October 2015
Using a hot tub or spa in the winter is a fun way to maximize your investment. To ensure your personal safety and preserve your hot tub from damage in freezing weather, keep these tips in mind during use. Safe Winter Hot Tub Use Enjoying your hot tub when the temperature drops offers the benefits of hydrotherapy, which uses hot water to relieve pain, stimulate circulation, and treat illness. Sessions in the spa may even help you prevent a cold; when you feel a bug coming on, a soak in the hot tub set at 104 can help you sweat out toxins. Even if you’re otherwise healthy, a dip in the hot tub with friends or family can help lift your spirits on cold and gloomy winter days. Just keep your sessions short (about 20 minutes) and stay hydrated – with water, not alcohol. Protecting Your Hot Tub in Winter Prevent freezing: If you live in a cold climate, your hot tub can perform well in winter as long as you take precautions to prevent the plumbing from freezing. Some units prevent freezing with a no-freeze setting that can maintain a constant water temperature even when it’s below 32 outside.In more temperate weather, you can rely on the timer/thermostat setting that will increase the water temperature only when you are ready to use it. Units that lack the mode switch that allows for continuous heating can be manually set to turn on to heat the water for 15 minutes per hour. Use an insulating cover and floating thermal blanket: The insulating cover, made of dense foam reinforced with metal and covered with marine-grade vinyl, fits right over the hot tub to keep in the heat and prevent leaves, debris, and snow from accumulating. The cover is sloped to promote water runoff. In addition, a Read More
Planning your new pool is the next step after deciding you want to make this addition to your yard. A pool, after all, is a permanent feature that will enhance a home’s appearance, as well as provide recreation for your family and friends. The best pools are integrated into other landscaping and hardscaping features of your property. Therefore, for best results, you should work with a reputable pool design company who can help you visualize how the pool will look in your yard, often with the use of 3-D software. What to Consider Before Planning Your New Pool Before becoming too enmeshed in the specific details of the pool, you should consider a few obvious questions: How much pool can you afford? In-ground pool prices start at over $25,000 with every square additional foot costing $50 or more. The shape of the pool, the depth, the materials you use, and the extras you add on can increase the cost. If you want to add a patio, pool deck, or other complementary features, the price tag will expand accordingly. Installing the pool is just the beginning of your costs, as you will have annual cost for insurance, pool chemicals, and pool maintenance and repair. Will a pool work on your property? A full-size pool is 16 X 32 feet, although you can order any size you want. If your yard is too small, too broken up with trees or other features, or too sloped, adding a pool of the size you want may be difficult or impossible. What are the zoning restrictions? Most localities have zoning requirements for pools, hot tubs, and spas. Local ordinances often require fences or other barriers around the pools for safety, so your design plans and your budget should include the proper fencing. Zoning often limits where you can install Read More