Above Ground Pool Steps: Taking a Step in the Right Direction

An Essential Item for Any Above Ground Swimming Pool

Above ground pool steps are essential for accessing your pool as well as for safety. Steps are designed for durability and provide materials that are corrosion-resistant for many summers of use.

Pool Service Plans

In Lieu of a Deck

If you don’t have a deck for your above ground pool, then above ground pool steps with a ladder for entry are an ideal way to access your swimming pool. Therefore, these types of steps furnish a low-cost way to enter and exit an above ground pool safely. A ladder for this type of entry and exit system is affixed to the steps and can generally hold a swimmer over 300 pounds. Made of dependable polyethylene, the step and ladder combination features simple and quick installation and can be sized to fit pools as deep as 54 inches.

A More Expansive Design – Features and Benefits

Other above ground pool steps offer wide stairs and a platform for pool entry. Above ground pool steps are not only resistant to corrosion but pool chemicals too. With non-skid surfaces and a handrail for added support, above ground pool steps offer security and convenience. In addition, these types of above ground pool steps can be attached to your swimming pool, thereby providing a solid installation. Installed quickly with a screwdriver, some come with an exterior staircase for security and to prevent trespassing.

What to Look for When Buying an Entry System for your Pool

While resin is a superior material to use for above ground pool steps, so is PVC. Both materials can take on the outside elements superbly without any undue effects. Above ground pool steps made of these materials are singularly easier to maintain as they don’t require any special solvents in order to be cleaned. When choosing above ground pool steps then, you’ll want to find some that are relatively easy to install and ideally feature slip-resistant, corrosion-resistant stairs with handrails for extra mobility, safety and stability. Some steps also can be adjusted to a variety of pool depths.

Above Ground Pool Steps with Gated Entry

Some above ground pool steps add even more safety by including an entry system with a gate that comes with a lock and key. Typically, most of these systems can fit 48” and 54” deep round, above ground pools.  Most conform to local building codes as well. Such a system is usually made of vinyl and provides a sturdy and secure way to enter and exit your pool.

A 3-Year Guarantee

Most of the above ground pool steps sold on the Internet offer a 3-year warranty with respect to defects and workmanship. Whether you choose adjustable above ground pool steps or can find an entry system that can be configured with above ground pools, be sure that the steps are solid and can simply be removed for storage purposes. Thereafter, safety, ease and convenience are features you want to look for when deciding on the right above ground pool steps for your swimming pool.

photo credit: Michelle Schantz (Schantzilla)

The Joy of Saving Money with Solar Pool Covers

If you want to learn about saving money using solar pool covers, then you’ll want to read this article. Specifically we’ll discuss how to save money on heating your pool, keeping the pool clean and how to care for your solar pool cover. After reading this article, you should be able to cut expenses of owning above ground swimming pools.

Saving Money on Heating

If you ever shut down your pool for the winter because the pool just gets too cold, then at some point before that, you’re probably using a swimming pool heater to keep the pool warmer for a little longer. Let’s face it. No one wants the swimming season to come to an end. Using a solar pool cover in addition to your pool heater is a smart way to save some money. Solar covers for pools can raise the temperature of your swimming pool by as much as 10 degrees. This means that you can use your heater less, or can use your pool longer into the cold season without having to pay more for the cost of heating the pool.

Saving Money on Swimming Pool Chemicals

Another way that solar swimming pool covers will save you money is that by keeping your pool covered when you’re not using it, fewer leaves and less debris will get into the pool. This means that your swimming pool chemicals will last longer, and that you’ll need to less of them. There’s nothing better than not having to pay for extra chemicals that just aren’t needed.

Caring for Your Solar Pool Cover

The best way to care for solar pool covers is to make sure that when they’re not covering the pool, they are not heaped in a pile on the ground. This means using some sort of storage mechanism such as a solar pool cover reel or a solar cover saddle. The reel is a very elegant solution since it can be worked by just one person fairly easily. This will eliminate a lot of the struggle of dealing with pool covers by oneself.

