Finally, consider all aspects of the pool before you begin, including the shape, size and layout. And don't forget the patio and landscape design, lighting, fountains, waterfalls, coping and even an attached pool spa. Taking care of these items at the beginning is a lot less costly than adding them once the pool is built!
Swimming pool designs range from the very small and basic inflatable pool to the grandiose and extravagant inground designs that at first glance look like a natural body of water. Potential swimming pool owners have an enormous selection of pool features to choose from, including shape, size, depth and aesthetically enhancing accessories.
Swimming pools have been designed to take into account the needs, intentions and budget of the modern homeowner. For cooling off on a hot summer day, a small inflatable pool may work best if you intend to sit or wade in it. If you want the pool to be a central spot for entertaining or to be an eye-catching focal point, a large inground or above-ground pool with a surrounding stone or wooden deck may better suit your needs.
For swim training and exercise, there are small mechanical pools that push water towards the swimmer, so you get an intense workout while remaining in one spot. For a person who only wants a pool to do morning laps, you can build one inground that is elongated, narrow and shallow. And for affordable family fun, above-ground pools vary in shape and height to suit many activities, including water sports and games.
Swimming pools can easily be integrated with landscape designs to upgrade any backyard. Whether you are looking to purchase an above or inground pool or want an easily assembled inflatable model, you will be amazed at the options available to suit your backyard, lifestyle and swimming needs.
By clicking on any of the above links, you will be able to easily access a myriad of online suppliers and products to view the latest features and trends in pool designs.
Exercise Pools
Exercise pools, also referred to as swim-in-place pools or fitness pools, are a great way to workout without having to head for the nearest beach or public pool!
Exercise pools generate a current so that you can exercise in them while staying in one place. They come equipped with a pump, heater and a system that thrusts water forward. The pool's system also circulates the water around the pool. They have extensive temperature and water flow controls for comfort enhancement.
For a variety of exercise options, some exercise pools have underwater treadmills built into them while other brands offer underwater treadmills and bikes separately.
Exercise or fitness pools can be made of wood with a fiberglass surface or with a steel frame and vinyl liner. The price of a basic exercise pool is upwards of $19,000. Custom versions and those with more elaborate features cost more.
Swim spas are similar to exercise pools. These also contain water-propelling units for swimming and exercise. They also have seats for relaxation, similar to a hot tub. Swim spas are great if you wish to combine working out with relaxation.
Wall-mounted exercise systems transform any pool into a great spot to exercise. These treadmill water systems can be mounted onto the walls of existing pools. After hiring an electrician to hook up the device, jets will propel water in your pool making it suitable for exercising or hydrotherapy. A wall-mounted exercise system for your existing pool will cost upwards of $2,800.
Lap pools are custom-made inground pools that are long, narrow and relatively shallow. Without machinery, an inground lap pool is built for people who either don't have the space for a large pool or who only wish to use the pool for exercise.
Salt Water Swimming Pools
A pool system worth its salt
By Rita Chaney
Saltwater swimming pools are the newest wave in commercial and backyard pools. Those of us who love to swim seek the most innovative, easy, yet economical methods to maintain our swimming pools. When the salt water pool system came out, many of us knew it was the way to go for a healthy, low-cost swim.
How a Salt Water Pool Works
A salt water swimming pool has a chlorine generator that processes pool salt into chlorine. This chlorine keeps the pool algae-free. In essence, the pool contains chlorine at a level that keeps the pool sparkling clean without that stinky chlorine odor. Read on for advantages/disadvantages, maintenance and costs of saltwater pools.
Advantages of Salt Water Pools
- There's no more dryness of the skin and hair from chlorine in the water. In fact, the salt water pool systems yield water treatment similar to salt water softeners. Thus, the feel of the water on skin is softer.
- A saltwater pool is less irritating to the eyes than a chlorinated pool.
- There's no strong chemical smell.
- Your hair won't turn those funny colors that a chlorine pool causes.
Disadvantages of Saltwater Pools
- Costs of saltwater swimming pools and installation are high initially.
- As pool salt comes in 40 pound bags, it can be cumbersome to purchase, transport and manage.
