Posts Tagged ‘backyard’

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Passive Pool Heating with Solar Pool Blankets

Saturday, February 12th, 2011

Solar heating is an extremely cost-effective method of heating a swimming pool, but the suitability of these systems is heavily dependent on your local climate. Most likely, you decided to own a swimming pool for a number of reasons, including recreation, fitness and entertainment. Therapeutic reasons may have also played a part in your decision. However, if your pool is not heated you may find that the water is often not warm enough for you to be able to enjoy using your pool comfortably. This will likely be particularly true at the beginning and the end of the normal swimming season. By heating your swimming pool, however, you can significantly extend the swimming season, allowing you and your family to get far more use and enjoyment out of your pool.

Please keep in mind that we live in South Carolina. This type of pool care may not be appropriate for much colder climates. If you live in the north and have an inground pool, please contact your local pool company and they will be able to recommend something appropriate for your colder climate.

The most important consideration is called the “Denier”, which refers to the breaking strength of each strand used in the weave fabric. The denier associated with domestic winter covers is nearly twice that of the imports, making them almost impossible to rip. They hold up to harsh winter conditions far better as a result. Preventing tears in the cover lends itself to cover durability, how long it will last and serviceability.

Swimming pool solar covers, often called a pool solar blankets provide passive heating for your pool. Passive solar home heating is a tremendous cost saving benefit. Pool solar heating using a solar blanket also has ECO friendly benefits. Solar blankets can raise pool water temperatures by as much as fifteen degrees. Even though solar covers are a nuisance to use, increasing the water temperature fifteen degrees is definitely worth the hassle.

Which heating system is best for your swimming pool? In most cases you’ll be able to choose between electric, gas, and solar heating systems, but the best system for your situation will vary depending on where you live and what your specific needs are. So which is best? The answer to that question depends on a fairly long list of factors, including your budget, location, the size of your pool, and how and when you normally use it.

Pool owners should invest in necessary swimming pool accessories. Swimming pools should be treated as one of the valuable investments that should be given proper attention to maintain its good performance. Pool equipment and accessories such as pool pumps, pool filters, pool cleaners, chlorinators and others are what we need to make pool maintenance easier and more convenient. Although some equipment costs high and requires you more time to operate it, at least you are sure that you are giving proper maintenance that your pool needed.

A solar pool heater enables you and your family to enjoy your swimming pool or outdoor spa for a greater part of the year. Into spring and autumn. And into cooler mornings and evenings. When others are shivering!

Solar heating is an extremely cost-effective method of heating a swimming pool, but the suitability of these systems is heavily dependent on your local climate.

While the solar blankets available in the market today are easy to use, they are not all created equal. At different price points they each offer different functions. For best overall use, we recommend solar pool blanket. For more information please visit this website at www.poolsolarblanket.org.

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Preparing Your Home Spa For Winter

Wednesday, October 13th, 2010

As the cold winter months draw near, if you own a hot tub or spa in your home, you are left with two choices. You can drain and cover your home spa, or if you wish to keep enjoying your spa during winter, you can choose to flush it and place fresh water in it. Regardless of your decision, you must act fast to keep your home spa in good shape and save money and energy at the same time. Improper draining or winterizing may eventually damage your home spa. Here are some tips on how to keep your spa in top shape during the winter months.

To prepare your hot tub or spa for the winter, check out the manual so you will know what needs to be done to get it ready. If your spa has a freeze protection system, switch it on and ensure that the heat settings are a little higher than usual. If your home spa comes with a timer/auto heat mode selector, use this to prevent freezing.

If you have no freeze protection, place the timer switch to cycle on at regular intervals. In cool places, it might help if you cycle on at least 15 minutes every hour. This extra run time is crucial in cold weather. But if you use your home spa daily, less energy is required to maintain a constant temperature than allowing the device to cool off and heating it up again.

Before shutting down your spa, get a degreaser to remove oils from skin and bath products. These accumulate in the pipes and jets. Do this 24 hours before draining. It is a good idea to use an underwater pump to remove water. Then clean the vents and filters. Remove the cartridge filter from the skimmer. Clean the skimmer entrance using a cloth that has been soaked in filter cleaner. Always wear gloves while doing this. Soak the filter in a bucket of water together with the recommended filter cleaner to eliminate oils and sediments. Rinse thoroughly and put aside.

Lastly, vacuum the remaining water and put back the filter cartridge into the skimmer. Use a non-abrasive polish to clean the surfaces of your home spa.

