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A backyard swimming pool is great,but over time can get boring for the family.  Eventually, owners will not use it as much.   So if you want to bring life back to the backyard fun, then here is an idea – try jazzing it up with the purchase of a pool slide.

Contrary to what most people think, slides do not just belong in water parks.  Home owners can also take advantage of having a slide.   Just make sure to choose the right model and style for your pool and your yard.

And to help choose the right one, here are some guidelines that you should follow.

1. Check with your local town and county to make sure there are no ordinances or codes about pool slides.   If there are restrictions, make it a point to follow these rules to a tee so you would not have to deal with having to remove and maybe return your slide to the store.

2. If you are going for thrills without any expense spared, then definately have one designed by an engineer just for your pool.   But if you want something that is easily removed and installed again, just go ahead and buy those collapsible slides on the market which are made from PVC, plastic and/or fiberglass.

3. Consider what style you are looking for.   The classic straight slide occupies a lot of space or would you rather experiment on a curly slide with a lot of bumps? Whatever your choice is, just make sure that the design of your choice is appropriate for the people who are going to use it. If one expects a lot of kids to play on your pool slide, then perhaps the simple straight design will work best.

Following these common guidelines will make your task of choosing a slide less arduous.   As long as you follow them then one can be assured of finding the perfect fit. Now before we end everything, here is a final tip that we can impart. If one is not familiar with pool slides, then do not attempt to install the slide yourself because it can just be too risky and dangerous for your family.  A pool slide which is installed improperly can cause accidents or even deaths.

Drowning is the second most common cause of death from injuries among kids under the age of 14. Drowning can happen so fast — sometimes in less than 2 minutes after a person's head goes under the water. That leaves very little time for someone to help.

Many drownings and near-drownings occur when a kid accidentally falls into a swimming pool. But accidents can happen anywhere — at someone's home or even at your own house, and that's why you need to know how to be safe around water.

Swimming Pools

Pools are awesome! What could be better than a dip in the pool and fun in the sun? But remember a pool's sides and bottom are usually made of concrete, a rock-hard material. A slip or fall could be painful and dangerous.

Have you seen those big numbers painted on the side of the pool? Those are called depth markers — they tell you how deep the water is at that point. You should always look before you jump into a pool. You should also only dive off the diving board. Never dive off the side of the pool unless an adult says that the water is deep enough. The water may be shallower than you think. If you hit the bottom . . . ouch! You might get knocked out or you could hurt your neck very badly.

Test the pool's water temperature before you plunge in. Cold water can shock your body and make your blood pressure and heart rate go up. You might accidentally open your mouth to yell and accidentally breathe in some water. Cold water can also slow your muscles, making it hard to swim.

Here's some other good advice for the pool:

• Always have an adult watch you when you are in the pool — even in your own backyard. Never go in the pool if there is no adult around.
• Gates are around pools for a reason — to keep kids away from the water when there isn't a lifeguard or adult around to watch them. Never go through any pool gates when they are closed. Stay safe and stay out!
• Always obey pool rules.
• Swim with a buddy.
• If you're learning to swim, ask your mom or dad to make sure your flotation devices are Coast Guard approved.
• Walk slowly in the pool area. Don't run.
• Swim at a depth that is safe for you. If you're just learning to swim, stay in the shallow end.
• Don't push or jump on others. You could accidentally hurt someone or yourself.
• Toys to help you float come in many shapes and sizes (an inner tube, air mattress, or beach ball, for example). Although they are fun and can help you while you learn to swim, what they can't do is save a life. They're toys that can lose air or float away.
• Don't chew gum or eat while you swim — you could choke.

As we stated earlier, ORP stands for Oxidation-Reduction Potential. In some parts of the world, it is also known as Redox Potential. Sometimes, you'll see the words "oxidation" and "reduction" spelled without the hyphen connecting them. We chose the hyphen because the two chemical reactions are really "joined at the hip" - one cannot occur without the other also occurring.

When chemists first used the term in the late 18th Century, the word "oxidation" meant, "to combine with oxygen." Back then, it was a pretty radical concept. Until about 200 years ago, folks were really confused about the nature of matter. It took some pretty brave chemists to prove, for example, that fire did not involve the release of some unknown, mysterious substance, but rather occurred when oxygen combined rapidly with the stuff being burned.

We can see examples of oxidation all the time in our daily lives. They occur at different speeds. When we see a piece of iron rusting, or a slice of apple turning brown, we are looking at examples of relatively slow oxidation. When we look at a fire, we are witnessing an example of rapid oxidation. We now know that oxidation involves an exchange of electrons between two atoms. The atom that loses an electron in the process is said to be "oxidized." The one that gains an electron is said to be "reduced." In picking up that extra electron, it loses the electrical energy that makes it "hungry" for more electrons.

We also know that matter can be changed, but not destroyed. You can alter its structure, and can increase or decrease the amount of energy it contains - but you can't eliminate the basis building blocks that make things what they are.

