Pool Safety Tips- FOR PETS!

Although it is very important to ensure that your children are safe around your pool, oftentimes we forget to think about the safety of our pets!  Here are some easy pet-safety ideas to ensure that your "four-legged friends" are just as safe around your pool as you are! 

• Fences - Installing a fence around your pool will help to a certain degree, and it will definitely help keep other roaming animals out of your pool. However, fences are only useful to your pets if they are not allowed to run around inside of them. If this is the case, you will have to take other safety measures to protect them. 
• Pool Alarms - Whenever the water is disturbed, an alarm will sound, either at the surface or below. They can sell from about $60 up to $700.
  Floating pool alarms will float in your pool and will sound off if the surface of the water is disturbed. You can find one with adjustable sensitivity for pool features such as waterfalls or fountains.
  Another option for a pool alarm is an invisible fence. It surrounds your pool with a beam of light that will sound an alarm if the beam is disturbed. This is ideal for an in-ground pool. And great for kids as well as pets! 
• Skamper-RampR - The Skamper-RampR is designed to hook onto a deck or sidewall of a pool so animals trapped in a pool can safely climb out. It attaches either by drilling holes in your deck or by being attached to a ladder. Because the ramp sits at eye level, it is easy for all animals to see if they become trapped in your pool. It is also white because that is the only color that all animals can see. The Skamper-RampR is especially handy when no one is around to hear an alarm go off.
  
  
  There are other swimming pool dangers to your pet in addition to drowning. If they are in the cold water too long, they can develop hypothermia. Also, the chlorine in a pool will irritate your pet's eyes or make them sick if they drink the water. Use caution whenever your pets are around a pool.

Be sure to use the pool safely this summer- not only for your family, but for your pets, as well!

Deadly Pool Purchasing Mistake #2:

Choosing the Wrong Pool Container 

There are two basic types of swimming pools: above-ground and in-ground. In general, above-ground pools are less expensive to install because of the materials and construction methods involved.

Unfortunately, above-ground pools are usually temporary and are not "built-to-last." The vinyl lining can get easily ripped or torn, resulting in leaks requiring constant repair. And, because above-ground pools sit above the ground, they can be an eyesore and look "out-of-place" with your backyard landscape (not to mention they are difficult to maintain and do not improve the value of your home).

Most people, however, choose to build their pools level with the ground. These are called in-ground pools. There are three basic types of in-ground pools: concrete/gunite, fiberglass, and vinyl liner.

Concrete/Gunite:

Concrete and gunite (a type of reinforced concrete) are the most common in-ground pool types because they have been on the market longer than the new, more efficient types of pools. , concrete and gunite pools are most commonly used for commercial and public swimming pools. 

Vinyl Liner:

The initial cost of vinyl lined pools can be inexpensive when compared with concrete and gunite pools and take much less time to install. However, the maintenance on vinyl lined pools is high because the liner can be easily scratched or cut, especially if there will be toys or hard objects in the pool (even mechanical pool cleaners!). To repair a vinyl lined pool, you'll need to replace the entire lining, which can cost from $2,500 to $3,500 or more depending on the time of the season for replacement.

FIberglass:

Fiberglass pools are made out of a seamless one-piece, pre-formed fiberglass container that is set in the ground and can be installed in less than five days. The fiberglass itself has a smooth, non-porous gel coat surface.

Although fiberglass pools have a wide range of sizes and shapes, and can be moved if you choose, you are restricted to those sizes and shapes that are offered, unlike a concrete or gunite pool.

     Prevent Sunburn!
 

Owning a pool is a great investment and such fun for your whole family! While you are outside enjoying your time in the sun, be careful of the damage that it can do!

• Keep covered up!  If you are not in the water, be sure to wear a hat, sunglasses and even use a beach umbrella to give yourself some shade.
• Use sunscreen on all exposed areas- Doctors recommend using SPF 45 or higher for maximum protection. And, the old saying that "you can not tan while wearing sunscreen" is not true- be sure to protect yourself!
• Don't lie in the sun to tan but get all the rays while you are in the pool and in the shade!
• Put a small amount of sunscreen on your scalp to prevent sunburn through your hair! 

