My Swimming Pool Water is Too Hot!!!...and How to Cool it Down.

My business partner Jim got an email this week from a previous inground customer that gave me a little grin, mainly because it is such a perfect representation of a conversation we have when talking to potential customers the first time regarding Heat Pumps:

Dear Jim,

We know that we balked when you told us that we needed a chiller for our pool.  We could not imagine the water ever getting so warm that we would require such a thing (and it kinda seemed like a waste of money, to be honest).  We are here to testify that without that chiller over the last week of 90 degree plus days, every single day here in Northern Virginia, we could/would not have been able to use our pool.  When the water temp finally hit near 90 degrees last weekend, Cynthia said, "Let's give that chiller a shot".  What a lifesaver!  Instead of getting in what felt like pretty un-refreshing bathwater, since then, the chiller has kept the water temp at a manageable and refreshing 84 degrees.  Feel free to have anyone who is on the fence regarding chillers just give us a call - we'll more than endorse them.  

Scott Conrad

Chantilly, VA

A special thanks to Scott for taking the time to write this note that addresses the question of whether to get a regular heat pump vs one with a chiller. Frankly, I'm always amazed when I speak to a customer that has received 2 or 3 quotes from other pool companies and no one has yet mentioned the potential need to cool the pool water as well. Frankly, when I see such a lack of teaching from other pool guys, I want to slap my forehead and the first thought that comes to my head is:

Are you kidding me??

Here the deal: If your pool is 6' or less in depth and receives good amounts of sunlight throughout the day, then you'll likely have need for a chiller at some time or another (obviously depending on your region).

If you follow that advice, I promise you that you'll make the right decision as to whether to go chiller or not with your heat pump purchase.

As always, happy swimming to everyone in this blistering weather!!

Top 5 Salt Water Chlorine Generator Problems

Let me start off by saying that we are huge proponents of salt water chlorine generators and do recommend them to most customers.  However, there is no such thing as a perfect system.  The purpose of this article is to bring to light several of the issues we’ve seen with salt water chlorine systems after installing close to 1,000 of them over the past 8 or 9 years.  As you’ll see, most of the issues we’ve encountered haven’t been with the actual salt water systems, but with the impact that the system has on other pool components.     

 

1.  Corroded handrail and ladder anchors

The high salinity level of the water does cause galvanized deck anchors to corrode prematurely.  We’ve found that within 4 to 5 years of installing a salt system that galvanized deck anchors will corrode to a point where it is difficult or impossible to remove the handrail or ladder.  The solution to this problem is to use brass anchors as opposed to galvanized steel.  If you are considering installing a salt system on an existing pool with galvanized deck anchors it would be a good idea to spray them with some type of corrosion inhibitor to slow the deterioration process.  If you are having a new pool built, make sure the contractor uses brass anchors.

 

2.  High Chorine

One of the greatest advantages of salt water systems is that you reap the benefits of a chlorine pool without the adverse effects associated with chlorine.  This is wonderful….no strong smell, no burning eyes, etc.  The disadvantage is that it’s possible to generate a high level of chlorine in the pool and never know it.  This can have an adverse effect on the pool shell, pool equipment, etc.  To keep this from happening, simply test chlorine levels on a weekly basis. 

 

3.  Cell Replacement

Although salt chlorinators typically cost less during a given season than chlorine, there will come a day when the cell, which is the component of the machine that converts salt to chlorine, will fail.  The cost of cell replacement may off-set the savings experienced over the previous years.  The average cost of cell replacement is $800-$1200 and the average life expectancy is 4-8 years.  There are many wonderful advantages of salt chlorine systems, but my experience is that cost savings is not one of them in the long run. 

 

4.  Tough on Auto Covers

There’s simply no getting around this one.  Salt systems are tough on the metal components of automatic covers.  Many of the major components of “auto-covers” such as the track system, the tube the cover rolls up on, the hardware, and the leading edge are all made of metal.  The best way to prevent premature corrosion of these components is to periodically rinse them with fresh water from a garden hose.    

