Swimming Pools Water-Saving Tips

There's a big source of water consumption in your backyard -- it's called a swimming pool. While the World Water Council is not asking you to replace that big pit with a vegetable garden -- not yet, anyway -- there are several ways you can practice water conservation with your pool or spa. Get smart -- water smart -- by learning more about your pool or spa and the preventative steps you can take and repairs you can make to help conserve water. Do your part to reduce and control water losses from pools and spas. Here's how:

Use a Pool Cover

Without a swimming pool cover, more than half the water in your pool can possibly evaporate in one year. Using a cover regularly reduces evaporation by 90 to 95%. Without a cover, an 18'x36' pool loses about 1 inch of water per week in the summer. Annually, this can add up to a water loss of 7,000 gallons. What a waste. Other benefits of a pool cover:

• A pool cover can reduce the need to use more chemicals.
• Pool covers help to reduce algae growth.
• Pool covers help conserve heat, which can save money for heating costs.

Lower the Pool's Water Level

Besides conserving water, keeping a lower water level in the pool helps reduce water loss from extreme splashing and boisterous water play. It's a good idea to keep the water level 1 inch above the bottom of the pool tile. Try to discourage swimmers from splashing by explaining to them that the water needs to stay in the pool.

If Your Pool is Heated, Lower the Temperature

If you have a pool heater, try reducing the temperature during the summer. Doing so reduces the occurrence of water loss to evaporation, and is especially important when the pool isn't being used. Better yet, use a pool cover.

Backwash Pool Filters Only When Necessary

Obviously, backwashing filters uses extra water. Keep the pool and filters clean to reduce the frequency of backwashing. Only backwash long enough for the water in the sight glass to run clean. Frequent backwashing can reduce the effectiveness of the filters.

Reuse Backwash or Dechlorinated Waste Pool Water on Lawns & Shrubs

Empty the filter backwash onto lawns and shrubs or collect it to reuse. Make sure your landscaping has absorbed the backwash before it leaves your property. Don't allow runoff to enter adjacent properties unless you have some sort of agreement with your neighbor. Check with your city government -- in some regions it is illegal to empty pool backwash water into the street or storm drains.

Add Sanitizer in the Evening

The sun quickens the dissipation of chlorine, making the evening the best time to add sanitizer to your pool. If the sanitizer is added automatically while the pump is on, run the pump at night for best efficiency.

Strategic Poolside Landscaping

Plant pool-area shrubs and use fences or privacy screening as barriers or to help reduce water loss from wind evaporation. Decreasing the occurence and amount of wind going across the pool will cut down on evaporation.

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Facts About Swimming Pool Pump

CFRP Series Monobloc Swimming Pool Pumps

You can have the biggest, fanciest pool in the neighborhood, complete with tiles imported from Italy or painted with cool designs, floating rafts and fed by a gushing fountain, but without one specific piece of equipment, that shimmering pool can turn into a duck pond in about a week flat. What's that vital piece of equipment? A swimming pool pump is a crucial piece of mechanics that works hard to keep your pool clean. 

A swimming pool pump comes in a variety of sizes, shapes and models. Bigger is not always better, however, so knowing something about pumps and what they do will stand you in good stead as you either build your pool or are in the process of replacing old, battered parts. The size and type of swimming pool you own has a lot to do with the type of pool pump you buy, for manufactures make pumps for above ground and in ground pool needs. 

Why is a pool pump so important? Because it works with your pool's filtration system to keep the pool clean of debris. The pump pulls water out of the pool through a skimmer basket and then through the filtering system, and back into the pool. Without the pump, nothing works. 

Most types of pumps will state their capacity, so always know what size your pool is before looking for pool equipment. You should know the basic area of your pool as well as how many gallons it holds. Most pumps will designate how much water they can pump either hourly or by the minute. 

In most cases, people run a swimming pool pump for six to eight hours a day, especially in the summertime and when the pool is being used. If your pool is small and stays relatively clean, you can cut back that running time in fall and winter months to save electricity. 

All pumps should come with some type of straining basket that is designed to catch leaves, sticks, and toys, or whatever else manages to end up in your pool. These baskets can be oblong, square, open or closed, but as long as they keep debris from entering your filtering system, the shape doesn't matter. 

When selecting any particular swimming pool pump model, check the energy efficiency of the unit to make sure you're getting the best model to suit your needs. Be prepared to spend anywhere from $100 to $700 for a swimming pool pump. Because it is hard to determine how many hours a day you will need to run your pump, it pays to get a good model, which may be more than you want to spend initially. However, the more efficient the pump, the less electricity will be wasted, so it's up to you where you want to save your money. 

When looking for a swimming pool pump, also take into consideration the age of your filtering system. An old system may not be very efficient in filtering water no matter how powerful the pump is, so don't throw good money after bad. A pump moves the water, it doesn't clean it. That's for your filtering system. Carefully watching chemical levels and water clarity, combined with good water circulation, is the best way to achieve good results with your pool. 

