Now that you’ve got your pool summer-ready, why not take a break while the water chemistry does its balancing act?
Give your de-winterized pool at least 48 hours before you leap in.
A fun thing to do while you wait is to figure out some of the must-haves in and around the pool. When you have friends and family over, you’re enjoying a few quiet laps at dawn or partying with a big, noisy crowd, it’s good to have a few useful gadgets, fun accessories, and stylish add-ons to ramp up the chic quotient.
Most importantly, you need stuff that helps you to maintain your pool and keep it sparkling fresh, clean, hygienic, and safe. Pool maintenance is something that has to be seen as a regular chore. This is one task that you truly can’t afford to slack off on.
It’s simply not enough to stock up on supplies and tools. You need to get a buy-in from the whole family and create a pool cleaning schedule for the entire duration. That will take the drudgery out of the chore and also distribute the pain more equitably.
Pools are fun centers where you can play and de-stress. Make sure your pool has lots of inflatables, floaters, and game sets too.
So it’s time to make that all-important Must-Have list, take a long hard look at your budget and then hit the shops, online or high-street, as the mood takes you.
9 Absolutely Essential Must-Haves For Your Pool
Pool Heaters:
After the long and hard winter, you’re raring to go, and can’t get enough of the outdoors. If you’d like to get the biggest amount of time in your pool, a pool heater is your best friend. There are several different types of pool heaters available in the market. They run on gas, electricity, or solar. While buying a pool heater, consider the location of your pool. If it gets all-day sunlight, a less powerful may be adequate for those rare cold spells. Some days may be cooler and rainy and a heater can make the water more comfortable. If you love swimming at night, the heater is definitely a must-have.
Rescue Equipment:
Accidents are just that – accidents. No matter how experienced you are and how well your guests can swim, there’s always an element of risk around water. Being prepared is the solution. Stock up on safety accessories, first-aid kit, life-jackets, spine-board, life-hook, alarms, and lights. It’s important to also display a list of emergency numbers in a prominent place. If you have seniors and toddlers in the house, ensure that the pool is properly fenced off and access to it is carefully monitored.
Cleaning and Maintenance Equipment:
This should be geared to ensuring safety, health, and hygiene. Pools and pool-sides are notorious as breeding grounds for a variety of nasties such as allergens, fungi, micro-organisms, algae, and bacteria. Today, pool cleaning equipment is not just convenient and smart, it’s also affordable. Invest in a chemical floater that slow-releases cleansing chemicals. Pool brooms, algae brushes, and vacuum cleaners are a great way to remove algae and leaves. You may also need a filter cleaner. You can purchase a full pool maintenance kit that contains pumps, cleaning products, etc.
Circulation:
Water circulation keeps your pool fresh and aerated. The pump is a good idea, but why not add some fun with a spa waterfall fountain? There are some great ones available this year. You can adjust the spray height to suit your requirements. They are a great option for above and below-ground pools.
Water Level Control:
If you live in a particularly warm area, you may find the water level of your pool going down too fast. This upsets the water chemistry and could dry out your pump. An automatic water level controller attached to a garden hose would do a great job of ensuring that your pool is always at the right water level. A Venturi pump ensures that the water level isn’t too high either. These pumps can also drain sludge, mud, and debris from the pool.
Robotic Cleaner:
There’s nothing like leaving it to a machine! Drop one of these little fellas into the pool and it will scrub every surface meticulously, filter the water, and navigate by itself. This is also an eco-friendly solution since you don’t use too many chemical cleaning products. They are expensive, but they’ve got to be on your wish list this summer.
Pool Footbath:
While it’s great to have a crowd in your pool, all the tedious work of cleaning it after they’ve left isn’t much fun. Why not get a pool or spa footbath so that they can dip their feet in before they take the plunge? They can rinse the grass and dust off their feet so that you don’t have to spend hours fishing it all out the next day.
Patio and Poolside Furniture:
Sometimes, you’re not really in the mood to get in the water. You’d rather slather on the sunscreen, pull on some stylish loungewear and sunglasses, and relax with a long, tall drink at the poolside. Decorate your poolside with sleek chaise lounges, bistro sets, and hammocks. Get a couple of outdoor-friendly sofas and sectional seating for comfortable relaxation. Make sure that you color coordinate the furniture in textiles suitable for extended exposure to the sun. Add lots of cushions, throws, and matching footstools.
Fitness:
After winter indulgences, you’re probably looking to lose a few pounds. Water is a great place to train and gym in because it’s low impact and low gravity. Get a set of pool fitness ankle-weights and dumbbells for resistance training. A personal waist belt helps you to practice your strokes and get a great workout if your pool is a tiny one.
Accessorizing your pool with the right equipment and furniture isn’t just about safety, maintenance, and fun. It also shows that you care about this very important part of your home and see it as a place for family time, bonding with friends, and keeping you and your loved ones in the best of health.
