How to Get the Most Enjoyment from Your Pool

 

When you first install a pool, you probably think you’ll use it every single day of summer. Often, though, as time goes on, people tend to use their pools less and less. If you don’t want to be one of those people, then you have to be adamant about making your pool a fun, enjoyable place to be, and about finding ways to encourage yourself and your family to use it daily. That’s the only way you can recoup the money you put into it and get the most bang for your buck!  

Use it at Night  

If you’re only using your pool during the day, you’re missing out! To make the most use of your pool, commit to night swimming every once in a while. You can make this easier to do by investing in some good pool lighting. You’ll find that it’s really fun to swim at night. It’s often more relaxing and quiet. Plus, it’s not so hot that you spend the whole time sweating.  

Also, at night, you’re more likely to spend your time actually in the water instead of outside of it. Nighttime swimming also offers a perfect opportunity for getting together with friends after dinner and drinks or for letting your kids have the sleepover of a lifetime.  

Make it Fun  

After a while, just swimming and floating aimlessly starts to be less fun. To keep up the “fun factor” of your pool, make it a place for play! Install enjoyable extras, like a pool slide or massaging water jets. Or, if you want fun that’s a little more on the affordable side, consider adding in a pool volleyball net or basketball goal. The more there is to do and enjoy at and in your pool, the more likely it is that you and your family will utilize it to the fullest.  

Heat it Up  

Finally, to really get maximum use out of your pool, install a quality pool heater. Depending on where you live, this could add a month or even two in terms of how long you get to use your pool each season. At the very least, it can make swimming at night more enjoyable.  

Ultimately, if you love your pool and are glad you bought it, that’s really all that matters. But, with that said, there’s certainly nothing wrong with doing all you can to make it more enjoyable and to enable you and your family to get even more use and value out of it.

 

Fiberglass Pools: A Low Maintenance Option

When you buy a pool, you have to understand that you’re not just buying something fun that you and your family can splash around in. You’re also buying an object that will require regular care and maintenance.   

With that said, however, some pools are a lot less high-maintenance than others. And, fiberglass pools are probably your lowest maintenance option for a variety of reasons.

An Easy Balancing Act

With a lot of pools, you have to regularly add the proper acids and other chemicals in order to keep your pool properly balanced. This is typically because the pool, such as is the case with concrete pools, is alkaline-based or otherwise reacts with the pool chemicals you apply.

With fiberglass pools,  however, you don’t have to worry about alkaline interfering with or impacting the chemicals you add. These pools are chemically non-reactive or “inert,” which means they do not have an impact whatsoever on the chemical composition or pH of the water.

You will have to add chemicals as needed with a fiberglass pool, and you may have to adjust the pH once or twice a year, but you definitely won’t be pouring chemicals in every single day the way you might with a concrete pool.

No “Brush-Off”

You’ll also find that you don’t have to brush the walls of fiberglass pools nearly as often as you would with other pool options.

Since you don’t have a  rough, porous surface to deal with, you typically won’t have as much (or any) algae growth to contend with either.

And, since riding a pool of algae “invaders” is the main reason to brush it regularly, if you eliminate this risk, then you also eliminate the need for regular brushing.

This isn’t to say, of course, that you shouldn’t keep a fiberglass pool clean and well-cared for, but you won't have to put nearly as much effort into the job as you would with another type of pool.

At the end of the day, no pool is going to be “no maintenance.” But, some pools are a lot more low-maintenance than others. And, if you want the lowest maintenance option of all, then you want to choose a fiberglass pool.

What You Need to Know About Pool Fading

Fading is a common problem plaguing swimming pools. Just like any other outdoor item, all pools lose some of their color and vibrance over time. That can’t be avoided.

What you have to consider, though, is which pools tend to fade the worst and the fastest. Knowing that information can help you to decide which pool type is the best fit for you.

Vinyl Liner Pools

Unfortunately, vinyl liner pools tend to fare the worst when it comes to fading. These liners- even the high-quality ones- tend to be quite thin, which makes it easy for both chlorine and sunlight to penetrate the liner and speed up the fading process.

These liners can sometimes become completely bleached-out once they hit the five year mark or so. Obviously, the effect can be quite unattractive, but some people just deal with it due to the low price of vinyl liner pools.

Fiberglass Pools

These days, fiberglass pools can be made with lots of different finishes. And, really, it’s the finish that determines how badly your pool will fade.   

A high-quality finish will likely experience very little fading, and it may not even show up until the pool is close to a decade old! Lower-quality finishes, on the other hand, will fade a lot more quickly.

Thus, if you go with a fiberglass pool and want to avoid fading, you’ll just have to put in the research to ensure you get the highest quality finish possible.

Concrete Pools

Plain concrete pools are probably the most resistant to fading.

However, a lot of people apply different colors and finishes to their concrete pools these days. If you do that, then you’ll need to take the fiberglass approach and choose the highest quality finish possible. Even then, some fading will occur, but it should be minimal and likely won’t show up for several years.

Ultimately, every pool will fade. But, if you choose with care, it won’t be quite as noticeable. Remember, too, that you do have options for making your pool look new again, such as refinishing it. However, it’s much better to choose a pool that will allow you to make this kind of upgrade years down the road, instead of months!

Fiberglass Pools

Long gone are the days of fiberglass pools and the surrounding area being standard!  There are so many advances not only in pool technology but the living and entertaining space around the pool!

Stamped concrete is becoming a popular choice for pool decks and patios. With a multitude of colors, textures, and patterns, this type of concrete can mimic almost any kind of surface, including marble or stone.  It's also much easier to install; however, it's not risk-free.  Making sure your professional installer has the right mixture is critical.  Too much water can leave a poor finish and rough edges while bulging and cracks can occur if the concrete mix is too dry.  Making sure your concrete mixture is prepared just right is critical!   

Not only is stamped concrete easy to install, but it also doesn't require a ton of maintenance.  A drawback is it is less durable compared to other finished surfaces, so take care when choosing as it can crack under pressure and excessive weight.  It's challenging to avoid cracks, especially in harsher climates, so make sure you're comfortable with a repair. The best installers will do their best to determine where a break may happen and install what's called a "joint" in the concrete to relieve the pressure.  This is not foolproof and does not guarantee cracks won't occur in other places on the pavement. Another option is to choose a concrete stamp, such as a jumbo stone stamp, that creates, coupled with installed cut joints, a pattern that looks entirely intentional.

To top off your fiberglass pool, a cantilevered pool deck edge coordinates perfectly with stamped concrete.  The combination creates a seamless look that is incredibly appealing.