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10 Reasons Why to Get Your Own Pool

The reasons to take the plunge and have a pool installed in a backyard are:

• Add Beauty and Value to Your Home – Swimming pools add value and beauty to any home.  If you live in certain regions, pools can be used at any time during year, and can improve your backyard landscaping.

• A Great Reason for Staying Fit - There are many benefits of working out in swimming pools. Not only is it easier to stay cooler in a pool, but the workout itself has massive perks.

• Perfect for Entertaining - One of the best reasons to own a pool is all of the time you will spend poolside, entertaining family and friends. Whether you are looking for pool games, recipes, party ideas, or a free and creative way to invite your family and friends to your pool.

•  It will Add Balance to Your Life - After a hard day at work, nothing is more inviting and refreshing than the backyard swimming pool. Water is so pure and simple, yet it can do the most amazing things. Whether you are experiencing joint or muscle pain, having trouble sleeping, or are just plain stressed out, spending time in hot tub spas can provide therapeutic benefits for just about everyone.

• The Best Exercise - People who use their swimming pool as part of their everyday exercise think that swimming and aquatics are the very best exercises for the body. Unlike many exercises, the pool provides a “soft” environment for workouts. Not only do you not have to worry about falling, as the water supports the body in every position, but the water also helps alleviate the feelings of fatigue because it’s supporting so much of the body’s weight.

• A Family Meeting Place - A swimming pool is a great place to get together. It's less formal and demanding than the dinner table. Everyone is doing their own thing at lunch, and breakfast is always on the fly.

• Pool Parties for all Ages - Planning a party by the swimming pool? Are you looking to have a small and quiet get-together? Perhaps you are looking for big and loud festivity? However you choose to throw your poolside party, we've got you covered. 

• Swimming Pools are Affordable - Today there are many types of pools available for purchase. All give the same sense of pride as well as all of the natural benefits and rewards of pool ownership.

• Easy to Finance - Swimming pools are extremely easy to finance. There are various financing program options that are available for those constructing or remodeling a swimming pool. Low interest rates give purchasers an extra measure of affordability.

• The Endless Vacation - Owning a swimming pool is like being on permanent vacation. Whether, it’s for entertainment, relaxation, or time with friends, a swimming pool can turn your backyard into a paradise. 

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Saltwater Swimming Pools: A Pool System Worth Its Salt

All of the pool owners are probably familiar with the water balance, Chlorine, and all the chemicals that need to be added in order to keep your pool water in balance. Making your pool into a saltwater pool, by getting a chlorine generator, will eliminate one of those headaches for quite a period of time, saving you a lot of money and time.

Some of the other benefits of it go the Chlorine generator owners have noticed a softer water, leaving them with a more refreshed feeling after swimming. They eliminate irritation and the side effects of Chlorine in the pool, such as green hair, red eyes and so on. Also, not only is the chlorine generator low maintenance, it will also create a more cost efficient swimming pool for you.

The way the Chlorine generator works is basically by dissolving the salt in your pool, turning it into liquid Chlorine and then releasing back into the pool. This process is called electrolysis. At the end of this "circle" the Hypochloric Acid, or Chlorine, is ultimately converted back into salt. This salt is then run through the same process over and over again. The benefit of this is that it is a natural process, rather than a process utilizing a lot of processed and man made chemicals. That alone makes it healthier than the non saltwater pools.

Due to the cycle the salt is run through you will rarely have to replace it. You might have to add it in about once or twice a year, however. You also might need to top it off after any other major loss of water, simply because when you lose water you lose salt in it. 

In order to use the generator it will, most often, need to be hooked up inline to the recirculation system of your pool. Depending on the quality of your chlorine generator you can either set it to run all of the time, or determine how many hours per day you need to run it  to make Chlorine.

You can use either the food grade salt, water conditioner salt, solar salt flakes, or brine blocks. About 50lb of salt per 2,000 gallons of water will get you up to 4000 ppm. However, unless you have emptied your pool and added completely new water into it, your pool should already have some Chlorine in the water. Test your pool water and then add salt accordingly to get up to 4000 ppm.

When you go to add the salt, instead of walking all around the pool, pour it over the drain and run the pump for 24hr so that the water can circulate well all over the pool.

As far as the maintenance of the generator itself goes, you will need to remove and clean it about once a year. You can do so by removing it from the pool plumbing system and running a plastic brush through it. If you happen to have some Calcium deposits a simple mixture of water and muriatic acid will take care of it. The power supply end of the generator does not require any maintenance.

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Swimming Pools Trivia and Facts

Here are some trivia you can share with your friends while having fun at swimming pool:

• Elephants can swim as many as 20 miles a day — they use their trunks as natural snorkels! 

• The bikini swimsuit was named after a U.S. nuclear testing site in the South Pacific called Bikini Atoll.

