Pools, Covers & Nets

Colourful and Graphic Pools  

A blue, sparkling pool can be the most welcoming respite in summer. Designers and artists alike have started to paint colourful pools in fun patterns to make them even more welcoming. Not only that, but we are seeing more pools tiled in different colours too. Beautiful mosaics have burst onto the scene and we are all here for it.   

The skillset involved is intricate and detailed – especially when it comes to painting a pool floor with steps and curves. Someone skilled in visual arts or design should be able to assist you.  

Artwork by Alex Proba courtesy of Dezeen

Graphic Hand-Painted Pools  

Designer Alex Proba hand-paints swimming pools with graphic murals, including the pools of two Palm Springs houses and a mural on the deck of a public pool on Manhattan’s Roosevelt Island. These three designs showcase Proba‘s signature shapes and playful use of colour. In South Africa, the trend has also caught on. Ettiene Hanekom Interiors recently did a pool for a client in Cape Town which made headlines.  

Pool and wall muralist duo from 13 Colours however, offers a bespoke range of designs to choose from. With a new collection that dropped recently, the team with a visual arts background and over 30 years of combined experience in fine art painting, offer clients a beautiful range to not only paint your pool floor but the walls, floors and ceilings of pretty much anything you can imagine.  

Mosaics and Tiled Pools  

Mosaic pools are classic and make you feel like you are officially on holiday. From geometrics and Moroccan inspired designs to pebbles and multicolored mosaic patterns, the options are endless if you are considering this. There are however a few cons when using tiled mosaics in a pool.   

Mosaic by Florida Pool Patio

Pool Spa advises “Often white or calcium deposits build up on the mosaics. Whatever the cause – be it efflorescence from the grouting or a calcium issue in the water, it is not easy to rectify without throwing off the pH balance of the whole pool.  The expansion and contraction of the pool from the weight of the water can cause the grout to loosen and the tiles to loosen in turn, and even fall off.  Be aware that direct and indirect sun bouncing off the tiles can cause a blinding effect. No one wants to go swimming if you can’t see. This aspect is especially a concern when glass mosaics are chosen”.  

 Get creative with your pool and get more ideas here. 

 

 

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Nature Friendly Eco Pools

Eco pools have been growing in popularity in recent years as homeowners and businesses look for a more natural alternative to chemical and salt chlorinated swimming pools. We spoke to Dr. Jerome Davis, Bioengineer and Director of EcoPools  about how eco pools work, how to convert to an eco pool and the types of plants most commonly used in and around a natural eco pool system. 

By Eco Pools

Going Green and Clean

The main difference between an eco pool and a chemical or salt chlorinated pool is how they are kept clean. A blue pool turning green is caused by the growth of algae in the water. Algae needs sunlight and nutrients to grow. Chemicals kill the algae to turn or keep the water blue. “…Blue death more like it… EcoPools are an alternative strategy that keep the water clean and healthy by using plants in an aquatic ecosystem to filter the nutrients out of the water that the algae need to feed on. The pools thus stay clean and free of algae without the use of chemicals.” Explained Jerome. 

Maintenance

According to Jerome, properly built eco pools require minimal monthly maintenance as the plant ecosystem maintains the water quality and the main maintenance from owners is more gardening focused. “The plants need to be kept trimmed and healthy. If skimmers or leaf traps are installed, they need to be cleaned out regularly. The bottom and sides of the pool might need to be brushed down and debris vacuumed from time to time. And check for caterpillars in season – they can decimate some of the soft leaved plants in a week…There is no monthly maintenance cost besides time spent in the garden.” Said Jerome. 

Picking Plants

“Water plants of all kinds are used in eco pools. Restios, reeds, papyrus species, red hot pokers, arums, water lilies, aquatic grasses and many others. We recommend indigenous plants, but where special textures or colours are required, non-indigenous species can also be considered if they are not declared alien weeds.” Suggested Jerome. 