 

5.  Corrodes vinyl liner pool walls

This applies to inground and above ground vinyl liner pools with metal walls.  Most vinyl pool builders today use polymer/plastic walls, so this is not so much an issue with new construction of liner pools.  However, if you are considering building a vinyl liner pool with a salt system, do yourself a huge favor and avoid metal walls like the plague!  Regarding above ground pools, it’s debatable whether the low-maintenance aspects of the system outweigh the impact that the salt water has on the metal wall structure of the pool.  After doing many liner replacements on above ground pools with and without salt water systems, I can tell you that there is a significant difference in the amount of corrosion on the wall after a very short period of time.  It’s a question of how long you want your pool to last.  In my estimation, you’ll get 10-15 years out of an above ground pool with a salt system as opposed to 20-25 years without.

 

Taking all of these issues into consideration, you need to ask yourself the question:

 

Do the benefits of salt water chlorine generators outweigh these problems?

 

In my opinion, the answer is a resounding “Yes!”  Although there are cases where salt chlorine generators may not be the best alternative, for the majority of pool owners throughout the world it’s tough to beat the superior water quality and low maintenance of a salt water pool. 

 

Thanks for visiting, comments and questions always welcome!

 

Should I Get a Salt Water System in my Pool?

Now that the summer is here, many pool owners are again facing the question that they've been asking themselves for the past few years now: Should I get a salt water system in my swimming pool?

For those readers that are already enjoying the wonders of salt, please feel free to go back to doing whatever you were doing. But for the many that have still not decided to take the plunge, please consider the following arguments to be made for such a wonderful piece of technology:

‘It Costs Too Much'

Yes, salt chlorine generators do cost a good bit of money. The average system is anywhere between $800-$2000 installed, but look at it this way: Swimming pool owners that use salt, in many cases, will spend less than $100 a year on chemicals. Yep, $100. Pretty awesome, huh? Without  salt, I've seen regular chlorine users spend well over $300 a season on chemicals. Compound this over the course of 5 years or so and you've easily paid for the system. And as for Baquacil users, the savings are monumental. It's nothing for a Baquacil user to spend over $500-$1000 on chemicals alone for just one pool season. For this reason, it is my opinion that anyone using Baquacil over salt may need a head examination.

‘It's Too Hard to Maintain'

Say what?? Salt water pools make for the ultimate low maintenance swimming pool experience. Most users check their water once a week to make sure the system is producing natural chlorine. Beyond that, there is very little one needs to do, other than balance the water on occasion. This is also why salt water pools are perfect for people with weekend homes or those that are constantly traveling and thus unable to attend to their pool. With its consistent feed of natural chlorine in the water, salt practically eliminates the ‘hard work' and vigilance issues that come with swimming pool ownership.

‘It Will Hurt My Eyes'

Again, almost never true. Keep in mind that salt pools are nothing like what we swim in when we're in the ocean. In fact, salt pools have 1/10 the level of salt that an ocean has. To give you an example, my son is 6 years old and he rarely uses goggles in our pool, despite the fact that he's is under water 50% of the time and always has his eyes open. And of the 1000+ systems we've installed, I've never had a customer that said their eyes were adversely affected by the salt.

‘It Tastes Funny'

Well, I guess if you like to drink pool water this could be the case....But seriously, just as I mentioned in the last paragraph, the salt levels are so low in the pool that most people don't even know they are swimming in it. Yes, you can taste it just slightly if you lick your lips while in the pool, but again, no customer has ever told me this was an issue of concern.

‘It Will Affect My Pool and Equipment'

Yes and No. There are debates in the pool industry as to the effect of salt water on concrete pools, with the majority of professionals, myself included, recognizing that a salt system will cause a concrete pool owner to resurface their pool sooner than they otherwise would have. The real debate lies in just how much quicker salt speeds up the process. As far as a fiberglass pool though, salt will have no impact on the shell's surface longevity. And as far as the general equipment is concerned, the only drawback we've been able to notice as a company is the fact that pump seals (w/the filter system), an inexpensive part to replace, wear out quicker with a salt generator.