• 65% of people in the U.S. don’t know how to swim.

• The average person produces 25,000 quarts of saliva in his or her lifetime — that’s enough spit to fill TWO swimming pools!

• In butterfly stroke and breaststroke, swimmers need to touch the pool with both hands simultaneously when they finish. Swimmers touch the pool with only one hand when they finish in freestyle and backstroke swimming events. 

• The most popular freestyle stroke is the crawl, considered the fastest stroke.

• An hour of vigorous swimming will burn up to 650 calories. It burns off more calories than walking or biking.

• Swimming strengthens the heart and lungs.

• Swimming works out all of the body’s major muscles.

• Swimming helps reduce stress. 

• Water’s buoyancy make swimming the ideal exercise for physical therapy and rehabilitation or for anyone seeking a low-impact exercise.

• Swimming is a great cardiovascular exercise because you are moving against the water’s resistance, which is over ten times that of the air.

• Over 50% of world-class swimmers suffer from shoulder pain.

• The slowest Olympic swim stroke is the breaststroke.

• The fastest and most efficient swim stroke is the crawl/ freestyle.

• The turbopump on the Space Shuttle main engine is powerful enough to drain an average-sized swimming pool in 25 seconds.

• Most swimmers at the highest levels of competition train from four to five hours per day and five to seven days per week. They will typically swim about six to twelve miles per day along with weight training and flexibility training. 

• The Olympics are swum in a 50 meter pool or long course pool. Pools used by the NCAA and high school swimming programs can be 25 yards to 25 meters. These pools are called short course pools.

• An Olympic size pool depending on its size (50 meters X 25 yards or meters) can hold from 700,000 to 850,000 gallons of water.

• Competitive swimmers use the term fast pool when they are describing a pool that has a good gutter system on the sides. This system allows the water to flow out easily and doesn't allow waves to bounce back to the middle of the pool. The lane lines can also help control the waves and the deeper the pool is, the fewer waves hit the bottom and bounce back up to the surface. The lack of these waves provides less drag/ resistance for the swimmers, which gives them a faster time.

• Florida is the only state with legislation on who can teach swimming. Life guards and swimming instructors must, by law, be certified.

• As with any other type of exercise you need to stay hydrated while swimming and you need to drink water. Your core body temperature can rise as the activity increases. Your body also produces sweat as it does with other physical activity, but it is not as apparent since you are already wet.

• Studies shown that the shark is fast in the water but not naturally hydrodynamic. The shark's quickness is attributed to V shaped ridges on its skin called dermal tentacles. These ridges decrease dray and turbulence around the shark's body, allowing more efficiency. The result of these studies has brought a brand new fabric to the market for competitive swim wear. Speedo has produced a fabric that emulates shark's skin. This fabric reduces drag and turbulence around the body, which helps a swimmer pass through the water more effectively. The suits made from the “Fast skin” fabric have only been on the market for a little while but are already changing the look of competitive swimming and its results. 

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Backyard Swimming Pool's Safety Tips for Kids

Being able to escape to your backyard when you want to take a dip is a luxury not everyone is able to enjoy, though if you can't keep your children out of harm's way around the pool, it is not worth owning. Below are several different ways you can keep your children safe:

Get Your Children Swimming Lessons. Spend the extra money and time on getting your children swimming lessons. If they are taught how to swim by a trained professional, it will ensure they are safe enough to swim in the pool without you holding on to them the whole time.

Kids are usually ready to get swimming lessons by four years old. Through these lessons, they will learn basic safety habits at a very early age - habits they will most likely continue as they get older. If your child does not know how to swim, be sure that they are never in the water without you or a life jacket.

Learn CPR. It is vital that you and every other member of your home learn how to perform CPR just in case any type of emergency occurs in or around the pool. There are different methods of CPR for people of different ages, and everyone should be certified, so it does not matter who is watching the children in the water.

Put Up Fences. A great way to avoid tragedy is to have a fence installed around the pool in your yard. Whether you have a soft- or hard-sided pool, having a fence will keep your kids from being able to get into the pool when they aren't supposed to be. The fence should be at least four feet high.

Keep the Pool Covered. Another tip to avoid accidental falls into the pool is to always keep it covered when it is not in use, no matter what the season. A cover will also help to preserve the quality of the water, keeping it more safe for the kids to swim in. The cover for your pool is not something to use instead of a fence, it is wise to have both.

Ensure the Safety of the Water. You should have regular maintenance of your aquatic haven performed by local pool service experts. Frequent cleanings to make sure there is no mildew or any other dangerous bacteria growing in the water is critical. You also should check the chlorine levels to ensure there isn't too much or too little.

Have the Right Tools on Hand. Make sure your home has all of the right safety equipment, such as life jackets, floating devices, life savers and a first aid kit. Having these be readily available should they be necessary in a second's notice can save your child's life.

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