For great accessories to help winterize your hot tub, visit InventorySpas.com.

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Types Of Spa Covers

Monday, August 23rd, 2010

To protect your outdoor spa, you need a good spa cover. This cover rests across the top of a spa and completely covers it. Spa covers come in different sizes to fit a particular make or model. They should be easy to remove and replace after use. Many of them are hinged in the middle to fold back. This allows chemical maintenance even if you don’t remove the whole cover.

What are the advantages of a spa cover? It helps maintain water temperature by stopping heat from escaping when you’re not using the spa. This saves energy used by the heater and prolongs its life. A spa cover also prevents chemicals from evaporating, making chemical maintenance a breeze.

Aside from this, a spa cover shields the water from the environment so you can be in your spa any time you like. It stops dirt and other debris from entering the water. Because numerous spa covers are made from vinyl and contain steel frames, they can support an average person and prevent accidental falls. This minimizes the risk of drowning incidents.

Each spa cover has its own advantages and disadvantages. One of the most common types is the rigid foam spa cover. However, this type may become saturated with water and heavy enough to break the foam. An insulated spa cover can keep the temperature warm and reduce heating costs depending on the kind of insulation it has. This means your spa is ready to use anytime which can be handy in cold weather. Although it can be expensive, this type of cover is durable and you don’t have to replace it often, making it a good investment.

Rolling spa covers are another type. This cover has nice colors that will complement your spa. Since its made of foam, it is easy to use. It can be rolled up and put away when you’re using the spa. For top quality spa covers at competitive prices, visit http://discountspacovers.com/.

For top quality spa covers at competitive prices, visit DiscountSpaCovers.com.

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Making Yard Party Using Swimming Pools Above Ground

Wednesday, August 4th, 2010

Have you ever wished you had a pool in your lawn? In the event you just transferred into a brand new home and have this nice lawn that needs something to fill the space, you may wish to put in a pool to cool down on warm days. Setting up an in-ground swimming pool might be quite pricey. There is a more inexpensive option in swimming pools above ground. You have to think about many elements before purchasing any kind of swimming pool to make sure that you purchase one that will suit you, your budget and your life-style.

It would take a lot of money to buy a new house or have one renovated. A swimming pool may be a pleasant addition to your property but if budget is a bit strained from purchasing the brand new property then maybe a swimming pool above ground will be more possible. In-ground swimming pools are more expensive to put in and keep but typically are more fascinating and aesthetic. On the other hand, above ground pools are more affordable, quite easy to set up and is so much safer for families with small kids. Swimming pools above ground are geared up with ladders that could be removed if not in use. It will be quite tough for kids to get in above ground pools without the ladder. In-ground pools are more hazardous for kids because kids could fall in to them when no one is watching.

You may even set up the swimming pools above ground on your own. Just purchase a kit you’ll be able to construct on the web or coming from a store and you’re good to go. The kits could cost as little as $500 or a bit more and you can find a number of types, dimensions and depths to choose from. In-ground swimming pools are pricey and time consuming. It could actually take ages to dig and place the foundation before you can actually put in the pool. You will most likely have to get professionals to do it and spend much more than just the materials and equipment. In-ground swimming pools also take up more room to work on.

Another benefit to choosing a swimming pool above ground is that almost all municipalities do not consider these types of pools as permanent set ups and do not add to property taxes for houses with above ground pools. Taxes you’ll have to pay will increase with in-ground swimming pools though. Though it seems as if swimming pools above ground have more pluses, not everyone wants or requires a pool above ground. Serious swimmers desire a larger pool they will swim laps in. An in-ground swimming pool would be more preferrred for that purpose. You can’t actually do laps and do critical swimming in an above ground pool’s limited space. Above ground pools also have a restricted depth of 4 feet that a lot of adults find extremely shallow.

In-ground pools could be adorned with waterfalls and slides. They can be outfitted with a diving floorboard and fancy lights. You could also modify the form of an in-ground swimming pool. Above ground pools would just have custom sizes and basic forms. In-ground pools are fairly pricey to maintain. It takes money and time to maintain an in-ground pool clean and working well. The ultimate choice between in-ground pools and swimming pools above ground is all about budget and personal preference. If you have money to burn, an in-ground swimming pool could be for you. But when you have less time, space and cash, then maybe it is a more sensible choice to get one above ground.

To get more info on swimming pools above ground, you can visit Zack Derrick’s online resource site on inflatable pools to get recent updates, compare offers, read reviews, learn all the facts and check where to shop.

