Latest from Pools by Bradley - Pools By Bradley

Draining Pools That Are Too Full

Here in the Orlando and Central Florida area, we are accustomed to heavy rains, especially those late afternoon storms during the summer and fall months. Most of the time these storms are welcomed, as a good rain usually cools down the temperature and provides our lawns and landscaping a much needed watering. Hurricane season has also just begun, meaning we are more susceptible to perhaps seeing some big storms. When strong storms like tropical depressions or hurricanes do hit, they can dump too much rain on our property, including excessive water being “dumped” into our pools. But what do you do when your pool’s water level gets too high? Plus, exactly how high is too high? Here’s what you need to know about draining your pool, when to be concerned, and how you can lower your pool’s water level. Draining Your Pool to Lower the Water Level Accumulation of excess water is one of the largest problems caused by heavy rains and is the cause of multiple problems. When your pool overflows, it can lead to debris and extra runoff in your pool and can also flood your pool equipment like the filters and pumps (an essential and expensive component to your outdoor recreational space). Even if your pool doesn’t overflow, yet the water rises enough from a heavy rain, your surface skimmer will no longer effectively skim the surface debris into the skimmer basket and draining it back to the correct level is necessary. If you know a hurricane Read the full article...

common problems and solutions for pavers around your pool

Good Information You Need to Know About Paver Decks

You’ve done your research on pool decking options and have decided to go with a paver deck. Pavers are typically made from stone, brick or concrete and their design can be as intricate or as simple as you want. One of the benefits of going with pavers is that they can be easily removed and replaced if you need work on the plumbing underneath or one cracks or breaks. They are very durable, non-slip and weather resistant – perfect for the deck on your outdoor oasis. As your pool deck ages, however, you may start to notice a few common paver deck problems – like sand being tracked in your house or pool, mold growth and ants. Although still one of our favorite decking options, there are things you can do to correct these problems. Here’s what you need to know. Problem #1: Sand tracked into the pool & house When pavers are installed, they are laid on top of a sand bed, then secured in place with sand that is added to the top of the pavers and compacted until the joints stay filled. As time passes and the pavers settle, you might start to notice that this sand is making its way into your pool or even being tracked into your house. A way to prevent this is having a “sand lock” applied over your pavers after they are installed. This product is made of fine granules of sand and polymeric adhesive that hardens after being exposed to Read the full article...

enhancing your pool with special features

Adding Enhancements to Your Pool Design

Adding enhancements to your back-yard pool design can add stimulation, soothing sights and sounds, plus can engage your senses to result in a more enjoyable experience for you and your family. When building your pool and choosing to add some special features such as water fountains, fire elements or enhanced lighting effects, it’s extremely important to take into consideration the proportion and scale of the enhancements in comparison to the size of your pool and your yard. If the new pool is a part of your new home construction, it’s easiest to add these features during the design process, as opposed to adding them on later. This way you make absolutely sure that everything flows correctly with the layout of your backyard oasis. If you’re adding features onto an existing pool, you’ll want to make sure you know the shape of your pool (geometric, free-form, infinity, etc.) and the materials that your pool is built with in order to add a feature that blends in with your existing design. Also, unless you are adding a very basic feature, you’ll definitely want to hire an experienced and qualified pool builder, plumber, electrician or pool technician to install your pool’s enhancements correctly. Pools by Bradley offers numerous options when it comes to enhancements to your pool design! From water features to fire elements, we also have entertainment options that can be added in order to enhance the recreational time that you will be spending in your new outdoor environment. Some examples of Read the full article...

Choosing a Pool Contractor in Central Florida

How to Choose the Best Contractor to Build Your Pool

For those who love to swim, the idea of having a pool in your own back yard is a wonderful one. It’s a bit like fulfilling a personal dream. You can envision spending your summer in the backyard, cooking out and enjoying a few drinks with friends and family while the kids splash and play in the pool. When you decide to make this dream into a reality, it’s important that you follow the appropriate steps in finding the right pool contractor to build your pool, so that your dream doesn’t become a nightmare. You want the pool of your dreams to be built with as little headache as possible, and in order to accomplish that, you need to make sure that you choose the best contractor possible. The best way to start your search is by asking your friends, family and neighbors who have built pools about their experience and if they’d recommend the contractor that they had used or not. Once you have a list of potential contractors started, you’ll want to narrow it down to a final 2 or 3 builders to get quotes from. Here are some things to take into consideration to help make sure that you are selecting the right pool contractors to interview to make your dream come true. Things to Consider When Selecting a Pool Contractor Check out their place of business. When you walk in, do you feel comfortable? Is it a professional atmosphere where the employees are professional and friendly? Read the full article...

