"The choice between saltwater and chlorine pools often comes down to maintenance preferences, initial costs, and personal comfort. Simpler designs, like rectangular or kidney-shaped pools, are generally more affordable and quicker to build. Best nashville pool builders TN. Some homeowners opt for beach-entry designs that provide a gradual slope, creating a natural and accessible entry point. By incorporating these energy-saving measures, you'll enjoy lower utility bills and a more environmentally friendly pool."
"The complexity of your pool's design can significantly impact its overall construction costs. Once the old surface is stripped away, the pool's structure is thoroughly cleaned and prepped. Best pool installer nashville TN.
Freeform or kidney-shaped pools blend naturally with landscaped areas and offer a more organic appearance. Professional installation ensures that all connections are secure and that the system is optimized for the best energy performance."
Ideally, you should perform a basic visual check of the pool's water level, filtration system, and safety features once a week.
"The materials used in pool construction significantly impact the project's overall cost. Though the initial investment may be higher, the long-term savings on utility bills and the reduction in carbon emissions make solar energy a practical and sustainable choice for pool owners." "Enhancing pool insulation can significantly improve energy efficiency by reducing heat loss and lowering heating costs. best pool contractor Nashville,TN. While both types of pools can benefit from efficient filtration systems and durable materials, the selection of features is tailored to meet the distinct needs of private homeowners versus public facilities."
Using a variable-speed pump and advanced filtration systems reduces the need for frequent backwashing, saving thousands of gallons annually. By adopting these sustainable heating solutions, pool owners can enjoy warm water while protecting the planet."
Residential pools typically need weekly cleaning, chemical balancing, and occasional filter maintenance. Bigger pools often demand more extensive excavation, additional plumbing, and larger filtration systems, all of which contribute to higher expenses. The non-porous material resists algae growth and requires fewer chemicals, saving both time and money. "If your pool warranty claim is denied, the first step is to review the rejection letter and warranty terms carefully.
Routine tasks such as skimming debris, vacuuming, and brushing the walls prevent buildup and maintain water clarity. Gathering additional documentation, such as maintenance logs or photos, can strengthen your case.
Consider the layout, ensuring there's enough room for loungers, tables, and walkways.
They're also subject to regular health department inspections and must maintain detailed maintenance records. Consider their communication style and responsiveness, as these traits often indicate how smoothly the project will proceed. Key questions include: “How long have you been in business?”
"Constructing a commercial pool involves higher costs than residential pools due to larger sizes, enhanced filtration systems, and compliance with strict regulations. Over the long term, these investments pay off financially and help reduce your environmental footprint." Solar-powered lights are energy-efficient and eco-friendly, making them an appealing choice for environmentally conscious homeowners.
By staying consistent and using efficient systems, homeowners can keep their pool maintenance costs under control while extending the pool's lifespan." Additionally, modern pool slides are designed with safety features such as non-slip surfaces and sturdy handrails, ensuring that everyone can enjoy them with peace of mind." Commercial pools, however, demand more frequent testing, daily cleaning, and robust filtration schedules to handle constant bather loads. Positive feedback from multiple clients indicates that the contractor consistently delivers satisfactory results.
"Adding features like LED lighting, water fountains, slides, or built-in spas can significantly enhance your pool's enjoyment, but they come with additional costs. Installing a pool slide adds an element of entertainment and encourages active play, creating lasting memories for children and adults alike.
Upgraded features such as energy-efficient pumps, automated controls, and LED lighting make the pool more attractive to prospective buyers.
By taking a comprehensive approach, you'll have a clearer understanding of the full financial commitment and can plan accordingly." "Pool construction costs vary widely depending on the chosen method. Additionally, maintaining a balanced water chemistry can reduce strain on both the filter and pump, allowing them to operate efficiently and extend their lifespan." "A water-conserving pool design incorporates features that reduce evaporation, minimize water waste, and ensure efficient use.
By following these guidelines, pool builders create safe environments that reduce accidents and foster enjoyable experiences for everyone." "Investing in energy-efficient pool equipment and features can lead to significant savings and environmental benefits over time.
Equipment issues, such as a noisy pump or a leaking filter, should be inspected and repaired promptly. If you plan to add features like a spa, lighting, or a waterfall, factor those into the overall budget.
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A hot tub is a large tub full of water used for hydrotherapy, relaxation or pleasure. Some have powerful jets for massage purposes. Hot tubs are sometimes also known as "spas" or by the trade name Jacuzzi.[1] Hot tubs may be located outdoors or indoors.
