring style to outdoor living spaces. A variety of stones can be used for coping and patios, such as bluestone, sandstone, and Tennessee Crab Orchard. Depending on the style of the swimming pool, various natural stones can complete the look with natural or formal tones. Contrasting materials can also be used to draw attention and frame focal points of the back yard. For instance, bluestone coping around a swimming pool with sandstone decking highlights the outline of the pool. Be sure to choose stones wisely, and keep in mind the practical needs of given spaces. Tennessee Crab Orchard pool patios, for example, stay relatively cool in the hot summer sun, keeping your bare feet from burning up as you relax around your newly renovated swimming pool. In addition, natural stone serves as a better choice than a simple paver patio; pavers usually become outdated after 5 years. Natural stone also proves to provide a better surface than stamped concrete because it is not slippery and the color does not fade.

Renovating Conclusions

Homeowners should take full advantage of their pool renovations by upgrading certain aspects of their swimming pool and outdoor living space. Visually, natural stone coping and decking, as well as color LED and fiber optic pool lights, create beautiful scenes that show off in exciting ways. On the service end, electronic auto fills and salt water chlorinators provide hassle-free solutions that keep pools crystal clear and running smoothly. Finally, aggregate plaster finishes combine practicality and beauty. Durable pool plasters protect swimming pools from damaging for 20 plus years. At the same time, aggregate finishes bring a colorful shimmer to concrete swimming pools. Don't overlook this versatile list of exciting upgrades when considering a swimming pool renovation. Upgrade your pool with each of these up-to-date amenities and you may never have to renovate your swimming pool again.