Pool Decking Options

As you’re designing your dream pool, one of the most important aspects of the design will be your decision what deck size and deck material will be used. There are many choices for decking, all of which are based on factors such as cost, appearance, size of area and typical use. The main rule when choosing pool decks is to purchase as much as you can afford once you make your final decision. The main reason for this being that it is more cost effective and easier to add square footage while you are building. Deciding to add more deck later will definitely cost you extra, not to mention having to give up your back yard again plus the potential of the decking you choose no longer being available. This is often easier said than done seeing as you have a budget to stick to and adding a few thousand dollars on additional decking isn’t in the cards. So you have to decide if you’re going to go for a larger deck using less expensive material, or a smaller deck using a more expensive option. It comes down to personal choice and is a decision you have to make for yourself. When exploring the pool decking options that are available to you here in Central Florida and the Orlando Metropolitan area, please keep in mind that we here at Pools By Bradley try to educate our clients that they should perhaps stay away from the stamped concrete, exposed aggregate, brushed concrete Read the full article...

Ways to Make Your Pool Energy Efficient

People may be discouraged from investing in a pool or renovating a pool due to all the costs to run and maintain it. Just thinking about operating the heaters, pumps, brushing and balancing chemicals can cause heads to spin at the thought of the drain on time and resources. However, there are quite a few effective steps you can take that will make your pool work more efficiently and use less energy. 1) Start with Building Smart If you’re starting from scratch and building a new pool, location is key. You want to make sure you pick the sunniest part of your yard as this will help keep your pool water heated naturally. If it’s in your budget, installing solar energy panels to heat your pool is the most energy-efficient way you can keep your pool water warm almost year round at minimal cost to you. You’ll also want to choose a place in your yard where your pool will be protected from the wind, e.g. by the house, a shed or you can build a windbreak fence. If the wind over the surface of the pool reaches even 7 miles per hour, it can cause a spike in your energy consumption by upwards of 300%! 2) Install Automatic Timers There is great value in getting automatic timers for your pool heater as well as your pump. This allows you to run them in short cycles instead of having equipment run continuously for long periods of time throughout the day. Read the full article...

The Great Debate: Salt Water vs Chlorine Pools

If you’ve decided to put in a new pool, one of the topics that you’ll come across in your research are pool sanitation systems. There are about five popular pool sanitation methods, but the two most common are chlorine and salt. There’s quite a lot to consider when selecting the right sanitation system for your new pool – from health impacts to maintenance time to price – so it’s important to know each system’s pros and cons. The main question is “what is the difference between chlorine and salt water pools and is one preferred over the other?” While both are methods to sanitize pools, the only difference between them is how the chlorine is generated – one using chlorine tablets and the other using a chlorine generator, otherwise known as salt water. If you’re researching pool sanitation options and are thinking of switching your pool to salt water, or you’re a first-time pool owner, the decision to go with one over the other depends on what makes sense for your personal life style and personal preference. Here’s everything you need to know about salt water pools vs chlorine pools. Salt Water Pools Contrary to popular belief, it is important to realize that a salt water pool IS a chlorinated pool. By having a saltwater pool system, you are not eliminating chlorine from your pool, rather you are electrically converting pool salt into chlorine. That is why you may have seen or heard the term “salt water chlorination” when researching Read the full article...

How much evaporation is normal for my pool?

Evaporation: How Much is Normal?

As the summer heat continues to climb here in Central Florida, you may notice your pool’s water level going down. This begs the question “How much evaporation is normal?” Having this information will help you figure out if the decreasing level of your pool water is in fact due to evaporation or if you may possibly have a leak. Typically, an uncovered swimming pool loses approximately a quarter-inch of water everyday. If your pool is covered, it will most likely lose less on a daily basis if you cover it at night. Other factors that affect water evaporation in Central Florida: Air temperature and sun exposure Hail storms and rain Wind velocity Humidity Another important factor that affects water evaporation in our pools is tropical storms and hurricanes. Although Central Florida’s weather is known to be sunny and warm, we are in the hurricane belt. As these strong tropical storms come through they bring heavy wind and intense humidity, affecting evaporation. Tropical Storm Weather A lot of times in Florida – especially during hurricane season – we know when we’re going to be expecting heavy rain. Once you know, its important to prepare your pool to reduce debris, flooding and excessive evaporation. It is the high winds and dry weather that can cause higher evaporation. Your pool will potentially lose more water to evaporation when the humidity drops and the weather is windy. On the flip side, high humidity will cause less pool water evaporation. Sun and Wind Sometimes all Read the full article...

Pool Friendly Plants

You have the pool of your dreams, but now it’s time to think about the landscape around your pool. Enhancing your pool area with plants and flowers adds depth and color to the landscape and can also provide privacy, shade and wind protection. You may already have your favorite plants in mind, however, they may not be the best choice when grown around or near a chlorinated or saltwater pool. Plants that are “pool-friendly” need to be able to survive and thrive in semi-to-full sunlight, be wind tolerant (due to the typical exposed nature of pool decks), as well as be able to hold up to the occasional chlorine or salt exposure from splashing. Regardless of your pools design (free form, geometric, lap or infinity), you want to choose the right plants, trees and shrubs for your outdoor pool area, saving you money, time and effort in the long run. Determining your Landscape Design Before starting your garden, you want to have a well thought out design plan. There are many options to do this yourself, such as website research, books or gardening courses; or you can hire a professional. If you choose to hire a landscaping company to plan out your outdoor space, make sure you do your research and make sure they’re licensed and recommended. Remember, you are protecting your investment! Here are some things to consider when designing your landscape: Personal Taste. Do you like a formal or informal setting? Do you prefer simple, clean lines or Read the full article...

