Do you go to your local pool store and become disappointed and frustrated every time and find yourself leaving empty handed? Or even worse you pay the huge price tag, just so you can move on with the task at hand? This is not how it needs to be. Your go-to pool store should provide Convenient location, a wide selection of products and brands, and reasonable prices. But when you’re looking for your go-to pool store, you’ll want to take a few other things into account.

Knowledgeable Staff that Doesn’t Shove Upselling Down Your Throat

As a pool owner questions will come up and you will need advice, answers or just simple product comparisons. The pool store staff is perfect to help you with any pool advise you may need. They should be your go to ‘pool handyman’. Now, of course they will try to sell you products, however the ones that won’t take no for an answer, are the ones you want to avoid. Look for a place that gives helpful advice and product recommendations, not ones that shove products down your throat. Pools are costly enough, we don’t need to add unnecessary supplies. Look for a pool store where the staff doesn’t try to sell you products that you don’t need.

Stocked Shelves and Offers a Wide Variety of Products

Look for a pool store that will have the products you need when you need them. So often we go to the pool store and they are out of the product we normally purchase. Trying something new right before the weekend or heading out of town, isn’t ideal. So, make sure they have the products you use AND they have it in stock when you need it. To help alleviate this from happening, you could create a schedule of when you start to run out of product and need to refill, getting ahead of the game. When you have an idea of when you will need to refill, you can work with the store and their staff to ensure your product is there and ready for you when you need it.

Decent Prices

Unfortunately, most of us don’t have a money tree growing in our backyards, so staying on a budget is important. Finding a pool store that offers competitive pricing and offers great deals is what will create a long-term positive relationship.

Online Business Check

The next best thing to do is to review and check out a few stores near you and their online presence. The internet provides ton of information on businesses. Check out there hours, how long they have been in business, are they a franchise location, do they have new management and more. All of these bits of information and details will help you establish and find what you need in a pool store. Also check out the reviews online. These are VERY helpful when you need to get to the nitty gritty of the business.

A local pool supply store that you can depend on and trust is a must as a pool owner. Do your research, work with the staff and become a friend instead of a customer. You’ll be on your way in no time to a great relationship.

>>> Essential Equipment for your Swimming Pool

Throughout the years, as pools have progressed, so has the ease of caring and enjoying your pool. Technology makes life much more convenient, as it saves time and helps us tackle a task at the touch of a finger. Automation has grown more and more in recent years. Automated control systems are very easy to find now a days in any area of your home, if you so choose to indulge. With the latest technology advancements, you can control your pools systems from your smartphone from work, the grocery store or even on vacation. You can control the jets, fountains, spa, lighting, audio and chemistry with ease. Below, I mention some of the top newer technologies that will help make you owning a pool easier and more enjoyable!

Pool Pump
We begin with your pool’s pump. This is the most basic needs and requirements of having a swimming pool. Keeping your pool water constantly flowing is key to good water quality. However, running your pool pump 24 hours a day, 7 days a week can be very expensive. Thanks to technology advancements, new pump technology includes variable speed motors, which helps save energy. With this technology you are able to control the pump’s speed, spa jets and even water features you may have added to your pool.

Lighting
Adding the latest lighting to your pool will decrease energy and increase convenience to your life. To add an elegant, unique feel to your pool consider LED lights. They are amazing to enjoy during those night swims and/or get togethers.

One of the most unique features is from SpectraLight. This feature offer a UV system that showers your pool water with powerful ultraviolet light.  This UV light destroys the algae, viruses, bacteria and other organic matter that can contaminate your swimming pool. This system can significantly reduce chemical demands, which makes your pool much easier to maintain. It also reduces issues of dry skin, red eyes and green hair that are commonly known downfalls of swimming in a typical chlorine pool. This unique UV lighting system saves you both time and money and improves your pool’s overall health.

Chemistry
Balancing the chorine, pH levels and alkalinity of your pool water can be a headache that you must tackle often to maintain good water quality in your pool. Not to mention, a simple rain fall can throw off your chemical composition. Thanks again to the latest technology advancements, PENTAIR offers systems that automatically monitor and adjust your pool chemicals to maintain a perfect balance. Ultimately saving you money on pool chemicals.

