Author: Sara May

Pool and Spa Chemicals, Pool and Spa Equipment

Save Swimmingly During Off Season Sales

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Off Season Pool

Did you know that the best time to buy pool supplies is during the off season?  Most suppliers experience a dip in sales once the swimming season has ended, so they hope to keep their business going strong through the winter months by lowering prices.  Pool owners can often find everything from basic pool necessities like pool chemicals to upgrades in equipment at significantly lower cost than if they wait until spring or summer to purchase.

Take some time in the next few weeks to make a wish list of pool supplies and equipment upgrades you’ll need for the upcoming season.  Then, compare prices online, and you may be surprised to find that you can save a bundle by buying now rather than later.

Hot Tubs and Saunas, Outdoor Entertaining

Summon Your Inner Snow Monkey

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Japanese Snow Monkey

While most people I know look forward to lighting candles and decorating trees in December, I look forward to summoning my inner snow monkey.  Japanese macaques spend a good deal of their time soaking in naturally steamy volcanic hot springs, but since I live nowhere near a hot spring, I count on my portable hot tub to whisk me away to snow monkey paradise.

There’s really nothing quite like lounging in a hot, bubbling spa when the surrounding air is cold enough to turn breath into ice crystals.  Falling snow and winter bird activities make for relaxing entertainment while basking in warm Portable Hot Tubwaters.  At night, clear winter skies spread out a blanket of stars to which no holiday light show can compare.

Japanese snow monkeys know that the secret to enjoying cold winter days is to spend as much time as possible in a steamy bath, preferably with friends.  Following their example, with the help of a portable hot tub, makes for a truly happy holiday season.

Pool and Spa Safety, Pool Closing and Winterizing

When Safety Covers Are Not Safe

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Pool Safety Cover Repair/Replacement for Solid and Mesh Safety Covers

Many homeowners prefer to use a safety cover rather than a winter cover when preparing the pool for the winter months.  Safety covers protect the pool, but they also help prevent submersion and drowning accidents should a child or pet wander out onto the cover.  A proper safety cover can support a minimum of 485 pounds per 5 square feet, according to the American Society for Testing and Materials’ (ASTM) standard F1346-91.  If that safety cover is torn or in any other way damaged, though, it is no longer a reliable barrier.

Purchasing a new safety cover to replace a damaged one is not always necessary.  Safety covers can be repaired for much less than a new cover would cost, so investigating this as a viable option is recommended.  Make sure that the company who will perform the repairs is well-recognized for quality workmanship.  And, use a company that will pay for the shipping of your safety cover in both directions — from you to the company, and then back to you again once the repairs have been made.

If damage to a pool safety cover is beyond repair, then purchasing a new one is necessary.  A safety cover cannot be trusted as a reliable safety barrier if it is damaged in any way.

Innovative Solutions, Pool Accessories, Pool Closing and Winterizing

Winterizing Your Pool? Don’t Neglect the Diving Board

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Diving Board Covers

Winterizing your backyard swimming pool includes taking proper care to protect the diving board.  Some pool owners prefer not to do anything to protect the diving board through the off-season.  Without a proper cover, though, a diving board can become stained by debris that falls on the board and stays there for an extended period of time.  Additionally, an uncovered diving board can become damaged over time by harsh winter weather.

Covering a diving board with a tarp and ropes or bungee cords is another way some pool owners choose to protect the diving board.  Doing an effective job of covering the diving board in this manner, though, is physically challenging, and the tarp material itself offers inadequate protection from cold weather conditions and destructive ultraviolet rays.

A proper Diving Board Cover is the most effective way to protect a diving board through many years of cold winter seasons.  Constructed of high-tech and rugged material, the superior quality diving board cover is resistant to mildew, below zero temperatures, and harsh UV rays.  A proper diving board cover should be fast to put on and remove, making it an easy task to add to the yearly winterizing process.

Hot Tubs and Saunas, Pool and Spa Safety

CPSC Seeks Comment on Addition to Pool Safety Law

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Safety Drain Covers

To prevent further injuries and deaths as a result of drain entrapment in pools and spas, the Virginia Graeme Baker Pool and Spa Safety Act requires that all public pools and spas be equipped with anti-entrapment drain covers that comply with the ASME/ANSI A112.19.8 standard.  Unfortunately, the term “public accommodations facility” used in the original law to describe who must comply was not adequately defined.  Which types of establishments fall into the category of “public accommodations facility” and which do not?

The answer to this question is the focus of a proposed interpretive rule that the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) would like to add to the existing Pool and Spa Safety Act.  If the newly proposed definition for the term “public accommodations facility” is accepted, the CPSC will be able to more effectively enforce the law and ensure that more pools and spas are made safe for public use.

The CPSC will accept public comment on the proposed rule until December 21, 2010.  To read more about the proposed rule and how to submit a comment, visit the following page: http://edocket.access.gpo.gov/2010/2010-26520.htm.