The summer days are fleeting in most of the US but in Texas we still have time left to hang by the pool. We scoured the internet far and wide to find the most epic ways to take a dip.

The “Leisure Dive” has inspired a plethora of viral memes on the internet and has influenced many people to attempt this casual way of jumping into the water.

Don’t limit baseball to being played on land only. Get a few hits in before you descend into the water.

Take a tip from your furry friend. Keep your eyes on the prize when diving in order to amplify the radius of your splash zone.

Make sure you make the most epic game face so you can intimidate those who have to jump in after you.

But of course, you’re going to want to make sure the area is clear before jumping in or you could injure some innocent bystanders who are just trying to get their tan on.

It is quite okay to channel inspiration from your favorite 90s TV show when jumping line. Like Baywatch, for instance.

Sometime you don’t have time to change out of work clothes when you’ve just had a tough day.

When finding live music for your pool party, make sure they are ok with things getting a little wet.

It’s ok to make an emergency landing on water when your aircraft doubles as a flotation device.

But most of all, it doesn’t matter how you look when you’re doing it. Just keep calm and have fun!

The post 10 Most Epic Ways to Jump Into a Pool appeared first on Austin Pool Builders.

The three most common pool plaster colors are gray, tan, and white. Gray produces a dark blue water color in sunlight, sandy or tan makes for a mild green color, and white produces clear light blues.

Now, one other thing to consider is how the bottom of a pool shows dirt. Just like a white car, a light bottom pool will show every little bit of dirt, while a dark bottom pool will conceal it.

You can also plan the color of your pool bottom based on other factors such as surrounding landscaping, tile selection, house color and time of use. Do you plan to use the pool during the day or night? Some people might not be comfortable getting into a dark pool after dark, while others might enjoy the same experience. And of course a dark bottom pool can be well lit just like a light bottom pool.

What it really comes down to when deciding on a dark or light bottom pool is personal preference. What is your aesthetic predilection? Dark bottom pools are reminiscent of a secluded lagoon, while bright or white bottom pools are much more like a tropical beach.

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Space for the Pool

Do you have room for a big pool, or just enough space for a spa? Most of us don’t have a couple of acres to play with, so careful consideration of the land area available will help you determine what’s really possible. You should consider space requirements for other backyard elements like a patio and landscaping as well. It’s easy to customize the shape of an in-ground pool, so determine you space first and then fit the pool accordingly.

Who’s Swimming

Is the pool for kids or are you interested in swimming laps? Do you want a diving board, a slide, a volleyball net, or a swim up bar? There are loads of options available, so eliminating those you don’t want will help figure out which you do. Landscaping comes into play here as well.

The Budget

Pools have a wide range of price points. You can be extravagant or conservative, creative or traditional. There is a huge range of styles and designs, so find something that both works and fits into your budget. Another option is to finance the purchase of a pool which will allow you to pay it off over time.

Taking time to plan and design the perfect pool will make all the effort worth it. Ask the right questions and weigh your options, and you’ll surely end up with the pool you’ve always wanted.

The post Design the Perfect Pool appeared first on Austin Pool Builders.

Trust and Communication With Your Contractor

Your pool won’t be built overnight, so you want to be sure that whoever you may choose is someone you like and foresee getting along with over the few months it takes to complete the project. Proper communication is generally the most important factor initially because it’s the gateway to trust, cooperation, and conflict resolution, should any arise. Punctuality is also a big one. If the builder isn’t on time to your initial meeting, imagine what you can expect for the extent of your contract.

Shoddy workmanship can lead to astronomical costs down the line, so make sure the builder you select has good references and has been in business for a while. A pool builder should be glad to provide you with references to past clients. If you sense hesitation on the builder’s part, that could be a red flag, and you should look to other options.

Get References

The reference list should include other customers, both recent and past, preferably with pool builds similar to yours. When you make your inquiries, be sure to ask about workmanship, materials, and their general impression and satisfaction with the service. These question will get you started:

• Was the quoted budget and time accurate and reasonable?
• Did the builder finish the pool according to the original design or were there changes or shortcuts?
• Did the builder pay close attention to details?
• Is everything aligned well and aesthetically pleasing?
• Did the builder clean up at the end of the day and after completion of the project, or were materials and other junk left strewn about?

After you answer these questions, it’s a good idea to also do a quick check with the Better Business Bureau, and you can look at the National Spa & Pool Institute to see if the builder has been trained and certified. Though listing in either of these locations is not mandatory, it’s speaks well of a builder to be listed and on good terms.

The process of building a pool doesn’t have to be stressful. By taking a bit of time to interview and research, you’ll have a beautiful backyard paradise built by a competent and reliable builder.

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Chlorine is used in pool care as a cleaner and antiseptic. Chlorine kills germs and consumes contaminants such as bacteria, sweat, lotions, oils. However, sunlight consumes chlorine. So, after a busy day at the pool, add your chlorine at night so it has a chance to work before the sunlight consumes the chlorine, reduces the parts per million, and degrades its effectiveness.

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Chlorine is a chemical disinfectant, and is the principal chemical used to purify and bleach pool water. Normally, chlorine is an irritant, but in small amounts, it ensure clear, clean, and safe pool water.

There are 3 aspects of chlorine that we must measure:

1. Free Available Chlorine (also called residual chlorine). This refers to the amount of chlorine that is available for sanitization and disinfecting. This is the key measurement for pool water.

2. Combined Chlorine. This refers to “bad” chlorine–noxious, undesirable chlorine that form when free available chlorine drops.

3. Total Chlorine. This simply refers to all chlorine, both free and combined chlorine.

If the amount of chlorine is too low, algae and bacteria will form, and your pool can harbor harmful germs. Pool water may become cloudy. Too much chlorine will result in eye, nose, and skin irritation. Chlorine, in high amounts, is carcinogenic.

First: Testing Chlorine

Chlorine in pool water must be tested regularly. Twice a week testing is recommended. Follow these tips and tricks to ensure accurate chlorine readings:

Take water samples from a few feet below the surface.

Take water sample a few feet from the edge of the pool.

When pool water is warmer (summertime), the chlorine will become consumed at a higher rate. Cooler temperatures will slow the consumption of chlorine.

Clean your test kit vials like crazy–rinse them a few times to clear out any chemical residue.

Test kits degrade–make sure yours isn’t years old.

Pool supply stores test for free–in the hope that you’ll buy chemicals from them.

Want a great test kit? Get a Taylor Test Kit. Taylor kits are used by many professionals.

Next: Adding Chlorine

If your test indicates that chlorine needs to be added to the pool, add chlorine in the amounts indicated by the test results.

If you have an electric/salt system, raise the chlorination in steps, don’t raise it terribly high all at once–you might over-chlorinate.

Never, ever, put a chlorine “hockey puck” in a pool skimmer–the concentrated chlorine passes directly to your expensive pool equipment. Use a plastic floater.

The post How to Maintain Proper Chlorine Levels in a Pool appeared first on Austin Pool Builders.

Pool water that falls beyond the 7.2 pH into more acidic territory becomes corrosive. Acidic pool water will slowly consume metal parts in light fixtures, and can eat away at pool linings and plaster. Conversely, a pool wish substantially basic water wants to “give” electrons away, and will deposit metals and solids on underwater surfaces. These deposits are sometimes called “scale.” As pool water falls more an more out of balance (in either direction) swimmers will experience greater discomfort.

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