- PH is at a constant high level and must be controlled
Maintenance of Salt Water Swimming Pools
Pool maintenance is practically the same weekly routine as when you have a chlorine pool.
- Brush down the sides of the pool.
- Empty the filter baskets.
- Keep the filters clean.
- Also weekly, check the chemical levels in the pool.
- Balance chemical levels, by adding salt and muriatic acid as your weekly testing indicates.
- A bag of non-iodized pool salt should be added to keep the chlorine at optimum levels.
- Some muriatic acid may be needed to balance the alkalinity in salt water swimming pools.
- Check and clean out the electrolytic cell (the processor of the chlorine) every 3 to 6 months.
Costs of Saltwater Pools
Upon the initial conversion to a salt water pool system, the cost is high. However, ongoing costs for chemicals and maintenance are reduced after that time.
- Bags of un-iodized pool salt must be purchased to add into the pool.
- Muriatic acid should be kept on hand to reduce alkalinity.
- Baking soda may be necessary to increase alkalinity.
- Salt water pools to do not require as many chemicals as a chlorinated pool, so maintenance costs are reduced.
If you are thinking about remodeling your swimming pool, update it to a saltwater pool system. It just might be the best decision you ever made.
Pool spas are a fun and practical design element to add to your backyard haven.
Pool spas are similar to traditional hot tubs, since both use powered jets to create soothing motion in the water. Pool spas can be part of an inground pool design or above-ground freestanding structures, and can be purchased pre-fab or custom-made.
If you are building an inground pool, you can attach a neighboring pool spa either on the same level or at a different level - or even place the spa in another location away from the pool itself. One advantage of having a pool spa attached to your pool is that they are able to share similar pieces of equipment, such as a heater.
Inground pool spas can be found in almost any shape, size and style ranging from simple square versions to larger octagonal ones lined with hand-painted tiles. They are usually built using the same materials used in pool construction - fiberglass, cement or gunite, which is a mix of sand and cement.
Freestanding hot tubs are above-ground barrel-shaped containers. Hot tubs can hold anywhere from 300 to 1000 gallons of water and can be made to seat 1-12 people.
Hot tub shapes are either round, oval or rectangular. Some have straight sides for seating while others are slanted for a more relaxed recline. Built-in lighting and stereo options are also available and popular today.
Hot tubs and pool spas require equipment such as a heater, pump and filter which clean, sanitize and warm the water. For unique water effects, air bubblers and hydrojets spray air and or water into the tub.
Swimming Pool Equipment
Swimming pool equipment is not visibly apparent to those enjoying your pool, but it is vital to the safe operation and maintenance of your pool.
Swimming pool pumps and filtration systems play an integral role in ensuring that the pool is clean. Pumps transfer water to and from the pool via a filter that sifts the water to ensure harmful remnants are cleaned out.
A pool heater is important for those who wish to swim on cooler days and nights and who want the luxury of extending their swimming season. A heater essentially carries water from the pool to a heater that warms the water before sending it back into the pool.
Pool cleaners and pool vacuums often use suction to grab dust and dirt either from the bottom of the pool or at its surface. Some pool cleaners go to the bottom to sweep and scrub the dirt that is tuck on the pool's floor.
Chemicals purify, sanitize and stabilize the pool's water and are essential to ensure that swimmers are safe by eliminating dangerous bacteria and ensuring the chemical levels are in check.
Swimming pool ionizers and ozone generators have become an environmentally friendly means of cleaning and sanitizing the pool's water.
Swimming pool covers are made to perform different functions throughout various times. Winter covers, solar covers and safety covers are all commonly used by swimming pool owners.
Pool Chemicals
Swimming pool chemicals are vital to ensure your pool is safe and clean. There are many products available used to treat swimming pool water, including sanitizers, algaecide, stabilizers, balancers and shocks.
If chemicals are imbalanced, it can not only be harmful to swimmers, but also to your heating, filtering or pumping system. A pool should look clear, and it is wise to regularly monitor the pool to ensure its cleanliness and to maintain appropriate levels. Experts recommend that a pool have a pH level between 7.4-7.6. Lower or higher levels can result in corrosion, skin and eye irritation and can damage the filtration system.
