Monday, May 24, 2010

Pool enclosure

Who does not like to swim in a pool and share moments with friends and family during the summer time? Pools are so popular today, and people like adding elements that allow them to enjoy even more and thus,
improve the quality of their home. If we want to enjoy longer and increase the quality of our pool, we should take into consideration the possibility of getting a Pool Enclosure that definitively

will change our lives. The Pool Enclosure is the most important addition to enhancing the quality of your pool. It is also good for someone looking to reduce on maintenance costs or for a pool area where bugs, insects and leaves are bothering. The Pool Enclosure is a type of ceiling that gives you the sensation of an indoor atmosphere that is cool and fashion.

Not decided yet?

In this article you will learn about the advantages of Pool Enclosures, as well as the benefits that they give you as the pool owner. The Pool Enclosure is so important because it allows the sunlight to come thru and warm your pool, and also give you the chance to a sunbath while staying away from all the annoying bugs and flies. It also gives you the opportunity to enjoy your free time with more privacy, security and an environment more pleasing to the eyes. The Pool Enclosures also provide a security barrier for small children, and the pool can be locked to prevent accidents with children falling into it. They are also cool because they filter the sun's rays in a very positive way, making this beneficially to those who are vulnerable to exposure to

sunlight. These enclosures are way more effective than any fence because they keep young children out of the pool without any kind of surveillance. Another benefit is that When a Pool Enclosure is purchased, there is a return on the expense as well, since you are saving in chemical costs and maintenance. Having your Pool Enclosed will make you use fewer chemicals for maintenance as the pool will stay cleaner for longer, in most cases doubling the life of the swimming pool.

Talking about designs is awesome

Since there are a vast variety of styles and models of Pool Enclosures, it is very difficult to select the most suitable enclosure for your home. In the design process it is crucial to take into account the shape and style of your home and choose a design style that best match the actual architectural style. Within the vast range of styles, we have The Telescopic design that allows

one-piece seamless sections to slide under each other effortlessly. In other words, It allows arches to slide on and off over your pool allowing you to enjoy the benefits of summer during the year. Another style is the low-level Pool Enclosures which are preferred by those owners who want to maintain a warm pool all year and also seeking the benefits of saving in maintenance and cleaning costs. The glass Pool Enclosure style gives a chic and sophisticated look that will bring in light and beauty to your swimming pool. Low profile swimming pool enclosures are made mainly for those who are not interested in a larger area above and around their pool enclosed, but who are still concerned about safety and maximizing value-for-money.

Pool heaters

We all love swimming pools because it is a naturally controlled environment. You can control the influx of water, the presence of microorganisms and even the chemistry of the water. Unlike beaches, current is dictated by the gravity of the earth. It is naturally salty and you cannot do anything about it. Fresh bodies of water, comes naturally streaming at most of the time. It may not be salty but when water becomes murky, you do not treat it with anything. You just let it clear for itself. Swimming pools are the safest man-made body of water simply because you can purify the water, you can filter it, you can mix the chemicals to create a neutral ph of water and water problems can be easily taken cared of since you can drain them and do scrubbing.

Those are just the basic features. You can even do more for your pool pebble so that you can swim on it night or day without regard for temperature. Heaters are effective in manipulating the temperature of your pool. However, how hot it can be will be according to homeowner. Efficiency is really needed in here because people have varying preference for the temperature they want in a bathing.

So how do you select these devices? These are few of your considerations:

You have to determine the size of the heater- this is done by determining the size of the pool as well as knowing the outside temperature in your area. This allows you to determine how efficient your heaters can be.
Know the type of heater you want to use. There are several types in the market today. They can be gas, liquid or electric source. This is important because you will be basing your savings in here.
You also have to consider your budget.