 

So there you have it folks. If you are debating the merits of salt in your swimming pool, I do suggest you stop delaying the inevitable and make the call. I've literally had pool owners that have used Baquacil or regular chorine for years switch to salt and absolutely rave about its benefits and ease of use. After all, the whole purpose of owning a swimming pool is to relax more, not work more. Salt chlorine generators will certainly accomplish this goal.

Marcus Sheridan

**Don't forget to sign up for future articles via email in the upper right hand side of this page**

Hydrostatic Pressure and Dewatering Systems for Fiberglass Pools

We are frequently asked questions about the effects of ground water on fiberglass pools.  The short answer is that it has no effect in most cases as long as the pool remains full of water. 

But you may be wondering, “What if the pool is not full of water?”

My response is-- Exactly!

The ground water around a fiberglass pool needs to be removed before the pool shell can be emptied or the water level significantly lowered.   This is not only true with fiberglass pools, but with any vessel…septic tanks, oil drums, gunite pools, and even vinyl liner pools.   Hydrostatic pressure is the term used to describe the force that water exerts on a structure.  Too much hydrostatic pressure = bad news, and like I said earlier this is not a concern with a fiberglass pool unless it is emptied.  The good news is that many fiberglass pools may not require draining for 30 or 40 years down the road.  That’s great, but when the time comes there needs to be a way to get rid of the ground water….which brings us to the subject of dewatering systems. 

Dewatering Systems

3 reasons fiberglass pool contractors should install dewatering systems on every pool:

•         It can take less than 30 minutes
•         It can cost less than $100
•         It can save someone tons of $$$ and heartache

 

Here’s how we do it at River Pools:

After the excavation for the pool is complete and the pool is set and level we drop one end of an 8” PVC pipe to the bottom of the excavation just outside of the deep end of the pool.  The pipe stands up in the hole so the top of it extends above the top of the pool shell.  We cut the top of the pipe off flush with the patio and place a skimmer lid on top of it and....  Viola...Instant access to ground water! If the pool needs to be drained simply remove the lid and drop a pump down in that baby a few days beforehand.  There’s no need for a permanent pump because the ground water doesn’t hurt anything when the pool is full; plus any pump you put down there will probably go bad before you have a chance to use it anyway. 

 

 (The image on the left shows the drainage pipe just after the installation of the pool.  The image below/right shows the skimmer lid that covers the pipe.)

 

Other dewatering systems:

There are other systems out there that work great.  We prefer this method because as I stated earlier it’s cheap and easy, and because it works on the principle of pushing water rather than pulling it.  Other systems utilize suction pumps like a “mud hog” that sit at ground level and draw water up from the lower lying excavation.  This works well, but it is much more effective to push water up from the bottom than pull it from the top.  These surface pumps also have to be much more substantial in size, they have to be primed, and some are gas powered which means they have to be refilled if pumping for days is required.  The system we utilize uses a standard sump pump that connects to a garden hose which is much smaller and more cost effective means to move water.  We also like this method because it pairs well with the use of clean gravel backfill.  The gravel acts as a sieve and allows the water to flow unrestricted up through the bottom of the pipe.  The level of water inside the pipe is naturally the same as the level outside of it.  When using sand backfill it is recommended to put a layer of clean crushed gravel down for the bottom of the pipe to rest on and to drill holes in the side walls of the pipe and cover with a filter fabric to keep sand from washing in.          

The bottom line is that it doesn’t matter what kind of dewatering system is installed around a fiberglass pool as long as it’s installed.  As I stated earlier, ground water around a fiberglass pool is perfectly fine in most cases, but if you’re having a fiberglass pool installed at your home do yourself a huge favor and have your contractor do something to insure that the ground water around you pool can be removed if necessary. 