Pros and Cons

The advantages of investing in an eco pool include: “exceptional water quality – so pure you can drink it; healthy swimming experience [in chemical-free water] – no red eyes or itchy skin; less electricity usage; minimal backwashing and thus waste of water – the little backwash water there is can be used in the garden; low maintenance and hassle; stable water quality; warmer water; all-year enjoyment of a beautiful natural feature; attracts wildlife and enhances the surrounding environment; reconnects us with nature and feeds our souls and a natural store of good quality water in times of drought.” Explained Jerome. 

“The main potential disadvantage of eco pools is that if not properly designed or installed, they can go horribly wrong: perpetually green water, long strands of filamentous algae, slimy bottoms and sides, a lot of maintenance, dying plants, excessive electricity bills, over-design and spending, cracked shells and leaks, etc. Eco pools are generally more expensive to create as well. The pools don’t need to be that much more expensive – our modular ‘EcoSplash!’ range is a little cheaper than a fiberglass pool of the same size.” Said Jerome. 

“If properly planned and executed the disadvantages are mainly perceptual: some people simply don’t like swimming in nature. They don’t like frogs or dragonflies or water snails, or mossy pool walls, or the sound of croaking at night or birds washing in the water. You know – nature…” Added Jerome. 

Chemical Conversion

Converting from a chemical or salt chlorinated pool to an eco pool is possible and there are a number of options to suit your needs and existing pool structure. “In order to convert a pool, one needs to establish a separate space for the planted ecosystem to be held where the plants and other elements of the ecosystem are kept away from the clean swimming zone.” Explained Jerome. 

Jerome suggests the following options for converting to an eco pool: 

“One can create the ‘EcoZone’ within the pool shell by building a dividing wall into the shell, or you can use our ‘EcoIsland’ floating wetland planters, which attach to the sides of the pool.” 

“A separate ‘EcoZone’ can be built outside of the pool shell by using a Firestone Ethylene Propylene Diene Monomer (EPDM) liner and pumps can be used to circulate the water between the pool and the ‘EcoZone’.” 

Timing

The timing of a build should always be considered before going ahead. According to Jerome, it can take up to three months for a built conversion. Their ‘EcoIsland’ conversion, as mentioned above, takes less than a week to install. Their modular ‘EcoSplash!’ splash pool takes three days to install from “…hole dug to plants in.” 

“…EcoPools are something very special. There is a wonderful relationship that starts to build between a family, or a hotel, and their EcoPools.” Concluded Jerome. 

If you would like more information and guidance, visit the EcoPools website .

 

Read more in our latest Digital Magazines!

Johannesburg

Pretoria

Cape Town

Durban

Vaal Triangle

Bloemfontein

Read more in our latest Digital Magazines!

Johannesburg

Pretoria

Cape Town

Durban

Vaal Triangle

Bloemfontein

Temporary Water Storage with Rent a Bladder

The reality is this. We are running out of water and that is because we waste so much of it every day. Despite that, water in South Africa is in great demand, and as the human population increases with its increasing needs for survival, the greater the water demand.  Water storage is vital at this stage as we cannot afford to waste any of it. For example, many people dump all the water from their pool when a repair is due. Instead of wasting all that water, you can use a temporary water storage system like Rent a Bladder to keep the water until you are ready to pump it back into the pool. Thousands of Rands will be saved and you’ll be helping the planet too! 

The Solution 

Rent a Bladder was established to directly address the need to save large volumes of water when maintenance on pools, ponds and reservoirs is being done. Owned by Johan Terblanche and Gene Crick – and a new branch owned and operated by Cornel Pentz, Rent a Bladder has become a popular brand for water storage solutions.” 

How It Works 

During any renovation where water is kept in large volumes, Rent a Bladder offers an easy solution to the water waste usually associated with this type of renovation. This is achieved by pumping water into collapsible water bladders on-site (up to one-million litres) to save water, time and provide a value-added service. 

A large variety of water bladder sizes makes the job easier and the service more convenient. Rent a Bladder also offers a variety of delivery options, ranging from their DIY package to a full delivery option for a stress-free solution. 