It is normal if your electric consumption to rise if you will be using electric heaters. For the other types, you cost will variably go up for the fuel source. Therefore, this can also be an important factor in determining which type you want. However, if you want to save a lot of money from using these heaters, you have to know some tips. You have to check this out:

Pool water

If you are considering adding a custom swimming pool to your landscaping design, you might want to think about the addition of a pool water fountain. We have seen pool water fountains turn an everyday swimming pool into a memorable work of art because they add movement, sound, shape and color to the landscape design. We get a great deal of pleasure from custom-designing these vehicles of enchanting, vibrant form.

Pool water fountains are fountains that are in or connected to a larger body of water. Some of the designs we have installed include sprays of shooting water coming out of the pool coping, rock waterfalls, and decorative vessels—classical shapes such as woodland sprites or playful ones shaped like frogs—mounted on the pool deck. Another favorite of ours is a fountain wall, anywhere from 2-feet to 8-feet tall, with water falling out of a weir, or opening, made of brick, stone or stainless steel. These wall fountains create impressive backdrops for sculpture and planters.

In addition to the aesthetic reasons to add these pool fountains, we have seen them provide very practical benefits, too. They eliminate redundancies such as chemical treatments and drain lines for two separate water elements. If you have children, this fountain type eliminates the need to

cordon off another body of water. They also cut down on the common problem with stand-alone water fountains called over-spray. That is, water bouncing out of the fountain onto your wooden deck, patio pavers or concrete patio and creating a slippery hazard. With pool water fountains, the water splashes harmlessly into the larger body of water.

At Exterior Worlds, we begin the design process by listening closely to your needs and desires. We take those thoughts and include them in our careful consideration of your home’s architecture, the topography of your lot and any existing hardscapes—as we do with all our landscaping architecture projects. We help you focus on questions such as—do you prefer natural forms like waterfalls or the simplicity of contemporary designs? What type of landscape lighting will bring you the most pleasure and work with the water features?

With our years of experience in producing luxurious and highly personalized signature designs, we bring to the table a focus on scale and design that is appropriate for your home and landscape. Additionally, we have the expertise to do the job right from the very beginning. We discuss with our clients the unseen features of professional landscaping, such as using the right valves so that you can adjust the water flow to your liking or installing custom stone work to hide jets. We do this careful pre-planning so that you don’t end up with a glaring problem in the finished product.

Backyard pool

Swimming is one recreation that works to keep your body in good condition at the same time enjoy the benefits of relaxation. This is such a great activity for you and your family as you will have the benefit of getting some sun, some tan and some laughter. Most of us may not have a pool in our backyards to enjoy. The next best thing you can do is to go to public pools in order to go for a swim. It is a great place to meet new people but it is nothing compared to having your own.

Big or small homeowners have the privilege to have one. If you have the space and the budget to maintain it, then building one in your backyard should not be a problem. Owning your own private pool can have its own benefits. For one, you do not have to leave home in order to go for a swim. When the sun is hot or even if you feel like you are bored already, going for a dip can be an instant. All you have to do is to simply grab your swimsuit and voila! You can practice your backstrokes, butterfly or simply float while you enjoy the freshness of the water. Second, you

will enjoy the look of the pool finish in your yard. Technically speaking, building a pool is not only done by digging a simple hole and filling it with water. It involves planning the water system and on top of that, a great deal of art. Therefore, it should add beauty to your backyard. The site of water can have a calming effect. Third, you can be sure of the water that you are swimming on at all times. Every time you go for a swim and you accidentally swallowed the water, you know it is all right. This is because you know exactly how it is treated. Of course, it is not safe to drink water from the pool but who has not accidentally done that right? Fourth benefit is that it does not get crowded. It will only be crowded if you decide to make it one. However, for most of the

time, only you and the members of the household can enjoy the waters. Sometimes, you will even have the whole place to yourself. Is it not what you want, space? Fifth, remember that making pool is not all about holes and stuff but it is a beauty because of how the pool finish are being applied, well these area of the house becomes an instant party venue. You can have great parties in here or even simply entertain your guest by the pool. Anything works fine and it is an added attraction for your guests.

