Archive for the ‘pools’ tag
Private Pool – Weighing the Odds For Your Home Investment no comments
There are several amenities and modern assets in contemporary homes which are considered highly valuable and capable to double up the market value of your home. Private pools are definitely on top of the chart when considering great investments for your home.
Why do you basically want to have pools in the comfort and privacy of your own home? A much better question actually is that why would you not want to have one? Pools are facilities in the house which are perennially coveted and sought-after. This is of course not only among young children and teens who want to enjoy splurging into this refreshing amenity without limits.
Private pools simply skyrocket the value and worth of your real property especially given the tough and steep competition in the current saturated real estate market. You may have a beautiful and carefully upgraded house in order to secure your edge however having your own pool at home will definitely make a great difference.
There are however certain considerations you must delve into before you finally embark upon this venture of installing or investing on your private pool at home.
First and foremost installing or building a pool is no joke especially when it comes to financial requirements. Hence, you must ensure that you have enough budgets for this home project in order to get the best result for your investment.
You must also consider the location of the pool especially if you have limited space to allot. This means that you must carefully assess the type and size of the pool to build that would not consume all the space available in your property.
Aside from the value-boosting capacity of this type of amenity, there are other benefits you could get from building this investment.
Aesthetic value is another proven and tested outcome of private pools especially if you allocate much time, money and effort in its planning to its completion. There are small pools which are basically built in order to bring the kind of mood or ambiance or compensate a landscaping project. This is the main reason why facilities like this one has the full potentials to improve the curb appeal of your property a hundred times.
Recreation and relaxation is definitely one of the main reasons why most home owners prefer building private pools in their homes. For instance, you no longer have to share your leisure with other strangers when you rent public pools or resort amenities.
Moreover, you rid yourself of the hefty travel expenses when you travel from your home to your resort destination. You also save on your expenses in renting or using pools in resorts which definitely comes in high price tags. It is also more sanitary when you splurge into your own pool and no other persons are using it but you and your family.
Private pools are not only luxury but also great investment ventures for your real estate property. Make your research and find out the best and most lucrative ideas in plunging to this type of venture.
For more information, tricks and tips when it comes to home improvement and real estate as a whole, simply visit Goodyear Horse Properties and Peoria Luxury Properties.
5 Keys To Good Pool Care no comments
There are 5 Keys to simple swimming pool care. Circulation, Filtration, Cleaning, Water Testing, and Water Chemistry. When you follow all 5 keys, your pool will not only look good, it will also feel good, be more economical to operate, and the pool and its equipment will last longer. Here’s a brief synopsis of the 5 keys.
Key 1 – Circulation
Good circulation in your pool means much more than filtering water – it’s getting all of the water in the pool moving & through the filter. Circulation is more than filter or pump turnover; its removing dead spots – you know those areas where algae always seems to grow or where dirt & debris always seems to accumulate. The better the water is circulating, the better the filtration, the cleaner the pool. In fact it typically takes up to FOUR turnovers to get all of the water completely filtered.
Dead spots are corners of rectangular pools, areas directly adjacent to skimmer(s) & return fittings, behind ladders, and often times the entire lower half of a pool! This especially true if the return jets are turned UP so that you can see the water rippling on the surface. In aboveground round & oval pools that have the return jet turned to the side to create a whirlpool, the center of the pool will get little or no circulation, sort of like the eye of a hurricane, and a “pillar” of cloud will form.
The easiest way to get better circulation is to use the pool as often as possible.
Key 2 – Filtration
Now that the water is circulating properly, good filtration removes dirt, debris & even certain large bacteria & algae. Sand filters remove the largest particles, Cartridge filters remove smaller particles & DE filters remove the smallest. Filter your water for 8 to 12 hours every day from opening to closing. Use a timer so that you don’t forget and save money. By the way, for the best filtration, be sure to chemically clean your filter about twice each season to remove accumulations of greases, oils & other swimmer and environmental waste that clog your pool filter & that routine backwashing & rinsing will NOT remove.
Chemically clean the filter 2 times each season so that the filter runs more efficiently.
