Pool Myth

Three Top Swimming Pool Myths

Post taken from HealthyPools.org

July 5th, 2013 | posted by Chris J. Wiant in Pools | 

If you spend time at the pool this summer you probably will hear conversations that reinforce a few persistent myths about swimming pools. We invite you to check out three of the most popular myths below and then get the facts so that you can dazzle your poolside companions with your knowledge!

Myth	Fact
If you pee in the pool, a dye in the water is activated, coloring the water around you.	Swimmers are on the honor system when it comes to peeing in the pool. There is no dye used to give them away, although based on a recent survey of 1,000 adults, about 52 percent think there is. Dye or no dye, peeing in the pool is a very unhygienic practice that uses up chlorine and produces nasty irritants. Taking the time to leave the pool and use the bathroom is a public health courtesy.
Chlorine turns blonde hair green.	Chlorine gets the blame but copper plays the game. Copper in the water comes from compounds added to destroy algae; it is also leached from metal plumbing in the pool. Fair-haired swimmers might consider donning a bathing cap or using a use a shampoo formulated to help remove copper .
Swimming is bad for people with asthma.	Doctors actually recommendswimming for patients with asthma. Swimming in a properly maintained pool helps increase lung function in asthmatics and is a healthy form of exercise for people of all ages

One more fact: The Water Quality & Health Council wishes you
a safe and healthy summer in and out of the pool!

Chris Wiant, M.P.H., Ph.D., is president and CEO of the Caring for Colorado Foundation. He is also chair of the Water Quality & Health Council.

- See more at: http://healthypools.org/#sthash.dV1yYmUT.dpuf

Debunking the swimming after eating myth

All content from blog.apsp.org

Should You Wait an Hour After Eating to Swim? No, you shouldn’t.

That’s the short answer. The long answer addresses the origins, medical evidence, and statistical realities of the long-standing myth that has kept millions of children in idle despair after a poolside lunch, helplessly watching their friends splash away while they remain sad, dry prisoners of superstition.

It’s time to debunk the swimming after eating myth.

The first-known mention of the myth comes from an early 20th century scouting manual, which sternly warns would-be swimmers of their certain (and well-deserved) death by cramping:

“If you bathe within an hour and a half after taking a meal, that is, before your food is digested, you are very likely to get cramp. Cramp doubles you up in extreme pain so that you cannot move your arms or legs – and down you go. You may drown – and it will be your own fault.”

Ever since, moms across the world have steadfastly refused to let youth anywhere near the water until they were certain that digestion had taken its course. Who can blame them? Death by PB&J is an ignoble one, especially if it’s preventable.

But like many parents’ hysterical habits, this one just isn’t necessary. It doesn’t protect children, except from fun. It also instills in them the most regrettable characteristic of Generation Coddle, a complete and paralyzing aversion to life, for fear it might harm them.

The assumption behind the myth rests on an ill-conceived understanding of how cramping works. The basic idea is that your body doesn’t have enough blood to both aid your stomach in digestion and keep your swimming muscles functioning at the same time. If you try to digest and swim simultaneously, the story goes, either your stomach muscles or your limbs will be deprived of blood, and therefore oxygen, and so the cramping begins.

This is hooey for three reasons. First, there is no medical proof of this hypothesis. It’s at best debatable that your stomach and the rest of your body are competing for blood when you swim after a meal.

Second, even if we assume there isn’t enough blood to go around, and a cramp does ensue … that kind of cramp won’t drown you. Most cramps, except for those caused by extreme exhaustion and overuse, are easily resolved by flexing and relaxing the muscle. Even if the cramp is stubborn, human beings are pretty naturally buoyant, and any swimmer with the most basic survival instincts can keep their head above water while the situation is resolved. That includes children, especially children in a pool of limited size, and most especially supervised children in a pool of limited size.

Third, and most importantly, there is not a single case of drowning by post-meal cramps on record. Not in the whole world, not in all of human history. If this problem was real, the statistics would bear it out, or at the very least mention it at least once.

So, there you have it. Toss this one into the same bin as medical leeching or the idea that Columbus was trying to prove the world was round. “Myth Busted,” as the television guys say.

The legend of the post-lunch drowning is, like all the imperfect beliefs of the past, something to be discarded by adults and not inflicted on the next generation.

Thanks to Apsp for the great blog content! For more information please visit Blog.apsp.org

How to Store and Protect your Pool Solar Cover

Content taken from Blog.Apsp.org

Solar covers are one of the smartest investments a pool owner can make. That’s because for the (very affordable) price of what’s essentially a really big piece of bubble wrap, a pool can be kept both warm and debris-free all summer long.

Solar covers work by simply floating on the surface of the pool and transferring the sun’s rays into the water, allowing the pool to be mildly heated with no effect on your electric bill. At night, the solar cover traps whatever heat has built up during the day in the water. It does all this while keeping leaves or any other debris out.

Because solar covers are smaller and lighter than full wintertime covers, they are easy to put on and take off every day during the swimming season. It’s very important, however, to properly care for the solar cover. Simply pulling it off and throwing it in the shed every day can damage the cover and defeat its purpose. Here are a few tips that will extend the life of your solar cover and help keep your pool in tip-top shape.

1. USE A CONTAINER

You should have a separate container for your solar cover, one that you keep it in each day. Too many pool owners toss their cover aside or put it somewhere that’s out of the way but doesn’t protect the cover.