Chemicals like chlorine, bromine, and ozone are all oxidizers. It is their ability to oxidize - to "steal" electrons from other substances - that makes them good water sanitizers, because in altering the chemical makeup of unwanted plants and animals, they kill them. Then they "burn up" the remains, leaving a few harmless chemicals as the by-product.

Of course, in the process of oxidizing, all of these oxidizers are reduced - so they lose their ability to further oxidize things. They may combine with other substances in the water, or their electrical charge may simply be "used up." To make sure that the chemical process continues to the very end, you must have a high enough concentration of oxidizer in the water to do the whole job.

But how much is "enough?" That's where the term potential comes into play.

"Potential" is a word that refers to ability rather than action. We hear it all the time in sports. ("That rookie has a lot of potential - he hasn't done anything yet, but we know that he has the ability to produce.)

Potential energy is energy that is stored and ready to be put to work. It's not actually working, but we know that the energy is there if and when we need it. Another word for potential might be pressure. Blow up a balloon, and there is air pressure inside. As long as we keep the end tightly closed, the pressure remains as potential energy. Release the end, and the air inside rushes out, changing from potential (possible) energy to kinetic (in motion) energy.

In electrical terms, potential energy is measured in volts. Actual energy (current flow) is measured in amps. When you put a voltmeter across the leads of a battery, the reading you get is the difference in electrical pressure - the potential - between the two poles. This pressure represents the excess electrons present at one pole of the battery (caused, incidentally, by a chemical reaction within the battery) ready to flow to the opposite pole.

When we use the term potential in describing ORP, we are actually talking about electrical potential or voltage. We are reading the very tiny voltage generated when a metal is placed in water in the presence of oxidizing and reducing agents. These voltages give us an indication of the ability of the oxidizers in the water to keep it free from contaminants

It can be complicated deciding which pool is best for your family. Many questions revolve around salt-water pools or chlorine free pools. Salt-water pools are NOT chlorine free pools. A salt-water pool is simply one that utilizes a chlorine generator. Chlorine generators have been around for decades. As technology and materials continue to evolve, chlorine generators continue to improve in performance.

Why Salt-Water?

Ocean water has a salt content of around 35,000 parts per million ("ppm"). Humans have a salt taste threshold of around 3,500 ppm. Most chlorine generators require a salt content of 2500 - 6000 ppm in the pool. A unit that needs less than 3500 ppm to operate effectively is optimal. If the salt content is higher, that warm, salty water will be pretty distasteful!

Swimming in a mild saline solution is much like taking a shower in soft water. Generally, when people swim in a non-chlorine generator pool (a pool with no salt water in it) they feel like their skin dries quicker upon exiting the pool. They may feel and/or see a whitish residual, chlorine flaking, on the skin. In a salt-water pool (one with a chlorine generator) the water feels smooth, your skin feels smooth and many people feel more refreshed.

What Does a Chlorine Generator Do?

A chlorine generator's main function is to produce chlorine for the pool so you do not have to buy it, store it or handle it. These are big advantages for many pool owners. Chlorine generators, when functioning correctly, produce chlorine constantly (when the pump is running) with most units. This keeps a residual of chlorine in the pool that prevents algae from growing. The secret is keeping the cell free of calcium and mineral deposits--the cell itself is made up of precious metals-it must be maintained so it can continue to make chlorine.

Through the process of electrolysis, water passing over the chlorine generator cell produces chlorine that is instantaneously transformed into Hypochlorous acid. When any type of chlorine is added to water it ALL makes the SAME thing: Hypochlorous acid. It does not matter if it is Sodium Hypochlorite (liquid chlorine), Tri-chlor and Di-chlor or Lithium based, Cal-hypo or even gas chlorine--it all makes Hypochlorous acid. Hypochlorous acid is the active sanitizer; this is what kills algae and other harmful stuff in the water. Its effectiveness is totally predicated on balanced water conditions and, more importantly, proper pH. So, with a salt water system or chlorine generator, you still must maintain your water balance (pool chemistry) properly. As long as you do this, a chlorine generator is a good choice.

Chlorine kills bacteria though a fairly simple chemical reaction. The chlorine solution you pour into the water breaks down into many different chemicals, including hypochlorous acid (HOCl) and hypochlorite ion (OCl^-). Both kill microorganisms and bacteria by attacking the lipids in the cell walls and destroying the enzymes and structures inside the cell, rendering them oxidized and harmless. The difference between HOCl and OCl^- is the speed at which they oxidize. Hypochlorous acid is able to oxidize the organisms in several seconds, while the hypochlorite ion may take up to 30 minutes.

Pools are a great way to relax and cool off. However, there is a non-glamorous side to having a pool – maintenance. It can be a tedious job, but it's also an important part of keeping your pool sparkling clean for years of enjoyment. The Pool Runner is happy to provide this information as a service to you.