Cleaning
Replacing your telescopic net for removing floating leaves and debris may be far-fetched, however maintaining the floor and water of your pool, isn’t. PV3 in-floor cleaning and circulation systems by Paramount are life-savers. The automatically force any debris in your water towards the drains on the floor of your pool. The fixtures will automatically pop-up when they are ready to ‘swallow’ debris. Challenger Pools offers this great option. Learn more here.

There are also great automatic cleaning systems. We’ve all seen them—they involve an automated cleaner/sweeper that travels around your pool as it cleans. There are several models available from all with different features, benefits and pricing.

Learn more about all the features and add-on’s Challenger Pools offers here.

Swimming pools have become so common in today’s world that we rarely every think about where they began. Have you ever thought about the history of the swimming pool? Well either way, we have information below about where it all began.

The very first swimming pool or first man-made pool was believed to be located in the Pakistani city settlement of Mohenjo-daro and was commonly called the “great bath”. It existed over 5,000 years ago, roughly 3,000 BC. The size 12 meters in height and 7 meters in width, with a depth of 2.4 meters. It had wide staircases on each end (north and south) and small holes at the edges of the stairs where it was led to believe that’s where they had wood planks.

The floor of the pool was designed and built with fitted bricks with gypsum plaster (hydrous calcium sulphate) as well as the side walls. Add make the tank of pool even. More watertight they added a thick layer of natural tar twice. It was laid along the sides and also beneath the floor. Brick columns were discovered on the eastern, northern and southern edges of the tank with stepped edges that may have held window frames. Two large doors were also discovered, and a series of rooms followed. They believe one of the rooms may have held some of the water to fill the tank or pool when needed, no inlet drains were found. Most historians would agree that this tank would have been used for special religious functions where water was used to purify and renew the well-being of the bathers.

A majority of the known ‘pool history’ comes from the ancient Greeks and Romans. Their quality of life improved when their wealth increased, which brought about luxuries such as pools. Water played a very important part of society for thousands of years. Pools were built all over for enhancing the beauty of property as well as used for bathing, health, religious ceremonies, gatherings and more.

Greek and Roman militaries also used pools during this time to train for war. They would exercise in the water.

Plato, the famous Greek philosopher believed that all children needed to learn to swim. He felt, along with math, writing and other basic educational studies, that swimming should also be added. And, in fact, it became standard education to teach children to swim dating back to 400 BC.

Romans built a huge pool in AD 305, that was over 900,000 square feet. It was heated by giant fires beneath the floors of the pool in the basement. It was used mostly for bathing and adorned with marble statues from roman architecture.

People began using pools more for public and social activities and gatherings versus bathing. Many grew to have live fish in them. In fact, the first Jacuzzi style pools was designed by Gaius Maecenas, sometime around 8 BC. It has been told this pool was amazing and designed with lush gardens, waterfalls, terraces, villas and other exquisite décor.

As pools became more common, naturally they followed suit in the United States. In 1868 on Cabot Street, Boston the first in-ground pool was built in the US. Most homes back then couldn’t afford a pool and the area was heavily populated.

In the 1930’s hotels began building pools to lure in more customers. The Biltmore Hotel was one of the first. Located in Coral Gables, Florida and soon became ‘THE’ place for famous and popular people to socialize.

From here, pools became more and more popular for the upper class and were found to become a part of many people’s homes throughout the world.

Swimming pools are most known for entertainment and a great way to keep the kids busy. However, they can also provide a great exercise and rebuild after an injury.

Water activity increases strength and flexibility, in a low impact and safe environment. It also is good for joints, so water exercise is often recommended for rehabilitation after an injury or surgery. Physical injuries can sideline you and really interfere with your daily life. Rehabilitation allows your muscles and ligaments to strengthen and provide more support for injured areas. So, utilizing a pool to gain your strength back will help ease the process.