Pool guys:  What other systems have you seen that work well? I’d love to hear what you’re doing. 

 

Related articles:  7 Deadly Sins of Fiberglass Pool Installations

Waterline Tile on Fiberglass Pools: Installation Video.

We have found that people considering the purchase of an inground fiberglass pool frequently have questions about the installation of waterline tile.

Some of the most common questions are: 

• How is it applied?
• What type of tile is used?
• What materials are used as adhesive and grout?
  
• Why do you use silicone based products?
• Is it recessed into the pool or applied to the surface?
• What does it look like after the patio is installed?
  

The following video addresses all of the questions and shows the step by step installation of waterline tile, also known as perimeter tile, on one of our fiberglass pool projects.  

 

 

 

Be sure to check out our other fiberglass pool tile articles:

Waterline Tile on Fiberglass Pools:  Questions and Answers
Do Fiberglass Pools look like Bathtubs?...A Prevention Guide.

As always, thanks for visiting and remember to subscribe to our blog to receive instant updates before leaving the site.

Jason Hughes, www.PoolSchool.us

 

 

Aquatic Therapy and Swim Spas: Combatting Cerebral Palsy, Parkinson's, and Arthritis

**This is a guest post from from Kate Brown of Hydroworx**

If someone does not get the proper amount of exercise due to unfortunate medical circumstances such as age, weakening muscles and bone mass, and athletic injuries, aquatic therapy may be the solution. Aquatic therapy is a form of physical therapy or exercise that takes place in the water. Movement in the water reduces the weight placed on bones and joints making exercise easier for those who suffer from arthritis, strains, or sprains. Water also provides resistance for those looking to strength or endurance train but also provides assistance for those who need help completing certain movements. The assistance provided by the water allows people to gradually evolve through various levels of exercise without the pain that can come from stress to the knees, hips, or ankles.

For patients who suffer from illnesses like arthritis, aquatic therapy offers easy exercise that provides a multitude of benefits including improved muscle strength, increased cardiovascular strength, increased range of motion, endurance, flexibility, balance and coordination. Other noticeable benefits might include decreased pain and stiffness, improved posture, enhanced relaxation, and better mobility because of reduced joint strain. For patients with certain kinds of illness or disease, aquatic therapy can greatly assist with treatment.

Cerebral Palsy

Cerebral palsy is a condition that permanently affects muscle coordination and the movement of the body. Because the body can become rigid and stiff, gentle movement from aquatic therapy can help stretch the muscles. Cerebral palsy patients have more freedom to move in water, which allows them access to more motor functions. A specific type of therapy called Aquatic PNF (Propioceptive Neuromuscular Facilitation) is a compilation of different techniques that help cerebral palsy patients to work out their limbs.

Parkinson's Disease

Parkinson's disease (also known as PD) is a chronic disease of the brain that impairs speech, motor control and other functions. Therapists sometimes use water therapy to enhance, restore and maintain a person's functional abilities. Because therapy pools support the body and reduce stress on joints, patients are able to improve function and mobility, sometimes at a faster pace than with traditional physical therapy alone.

Arthritis

There are over 100 different forms of arthritis that can cause damage to joints throughout the body. Depending on the form you have, treatment may vary. With aquatic therapy, patients are introduced to a different form of exercise that is not high-impact and weight-bearing. The buoyancy effect of water drastically reduces the amount of body weight that is acting upon your joints. In fact, if you are standing in shoulder-high water, only 10% of your total body weight is acting upon your joints. You will also experience an enhanced range of motion, and in turn, you can strengthen a wider range of muscles due to the resistant nature of water.  The pressure of the water helps to decrease swelling and increase circulation and the soothing sensation of warm water helps to relieve stress. 

