One of the newest trends in home swimming pools today is the addition of an outdoor shower. Outdoor showers are exactly what they sound like: A water line is extended to the exterior of your home to a shower head. This can be located adjacent to your pool, on an exterior wall to your house, or anywhere you want. They can be either enclosed or open. In most cases, local building code requires that they have a drain as well. Benefits of an Outdoor Shower An outdoor shower helps protect...

Everybody enjoys a day of fun and the sun around the backyard swimming pool. Here are ten fun and interesting facts most people don't know about swimming and swimming pools for you to mention during your next backyard pool party: Niagara Falls -- which straddles the border between Canada and the US near Buffalo, New York -- has enough water going over to fill up all the US in less than three days. Swimming is actually one of the best forms of exercise because it burns an estimated 650 c...

Both the swimming pools in your backyard and those found on cruise ships share some commonalities -- they are both filled with water and usually are the entertainment and social center of the community. But there are important differences, especially when it comes to servicing and maintaining the quality of each type of pool. Cruise Ship Pools Some people mistakenly believe that cruise ships pools are filled with sea water. This is not the case. Most cruise ship pools contain treated fresh...

There are swimming pools. Then there are SWIMMING POOLS! If you want your home's backyard swimming pool to fall into the former category, then you should consider adding a customized design to the bottom. Painting a Design on Your Pool A personalized design added to the bottom of your pool can convert your backyard from the ordinary to the amazing. Styles to consider include aquatic animals such as dolphins or whales, your family crest, or any type of design that has significance to you...

To bring your backyard pool to life and make it the place where you entire family and your friends will want to hang out all the time, consider getting a few, carefully selected pool toys. Today, there are many different types of pool toys, ranging from the very simple and inexpensive to the highly sophisticated. Basic Pool Toys You Need to Have Right Now When it comes to having fun around your pool, some things never change. People like to float on the water and they like to dive down ...

There's nothing uptight or anxious about a hammock. Whether you string a hammock between two palm trees or buy a hammock that comes with its own frame, the simple fact that you have a hammock at all is a relaxing thought that instantly relieves stress and makes people feel more at home. A Hammock Near the Pool While most people will buy a set of backyard table and chairs so they can relax or eat a meal next to their backyard pool, adding a hammock to your list of poolside accessories wi...

For generations, adults have been telling children that they have to wait at least 30 minutes after eating before they can go back into the swimming pool. But is it really true? The truth is that it all depends on two factors: How much you ate and how hard you intend to swim. Fear of Drowning The concern that prompted this maxim is the fear that somebody who has just eaten could get a stomach cramp if they swim right after eating. Getting a debilitating cramp could cause you to double ...

Our professional pool cleaning technicians use a variety of poles, heads and other pool cleaning tools to make sure your swimming pool is always in optimal condition. We're frequently approached by homeowners who wonder what all that strange looking equipment is for. So here's an inventory of some of the most common tools we use to keep your pool clean and safe. Telescopic Poles  We need to be able to reach to the farthest depths of your pool without having to dive in ourselves. That's...

Swimming is a risky activity. There is always the possibility that something can go wrong. Controlling that risk can mean the difference between a pleasant time and a disaster. Generally, swimming alone is fine as long as the person is an adult, an experienced swimmer, is familiar with the pool, and there aren't any other extenuating circumstances. Grownups Only Adults are more responsible than children. But they also are more experienced. They realize that if something unexpected happe...

Spending the day playing in and around your backyard pool is one of life's greatest pleasures. But it's important to be safe while you are having fun. Late summer is when the sun's rays are at their brightest, and potentially most harmful. Protect yourself and your family from the sun's UVA and UVB rays by taking these precautions while enjoying your backyard swimming pool: Cover Up -- When you aren't swimming, cover your skin with tightly-woven clothing that blocks out most of the light....