06 Oct

Posted at 14:19h in General Interest by
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Outdoor Dining Rooms

From Landscaping Network

8 ideas for creating the ultimate outdoor dining area

Outdoor living enthusiasts understand one principle above all when it comes to their outdoor living space:  It is meant to enjoy and to draw people together.  Nothing accomplishes this task like an outdoor dining area.  Think about how a dining room brings family together inside the home, and you will understand the power of creating an outdoor dining area.  This post from the Landscaping Network gives 8 stunning examples of outdoor dining areas that will inspire you to bring your family and friends together for outdoor meals.

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02 Oct

Posted at 14:05h in General Interest by
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Talk with your Aging Parents About Senior Citizens Swimming to
Develop Aging Fitness

From Talk Early...talk often...

As we age, our bone density decreases, we lose stamina, and it becomes harder and harder to keep up an excercise regimen to stay in shape.  This is especially the case for senior citizens, as the rate at which the decline in these situations increases with seniors.  Water exercise is a great way for senior citizens to exercise, as the water provides resistance, and is low impact on bones and joints.  This post from talk early...talk often... presents some great workouts in the swimming pool for senior citizens, and explains the benefits.

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01 Oct

Posted at 13:30h in General Interest by
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Mystery Stains in Salt Generator Pools

From Aqua

One of the most popular trends in the swimming pool industry over the last two decades has been the proliferation of the saltwater swimming pool.  Never before in the history of the industry has a consumer-driven groundswell caused a demand for a product or service commensurate with salt water swimming pools, or chlorine generators.  Like many things in life that seem too good to be true, Salt water swimming pools can have some inherent issues that somewhat negate their promise of a maintenance free swimming experience.  This post from Aqua Magazine presents some frequently seen issues that happen with salt water chlorine generation, and explains what causes them.

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30 Sep

Posted at 13:57h in General Interest by
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Benefits of a Steam Room vs. a Sauna

From ehow

Many people don't realize that a Sauna is very different from a Steam Room.  This post from eHow discusses the differences between a Sauna and A Steam Room, and what makes the benefits associated with both entities different.  The main difference, as this article points out, are the types of heat that they provide, and whether the heat is dry or wet heat.  Either amenitiy would be a great addition to any type of indoor or outdoor swimming pool to warm up after a vigorous swim.

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22 Sep

Posted at 14:12h in General Interest by
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Winterize Your Landscape

From Landscaping Network

If you are one of the fortunate souls who live in the sunbelt, you aren't thinking about the harsh effects of winter.  The freezing temperatures, harsh winds, snow and thaw cycles can literally destroy landscape elements if not planned for.  This post from Landscaping Network tells the homeowner how to properly protect plants, paving, decks, arbors, lighting, furniture, and lawns from the harsh winter conditions.  Proper planning will help the transition back to Spring be much easier and damage-free.

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14 Sep

Posted at 14:42h in General Interest by
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Yuck! Most Kids Don't Shower Before Using Public Pools

From Live Science

RWI, or Recreational Water Illnesses, are one of the scariest and least understood of dangers that are lurking around inside swimming pools.  While most people find it a normal and appropriate act to take a shower after swimming, says this post from Live Science, a very small percentage of parents consider showering prior to swimming an appropriate act.  These parents consider it the responsibility of the swimming pool staff to ensure the safety of the pool.  This is a dangerous and misguided misconception, and must be rectified to prevent the spread of water-borne illnesses.

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03 Sep

Posted at 16:10h in General Interest by
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Swimming Pool Care Myths

From Pool & Spa Warehouse

Everyone has heard an anecdotal story or two about swimming pools.  These myths can not only be misleading, but they can actually be dangerous to one's health if they are misconstrued.  This post from The Pool and Spa Warehouse lists some of these commonly misleading and potentially dangerous myths, and presents the truth about them to set the record straight.

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01 Sep

Posted at 14:02h in General Interest by
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Swimming Pool Safety: Layers of Protection for 'Pool Safely'

From Pool and Patio via About.com

The Consumer Product Safety Commission's "Pool Safely" campaign is the largest swimming pool safety awareness campaign in the history of the world.  The movement began after the passage of the Virginia Graeme Baker Pool and Spa Safety Act was passed, and has grown into a powerful safety awareness force.  The keys to the movement, according to this post from About.com's Pool and Patio site, is that simple, layered steps will undoubtedly save lives.  Common sense and layers of protection can make the difference between a safe, health environment, or a unmitigated diaster.

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21 Aug

Posted at 13:39h in General Interest by
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Stay Balanced  

From Hayward

Proper water balance in any swimming pool or hydrotherapy pool can mean the difference between a safe, comfortable environment and exposure to deadly diseases.  This is especially important in commercial environments, as the bather loads can reach into the hundreds a day, potentially exacerbating an already dangerous situation.  Additionally, properly balanced water is clean, comfortable, and leads to happy swimmers.  This post from Hayward gives some easy to follow guidelines for properly maintained water chemistry. This chart should be readily available to anyone charged with maintaning a clean, safe, commercial or residential swimming pool.

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19 Aug

Posted at 13:49h in General Interest by
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World's Tallest Waterslide Officially Open

From Aqua

We've all experienced water slides as kids.  Most modern waterparks have multiple slides with various twists, turns, drops, and gimmicks.  What most waterparks don't have, however, is the world's tallest waterslide.  This honor belongs to the Schlitterbahn Waterpark in Kansas City, according to this post from Aqua magazine, and the ride measures 17 stores high!  This post gives a first-person point-of-view video that illustrates just how thrilling this ride actually is.

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