If you are a patient who is hesitant to engage in physical activity for fear of doing physical harm to your body, or if you want to avoid the pain that comes with traditional physical therapy, aquatic therapy may be another solution.  Ask around, or visit your local community facilities and see if they have any classes designed to help people engage in low-impact aerobic exercise.  Many facilities will offer a range of water-exercise programs. Be sure to look for a qualified instructor who is knowledgeable about your condition. If you find a suitable location, you will find that aquatic therapy is a relaxing and enjoyable way to relieve the pain and stress associated with your condition.

About the Author:

  Kate Brown is a seasoned triathlete and is currently training for the inaugural Boulder 70.3 Ironman.  She knows first-hand how spa and massage therapy can both aid in the recovery process and ease joint-related pain.  Originally from the coast of Maine, she currently resides in Denver, CO.

A Note from Marcus Sheridan:

I want to thank Kate for contributing this very informative article. Because this blog has taken on a life of its own with subscribers now all over the world, I've been receiving more and more article contribution requests, which I'm very happy to include when they offer our readers value, which this article does nicely. So hopefully everyone will stay tuned for other quality writings such as this one in the future.

Science and Fiberglass Pool Gelcoats: Why Some Colors Stink and Others are Built to Last

The Science Behind Fiberglass Pool Gel Coats and Quality vs. Cheap Color Finishes

As many of you are quite aware, I have talked quite a bit about fiberglass pool color finishes and their importance in the past. In fact, I've been thrilled this year to receive emails from so many people across the country talking about this important subject and asking further questions. Recently, a customer asked by how the fiberglass pool manufacturers were able to scientifically test their finishes versus just putting a product out in the market and seeing its performance in pools over time. I thought this was a great question, and so I decided to make this video, which was shot at the Leisure Pools facility in New Braunfels, Texas.

Currently, the main method for testing fiberglass pool gelcoats is by performing a boil test. Such a test, which typically means the gelcoat is submersed in boiling water from 100-200 hours, is a great indicator as to what will happen to a pool that has been in the ground for many years and experienced the effects of the sun, chemicals, etc. In the United States, there are only a few color gelcoat manufacturers available for the fiberglass pool manufacturers to choose from. Considering Leisure gets their famous Aquaguard product from Australia, therefore spending much, much more on shipping, they have attempted to find an American manufacturer that will meet the Aquaguard standards. Unfortunately, they have fallen short in these efforts and only found that most of the products don't even resemble the performance of Aquaguard. Although many of my readers have asked how I grade out the different finishes used by the various fiberglass pool manufacturers, I will defer from mentioning a bunch of names at this time. Notwithstanding, I will say that my studies have found that the ‘crystite color finishes' are the worst in the fiberglass pool industry. Obviously, ‘Aquaguard' receives the highest current marks. There are a few middle of the road finishes and there is also a new finish currently in the works being created by another fiberglass pool manufacturer.

The key, as always, is for you as a pool consumer to thoroughly read your pool's finish warranty. Personally, I would expect the warranty to be at LEAST 10-15 years; otherwise I wouldn't consider the product. Also, just because it says a certain number of years the finish is warranted, make sure you still read the fine print. Some manufacturers are famous for their warranty disclaimers.

If you have any questions about color finishes and want further detail, please don't hesitate to make your comments below.

And as always, happy swimming!

Marcus Sheridan, http://www.poolschool.us/

Baquacil: Cloudy Water, Problems, and Why It's a Rip-Off

I was sitting with an inground pool customer last night that had owned her previous pool for about 19 years. It was a small, 12'x24' design with only about 7,000 gallons of water. She was in the process of tearing out her old pool and getting a new one, and when the subject of pool chemicals came up she mentioned to me that she had spent $700 this past summer to keep the water clear. Before she even mentioned what type of chemical she had been using, I knew there was only one that could cost so much for such a small pool for just one summer: Baquacil.