In contrast to a typical bathtub, a hot tub is designed to be used by more than one person at a time, with many models accommodating four or more people. Unlike baths, soaps and shampoos are not used in wet-jetted hot tubs (although they can be used in air-jetted hot tubs). Home hot tubs are often closer in construction to standard bathtubs, while the construction of a public hot tub often has more in common with a swimming pool, of which it can be considered a type.
The earliest hot tubs were calderas in which hot stones were placed to heat the water.[citation needed] Therma in Ikaria has been a very popular place particularly for hydrotherapy ever since the 4th century B.C.[2] The remains of wrecked marble bathtubs along with a prehistoric aqueduct that have been unearthed from this area bear ample testimony of the place's popularity in the ancient times.[2]
In 737 A.D., Japan's first onsen opened near Izumo, Shimane, and centuries later, the first ryokan (inns) were built, offering food, accommodations, and soaking tubs called ofuro.
In ancient Rome, there were three types of baths: Baths at home (balnea), private baths (balnea privata), and public baths (balnea publica). The practice of bathing was so engrained that the Roman legions, during their long occupations in foreign lands, built their own baths at mineral and thermal springs in the newly conquered lands. Examples are found all over Europe.[3]
In the 1940s, hot tubs began to appear in the US, inspired by the Japanese ofuro. Hydrotherapy pumps were introduced by Jacuzzi. Fiberglass shell hot tubs appeared around 1970 and were soon superseded by cast acrylic shells.
The plumbing of the hot tub consists of:
Hot tubs are usually heated using an electric or natural gas heater, though there are also submersible wood fire hot tub heaters, as well as solar hot water systems. Hot tubs are also found at natural hot springs; in this case, the water may be dangerously hot and must be combined with cool water for a safe soaking temperature.
Effective insulation greatly improves the energy efficiency of a hot tub. There are several different styles of hot tub insulation: some manufacturers fill the entire cabinet with foam, while others insulate the underside of the shell, the inside of the cabinet, or both. Many manufacturers advertise the superiority of their approach to insulation, but few independent side-by-side comparisons are available. The hot tub pump and hot tub heater represent most of the power consumption in a hot tub and vary in use of power depending on their size.[4]
Energy efficiency of portable hot tubs has been studied by the Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PGEC),[5] leading to industry responses[6] and interest from both the California Energy Commission and Natural Resources Canada.[citation needed] California's portable electric hot tub listing[5] include R values of thermal insulation, and standby watts.[7][8]
In 2019 an update to the ANSI standard for energy efficiency was approved. For the first time, this new standard increases the minimum energy efficiency level for portable spas and inflatable spas.[9][10] Hot tub covers have been shown to reduce most of the evaporative losses from the pool when not in use. With this component of heat loss being 70%,[11] a cover with even a small R-value is able to achieve as much as a 75% reduction in heating costs when used as opposed to leaving the water surface exposed.[12]
There are several different types of spa covers. Some covers are better for insulation and therefore are lighter on internal parts and energy efficiency. Some examples of covers are insulated, aluminum, rolling, or a tonneau.[citation needed]
Since some hot tubs are not drained after each use it is necessary to treat the water to keep it attractive and safe. It must be neither too alkaline nor too acidic, and must be sanitised to stay free of harmful microorganisms. Partly due to their high water temperatures, hot tubs can pose particular health risks if not regularly maintained: outbreaks of Legionnaires' Disease have been traced to poorly sanitized hot tubs.[13] Typically chlorine or bromine are used as sanitizers, but salt water chlorination is starting to become more common.
Sanitation can also be aided by a non-chemical ozonator.
For aesthetic reasons, and for the sanitizer to work properly, water should be neither too alkaline nor too acidic (low pH). The hardness level of the water, measured as the amount of dissolved calcium, is also important. Insufficient hardness can lead to corrosion and water foaming. The ideal range of calcium hardness levels in a hot tub or spa water should be between 150 and 250 ppm (parts per million)[citation needed]
Sitting in water above normal body temperatures can cause drowsiness which may lead to unconsciousness and subsequently result in drowning. The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) recommends that water temperatures never exceed 40 degrees Celsius (104 °F). A temperature of 37 degrees Celsius (100 °F) is considered safe for a healthy adult. Soaking in water above 39 degrees Celsius (102 °F) can cause fetal damage during the first three months of pregnancy.[19]
It is also recommended to install residual-current devices for protection against electrocution. The greater danger associated with electrical shock in the water is that the person may be rendered immobile and unable to rescue themselves or to call for help and then drown.[20]
Hot tubs and spas are equipped with drains that can create powerful suction and between 1980 and 1996, the CPSC had reports of more than 700 deaths in spas and hot tubs, about one-third of which were drownings to children under age five. In the same period 18 incidents were reported to the CPSC involving body part entrapment. To reduce the risk of entrapment, US safety standards require that each spa have two drains for each pump, reducing the amount of suction.[21] From 1999 to 2007 there were 26 reports to the CPSC concerning circulation entrapments hot tubs and spas, including three deaths.[22]
In 2001[23] and in 2012[24] the CPSC issued recalls for spa heaters which overheated and caused fires.