See Rent a Bladder’s fee structure here. 

The Team 

Cornel realised there was a need to offer customers who live further from the big cities the same exceptional service at a more convenient location. 

Rent a Bladder services the entire Gauteng and outlying areas, with Cornel’s branch, Rent a Bladder South, focussing on the Eastern and Southern suburbs of Gauteng up to and including Springs, Middelburg and the Vaal Driehoek. 

According to Cornel, “There are very few practical options available to keep your water while working on your reservoir or pool. We will make it simple and safe. If you go for the delivery options, you get our stellar customer service where we take care of the tricky setups”. 

Get Started 

If you live in and around Johannesburg and are looking for a short-term solution to water storage, it’s probably time to get in touch with Rent a Bladder. With a brand that is expanding faster than ever – especially in the East and South of Johannesburg, they are not only a convenient option but a popular one too! 

Fast Facts about short-term water storage: 

• Save water – the entire capacity of your pool does not need a refill.
• Save time – they can drain and refill in a day.
• Save money – avoid costly municipal bills.
• Stress-free – go for their comprehensive delivery option and they take care of everything! 

Contact Cornel on 062 492 9502 or email him at cornel@rentabladder.co.za 

Visit Rent a Bladder on Facebook and Instagram  

Saltwater Pools

Pool Covers: Save Energy, Water and Money

Great Outdoor Entertainment Areas

An outdoor entertainment area is ideal in warm climates like South Africa. Before the winter comes, find some HOMEMAKERS inspiration to get your outdoor entertainment area ready for the colder months. A lovely outdoor space is great all year round and can bring months of joy to you and your family. 

Outdoor entertainment areas are about functionality and space. When the time comes for you to design, build and decorate your own outdoor space, you will have endless options to choose from. Here are a few tips to get your outdoor entertainment area guest-ready!

Go Green

Plant a selection of herbs and plants close to or in and around your entertainment area. This makes it easy to grab a few fresh herbs and use their flowers and leaves for seasoning and cocktails. Want to jazz up those lamb sosaties? Grab a few sprigs of rosemary. Need a little extra zing for your dressing? A ripe lemon from your lemon tree will do the trick.

Make it Functional 

Having a functional space where you cook food and entertain people is essential. Create a space where people can do more than just stand around a braai. Start with well-crafted, outdoor furniture. Later you can include a games area and if it suits your lifestyle, a TV or an audio-visual system to watch the game too!

Ventilation and Lighting

A great outdoor entertainment area will require an outdoor kitchen or built-in braai. This requires good ventilation and lighting. You will need a good chimney installed to ensure the majority of smoke stays out of the way. An extraction fan to assist in ventilation, especially with an indoor, built-in type of setup is crucial. 

Lighting is really important. Invest in eco-friendly, overhead lighting where you can prepare food and drinks for your guests confidently!

Create the ultimate outdoor area by finding the most suitable experts right here on HOMEMAKERS.

Home Spa Design Inspiration

Home spas are a luxury through and through. From steam baths to head-to-toe shower jets and your own massage room, this type of luxury is something to invest.

Eco-Friendly Pools

If you are considering building a new pool this summer you have to think of ways to make your pool eco-friendly.

There can be no compromise on pool safety

I have had a dreadful experience of my son nearly drowning. We visited friends and they have a large swimming pool which is not covered. The children were playing around the pool, throwing toys into it and running up & down. We weren’t really worried, as we knew that we were sitting very close to the pool. There we were, 4 adults sitting outside chatting specifically about drowning and pool safety, when I heard a splash. I thought one of the children had thrown a toy in the pool, as they had been throwing the toys in the swimming pool a while back and the splash was soft. We carried on talking, when one of the adults shouted: “Oh my word! Jeadan is in the pool!”