Choosing a Licensed Pool Maintenance Company

After Pools by Bradley helps you build the pool of your dreams, it’s extremely important to protect your investment by properly taking care of your pool. You can to do this on your own, or hire a pool servicing company. Choosing a pool servicing company to take care of and maintain your pool seems like it would be an easy decision. Daily, we see numerous advertisements or flyers in our mailboxes for a variety of different pool service companies and they all send the same message: hiring a professional pool company is important and their company is the best. However, this advertising can be very misleading as some companies claim to be the best for weekly service and repairs when they are not actually licensed to do so. Many companies only hold a CPO certificate but not a contractors license (which is required to fix or repair pools in Florida) leaving homeowners at risk for hiring unlicensed workers to take care of and service their pools. Here is what you need to know before choosing a pool service and maintenance company: Certificate vs License Certificate: Currently Florida law allows a company that holds an occupational tax certificate to to clean and chemically treat a residential pool. A state license is not required. These companies holding this certificate cannot legally fix or replace plumbing and equipment, nor repair, remodel or build. All they are allowed to do is clean and adjust chemicals; however, a lot of them don’t follow this rule. Read the full article...

Heavy Rains Can Throw Off Pool Chemistry

Here in Florida, rainy season has begun and it almost seems like it’s never going to end! Has it ever been this rainy as well as cloudy for this long in Central Florida? With all of this rain coming down on us, Mother Nature is also throwing a wrench at maintaining our pools and/or spas. While regular maintenance of our pools makes sure our water is safe and clean, rain is definitely an aspect of nature you should be concerned about when it comes to your outdoor water features. It is a fact that our pools and spas chemistry can be affected by rain in many ways – both good and bad. Rainfall’s Effect on Water Chemistry If you’re in charge of maintaining your pool, you know that water chemistry is extremely important. If the correct chemical levels are not maintained, the pool may become unsafe and you won’t be able to use it (the thought! *gasp*). Some rain may be acidic, therefore affecting both the alkaline levels and the pH of your pool water. When heavy rains fall that have a pH balance of about 5.0, it can lower the pH balance of your pool – which should stay at a balance of between of 7.4 to 7.6. On the flip side, there are benefits to heavy rain fall, such as the dilution of chemicals that you cannot treat with other chemicals (such as stabilizer and calcium). Unfortunately, we, nor Mother Nature, can pick and choose which chemicals will Read the full article...

May is National Water Safety Month

Did you know that May is National Water Safety Month? As the warmer weather is upon us, more and more people will be looking to dive in and enjoy their swimming pools to cool off so there’s no better time to celebrate National Water Safety Month than May! From home pools and spas, to water parks and resorts, to public swimming and water recreation facilities, everyone should be enjoying the refreshing water – but being “safety aware” is the best way to celebrate and enjoy! Some Steadfast Rules to Always Follow When Enjoying Your Swimming Pool: ALWAYS Supervise Children Children should never be allowed to swim unsupervised by adults anywhere. MedlinePlus (Health Information from the National Library of Medicine) reports that drownings can happen quickly and silently in as little as 2 inches of water. The CDC reports that most accidental drownings of children ages 1 to 4 occur in residential pools and most of those victims were reported being seen within the home less than five minutes prior while in the care of at least one parent. Adults who are supervising children should remain alert, vigilant and never turn away or get distracted, not even for a moment. Do Not Swim During Thunderstorms Never swim during a thunderstorm. Exit the water immediately when you hear thunder. Lightning often strikes water and water conducts electricity. If you swim and lightning strikes, you are risking serious injury or death. Avoid Diving Headfirst Do not dive headfirst into shallow or murky water, or Read the full article...

Pools by Bradley New Web site is Now Live

Our New Website Is Live!

Everyone here at Pools By Bradley is pleased to announce that our newly redesigned web site has been published and is now live! The previous design, although showing the visitor the extremely fun nature of our company culture, did not reflect the extremely unique and custom design capabilities that we are able to offer Central Florida homeowners. We do our very best here to create “one of a kind” pools for every one of our clients, pools that are individually designed for their home and unique to each home owner’s lifestyle. Our New Blog Now that we have the ability to create blog posts, we encourage you to check back regularly to see updates on our pools being built, tips and suggestions for both building and maintaining a new pool, plus what’s happening with our company! As always, feel free to contact us online now or call us Monday through Thursday from 8AM to 5PM & Friday from 8AM to 4PM, at (407) 323-7946. We would also love it if you like us on Facebook! To all of our wonderful clients and customers – Thanks again for choosing us to build your pool! To all of our future customers – Thank you for your interest in our company and we look forward to helping you build the pool of your dreams!