Tip! Driving back home after a splash at the local pool is not a very good idea. It takes all the freshness away. Beat the heat this summer by setting up an inground pool in your own backyard. Enjoy with your near and dear ones and let your worries wash away.
A swimming pool is one place where we all want to be on a hot day. Swimming is such a relaxing exercise, and it is enjoyed by people of all ages. Kids love splashing, while adults love swimming in the water. Swimming is an excellent sport, and reduces fat as well. A perfect swimming pool adds a lot of class to a beautiful home. If you are in the process of getting a pool or redoing your old pool, read on!
Swimming Pool Basics:
Typically, a swimming pool has the following major components:
Basin
Motor pump
Water filter
Chemical feeder
Drains
Returns
PVC plastic plumbing connecting all of these elements
A good pool will have all the following components, so that the water is moved continuously from the filter, cleaning it, sometimes through the heater also, so that regular temperature is maintained. The water is consistently cleaned using the chemical feeders, with the help of chlorine, as it keeps water free from any bacteria.
Doing up a great pool:
The drain system is best laid at the lower end of the pool with the surface slanting towards it, so that the water can flow easily through the drains. The drains should be covered with grates so that while swimming, people do not have their hair or swimsuits caught up in them. A strainer is attached at the mouth of drains so that any debris is caught. A good pool must have powerful pumps that can help water flow through the filter and chemical feeder; to and from the swimming pool.
Tip! Swimming pool covers come in a variety of shapes, sizes, and general types. There are solar swimming pool covers that work to keep the water warm as well as warm the water using the suns heat. Safety pool covers do just what it says it does, it keeps the swimming pool safe from unwanted entry of the humans or animals.
High rate sand filters are the best kind of filters that will clean the water perfectly. They use sand to clean water of any debris present. Some pools may also use the diatomaceous earth filter, or a cartridge filter. This filter cleans very fine particles of debris. Ideally in any pool, the water should pass the filter every 30 minutes, and for the largest ones, every six hours.
The pump and filter should also be connected to a fresh water line. Calcium hypochlorite or sodium hypochlorite make great chemical cleaning agents. An automated chlorine feeder should be hooked to the filters for good chemical filtration.
Sodium carbonate and sodium bicarbonate should be used as per the requirement, to keep the pH under control right from 7.8 to 7.9. After filtration, the water should be sent back to the pool. A great pool requires the best of the filters, chemical filters, drains and pumps.
Tip! Each filter has pros and cons. Sand filters are easiest to operate and cheapest to maintain. Most people who own sand filters fail to understand how they work. Biggest problem, they backwash too often.
Most people look at the pool and think that that is the most important part of the set up, but in fact equally important is the pumps room, where pumps and filters are installed. A pump room is where the water quality is maintained. There are some other issues that one may face while getting a pool done. Some of these are:
When to dig a pool?
Contrary to popular thought, winter, not spring or summer is the right time to get a pool dug up, as the ground is not soggy. Soft ground is difficult to dig and is not easy on heavy equipment as well.
Sides caving in:
The sides of the hollow dug must be sloping so that the sides do not cave in. The ideal ratio should be a 1-foot vertical drop for every 3 horizontal feet. Steel enforcements may also be used to keep the pool in shape.
Algae in the pool:
Algae can be very harmful to a swimming pool, and requires chemical treatment and a lot of filtering, backwashing, scrubbing, and skimming. Whatever kind of algae it is, quick treatment is essential, as algae is quick to take over the pool.
Kids safety:
Kids are sometimes unpredictable, so a cover on the pool or a fence around it will help to keep the pool area safe.
Winter:
If the swimming pool is outdoors and the winters are harsh, it is a good idea to put antifreeze in the key areas after draining the water and putting a cover over the pool.
A swimming pool is an ideal feature for your home; just remember a good pool requires extensive preparations, and once these are done, maintenance is very important.
Tip! Swimming pools are tamer than the ocean and lakes, but never turn your back on them. For anyone who would rather not take a dip in the sea at freezing temperatures, or during a storm, or during a spate of shark attacks, swimming pools are a viable, controlled alternative. Most people live in neighborhoods or apartment complexes which have swimming pools near them, or within them.