I froze – I could not move. I saw everything in slow motion…the way he went under the water, coming up from underneath the water – gasping for air…then back under the water again. My husband reacted quickly and jumped into the pool and took him out. I ran closer and could see he was struggling to breathe as he must’ve swallowed a lot of water. My immediate reaction was to pat him on the back, and he started coughing up the water that he had swallowed. Only now after this do I understand how 69% of children who drown are under some sort of supervision at the time. This is how quickly it can happen.

Out of 4 adults present at the time, only one heard the splash, and did not react to it. Out of 4 adults present only one noticed my child in the pool. He could so easily have drowned. I can only thank God for saving him – it could’ve been worse!

A child is a 100 times more likely to be killed by a swimming pool than by a loaded firearm. You would be horrified if you see a loaded firearm lying on a table in your house with kids playing around it? Why don’t you have the same reaction when you see an unprotected pool, since we know the pool is a much bigger threat?

Drowning is one of the leading causes of death in children under the age of five, third only to car accident and burns. A swimming pool is a wonderful way for a family to socialise and relax but there is always an inherent danger present. It is every pool owner’s responsibility to ensure that there swimming pool is safely secured to prevent accidents and there are many ways to go about securing a swimming pool: a safety net, a pool fence, a pool cover – Any of these options is worth considering if it means that a child cannot gain access to the pool without adult supervision. Each option has its pros and cons.

The swimming pool safety net was first invented in Zimbabwe in 1972, 42 years ago. Since then the safety net has saved countless lives. It is a simple cost effective way to secure a swimming pool and does not detract from the aesthetic of the pool, still allowing a view of the pool water. Pool safety nets have developed over the years and are generally fitted with a central tension system and float which assists the user to fit and remove the net with minimal effort. A safety net can be operated by one person and should not take more than 3 minutes to remove on an average size pool and no more than 5 minutes to replace. It offers an exceptional degree of safety with zero reported drowning on an installed safety net in over 40 years.

A safety net is a versatile option that can be custom fitted to any size or shape pool. It is designed with an open mesh so that a crawling baby or toddler will be supported off the water on the netting should they fall into the pool and their arms and legs will become entrapped in the netting preventing forward movement on the net. It is uncomfortable and will normally result in the child crying and alerting an adult’s attention. A crawling baby will be suspended off the water. As children age and get heavier and more mobile they may come into contact with the water but will be able to push themselves up and away from the water. Safety nets have an expected lifespan of 6 -8 years in the sun and are the most cost effective way to go about securing a swimming pool with an excellent track record in drowning prevention.

Aqua-Net Pool Covers & Nets

Another option for securing a swimming pool is the solid safety cover. This is a cover manufactured from PVC and supported in place by poles at regular intervals across the pool. The solid safety cover uses minimal fittings and attachments and is ratcheted into place and kept under tension. Designed to support the weight of two adults and a child it also helps keep the pool clean and free of leaves and debris reduces water evaporation and chemical use. The solid safety cover is not as versatile as the safety net and can only be used on certain pool shapes and sizes. The fitted cover is rather heavy and requires two people to fit and remove. It does however provide a high degree of safety and there are less fittings and components on the paving surround.

It offers more functionality in that it helps reduce maintenance and running costs. It is more expensive than a traditional safety net however with a lifespan of 4- 5 years. The solid safety cover is another excellent way to secure a pool.

A third option for swimming pool safety is a pool fence. Pool fencing is traditionally made using galvanised steel. Alternatives now exist made from materials such as fabric, wood, plastic and glass. The main requirement being that any pool fence should be a minimum of 1,2m high. It should offer no means for a child to climb over or under the fence. It should be a smooth vertical surface secured into the ground and include a self-closing lockable gate.

Aqua-Net Pool Fences

Pool fencing provides a means to secure the area that a pool is in rather than the pool itself. Many people feel that a fence provides a higher degree of safety than a net, but many drownings still happen in pools that are fenced. The main benefit of a pool fence is that there is no fitting and removal required to access the pool. As with all the safety products available, pool fencing will require regular maintenance but depending on the material used in its construction should last in excess of ten years.