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Trouble Shooting Suggestions For Swimming Pool Pumps

Thursday, April 8th, 2010

These are some great suggestions for maintaining swimming pool pumps. By following these suggestions, you will extend the life of your swimming pool equipment and save you money in costly repairs and parts. Your pump must be located in a level area that has good drainage so that rain does not cause flooding. Water will damage a pump.

If your pump is powering off after heating up, it is probably because the automatic thermal overload is shutting down your pump. Inspect the air intake vents to determine if debris is clogging them up. If the vents are blocked, the motor will heat up and the thermal overload will shut the pump down. An undersized wire or poor connection will prevent sufficient power from reaching your pump and will shut it down. If there is a heat wave, your utility company may be experiencing a power shortage. Shut off your pump until the weather cools down.

Noisy pumps can be caused by several reasons. If the pump is not level, vibrations from the base of the pump will cause noise. You can correct this by packing some padding around the base of the pump. A seal with a leak can damage bearings and then the bearings will make noise. Pipes and tubes that are too small for the pump can also make noise. Make sure the piping size is appropriate for your particular pump.

Regulate the automated control or timing control if you notice a steep spike in your monthly electric bill. Set your circulation period for an appropriate interval for the size of your pool. Remember though that electrical rates have increased over the years.

If your pump will not fill with water, the pump might have an air leak. Make sure the suction line has no obstructions. Check the impeller to make sure it has not come off the motor shaft.

You can extend the life of your motor by using a pump cover. Make sure though that you do not block cooling vents with the cover. The pump must have good air circulation to function properly.

If water is not flowing when the motor is running, check for a blocked line or a dirty filter. A valve that is shut off can also cause this problem. A clogged impeller might be the cause as well. Clean the impeller if necessary. Air bubbles flowing into the pool may indicate that there is a leak on the pump. Check the level of water in the pool. Low water level will cause water and air to mix into the skimmer.

While the ordinary person can inspect many seals, filters, and other parts on a pump, it is probably a good idea to call an authorized repair person who is experienced working on swimming pool pumps. Always have a licensed electrician for electrical repairs. Electrocution can be fatal. Check your pump’s warranty. While many maintenance routines can be done by a non-expert, it is best to call a qualified expert for serious repairs. Hopefully, these tips will help you enjoy your swimming pool for many years to come.

swimming pool pump Why waste your time and money while risking injury with these machines? Gas heaters are the best option for quick heating. But if you are planning for residential landscaping only, then that will require smaller landscaping equipments, too.

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Child Safety A Must

Wednesday, March 10th, 2010

It is the sense of freedom which is great. The fresh air, plants and animals are great. These make the ?great outdoors? so great.

Great outdoors can be enjoyed by the children with the several safety measures such as children at play signs.

Railings on porches, decks and balconies should be close to prevent the children sliding through. This will prevent even their heads getting caught. Thus, dangers are present to the children at play even right outside the front or bath door.

Fencing should be done, of the play regions, when children are at play. The front or back yards should be limited. Exits and stairs, to prevent fall should be blocked off.

Under no circumstances, children should be allowed in streets. Kid drivers are protected by children at play signs from adult drivers. Children should ride toys in safe areas such as sidewalks.

In addition to areas directly around the house, child safety should also be maintained in other locations. Inspect your child?s playground equipment, to ensure that repairs are not required. Furthermore, place woodchips, mulch, or sand underneath swing sets.

Keep the toys, chair and tables away from the pools. Never leave a child abandoned near water at the pool. One should practice cardio-pulmonary resuscitation or CPR to get ready for emergency situations at the pool.

If there are permanent pools, they are to be fenced and a latch should be installed. Automatic gates which get locked themselves can be used to protect the children at play. Techniques like CPR must be learned to get prepared for emergency conditions.

While we might expect man-made objects and places to present dangers to children at play, ironically plants and plant-related materials can also create safety hazards for kids.

Therefore, one must be aware of the common varieties of plants which are poisonous and grow in your location. If the child ingests the plant which is poisonous, one must contact the poison control center. The remaining bits of the plant should be removed from kid?s mouth.

You can a poison control center if the child eats poisonous plant. Remove the remaining bits from the child?s mouth. To get additional awareness, learn about the poisonous plants. Moreover, keep the lawn and garden equipment, sharp objects, lawnmowers away at a distance form children. Do not allow children to come nearby, when using pesticides and fertilizers. Keep these products and equipments in safe, locked location.