The Uniform Swimming Pool, Spa and Hot Tub Code is a model code developed by the International Association of Plumbing and Mechanical Officials (IAPMO) to govern the installation and inspection of plumbing systems associated with swimming pools, spas and hot tubs as a means of promoting the public's health, safety and welfare.[25]
Poorly sanitized hot tubs have been linked to a number of diseases, principally caused by facultative anaerobic bacteria. Such incidents include hot tub folliculitis and legionellosis.[26][27]
Media related to Whirlpool baths at Wikimedia Commons| Authority control databases: National |
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Salt water chlorination is a process that uses dissolved salt (1000–4000 ppm or 1–4 g/L) for the chlorination of swimming pools and hot tubs. The chlorine generator (also known as salt cell, salt generator, salt chlorinator, or SWG) uses electrolysis in the presence of dissolved salt to produce chlorine gas or its dissolved forms, hypochlorous acid and sodium hypochlorite, which are already commonly used as sanitizing agents in pools. Hydrogen is produced as byproduct too.
The presence of chlorine in traditional swimming pools can be described as a combination of free available chlorine (FAC) and combined available chlorine (CAC).[1] While FAC is composed of the free chlorine that is available for disinfecting the water, the CAC includes chloramines, which are formed by the reaction of FAC with amines (introduced into the pool by human perspiration, saliva, mucus, urine, and other biologics, and by insects and other pests).[2] Chloramines are responsible for the "chlorine smell" of pools, as well as skin and eye irritation. These problems are the result of insufficient levels of free available chlorine, and indicate a pool that must be "shocked" by the addition of 5–10 times the normal amount of chlorine.[1] In saltwater pools, the generator uses electrolysis to continuously produce free chlorine. As such, a saltwater pool or hot tub is not actually chlorine-free; it simply utilizes added salt and a chlorine generator instead of direct addition of chlorine. It also burns off chloramines in the same manner as traditional shock (oxidizer). As with traditionally chlorinated pools, saltwater pools must be monitored in order to maintain proper water chemistry. Low chlorine levels can be caused by insufficient salt, incorrect (low) chlorine-generation setting on the SWG unit, higher-than-normal chlorine demand, low stabilizer, sun exposure, insufficient pump speed, or mechanical issues with the chlorine generator. Salt count can be lowered due to splash-out, backwashing, and dilution via rainwater.
Research has shown that because saltwater pools still use chlorine sanitization, they generate the same disinfection byproducts (DBPs) that are present in traditional pools. Of highest concern are haloketones and trihalomethanes (THMs) of those the predominant form being bromoform. Very high levels of bromoform—up to 1.3 mg per liter, or 13 times the World Health Organization's guideline values—have been found in some public saltwater swimming pools.[3]
Manufacturers have been producing saltwater chlorine generators in the United States since the early 1980s, and they first appeared commercially in New Zealand in the early 1970s (the Aquatech IG4500).[4]
The chlorinator cell consists of parallel titanium plates coated with ruthenium and sometimes iridium. Older models make use of perforated (or mesh) plates rather than solid plates. Electrolysis naturally attracts calcium and other minerals to the plates. Thus, depending on water chemistry and magnitude of use, the cell will require periodic cleaning in a mild acid solution (1 part HCl to 15 parts water) which will remove the buildup of calcium compound crystals, such as calcium carbonate or calcium nitrate. Excessive buildup can reduce the effectiveness of the cell. Running the chlorinator for long periods with insufficient salt in the pool can strip the coating off the cell which then requires an expensive[clarification needed] replacement, as can using too strong an acid wash.
Saltwater pools can also require stabilizer (cyanuric acid) to help stop the sun's UV rays from breaking down free chlorine in the pool. Usual levels are 20–50 ppm. They also require the pH to be kept between 7.2 and 7.8 with the chlorine being more effective if the pH is kept closer to 7.2. The average salt levels are usually in the 3000-5000 ppm range, much less than the ocean, which has salt levels of around 35,000 ppm.[5] In swimming pools, salt is typically poured across the bottom and swept with the pool brush until it dissolves; if concentrated brine is allowed into the return-water system it can cause the chlorinator cell to malfunction due to overconductivity.