Parental supervision is the most important step, but it can and does fail. No one can watch an active toddler every moment of every day. The annoying neighbour rings the doorbell to borrow milk (again), your burning dinner sets the fire alarm off, your seven year old runs inside with a bloody nose, you drop a frozen pork chop on your toe – distractions happen. It only takes minutes for your life to be turned upside down forever. The solution is to implement layers of protection. It is important to always remember that any safety product is only ever a back-up to adult supervision. A safety net or cover when in use offers the best levels of protection. When off the pool, users are generally aware and take greater steps to monitor and supervise children in their care.

The cover or net is replaced once the pool is vacated. Fencing offers a more constant security system but can result in a false sense of security. A child may access the pool area through an unlocked/open gate or climb over or under the fence. A layered approach to safety is key with the implementation of at least two safety measures to protect the pool. The more layers you have, the safer your pool area. Supervise, limit access to the pool area, cover the pool, swimming lessons, etc. All of these layers should be in place. If there is a lapse in supervision, for whatever reason, each layer must fail before a drowning can occur.

Always designate at least one adult as being responsible when children at play around an unprotected pool. If the person needs to leave his or her post, a physical hand-over/changing of the guard should take place. Have a Pool Safety hat, shirt, stick or whatever you prefer. This way there can be no confusion that Mom thinks Dad’s watching, Dad thinks Mom’s watching and nobody is actually watching as another child drowns. 

A safety net or any pool cover can never be a substitute for adult supervision. It is there to provide a last line of safety should a child wander off unsupervised. It only takes seconds for a child to drown. Drowning is a silent killer.

In South Africa in 2012 Netcare reported that they attended to 218 drownings or near drownings. That statistic is from just one Emergency response operator. Child safe a NGO reports that 326 children drown every year because an adult turned their back! The Medical Research council has released statistics that over 3000 people died from drowning in the past 5 years. More than one death by drowning every day of the year.

Take your child for professional swimming lessons at an early stage and take the time to learn CPR and accident procedures. If not your own child, you may be able to save someone else’s.

The suddenness of this type of accident and the results it yields is devastating. When you think pool safety, think hard core. Even if this is not your personality, you must be an absolute dictator.

THERE CAN BE NO COMPROMISE ON POOL SAFETY.

Be the adult – supervise and establish a pool safety protocol in your home today!

How to get the most out of your swimming pool

Spring is finally here and your swimming pool may already be beckoning you to take a dip. Whether you have already taken a traditional Spring day swim or you are waiting for the water and weather to warm up a bit more, here are five ways to ensure your pool is at its best this season.

Daily Swimming pool Clean

Doing small tasks like clearing leaves from the surface of your pool will stop dirt in its tracks. Scrub the sides of your pool weekly to stop algae build-up and invest in an automatic pool cleaner that will help keep the pool floor clean.

Tennis Anyone?

A simple trick to keep your swimming pool clean is to throw a tennis ball or two into the water. The balls fuzzy exterior will absorb any oils from your skin, hair, suntan oil and sunblock. That means no more oily layer on the top of your pool.

Swimming pool Shock Treatment

Shocking your swimming pool should be done at least twice a season. This is done by raising the chlorine levels much higher than normal to kill any bacteria. It’s the best way to nurse a cloudy pool back to health but should be done in moderation.

Pros know best

Owning a swimming pool is a serious maintenance commitment and you may sometimes need a little professional help. Get your pool checked annually by a professional who can do a thorough clean and make sure the system is in full working order. You can also opt for weekly or monthly pool maintenance to guarantee your pool is sparkly all year round.

Better Luck Next Year

If you don’t already, learn how to winterise your swimming pool. Maintaining your pool during autumn and winter means less work when spring and summer arrive next year. Invest in a quality pool cover to keep debris out and use a water testing kit to ensure the chemical levels are correct. Remove any excess water from the pipes to prevent bacteria growth while the pool is not in use. You’ll thank yourself next year.

Enjoy hours of fun in and around the pool this summer by setting aside a few minutes daily to take care of it.

Find a swimming pool expert in HOMEMAKERS today.