Conclusion

So now that you know how you’ll be saving money by using a solar pool cover on heating your pool and keeping it clean, you can see that adding one to your wish list of things to get for your above ground swimming pool will ensure that you can use your pool longer and save money too.

photo credit: adotjdotsmith

Important Features of Pool Liners for Above Ground Swimming Pools

Overview
There are a number of things to think about for your pool liner if you’re getting a new above-ground swimming pool, or if you’ve gotten to the point where your current swimming pool needs a new pool liner.

The things that you’ll want to consider are whether or not you’re going to install it yourself, what features you want it to have, and what accessories you might want to get to extend the life of the pool liner.

Types of Pool Liners
Above ground swimming pool liners are typically made of vinyl. The biggest question to answer is the type of connector the liner has for attaching to the top of the pool, and the features that you want the pool liner to have.

There are four basic types of liners – Overlap, Beaded, Unibead and Expandable. The Overlap liner is so named because the edge of the liner comes up and over the edge of the pool. It then needs to be fastened with a coping strip. These strips may need to be replaced periodically. But this style of liner is less expensive than the beaded or unibead types.

Beaded liners have an attachment at the top of the liner that clicks into place at the top of the pool into the bead receiver. This is a very elegant looking connection, and can be made to look very decorative.

Unibead liners can be used as either a beaded liner or an overlap liner as needed. These liners are also very decorative.

Expandable liners are designed primarily to work in oval pools, and can be used to expand into ‘deep end or areas’ of such pools. Expandable liners usually end up with wrinkles in them when you install them yourself.

Features of Pool Liners
Some of the most important things to think about as you establish your budget for your new pool liner is the list of features that will affect your price:

• The thickness of the vinyl that your liner is made from – 20 or 25 guage
• UV and swimming pool chemical protection – these are usually ‘baked’ in to the vinyl and will determine the overall life time of your liner
• What kind of connector you want your liner to have. This will potentially depend on the type of pool you have.
• What kind of pattern/decoration you want your pool to have.

Make your checklist
Taking a little time to think about what you really want will help to make the right choice about your next pool liner.

photo credit: audreyjm529

Swimming Pool Chemicals

Once you’ve gotten your above ground swimming pool picked out, another important thing to think about is the swimming pool chemicals that you are going to use to keep your pool clean and safe to use. And there are many choices to make about what kind of cleaning system you should use.

One of the first things to think about is who is going to be using the pool on a regular basis. Do they have sensitive skin or other health issues to consider with regard to your pool cleaning system. Many people are sensitive to the old style chloride and bromide chemicals. These days there are tons of alternatives. You can use products that replace those swimming pool chemicals completely such as an Ionizer or Ozonator system. Or you can combine a cholrine system with a mineral purifyier such as Nature2.

The old style pool chemicals work by inhibiting bacterial growth in the pool. The chlorine is used up in the process of neutralizing these bacteria. This is why it is important to recharge the chemicals on a regular basis. But as everyone knows who has gone to a pool, these chemicals tend to dry out the skin and hair, and irritate the eyes and nose of swimmers.

The newer methods such as the Ionizer and the Ozonator are a great way to reduce the need for chlorine pool chemicals. Ionizers release silver and/or copper into the water. These two metals typically don’t cause any irritation to people, but are very tough on bacteria. Ozonators usually create ozone by using UV light, or Corona discharge. Ozone is very reactive and bacteria are not able to withstand coming into contact with the Ozone. With both of these methods, you will still likely want to continue to use chlorine as part of your pool cleaner system. However, you will be able to greatly reduce the amount. And this will allow your sensitive pool users to be much more comfortable.

All these methods mentioned require one final step to complete the process. This is the process of adding pool shock to your pool. When your swimming pool chemical has done its duty and reacted with some bacteria, the resulting material is still in the pool. The pool shock removes the spent chemicals from the pool. And these pool cleaners have both a chlorine and chlorine free option to them as well.
Hopefully, this information will help you to make the right decisions about what kind of swimming pool chemicals to use to help you maximize the enjoyment for all your pool users. (And remember to keep the ducks out of the pool.)

photo credit: TheTruthAbout…