Salt water chlorination produces an excess of hydroxide ions, and this requires the frequent addition of hydrochloric acid (HCl, also known as muriatic acid) to maintain pH.[6]
The benefits of salt systems in pools are the convenience and the constant delivery of pure chlorine-based sanitizer. The reduction of irritating chloramines versus traditional chlorinating methods and the "softening" effect of electrolysis reducing dissolved alkali minerals in the water are also perceived as benefits. For some people that have sensitivities to chlorine, these systems may be less offensive.
Disadvantages are the initial cost of the system, maintenance, and the cost of replacement cells. Salt is corrosive and will damage some metals and some improperly-sealed stone. However, as the ideal saline concentration of a salt-chlorinated pool is very low (<3,500ppm, the threshold for human perception of salt by taste; seawater is about ten times this concentration), damage usually occurs due to improperly-maintained pool chemistry or improper maintenance of the electrolytic cell. Pool equipment manufacturers typically will not warrant stainless steel products damaged by saline pools. Calcium and other alkali precipitate buildup will occur naturally on the cathode plate, and sometimes in the pool itself as "scaling". Regular maintenance of the cell is necessary; failure to do so will reduce the effectiveness of the cell. Certain designs of saline chlorinators use a "reverse-polarity" method that will regularly switch the roles of the two electrodes between anode and cathode, causing this calcium buildup to dissolve off the accumulating electrode. Such systems reduce but do not eliminate the need to clean the electrolytic cell and the occurrence of calcium scale in the water.
As chlorine is generated, pH will rise causing the chlorine to be less effective. Many systems with chemistry automation can sense the rising pH and automatically introduce either CO2 or hydrochloric acid in order to bring the pH back to the target level.Automation systems will also manage levels of sanitizer by monitoring the ORP or redox levels of the water. This allows only the needed amount of chlorine to be generated based on the demand.
Sodium bromide can be used instead of sodium chloride, which produces a bromine pool. The benefits and downsides are the same as those of a salt system. It is not necessary to use a chloride-based acid to balance the pH. Also, bromine is only effective as a sanitizer, not as an oxidizer, leaving a need for adding a "shock" such as hydrogen peroxide or any chlorine-based shock to burn off inorganic waste and free up combined bromines. This extra step is not needed in a sodium chloride system, as chlorine is effective as both a sanitizer and an oxidizer. A user would only need to "super chlorinate" or increase chlorine production of the cell occasionally. That would normally be less than once a week or after heavy bather loads.
A plunge pool (or plunge basin or waterfall lake) is a deep depression in a stream bed at the base of a waterfall or shut-in. It is created by the erosional forces of cascading water on the rocks at the formation's base where the water impacts.[1] The term may refer to the water occupying the depression, or the depression itself.[2]
Plunge pools are formed by the natural force of falling water, such as at a waterfall or cascade; they also result from man-made structures such as some spillway designs.[3] Plunge pools are often very deep, generally related to the height of the fall, the volume of water, the resistance of the rock below the pool and other factors.[4] The impacting and swirling water, sometimes carrying rocks within it, abrades the riverbed into a basin, which often features rough and irregular sides. Plunge pools can remain long after the waterfall has ceased flow or the stream has been diverted. Several examples of former plunge pools exist at Dry Falls in the Channeled Scablands of eastern Washington.[5] They can also be found underwater in areas that were formerly above sea level, for example, Perth Canyon off the coast of Western Australia.
Plunge pools are fluvial features of erosion which occur in the youthful stage of river development, characterized by steeper gradients and faster water flows. Where softer or fractured rock has been eroded back to a knickpoint, water continues to bombard its base. Because this rock is often less resistant than overlying strata, the water from the higher elevation continues eroding downward until an equilibrium is achieved.
A somewhat similar bowl-shaped feature developed by flowing water, as opposed to falling water, is known as a scour hole. These occur both naturally and as a result of bridge building.
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A pool contractor manages the design, construction, and installation of swimming pools. They handle permits, oversee subcontractors, and ensure the project meets local building codes and safety standards.
A dip pool is a small, shallow pool designed for cooling off and relaxing. In Nashville, they�re popular due to their compact size, lower maintenance requirements, and ability to fit into smaller outdoor spaces.
Look for a licensed and insured contractor with strong local reviews and a proven track record. Ask about their experience, request a portfolio of completed projects, and compare quotes to find the best fit for your needs.
Fiberglass pools are known for their durability, low maintenance requirements, and smooth, non-porous surface that resists algae. Their quick installation time and long lifespan make them a popular option for homeowners.
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Above-ground pools are a budget-friendly option that�s quick to install and easy to maintain. They offer flexibility in placement and can be removed or relocated if needed. With proper care, above-ground pools provide years of backyard fun.