Having owned a retail pool store now for almost 10 years, there was a time when we at River Pools and Spas carried Baquacil Products. Being new to the business and wanting to offer a chlorine alternative to our customers, the representatives from Baquacil met with us and told us that not only was it a great chlorine alternative, but we could also make quite a bit of money off of its tremendous residual sales. Seeing Baquacil's popularity throughout the industry, we decided to bring in and promote the product. It did not take us long to realize, though, that the representative from Baquacil had only been partially accurate in his assessment of the product's benefits. Yes, it was quite profitable. No, it was not a good chlorine alternative. In fact, it's the type of product that hurts the swimming pool industry and gives it a bad name. Allow me to explain.

What is it?

Baquacil, which is classified as a Biquanide, is a non bleach/halogenic product whose main oxidizing component is hydrogen peroxide. With peroxide being the main oxidizer, the problem with the system is that waste builds up in the pool water over time and eventually a pink sludge build up results in the pool's plumbing. This is also why most Baquacil users have good success with the product the first year or two, and then have to use more and more ‘Shock' to keep the water clear. Again, this phenomenon is due to the un-oxidized waste build up. Once we as a company started to realize just how ineffective and expensive Baquacil could be after a few years of usage, we started recommending to our customers that wanted to stay on the system to open the pool at least every other year with chlorine, and then they could switch back to Baquacil. Because chlorine is such a great oxidizer, it quickly cleans out any sludge and waste build up, which then allows Baquacil to work effectively again in a more cost-effective manner.

Striving for Low Cost and Low Maintenance

Notwithstanding Chorine's ability to cure this problem, after a few years of selling Baquacil we stopped recommending it to our customers. Because the goal of our business is to promote low-maintenance swimming pool ownership experiences, Baquacil clearly didn't fit the bill. Yes, it was making us a nice supplemental income but it was also leading to many trips to the pool store for our customers and hundreds and hundreds of dollars each summer for clear water. This is why we switched to salt water about 5 years ago and haven't looked back since. Not only have we installed about 700 salt chlorine generators on new pools, but we've also converted another 300-400 customers who were either using regular chorine or Baquacil to salt. Such a conversion, especially for previous Baquacil users, can be a major paradigm changing experience when they go from spending $500-$1500 a year on chemicals to, in most cases, less than $100. The feedback we've gotten since we've made the switch has been phenomenal and as owners of the company, we are happy to know that our customers are now spending very little time at our retail store and much more time as a family enjoying their swimming pool. We've also been thrilled by the fact that we almost never deal with salt customers who have algae in their pool. Baquacil is notorious for allowing algae to grow in the pool and it's incredibly expensive to remove the algae once it has started to grow with Baquacil's weak oxidizing components.

Salt: A Better Choice

To close, I'd just like to recommend to all those pool owners out there that are not currently on salt to consider the option. We've got quite a few articles about salt chlorine generators on this blog and on our website and if you have any questions regarding Baquacil or any other pool chemical for that matter, please don't hesitate to comment below and we'll answer promptly.

As always, happy swimming and don't forget to subscribe to this blog on the upper right hand portion of the page.

Marcus Sheridan, http://www.poolschool.us/

Solar Covers for Swimming Pools: Prices, Usage, and Longevity

Swimming Pool Solar Covers: Prices, Usage, and Longevity

By Marcus Sheridan, www.PoolSchool.us

Construction:

A swimming pool solar cover is a thin plastic blanket that floats on a pool's water surface and has the appearance of bubble wrap. Typically they come available in navy blue, black, and forest green colors and are cut to conform to the shape of the pool.

Do they work?

Despite what one might think, solar covers usually work very well. In most cases, they will warm the pool water temperature 4-8 degrees. Although this may not sound like much, it makes a huge difference in terms of the comfort level of the water temperature. This is also why in many climates pool owners only use their solar cover at the beginning and end of the season, as the cover can cause the pool to get too hot during the heat of the summer.

Is a reel necessary?

