Discuss - If possible find a broker with experience in home improvement loans and swimming pool financing. A bank equity loan is not the same as a this type of loan and will almost certainly cost you more.

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Several chemicals should be added to a swimming pool on a regular basis to keep the water safe and clean. Many swimming pool owners become unhappy with the common chlorine based chemical routine, and look to alternative sanitizers (such as Baquacil or SoftSwim) called “biguanide” based pool chemicals. Unfortunately these alternatives prove to be more expensive initially to purchase the chemicals, and cause problems over time which temporarily close the pool down.

If used in large quantities, or if not maintained properly, chlorine may irritate the eyes and skin of swimmers. Biguanide based swimming pool chemicals are much softer and have almost no affect on swimmers, but these chemicals are not capable of controlling organic contamination. Examples of organic contamination might be wastes left behind by swimmers or material that has blown or fallen into an outdoor pool, which promotes the growth of algae. While a chlorine swimming pool instantly neutralizes harmful organics, a biguanide swimming pool requires the addition of concentrated hydrogen peroxide on a regular basis. This liquid hydrogen peroxide solution proves to be more dangerous than chlorine to both store and handle.

Discuss - Don’t clean your pool! A dirty pool is an expensive pool (expensive for you, profitable for your local pool business). The more you let your pool go, the more it will cost to get things back together again.

Because biguanide based sanitizers cannot control organic contamination, microorganisms present in the pool water will build a resistance to the biguanide chemical over time. Like an evolving virus, these organisms become used to the biguanide sanitizer and form a type of water mold or slime. This ugly slime can only be eliminated with a strong dose of chlorine-based pool shock. The chlorine pool shock quickly removes the water mold, but also destroys all of the biguanide in the water. The immediate result of the chlorine and biguanide chemical interaction is very cloudy water which turns several unnatural colors, making the swimming pool unsafe to use for several days or weeks. Rather than risk further organic contamination and lost swimming time, most pool owners return to a chlorine pool chemical routine.

Chlorine is the right pool sanitizing chemical in every situation, except when a swimmer has developed allergies to the chemical. Pool chlorine is relatively inexpensive and easy to use, when used properly. With a basic understanding of pool water chemistry, and an easy weekly pool maintenance routine, any home owner can maintain a backyard pool with very few problems.

Discuss - Chlorine powder is important in killing germs such as algae and bacteria that live in your pool and multiply at extremely fast speeds. To eliminate these germs, you should use a large amount of chlorine powder in your pool.

Please visit InTheSwim.com for a complete selection of quality pool chemicals and swimming pool supplies.

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Discuss - The backwash discharge from an Copper Ionization treated pool is safe for use on lawns and in gardens since it does not contain any salt or sodium. Backwash from pools treated with salt water systems can kill plant life, sterilize soil preventing plant growth and is prohibited in many municipalities in the United States and Australia (where salt water systems were invented).

Installing a backyard swimming pool can make those hot summers a lot more fun and relaxing, but could it get you into a lot of financial trouble too? The short answer is: yes.

If you’re not properly insured, and someone gets hurt in your pool, you are inviting law suits. I know what you’re thinking: my friends and family are the only ones who use my pool… they’re not going to sue me if anything happens.

Guess again.

It’s not necessarily that people love to sue or even want to. They may have to. With the high costs of medical expenses today, a family that suffers a serious injury (or–god forbid–a death) probably can’t afford not to sue. And if a person was injured at your pool in your backyard, guess who’s technically at fault?

If someone gets hurt, don’t be surprised by a lawsuit: expect it. And don’t think you can watch the pool every moment to make sure nothing happens. Accidents will occur no matter how relentless you are in trying to prevent them. Risks of accidents are statistically proven to be very high around backyard pools and hot tubs.

Discuss - Have Fun!! Be sure and supervise your children carefully and to keep the chemicals out of reach. Also remember that pool covers are meant to keep debris out of the pool and are not meant as a safety device to keep children safe.

This isn’t to say you should pour dirt into your pool, plant a nice safe flower bed, and post “keep out of yard” signs all over your backyard. You just need to make sure you are adequately covered when it comes to insurance.

Okay, you’re sold. Now how do you make sure you’re covered?

If you own a swimming pool or hot tub, you should carry very high liability insurance, i.e. in the range of a million dollars or more.

This can be tricky since many homeowner’s insurance policies limit the maximum exposure of the insurer to $100,000. Sometimes you can get this raised to $300,000, but getting covered beyond that, from your homeowner’s plan alone, will likely prove difficult.

Discuss - Alkaline powder. Although chlorine in your pool will kill off germs, it will also raise the level of acid in your water.

This is why you want to look into an umbrella plan. This is a separate liability policy in addition to your homeowner’s coverage. It generally picks up where your homeowner’s insurance leaves off, and you can get coverage of several million dollars.

The cost for this additional coverage is usually minimal, in the neighborhood of $500 per year. This may seem pricey, but considering the millions of dollars of coverage it affords you, it’s worth the money, especially if you entertain and have a hot tub or pool.

One last thing to note is that you may have to buy all your insurance from the same place, which would include home and auto. If you have a pool or spa, it’s probably worth changing insurers to find one who offers an umbrella plan.

Discuss - Make sure the swimming pool cover conforms to state and local law requirements. Some areas require that a certain size and depth of pool be covered when not in use.

TC Thorn is a writer, blogger, and webmaster who specializes in the home improvement sector.

For more information on the topic, check out these articles on homeowner’s insurance or this information on swimming pools and hot tubs.

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