Debris, insects, and damage are a threat on every lawn and in every shed, so do yourself a favor and use a large, clean rubber or plastic container. This way, there’s no chance of any dirt, debris or living things adhering to the cover and ending up in your pool. There’s also no chance of the cover getting snagged, stepped on, or otherwise damaged.

In addition, make sure not to keep your solar cover together with pool chemicals such as chlorine. These chemicals can damage the cover and should be stored separately.

2. KEEP IT CLEAN

There’s no need to do it daily, but every once in a while during the season, hose off the cover. Obviously, when any visible dirt or debris finds its way onto the cover, it should be removed. As the season wears on, there will be some inevitable build up.

Roll and fold it neatly. It’s tempting just to jam the cover into its container (you do have a container, right?) and get right to the cannonball competition, but a few short minutes spent neatly rolling/folding the cover will extend its life and effectiveness. Roll or fold the cover neatly but loosely, so as not to pop any of the bubbles, and to lessen the chances of its getting snagged or damaged.

3. STORE IT PROPERLY

When the pool season ends, take the time to put it away for the winter carefully. Lay the cover out and hose it down thoroughly. Do not use any chemical cleaners; water alone will do. Make sure that before you put it away it is completely dry. You can leave it out to dry, but ideally a leaf blower can be used to dry the cover quickly before there’s any chance of new debris finding its way onto it. Fold it up neatly (but loosely) and place it into a container with a secure lid.

By following these simple steps, your solar cover will heat and protect your pool for years to come.

THANKS AGAIN TO APSP FOR THIS GREAT INFORMATION.

Poolside Halloween Decor

With Halloween quickly nearing, most of you have probably already decorated for the holiday, and most everyone forgets about the pool around this time of the year. Halloween gives us the opportunity to step outside of our comfort zone, and really get creative.

Whether you're looking for a whimsical kid-friendly look, or a ghoulish adult, scare the neighborhood theme, don't forget about the outdoors-including the pool.

Floating pumpkins are a great, festive addition to pools and spas. We love faux, foam pumpkins because they can be used year-after-year. Just be sure to dry them well before storing post season so they don't grow mold. There are many inexpensive foam pumpkins that can be purchased at just about any big box or craft store, but if you're feeling creative and want to carve your own, we recommend Funkins Artificial Carvable Pumpkins.

For some real fun...turn your pool BLOOD RED using color LED lighting. Its a great touch for any Halloween party/bonfire in the back yard. If you don't have LED lighting, look into getting a red lens for your in-wall light. You won't get quite the same color intensity, but you will get the same effect. Add a fog machine poolside, and you'll create a great haunted vibe.

Technical Note On Adding Dry Ice To Pools:
Have fun and be safe!We suggest adding a fog machine to your haunted backyard, because we simply can’t endorse using dry ice in pools and spas. BOO right?  But we have very good reasons for it.  Quite frankly, transporting and handling dry ice can be dangerous.  So if you do, please be careful.  Secondly, adding dry ice can really wreak havok on your water chemistry.  Remember dry ice is essencially CO2 – and what does it do?  Right – it will lower pH and we all know how important it is to keep your pH within 7.2 – 7.8.  And lastly, it can damage a pool’s finish, particularly vinyl liners.

Scale in Saltwater pools????

http://aquamagazine.com/content/post/Scale-It-Back.aspx


This is a good read article!!

Is there an easier way to Chlorinate your pool?

Have you ever wondered if there was an easier way to chlorinate your pool? Are you getting tired of having to handle tables, transporting and storing all the different kinds of chemicals? Well there might just be something different that would work for you. Have you ever heard of Salt Pool? Or many people say they have salt water? Well this is called using a Salt Chlorine Generator...



              What is a Salt Chlorine Generator?

Products like the SGS Salt System uses common table salt to product all the chlorine a pool need so you don't have to buy, store or handle chlorine. By installing a salt generator, you get the same sanitization performance as manual chlorine. Also remember that in times you might still have to some chlorine.

Clean, sparkling water- water is cleaner and clearer than before.
Softer Skin- your skin won't dry out.
Easier on the Eyes- No more red irritated eyes.
                                                          Nicer to the nose- eliminates harsh chemical odor.
                                                          Gentler on fabrics- no more faded swimsuits
                                                          Safer for you family- no more liquid chlorine spills

How Does it work?

A salt system is plumbed into a pool's pump and filter system along the return side of the plumbing. Once installed, ordinary salt is added to the pool water. Usually it take a hundred pounds of salt to get the system going.  As salt water begins to flow through the generator it is electrolytically converted to pure chlorine. The chlorine is then automatically distributed to your pool, sanitizing your water by eliminating biological and bacterial growth.

The genius of the system is that when the chlorine breaks down it becomes salt again. So the salt you add to the pool earlier is not consumed, it is continually recycled. You won't need to add salt often, but remember that you will lose some from splash-out with regular use. Most salt generators will clearly indicate when salt needs to be added to the pool.

Last thing is that the amount of salt in the water is less than what we humans have naturally in our bodies. You won't taste it. but you will feel the effect it has on your skin- soft- skin.  It is also much easier on your eyes, skin, hair and swimsuits.

check this out!!!!

APSP members continue to get the word out about drain cover safety. Tom Sheehy of Crystal Clear Custom Pools spoke to NBC 5 in the Dallas-Forth Worth area about why installing an ANSI/APSP-7 Standard compliant drain cover is so important.

http://www.nbcdfw.com/news/local/Drain-Covers-Raise-Pool-Safety-Questions-218945991.html