Swimming pools and swimming pool buildings

Swim Spas Make a Big Splash with Baby Boomers

By Beverly Hlavka

If you are an aging baby boomer like I am, you may be looking for a fun form of water recreation where you can get some relief from aching muscles and joints, be able to exercise or just relax, have a place for the grand kids to play and better yet, all of this occurs in one place from the comfort and convenience of your own home.

Many of the potential swimming pool buyers are looking into swim spas as an alternative to installing a fiberglass swimming pool or above ground pool. Many homeowners don’t have the space in the backyard or the budget to maintain a full size pool.

Now you can get the benefits of water therapy for the mature family members as well fun for the family in one small package.

Swim spas have been around for a long time but they weren’t very popular until recently. Now retailers are claiming a distinct increase in sales and the benefits of owning a swim spa are highly touted by the public.

Recreational swimmers like them especially if they don’t care about using a full size pool. They will easily fit on a deck or small backyard, but can also be installed indoors. If you really are limited in space in the backyard consider a home remodel and include the swim spa in those plans. Basements and garages are a popular place to install the spa but look for models that come in pieces so they will easily fit through a 30 inch doorway.

You might be building a dream home so why not create a complete swim spa room by including an infrared sauna, wet bar, fireplace, dining table, television and more? This could be your new workout room or part of the family room for entertaining. Many like to put them in a glassed wing of the home so they can look up at the stars while relaxing or working out. If you live on a lake in the North woods enjoying the water in the summer, install the swim spa indoors so you can have aquatic benefits in the winter months. Those long cold Wisconsin winters will be tolerable when you are working out or relaxing in the nice warm water from your very own swim spa.

The swim spa was invented to give the capability of swimming in place and typically uses a 4-horsepower jet system that moves water as fast as 400 mph, creating a strong resistance while swimming “up stream”. Most models allow you to control the intensity of the workout and speed of the water so you can get in a vigorous swim or just a slow walk. Another spa might have a small propeller that drives a current naturally for the swimmer. The most popular material is a gel-coated fiberglass, but you will also find a vacuum-formed acrylic and vinyl liner as well. They are extremely low maintenance and uncomplicated. They vary in size, but a usual spa will be 14 feet by 6 feet and vary from 3 – 6 feet deep. They come with thick padded covers for child safety. Many models have seating around it just as a hot tub would have.

A typical swim spa is easy to clean, doesn’t require dehumidification indoors that larger pools need and the circulation quickly keeps your water quality at a high level. You use a lot less chemicals and less heat is required making them very economical to use.

You can also add surround sound music and lighting just as in other hot tubs for a complete experience. These pint size pools can give you the best of many worlds. The exercise therapy and rehabilitation are well documented for everything from sports injuries to the typical arthritic aches and pains. You have hydrotherapy and relaxation from the spa jets, exercise and low impact aerobics from water resistance, injury rehabilitation from the isometric therapy and water fun for everyone. There are many aquatic pieces of exercise equipment such as a treadmill or stationary bike that work great when added to the spa as well.

Where else can you find all of these things in one compact product and all at your convenience while staying at home? They range in price from about $14,000 to $32,000 plus monthly maintenance, but with all of the benefits they are well worth the investment for your home and your health.

Pool Safety: Saving Lives Through Common Sense

Pool Safety: Saving Lives Through Common Sense
By Ian Partridge

POOL SAFETY: SAVING LIVES THROUGH COMMON SENSE

FACTS:

* The third greatest risk to children in America is drowning

* Throughout the world an average of 30 people per hour drown in pools, at beaches, and in other bodies of water. A large percentage of these victims are children 5 years of age and younger.

* In the United States the second leading cause of unintentional death in persons from 5 to 44 years old is drowning.

* For children under 14 years of age the primary cause of unintentional death is drowning.

* Drownings and near drownings tend to happen when children are in familiar surroundings being supervised by a parent. The drownings usually occurred during a supervisory lapse.

* Almost 70% of all children who were accidentally submerged were not expected to be near the pool at that time. 65% of these accidents happened in a pool owned by the family.

* It takes as little as 2 inches of water and 2 seconds for a child to drown.

* Children less than 1-year old are more likely to drown in buckets and bathtubs than older children are.

* In 90% of backyard drowning cases the parents eventually divorce.

* Drownings and near drownings occur in pools with perimeter fences and gate alarms.

ALWAYS THINK OF SAFETY:

* Never leave a child unattended in a pool, tub, or spa.

* Police both the areas inside and outside your pool. To gain access children may use chairs, boxes, ladders, and other objects left outside the pool.

* Wadding pools, buckets, and drains should be emptied of water when not in use and must be closely supervised when in use.

* If your pool is easily accessed through your home lock doggie doors.

* Never prop open a gate and leave it unattended.

* Install a passive infrared alarm system that will protect the entire pool area. Simply putting an alarm on the gate or door is not enough. Such alarm systems can be neutralized and once this occurs there is nothing between your child and the water.

* Remember young children are usually naturally curious about the water but often lack an understanding of the dangers involved.

* Stress water safety.

* All members of your family should learn how to swim.

Pool safety is not an accident. Sound planning, careful supervision, and an alarm system that cannot be compromised are important elements that will help ensure the well being of your children and their friends. These efforts will not go unrewarded.

When searching for swimming pools information there are some useful resources that should help in your research....

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