Whether it be swimming laps, arm exercises off the wall or using a pool noodle to help you kick in the deep end, the amount of exercises to help you repair and get back to your busy life are almost endless in a swimming pool. Water exercises don’t need to be strenuous to be beneficial. Simple calisthenics in a seated position, back floating, water walking, or kicking exercises are all very beneficial.

Why are pools so effective?

• The buoyancy of water is a force that acts on the body to balance the weight of a swimmer supporting the body weight. The buoyancy of the water protects joints, while water’s resistance increases the efficiency of the workout. Because swimming is not weight-bearing, it is exceptionally helpful for back pain. Utilizing different swim strokes or positions helps alleviate some pressure in the back, as the water can provide support. The backstroke is helpful for back injuries because you lie in a supine position as opposed to other strokes performed in a prone position.
• Water exercise is low impact, meaning it is easier on your body than many other exercises, with less chance of further injury from falls or stumbles. There are many injuries that respond well to water exercises and swimming.

Water therapy can be great for almost any kind of stubborn pain. Immersion and floatation offer tremendous benefits. A partial relief from gravity, helps to make movement feel easy, cushioned, and safe — and these can lead to stepping-stones in rehabilitation and pain management after an injury or surgery.

You just bought a house, the kitchen is AMAZZZZING, the bathroom shower rocks and your floors are heaven, but the backyard is small and nothing to write home about. You wonder, will a swimming pool bring life to my backyard and add value to my new home?

The best place to start this process is to ask a pool professional. They will come out to your home and give an on-site evaluation and provide you with a pool building estimate. For example, if you fill out this form here, Challenger Pools will provide you with a FREE consultation. Most likely you will need to provide them with a bit of help. For example, a copy of your yards plot plan or surveyor report. This will help them get started in the right direction by knowing of any obstacles or setbacks before getting started.

Most backyards can fit a pool, so you’re in luck. The only thing is that you may be limited to size and placement based on the layout of your backyard.

What are some reasons that can limit the size of your backyard pool?

• Property Line Setbacks
• Septic System or Underground Utilities
• Drainage and Utilities Easements
• Power Lines
• Zoning Regulations and Lot Coverage Rules
• Access to the area
• Retaining Walls
• Existing Structures

Fortunately, many of these reasons can be worked around or moved. Having any ideas of what you backyard contains will be helpful to your pool builder. Once you review your surveyor report and know how much usable space you have, you can begin to envision the entire backyard including your pool patio area and landscaping. Picture and imagine the kind of area you would like with the amount of space you have. Know what kind of space you desire around your pool to accomplish your vision.

Please keep in mind a few general rules of thumb when getting a pool built in your backyard:

• Build your pool and pool surround to occupy approximately 25% of the total available area (especially if you have kids)
• Ensure the pool surrounds occupy an area of approximately 50% of the pool surface area

The right employees are the catalyst to any company’s success and recently Challenger Pools celebrated its staff with an event at Top Golf in Tampa. There were 55 attendees who enjoyed an afternoon of golf-related activities, food and drinks with their colleagues and families. Challenger Pools is part of Cody Pools, recently named the #1 pool builder in the nation by Pool and Spa News for the 7th year in a row — a recognition that the event highlighted.

“Being named the top pool builder is an honor we don’t take lightly, even several years in a row. We also know that a huge part of that honor is due to our fantastic staff,” said Mike Church, President and CEO of Cody Pools.

2019 marks 25 years of service for Cody Pools, headquartered in Austin, Tex. Since 1994, Cody Pools has won 60+ design and business awards, including recognition as a Top 100 Companies to Work for in Texas.

“Our company has been built on the strength and expertise of our employees. We celebrate them any chance we get,” Church said.

About the Pool and Spa News Ranking

The 2019 Top 50 Pool Builders list is the latest of an annual list compiled by Pool and Spa News that highlights the most dependable and successful pool builder companies in the nation. Cody Pools topped the list, ahead of 18 other companies that are headquartered in Texas. In 2018, the 50 pool companies listed accounted for approximately $1.4 billion of the industry’s revenue and more than 12,000 of its residential pools, creating 331 new jobs.