Absolutely. In fact, I won't even sell a solar cover without a reel because they are just too big and cumbersome without one. I've seen many cases where a person bought a solar cover without a reel and after trying to take the cover off the first time they simply stored the cover away because they felt it was too much work. This is why having a reel that allows the cover to roll right up without any mess or hassle is imperative. These reels typically come with casters so that they can be removed during the hot part of the season when the cover is not in use.

How long do solar covers last?

Solar covers do not last very long at all, especially the cheaper one. I have found that a solar cover with a 6-year warranty will last only one season, an 8-year warranty cover will last about two seasons, and a 10-year warranty cover will last about 3 seasons. Now you may be asking how this is possible. The answer is that all solar cover warranties are quite prorated and are worth very little after the first season. Most solar cover reels last 4-8 years.

How much do they cost?

The price range of most solar covers is $75-$225. As you can imagine, this price varies based on the quality of the cover and the size of the pool. The main expense when buying a solar cover though is the reel, which in most cases will be in the $200-$500 range.

Do they keep debris out?

Although solar covers do help keep some debris out of the pool, I would not suggest buying one with the hopes that it will greatly lessen maintenance. The amount of vacuuming or leaf skimming one has will not be greatly impacted with a solar cover.

So there's your quick 101 on swimming pool solar covers and as always, don't forget to subscribe to our blog in the upper right hand corner of this page so as to always be updated on news and tips for the swimming pool industry.

Pool Slides: 4 Things You Need to Know!

Pool Slides:  4 Things You Need to Know!

By: Jason Hughes

http://www.riverpoolsandspas.com/

http://www.poolschool.us/

1.  Pool Slides Can be Added Later

When buying an inground pool and trying to work within a budget you quickly discover that there are things that must be purchased now and things that can be added later.  Luckily, with a little planning, pool slides can be effortlessly installed any time in the future. 

Here's how to plan for your future slide:

1.  Make sure there's enough patio space (covered later)

2.  Make sure a water source is roughed in and capped for future use.

Pool slides use water from the pool, so have your contractor simply install another plumbing line from the filter system to the future slide location. 

*Note:  Different slides require different pipe stub-up locations beside the pool so try to choose your slide ahead of time if possible.

 

2.  Slide Location is Important

Try to position your slide so it is facing your primary congregating area.  This is for two obvious reasons: First, while your slide is running, water cascades down from the slide into the pool so you not only have a slide but it also serves as a water feature.  Second, so you can see the excitement on the kids (of all ages) faces as they shoot into the pool.   Both of these are a lot more fun than staring at the back of a slide!  It's also nice to have an exit point like a step, bench seat, or ladder pool relatively close to the slide for convenience.

*Note:  Many pool slides are installed at a deep end corner of the pool and enter the pool along the side.  Residential pool slides almost never enter the pool at an end. 

 

3.  Allow Enough Patio Space for Your Pool Slide

Here are some points to consider:

-Most slides need a minimum area of 7'x15'.  Without enough patio around the slide, access around the patio is cut off and you end up walking around the pool deck or ducking under the slide to get through to the other side.

-Even though you need enough patio around the slide, placing it smack in the middle of a large congregating area usually makes for an awkward space.  

-You can "bump" the concrete out just to go around the slide or widen the entire side of the patio that your slide is on.

 

4.  There are Many Slide Models to Choose From

Over the past 10 years the pool slide industry has really blossomed.  I remember 15 years ago you had two choices for residential pool slides:  white or blue.  Now there are probably a dozen different models to choose from....and they're really cool!  Here are links to the two manufacturers that we predominately carry.  Both make excellent slides.

www.http://www.interfab.com/Slides/Page/686/Show.aspx

www.http://www.srsmith.com/fun_games/products.php?category=Slides

There you have it.....4 Things you need to know about swimming pool slides.  To check out our library of inground pool articles and videos visit http://www.riverpoolsandspas.com/, and for immediate updates subscribe to our blog at the top right hand side of this page.  Thanks!!!