Pool chlorine

Chlorination has been the traditional method of pool sanitation for decades—almost by default, since there were no alternatives for this crucial aspect of owning a swimming pool. However, for many pool owners, chlorination is an old and outdated pool sanitation method they’ve discarded in favor of maintaining a salt water pool.

Chlorine

So what’s the problem with chlorine, anyway? It does exactly what it needs to—kills algae and bacteria, keeping the pool attractive and more importantly, a safe and sanitary place to swim. A pool that doesn’t get regular chlorine treatments will quickly become clogged with thick green algae. Depending on where you live, and especially in a warm climate like Florida, an untreated pool can become a green, sludgy nightmare inside of a week—the chlorine is definitely important.

If you maintain a chlorinated pool, however, it’s not enough to dump chlorine in periodically and let the pool fend for itself. There are other chemicals to add too, as well as regular testing to keep an eye on water quality. For example, you must make sure there is enough free available chlorine (meaning chlorine that is active) in the water to keep up with sanitizing the water. This is usually done with the use of weekly chlorine tablets.

Another important aspect of this maintenance is PH levels—the acidity or alkalinity of the water. If the PH gets too high, the chlorine in the pool isn’t able to work as efficiently. However, if the PH drops too low, the water quickly becomes too acidic to swim in comfortably. Keeping the PH at the right level is somewhat difficult, because the range at which it’s ‘just right’ is very narrow and many factors, including rain, affect this.

Chlorine is important for sanitation, but for many people it’s also a source of irritation. The harsh chemicals that are added to pre-packaged pool chlorine irritate the skin and eyes, making swimming a highly unpleasant experience. It is important to note that it’s not the chlorine that’s the problem—in most cases it’s the chemicals which are added to the pre-packaged mix.

Salt Water

The main advantage of a salt water pool isn’t that it doesn’t use chlorine. In fact, a salt water pool does use chlorine to keep the water clean. The advantage is that the pool owner doesn’t add chlorine to the pool—that means no pre-packaged chlorine, and less irritation for people who are sensitive to the added chemicals. Salt water tends to be much softer than chlorinated water, so it’s much more pleasurable to swim in, and is much less harsh on your skin. In addition, a salt water pool usually has a much lower concentration of chlorine than a chlorinated pool.

Pool construction

Many people question why they would hire a landscape firm to handle their swimming pool construction rather than going directly to a pool contractor. They assume that a pool contractor will naturally have more expertise when it comes to needed materials and design options. While this is true on one level, problems arise on a broader scale with swimming pool construction is handled exclusively by the pool specialist without proper respect to home architecture and the surrounding landscape.

Swimming pools are basically engineering developments in their own right. They consist of a few basic elements that can be customized and arranged in a near infinity of forms. There is the basin which actually holds the water, typically sloped from a shallow end toward a much deeper water level at the far end. Normally a swimming pool is constructed with steps that lead down into the water on the shallow end. There may be a diving board on the deep end, or ladders that allow people to climb down into the deep water. Some pools are very posh, featuring spas, water jets, and waterfall fountains. There is always a coping that surrounds the water, providing both containment for the water, and human access to the pool.

Contractors who specialize in swimming pool construction think of ways to combine these basic elements into designs that look attractive and offer a high-level of recreational enjoyment. Unfortunately, being specialists only in their given discipline, pool contractors often lack knowledge of home architecture and outdoor landscaping. This invariably results in problems later down the line. If a certain style of pool is chosen for its own aesthetic alone, it most often will clash with the architecture of the home. If the pool elevations are built too high in relation to the surrounding landscape, then drainage problems can quickly result that can ruin significant portions of a yard or garden, plus accrue even more expenses when the pool has to be remodeled after the fact.

We want to make it clear that none of this is the fault of the pool contractor. Specialists like this are essential to professional landscaping. However, it takes the expertise of a team of specialists, managed by a landscaping expert who can see the big picture, to ensure that swimming pool construction is done in a way that complements all surrounding elements and better respects home architecture with both its size and general design features.

