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SWIMMING POOLS

Inground Swimming pools

Inground swimming pools - or simply swimming pools - serve as a great and permanent addition to your garden, home and indeed lifestyle. Common in hot places like the tropics, they are more a status symbol in cooler temperate zones. Although still great fun for all concerned!

In summer enjoying weekends with kids while lounging by the pool is such a tremendous experience. inground swimming pools are much more expensive than above ground temporary pools but they give an aesthetic value to your home as well as increase resale of a house. They give more depth and design options to choose from and are easier to maintain.

They are also 'proper' pools and can be used for serious swimming and fitness training. You will need lots more supplies, accessories, things like heaters, pool covers etc, for a proper inground pool, compared to an above ground pool.

Swimming pool injuries and swimming pool deaths

It is easy to have accidents around a pool, and drowning deaths are not uncommon (although not reported much as too depressing). Children are especially are prone to accidents, and all pools should be fenced in - this is law in many places. A child can disappear for a few minutes without an adult noticing - then it is too late.

Other injuries can be caused by slipping on slippery tiles and wet surfaces. That is why non slip tiling and tiles are used, but with running and jumping, accidents can and will happen. Banged heads and knees are frequent accidents.

Insurance is a good idea, especially if you host children's parties, or even poolside barbecues etc.

Non slip surface around swimming pool

Above: Non slip surface around swimming pool

Keep a emergency medical box handy for these minor slips.

Planning installation of a swimming pool

Before you start work on building a swimming pool you need to consider a few things.

Swimming pool top view of large pool

Above: Swimming pool top view of large pool

1. Within specified budget search for different pool building companies and check the packages they are offering.

2. It is good to take opinion of a friend or colleague who has related experience. This way you will get an idea of which company is better or if you want to build it yourself, what machines and materials are to be used.

3. Do your homework and plan according to timetable and budgetary aspects.

4. Prepare your plans while keeping in mind pool building, decking, landscaping and maintenance costs.

Swimming pool tiles and tiling

Above: Swimming pool tiles and tiling - very important for a finished look

Swimming pool top view of childrens slide and waterfall

Above: Swimming pool top view of childrens slide and waterfall

5. Start with specifying the area you want for pool installation.

6. Figure out your family needs and kid's choices regarding swimming pool, size and depth of pool etc.

7. Do not compromise on material quality as low quality material can be a pinch on your budget later.

8. Plan whether you would be using the swimming pool only for summer or would you be requiring water heating for winter as well.

How an inground pool is built

Whatever pool company you opt for they will provide pool labourers for installations. First they mark the yard area and take necessary measurements. Then an excavator is used for digging a large whole and wall sheets are put up, all of the same height. This can also be done manually, which is a great slog, and only used where labour is cheap and plentiful. (And hard working and poor!)

Pool workers then place outer wall units and plumbing pipes to make pool sheets fit together. After that cement or sand is poured in to keep pool walls perfectly placed. This is quite a difficult job as the pool has to be tanked and so completely waterproof or the water will leak, cracks appear, and the ground become waterlogged.

Drainage also has to be in place, and the actual circulation system.

Pool deck units are then placed, the material for which depends on customer's choice. Mainly these units are of three types: glassfiber, vinyl lining, and concrete. Non slip tiles are used to prevent accidents. Marble is seen often, and other stone materials, and they can be striated to provide grip and make them non slip. Tiling the pool is a large job and very skilled.

Finally other accessories like ladder and electric filters are installed. There is usually a pool room where all the electrics, chemicals for the filters, and cleaning tools are kept, locked up to prevent children or accidental access.

If you are heating your pool a safe system has to be installed, with temperature control.

Or you can build a large structure such as a swimming pool conservatory over the top of your pool. This might mean you have a smaller pool, but it will be cheaper to heat and easier to use, and more often used, in cooler climates. These conservatories are special structures due to the damp and fumes from chemicals, and need special construction and ventilation.

If you have a lot of guests, or plenty of money, you will also need changing rooms, toilets and other facilities like saunas and hot tubs nearby.

Inground swimming pools are built permanently, you should focus on safe, easy to handle design and durable material because a stunning pool filled with clean fresh water can be great boon on a hot summer day!

See also:

Swimming pool supplies and accessories

Above ground swimming pools