Playing Safe with Pool Toys

Pool toys have become incredibly popular in Canada and around the world in the past few years. The popularity of massive, impressive floaties on Instagram have made them in-demand and more affordable than ever. Most pool owners now have a huge collection of pool toys.

Pool toys are a great way to add some extra fun to the pool. But, it is important to be aware of how to play safely alongside your pool toys. Some of the most popular toys on the market can actually pose a danger in certain situations, particularly to children. Continue reading Playing Safe with Pool Toys

A Complete Guide to Solar Pool Covers

In Canada, our swimming season is disappointingly short. During the hot days at the beginning of the summer, the weather is perfect for a swim – but your water will take some time to catch up, especially if you don’t have a heater. Over time, the summer sun will begin to warm your water, but it can take weeks off of your swimming season. Solar pool covers offer an effective and affordable way to use the sun to heat your swimming pool more quickly.

A solar pool cover can help you to quickly add a few degrees to your pool water, and to prevent heat loss during chilly nights. Continue reading A Complete Guide to Solar Pool Covers

How to Protect Local Wildlife from your Swimming Pool

A swimming pool can make your backyard feel like a natural oasis. But, the water in your swimming pool is far from natural. Pool owners spend each summer keeping their pool clean, clear, and free of pests, and there is a reason that pool maintenance takes so much work. A body of water is naturally attractive to insects and animals, particularly during hot and dry weather. Attentive cleaning and maintenance ensure our swimming pools don’t transform into swamps over time. The chemicals we use to treat our swimming pools can be very harsh and are often damaging to local wildlife. Any responsible pool owner looks for ways to minimize the environmental impact of their swimming pool. But, the hazards your pool creates for local wildlife can actually be due to how your pool is structured, rather than how chemicals are used.

Continue reading How to Protect Local Wildlife from your Swimming Pool

How to Keep Bees away from your Swimming Pool

Nothing is better than a day in the pool, enjoying the sun. But for many people, spending a day outside comes along with the threat of encountering bees. Many people are simply phobic about bees, but many others are actually very allergic to their sting. Because of allergies or fears, bees near the pool can ruin a summer. Unfortunately, swimming pools can provide an attractive area for bees to hang out, or even build their hive. But, understanding a bit about why your swimming pool attracts bees can help you to deter them from the area, leaving your family to enjoy the pool in peace. Continue reading How to Keep Bees away from your Swimming Pool

Wild Encounters People have had in their Swimming Pools

In city areas, most swimming pool owners only encounter small wild animals and insects that are attracted to their pools. In more suburban or rural areas, there are much larger animals sharing our neighbourhoods. When summer heats up, your swimming pool can lead to some wild encounters with the local animals. 

Canada is a large country with a lot of diverse ecology, and there are thousands of wild encounters in Canadian pools each year. But, this is also a global phenomenon. Check out some of these wild encounters people have had in their pools. 

Continue reading Wild Encounters People have had in their Swimming Pools

How to Cut your Solar Cover to Perfectly fit your Swimming Pool

The right solar cover can add up to 17 degrees to your average swimming pool temperature over the summer. But, a solar cover needs to be the right size and shape for your swimming pool for it to work correctly. Solar covers come in a variety of sizes, but most of them are rectangular or oval in shape. If you have an oddly-sized pool or an irregular pool shape, you may need to cut your solar cover to fit your swimming pool correctly.

Luckily, it is very easy to cut a solar cover to fit any swimming pool.

Continue reading How to Cut your Solar Cover to Perfectly fit your Swimming Pool

Water Testing 101

Exposure to outdoor pollutants, animals and insects can cause problems with the sanitation in your swimming pool water. But, the chemicals you use to treat your pool for these issues can cause balance issues of their own. Water that is left untreated is unsafe in the short-term and can cause damage to your pool in the long-term. Water testing allows you to make sure that your swimming pool water is safe during every point of the summer season, and needs to be conducted regularly.

Continue reading Water Testing 101

The Frugal Pool Owner: Cost Saving Dos and Don’ts for Your Pool

Operating a swimming pool each summer can be very expensive. Maintenance, chemicals, repairs, and energy costs all add up quickly. But, the cost of running a swimming pool is not fixed, and there are many ways that you can save money while enjoying the pool each summer.

It is never a good idea to compromise on what you need to keep your pool safe and clean. But, we’ve put together a list of practical tips you can use to save some money next summer (and, over the life of operating your pool).

Continue reading The Frugal Pool Owner: Cost Saving Dos and Don’ts for Your Pool

How Does Smart Pool Automation Work?

When homeowners make the investment in turning their house into a Smart Home, the pool is an area that is often overlooked. But your swimming pool is also the area of your home with the most potential for added convenience through automation.

Pool technology has come a long way, and smart technology now makes it easier than ever to maintain the essential features of your pool, even from a distance. With some adjustments and updates to your pool system, you can maximize the effectiveness of your pool appliances while saving energy and money, all through your smartphone or tablet.

Continue reading How Does Smart Pool Automation Work?