We always ask our clients to visualize what type of pool they would buy with a home that would be so perfectly designed originally that it would require no remodeling upon move in. Such a consideration is an important one to take into account. Many people buy a home with the full intention of selling it later down the line. Constructing a swimming pool at any point in time will definitely add or subtract from the home’s resale value, and therefore should be overseen by a landscaping specialist who can design a pool that reflects the unique architectural elements of the house, compliments other outdoor structures, blends with vegetation, and reflects the lifestyle of the homeowner.

Pool kits

The arrival of the swimming season is a time of great anticipation for swimming pool owners. However, it's also a time to concentrate on pool maintenance and chemical treatments so that you can be sure that you will enjoy a smooth pool opening and a fabulous swim season. By providing your swimming pool with the right start up treatment, you will be taking the important first step toward having clean and crystal clear water throughout the spring and summer months. Achieving this goal involves using the right swimming pool chemicals. Fortunately, all of the pool chemicals you will need for a successful pool opening are readily available in convenient swimming pool start up kits.

Chemical start up kits (also known as “spring opening chemical kits”) come with pre-measured swimming pool chemicals, with different packages designed and formulated for pools of different sizes. Chemical kits are available in both chlorine & non-chlorine based versions, so you can choose the one that corresponds to your preferred sanitizer. By treating your pool with these chemicals at the beginning of the swimming season, you will be able to rid your pool of any cloudiness and contaminants that have built up during the winter while your pool was not in use. Not only will this improve the appearance of your pool by providing you with sparkling clear water, it will also protect the health of everyone who swims in your pool by greatly reducing the risk of anyone contracting an infection from the water.

Before adding any chemicals to your pool after the winter, it's important to follow a few initial pool opening steps. To begin with, you need to remove and store your winter pool cover. Next, after filling your pool to the right depth, you will need to test the water. Particularly, you should test pH levels and total alkalinity. Once you have your pump and filter system back up and running, it's time to start making use of the swimming pool chemicals in your spring start up kit.

Typically, one of the first components of swimming pool start up kits that will be added to the water during a spring opening is the shock. One of the most common forms of pool shock is chlorine-based shock, which boosts the level of chlorine in the pool water to provide extra cleaning and sanitizing power. This will help to clear your pool water of bacteria and other harmful contaminants as well as algae blooms. While chlorine shock is the most widely used type of pool shock, there are also non-chlorine based shock treatments available. These non-chlorine options are particularly great for people who find that a chlorine sanitizer is too harsh on their skin and eyes.

In addition to shock, swimming pool start up kits will also often include a stain, rust and scale remover. These products allow you to clean your pool walls and will remove unsightly stains and build up caused by the presence of calcium and metals in the pool water. Rust and scale removers also provide a great solution to brown water caused by iron and minerals. When you add this type of chemical formula to your pool, it will bond with any dissolved metals that are in the water, thereby preventing and removing stains.

Pool chemical start up kits will also typically come with an algaecide. Algae is a troublesome and stubborn type of plant growth that comes in a variety of colors such as green, yellow and brown. It grows very quickly and can create a number of problems for pool owners by causing cloudy, murky pool water, staining your liner & steps, and clogging filter systems. Fortunately, many swimming pool start up kits will include a powerful algaecide that will eradicate algae blooms from your pool and prevent them from returning. Not only will this help to keep your water clean, it will also reduce the need for ongoing shock treatments.

Other pool chemicals commonly included in swimming pool start up kits include clarifying chemicals. These swimming pool chemicals breakdown, absorb and remove oils and grease from the water, thereby preventing cloudy water and scum lines. By using clarifiers, algaecides and all of the other types of pool chemicals that start up kits typically contain, you will be providing your swimming pool with a complete chemical treatment that will allow you to get a good start to the swimming season.