A swimming pool can be a great place to relax, exercise, play, sunbathe or just cool-off - or it can be an expensive hole in the ground into which you shovel your life savings. If you intend to build a pool you need to think hard about why you want a pool and what you expect to get out of it. Many pool problems can be traced back to the fact that the pool is too big for the amount of use it gets. A pool salesman will sell you the largest pool he can - usually far too big - simply to boost his sales commission. A pool that’s properly designed and equipped can save you lots of money - and save countless hours of cleaning drudgery.
The chances are that you will only ever build one pool in your life, so it’s worthwhile putting some thought into it so that you end up with something that has not cost you an arm and a leg and yet still gives you all the features you want from a pool.
Why settle for a problematic, expensive, unheated rectangular box with built-in maintenance costs? Hands up all those who have been in a pool where non-swimmers can only huddle together on the steps because the pool is too deep! Low usage of the deeper water results in circulation ‘dead spots’ where algae flourish, which can lead on to very expensive problems. Once algae and lime-scale get a grip they can be impossible to eradicate without draining the pool. (You can put your hands down now, thanks.)
A pool should have underwater pool-lighting and an area within the pool where the kids can play safely - e.g. wide, round-edged steps with a barrier to the deeper water. In reality most adults just sit on the steps with a drink (remember- unbreakable glasses only!) and rarely thrash up and down like Mark Spitz or Michael Phelps.
An in-pool seating area will get a lot of use from everyone who uses your pool. If you want to swim long distances fit a resistance-swimming pump it’s much cheaper, and far more environmentally friendly, than keeping 40,000 litres of ‘extra’ water ready 24 hours a day if you only swim for 30 minutes.
A 5 x 3 metre pool can be built a fraction of the price of a 10 x 5 metre pool and costs far less to fill, heat, protect, clean and sanitise. A part of the savings could be used to finance a heater and cover, giving you all-year use of the pool. The balance could pay for automatic chemical dosing, a salt-water or ozone system, a Katchakid Safety Net or a resistance-swimming pump, some of the new LED colour-changing lights, perhaps a waterfall to cool the pool in high summer, some shading, an automatic cleaner or fancy pool tiling.
Whatever design you choose you will need to know how to care for your new pool and all the elements that make it work and keep it working.
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Newalta Continues Steady Growth in First Quarter 2011, Increases Dividend
CALGARY, ALBERTA-(Marketwire - May 9, 2011) - Newalta Corporation ("Newalta") (TSX:NAL) today reported strong profitability gains in the first quarter ended March 31, 2011 on solid organic revenue growth in its Facilities and Onsite divisions. Reflecting its positive outlook and the momentum associated with its growth initiatives, Newalta also announced a 23 percent increase in its quarterly .
Newalta Continues Steady Growth in First Quarter 2011, Increases Dividend
NASA ISS On-Orbit Status 7 May 2011
All ISS systems continue to function nominally, except those noted previously or below. Saturday - crew off duty.
NASA ISS On-Orbit Status 7 May 2011