Chlorine is a very popular swimming pool chemical that can be purchased in the form of tablets, grains or sticks. Chlorine keeps a pool sterile by disinfecting it. Bromine is another type of disinfectant commonly used in hot tub and indoor pools. Bromine also kills germs and bacteria commonly found in water. Many people favor bromine over chlorine, even though it is more expensive, because it has a less penetrating smell.
Chlorinators and brominators are used to automatically dispense chlorine or bromine in a pool after you set the appropriate dose for dispensing. They offer a great way to ensure that the pool is maintaining the proper chemical levels. Some are available as flotation devices that freely float around the pool.
Algaecides work by both destroying and preventing algae and can be purchased in tablets or liquid form. Some algaecides are chemical mixtures, although there are also non-toxic versions on the market as well.
Shocks are normally needed after your pool has been inactive over the winter and are often recommended throughout the swimming season and for algae as well. Shocks are a high-dosage mixture of different chemicals.
Balancers consist of many products including pH increasers or reducers and calcium hardness increasers that help to balance different parts of a pool. Stabilizers or conditioners are used on chlorine based pool sanitization systems to enhance the effectiveness of chlorine.
Many companies offer pool chemical kits complete with all relevant products that you will need to keep your pool clean either throughout the year. As well, you can purchase special kits to be used at the end or start-up of the pool season.
Pool chemical treatment will greatly depend on your preference and your budget. It is wise to research different options and read all relevant literature to make an informed decision. To learn more about the available options, click on the shopping links above to reach some of the leading online suppliers of swimming pool chemicals.
Pool Landscaping
The options in pool landscaping are limited only by your imagination. Your swimming pool's shape, size and design will be the focal point of your landscaping design. From that starting point, it is important to combine practicality with aesthetics for a backyard that truly reflects your personality and taste.
Making choices about pool landscaping isn't always easy. You can choose curved walkways and rounded flower beds, or a design that is entirely linear and straight. The pool landscaping can coincide with the shape of the pool or it can be entirely different to contrast. Landscaping around a pool can be minimalist or wildly eclectic, involving simple designs or ones that incorporate garden art, ponds, stone pathways and sitting areas.
There are four important considerations when creating your pool landscaping plan:
- Don't include trees that are too large or messy, as this will make pool maintenance difficult.
- Make sure that such things as grass clippings and water run-off do not make their way into the water.
- Use the pool's design and color as the most important consideration for landscaping
- Your deck or patio's appearance, as well your choice of fence, will also be strong factors in your ladscaping design.
Personal Considerations in Pool Landscaping
Define what you want to use your garden or patio space for. Your space, furniture and design will be affected by whether you use it for reading, relaxing, playing or entertaining.
If relaxation is your goal, consider soft flower colors and perhaps a hammock. If entertaining is your purpose, consider a built-in fireplace or fully equipped barbecue plus a large patio and a spacious lawn to better accommodate guests.
Personal taste is absolutely important and yard art will define a theme and tone around your pool. If you love the sounds of nature, consider wind chimes, bird baths or feeders. Ponds and fountains are also great for relaxing and soothing noise.
Environmental Considerations in Pool Landscaping
Your pool landscaping design will depend on whether your backyard has any physical or architectural limitations. These include hills, irrigation or telephone poles. For slopes or hills, retaining walls or a raised deck may need to be part of the design.
Environmental factors will also determine your backyard's look. A patio should also have wonderful view and be situated out of the wind. Placing a patio close to your house will be the most practical. Also, think where you receive sunlight and at what times. Sun exposure will determine plants, shrubs and awnings. If privacy is a concern, fencing, trellises, vines, ivy and hedges may need to be considered.
Pool Decks and Patios
The type of patio or pool deck that you choose on will probably affect certain landscaping elements. Patio and deck materials are crucial. Wood is the most common material used in decks. For pool patios, concrete, brick, cobblestone and marble can be used. A deck or patio should be non-slipping and cool to walk on as well as aesthetically enhancing. Wooden decks work well with wooden trellises or privacy screens and matching flower boxes. A concrete pool patio will better match stone fountains and concrete art.