To enjoy all benefits from the great outdoors, specific precautionary measures should be followed like children at play signs, to ensure safety and make area hazard free.

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categories: children,safety,play,house,home,pool,pool safety,injury,prevention,backyard

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Tips About Choosing The Right Grass Equipment

Saturday, March 6th, 2010

The latest weed eater is also recognized as weed whackers or even string trimmers, that happen to be famous lawn care equipment. It is usually used as a type of edger’s or hedge clippers that assists take care of the grass being clipped by driveways. This also keeps the turf in the home trimmed along with being clear of weeds.

Almost all of the weed eaters have a lengthy streak of string at a single end, while the handle is on the opposite end. The actual spinning string of the grass eaters are accountable for slicing weeds.

Weed eaters tend not to require much repair. It ought to always be kept tidy on a regular basis to really make it keep going longer. Standard weed eaters have air filters, lawn edger blades, utility pieces, fuel filters, starter parts, and other weedeater parts.

Grass eaters can be driven by gas. They’ve got a huge edge because it is strong. It will be ideal for cutting down thick grasses or maybe clearing away vines. The vast majority of Stihl companies of weed eaters available in the market are driven by green gas.

Almost all weed eaters look the same. A vey important point you could think of when purchasing is the strength of each unit.

Weed eaters may be electrical or solar battery powered. They can also be driven through gas or perhaps a wide selection of propane and lube. Electric power grass eaters can be a nice preference since you can easily start it. Simply plug it in. The sole problem will be obtaining a lengthy extendable wire for those who have a huge garden.

Most electrical powered grass eaters tend to be light and user friendly. Any 12 inch slicing weed eater also offers precise mobility, especially for easy use in bushes and also plant life. Additionally it is fantastic for slicing grass for small yards, town homes as well as condominiums. This kind of weed eater offers variable grips, an appropriate ergonomic style along with an extendable cord retainer.

The 16 inch 31 cc gas weed eater features twin chopping rotor blades for chopping thick grass and tall turf. It can be suitable for trimming all over lengthy stretches as well as surrounding the water. The padded handle presents optimum handle and ease for your wrists.

If you are picking your own weed eater blades, there is a choice among plastic rotor blades or even a nylon string. Both of those grass eater rotor blades are effective and are relatively affordable. The plastic rotor blades can easily bust very easily, particularly if it’s ground up on driveway. The problem with plastic cords is that you need regular renewal in the course of just about every usage.

Usually, weed eaters with big power might get a task completed more proficiently and easily. Nevertheless you don’t need the most sophisticated model, specifically should you be on a spending budget and also have a small garden.

Keep the inside of your aquarium prestine with a fluval 405. Keeping your tank prestine is just as important as keeping your grass prestine.

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Innovative Ideas For Garden Landscaping

Saturday, February 13th, 2010

It’s not hard to be creative with landscaping. Essentially you can take old ideas and use them in a different way. Think of how to make your flowerbeds more interesting or how to turn ground you are not using for anything into a focus point. Be prepared to do things that you would not have thought of before. Also get ready to put some effort into your creative landscaping projects.

Being different often requires you be a little hardworking. Don’t worry, you won’t need to go out and buy a lot of books on the subject though that may help. Take a walk around your neighborhood and get an idea of what you like and see how you would like to make it different or improve on it.

Rock Gardens

A rock garden is a wonderful concept for your garden. They are easy to maintain and give no trouble, because they are easily created. All you need is a small area in the garden, which has a slope that gives a good drainage to the garden, because this is essential for a rock garden, as the plants that are used for this concept are not fit for soggy soil.

You can either place an order for the rocks or just use the ones that are already there in the garden. You have to dig the place where you want your garden and use small stones to mark the perimeter. Two to three bigger rocks can be placed at the garden and then the space can be filled with lots of smaller stones. Topsoil and loose sand can then be added over all the areas in those rocks and stones.

Plants that are suitable for a rock garden: Geraniums, verbena and other alpine plants are suitable for the rock garden. Do not use the variety were you have to sow seed or plants. Try bedded plants also; they are especially used for rock gardens. Compost is very necessary for the plants, add them to spaces in-between the rocks.

The only thing that is remaining is the stream. Create one with the help of plastic tube, allow it pass among the rocks and set it finally in the small pool of the rock garden. The plants receive water from the tube. A water pump is also very essential; it helps to run the water through the tube. Create it in such a way so as to create a mountain like structure, with all the untamed grass and a wild look.