 Have a wonderful time spending the summer outside in the sun- but be sure to protect yourself, as well!

http://www.thebostonchannel.com/r/30911021/detail.html

A great article for all those folks who want a pool in their backyard but just can't envision it!  There is hope, yet!!
http://www.thebostonchannel.com/r/30911021/detail.html

L.E.D Lighting
Not just pretty, but safe, too!

L.E.D. lighting can completely alter the appearance of a pool or spa and of an entire backyard. A splash of color such as blue, green, or purple can cause the shapes in the water to change in appearance, and they can affect the mood of all of those around the pool. That is why L.E.D. pool lighting is often the perfect addition to any backyard party, even one that doesn't involve swimming.

On a very practical level, L.E.D. lighting makes it much safer for people to swim at night. Even the best swimmers can run into problems when it is dark. If one's depth perception is affected in the least, he can end up hurting himself. L.E.D. stands for light emitting diodes. There are 9 colors standard and there is no risk of electrocution because the light works on a 12 volt current. The electrical cost of this lighting is much cheaper than conventional halogen-(old fashioned) lighting. You will save hundreds of dollars in the lifetime of ownership.

Checklist for Hiring a Pool Contractor
What you need to know!

• Talk to a minimum of three contractors about your project. Look for firms that have been in the pool and spa building industry for at least five years.

• Always check past and prior financial status of potential contractor. Many pool builders are here one day and gone the next.

• Never allow a builder to rush you into signing a contract, and never sign a contract that you don't understand. Don't be embarrassed to take a few days to study a document before you sign it. Ask questions, questions, and more questions.

• Always make sure that a contractor is insured and licensed. Ask to see insurance certificates for both general liability and workers compensation, and a license in the name of the individual building your pool or spa. Call the insurance companies and your states Contractors Board to confirm validity.

• Have a prepared pool/spa plan and materials list drawn up and take bids on each.

• Questions to ask include: Did the builder start and finish on time? Were there any surprises during the job-such as a change in price? Was it easy to get in touch with the contractor while the construction was in progress? Would you hire this contractor again?

• Ask to see a job being currently installed.

• Always check credentials and talk to references, especially the firms' three most recent clients.

• Does the contractor have a place to view pools and all the equipment that they sell? It is always best to visit the contractor's place of business before you buy!

• Remember that the lowest bid is not always the best. Take a critical look at all bids, estimates and offers-and make sure you get them in writing.

• Contact the firm's primary material supplier to ask if the contractor pays bills on time and whether the supplier would recommend the firm.

• Never pay more than fifty percent of the estimate as a down payment. Plan to pay the remaining amount in installments linked to the specific phases of the project.

• Never pay a contractor in cash. Use cashier's checks or money orders and get a receipt.

• Is your pool builder a member of the Association of Pool & Spa Professionals and Better Business Bureau?

• Never make your final payment until you completely understand how your pool/spa and related equipment operate.

• Remember, the more time you spend planning your pool/spa project and checking out the credentials of your contractor, the less time you'll spend complaining later.

Six Deadly Pool Purchasing Mistakes

                                              Part 1

Mistake #1:

 

Not Designing Your Pool for its Intended Purpose

 

You might have heard the phrase, Form follows function. To know what type of pool you want, you need to know what you'll be using it for. The type of pool you'll select should depend on what you'll be using it for.

More often than not, people considering the purchase of a pool have a specific purpose in mind. It is important to write this down and have it ready when you start to talk to pool builders.

 

The Myth of the Large Diving Pool

 

An interesting phenomenon frequently happens when the majority of first-time pool buyers desire a large pool with a deep end and a diving board. After about a year of pool use, new owners discover that the deep end rarely gets used and the diving board becomes more of a safety hazard. Most of the games that are played by the kids are done in the shallow end and that is where the adults spend 95 percent of their time. Because they decided to build a large pool with a deep end, only 35 percent of the pool gets utilized, resulting in unnecessary expense and low usage. It is also important to consult with your insurance agent regarding increased premiums with diving boards. Having a large pool does not mean that you need to have a deep end. There are many large pools that are available with a gradual slope offering more area for play and use.