Key 3 – Cleaning
Most swimming pools have at least one area with little or no circulation. This is where algae and bacteria can begin to grow. These areas produce the “stuff” that contributes to cloudy or green water and higher than normal chlorine or sanitizer usage. At least once a week, the walls and floor should be brushed and vacuumed to remove debris that the filter misses. Brushing is a must, even if you use an automatic pool cleaner or retain a weekly service. It’s like taking care of your teeth – you know that you should brush & floss, but…Oh, and don’t forget to clean that water line regularly to break up bio-film build up.
Vacuum the pool once or twice each week. Be sure to brush the walls to break up any algae that may not be seen, but is forming. Brush & clean the waterline to break up any bio-film that is forming.
Key 4 – Testing
Test your pool water at least 2 times per week & bring in a 1 quart water sample for a complete computerized test & analysis 3 times per season for best results. Testing keeps you up to date on what’s going on with your pool water. Don’t rely solely on how the water looks. In fact most of the SERIOUS water problems that we see (skin rashes, colored hair, pool surface etching, etc.) occur when the water is “crystal clear” about the middle of the swimming season. Make pH, total alkalinity & calcium hardness adjustments promptly. You’ll protect the filter system, the pool surfaces, get better chlorine & sanitizer efficiency and virtually eliminate red eyes & dry skin.
Use a good quality test kit or test strips. Take a water sample to reputable local dealer for periodic testing as well. Ask them to test for metals that might be present that could lead to staining of the pool surface.
Key 5 – Water Chemistry
Last but not least it’s water chemistry. Pool water chemistry IS easy – just 4 simple steps:
1. Maintain a constant level of sanitizer in the pool. Slow dissolving chlorine sticks or tablets; proper level of biguanide (Soft Swim); bromine; salt level.
2. Shock the pool weekly or at a minimum every 2 weeks (biguanides shock every 3 to 4 weeks). Shocking oxidizes unfilterable wastes & breaks up chloramines that lead to cloudy water, algae, smelly pools & red eyes.
3. Add algicide weekly or at least every 2 weeks to prevent algae growth. A good quality algicide (concentrates sold in quart sizes) backs up the chlorine or sanitizer in case it is exhausted due to heavy bather load or heavy rain.
4. Maintain good water balance. Without good water balance, the sanitizer doesn’t work properly or efficiently. The water can become cloudy (high pH) or aggressive (low pH – water is often times really clear). You’ll also protect your friends & family who use your pool.
The 5 Keys typically take about ONE hour or less to accomplish each week. Yes, that’s it! Just 1 hour. Now you can enjoy your pool more & actually work less. In the long run, you’ll also spend less time & money.
What’s In Your Water Before Filling Your Pool Or Spa no comments
In the beginning of spring, pool owners will open their pools and if they drained it for the winter or evaporation loss, chances are they will be refilling the pool. Maybe this is the year you decide to buy a pool. Have you ever put any thought into what’s in your tap water? This water is used when you wash your hands, take a shower, do the dishes and when you fill up or top off your pool. So it is rather important to understand exactly what kind of water you have, so you know what you are filling you pool up with.
Hard Water
This means your water has high levels of minerals. Minerals like calcium and magnesium, which can affect your pool. Some problems that can occur with hard water are scaling. Scaling is when Calcium deposits are released from the water and form a thin white powdery scale in your pipes on your pool wall and can cause your skin to dry out. When water has too much calcium it tries to release it to keep a natural balance. The place where this causes the most problem is in your heater element if you have a heater. In warm water calcium becomes less soluble leaving a film in your heater element causing your heater to work harder.
Soft Water
Is the exact opposite of hard water. This means your water has low levels of minerals such as calcium and magnesium. Also this means that your water may be low in pH levels and can be acidic. When water is acidic it tries to balance itself out by getting calcium wherever it can. It can get calcium from the plaster or concrete in your pool, which will cause pitting. Also acidic water can do a lot of damage by eating and corroding any metal parts in your pool.
Metals In Your Water
Some water is rich in metals especially if your water comes from a well. The usual metals that end up in a pool are iron and copper. These metals can react with chlorine to create all sorts of colors and it can also cause staining on your liner plaster, or fiberglass pool walls. All metals should be removed from your water before it enters your pool. There are filters that are made to drastically reduce the amount of metals in tap water.
For more information about your townships water you can contact the local utilities department or visit a local pool dealer to get your water checked for any of the these water problems.
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Swim University – The Ultimate Guide To Pool and Spa Care
http://www.swimuniversity.com