Accentuate the rock garden with different kinds of rock. You can create many such small rock gardens all over the garden, in a smaller size. Create a theme for the whole garden.

Landscaping work not only improves the looks of your home, it also increase the comfortable space outdoor. Backyard landscaping ideas are various and depends on the need of the family.

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Outside Basketball Courts

Sunday, February 7th, 2010

Is basketball your favorite sport? Then you may be carrying that long time wish of having your own outside basketball courts right in the backyard of your own home. This is for you to be able to play anytime that you feel like enjoying favorite sport.

Measuring the lawn is the first step that you need to take in building your very own outside basketball courts. This is fairly important for you need to fit the size of your court with the measure of the space you have allotted. If you happen to have a big space to work on, then much better. You can surely create a full basketball court. You can ask your friends to help you out with this task.

The next step to do is to assess the lawn ground where you will build your outside basketball courts. This is to ensure that you have a leveled ground for your court. Remember that unleveled ground will make the ball bounce on a different direction and will affect the game aside from the fact that it can cause accidents.

To prepare the hole where you will place the pole is the third step. Just make sure that the diameter of it will be three times more than the diameter of the post. Dig up to about 14 to 15 inches deep for you to be ensured of the pole’s stability.

Fourth step is the placing of gravel in the hole prepared. Fill the hole with around 6 to 8 inches. Do not forget to level it and place the pole on top. The gravel will be beneficial for the possible drainage of the hole.

Fifth, use a dry concrete mix, which can be bought in material stores, to fill the hole’s space, leaving only a three or four-inch space from the top. Again, level out the concrete mix in order to be sure that the pole will be stable in place.

Last step is for you to add water to the entire mix and add some soil as well that were taken out during the digging earlier. Remember to always follow the guidelines set at the back of the package of the concrete mix and make sure that everything has completely dried up before you settle it all in.

Once the base of the pole dries up, you can now play with your basketball buddies on your personally built outside basketball courts. The good thing about basketball is that side from just keeping you fit, it is also a perfect time to bond with your family or friends. These courts will make it possible for you to play the sport and not just watch it on the television.

Karl Johnstock is the man to ask for advice when it comes to installing a backyard basketball court. Karl has been engaged in installing outdoor basketball courts for a lot of years.

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Beautiful Wind Chimes – Soothing Sounds Resonating From Your Garden

Wednesday, January 6th, 2010

Like millions of people around the world, wind Chimes have become such an integral part of our lives. They not only bring a sense of peace and tranquility to our gardens and homes, but they also double up as a tool to scare birds and small animals who might want to take a nibble of your prized plums.

Depending on your personal preference, whether it be bold sounds or soft tinkles, you can find sizes, styles and shapes suited for any garden or home.

This is how you start:

Take down some notes over a period of a week before you start. Look at the direction of the wind and where the strongest and weakest areas are in your garden. You want to place them in spots where there are gentle breezes and not gale force winds. Chimes need to be gently nudged by the wind and not forced, otherwise you will just get a lot of noise. The aim is to create a musical concert with gentle voices calling on the wind

Choose different types of chimes that are durable for outdoor weather and are also pleasing to the eye. Try not to overdo it by mixing your materials too much. Wood, glass and aluminum are the best material to give you crystal clear sounds.

Try and play with height and depth. Place your chimes in a line, starting from the highest place in your garden (maybe a deck) and then place another chime lower (maybe on a tree) and then place a smaller one much lower (maybe in a flower bed) to create many different sounds at once. This will create a wind orchestra for you to sit back and enjoy.

If you are tired of a particular sound of a chime, don’t pack it away. Let is sing some more but place something behind it or in front of it. Maybe a dream catcher or a garden sculpture. Let the wind bounce of of these objects to touch your chime maybe in a gentler way or stronger way.

Should you have traffic noise on your street, place bigger or bolder sounded chimes on the outer border, mixed with lots of tall plants and high grasses. Start where the traffic noise is most concentrated and place smaller daintier chimes nearer the house. This should soften or drain the noise coming from the street both day and night.

It’s really wonderful to have wind Chimes swaying in the gentle breezes of your garden. Harvest the wind to enhance your life. Place a small chime in your main doorway, it will greet your visitors with song and set a harmonious tone in their lives as well.

Forget everything you thought you knew about making improvements to your backyard. This site specializing in wind chimes has the latest information and products to answer all your questions. Visit us for more information in locating metal wind chimes and more backyard treasures.

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