The decision to build a pool is a big one, and building a pool is a big job! It is something that takes time and the process can be tedious, but the more informed you are, the easier it is for everyone. You’ll be giving up your backyard for a good chunk of time, around 10-14 weeks once the pool shell is shot, but we promise to keep you informed of our progress throughout the project. Our goal is to deliver you a pool as quickly as possible without compromising quality. So, what exactly should you be expecting to happen once you pull the trigger to build your dream pool with Pools by Bradley? Take a look at the steps below to learn about each phase involved in the process of building your new pool from start to finish. Project Design and Approval The very first thing you will do is have a meeting with one of our expertly trained design consultants. It is during this meeting that your design consultant will find out what exactly you are looking for, your design preferences, and get an overall idea of your vision. Every one of our clients has different tastes and we design pools specifically for each of our customers. One of our technicians will also take a detailed survey of the proposed area where your pool will be built as well as take dimensions of your home and lot. They will also examine positioning, look for any building setbacks, note Read the full article…
Many people wonder what time of year is the best for building a new swimming pool. The answer is really anytime! However, here in Central Florida, fall and winter are the ideal seasons for building a pool especially when considering our weather. Here are some of the reasons now is the time to pull the trigger on building your dream pool. Your Pool Will Be Ready for Pool Season The excitement of your very first pool party is felt among all new pool owners. Inevitably, there will be some delays (inspections, weather, electricians); however, it is safe to say that if you start construction on your new pool in the fall or winter, it will be ready by the start of pool season. Pools by Bradly’s construction time from once the pool shell is shot is 10-14 weeks. This puts you at the perfect spot to have your very first pool party by the first day of summer! Plus, if you want to add patio furniture or pool games, fall is a good time to find them on sale. Avoid Weather Delays & Messes It’s a fact that fall and winter weather is much calmer than the spring and summer weather here in Central Florida. The storms that roll through in spring and summer can be detrimental to keeping on schedule with pool construction. In fact, according to the Weather Atlas, from May to mid-September, Orlando is hot and rainy with high rainfall averaging between 3.6″ and 7.3″ – the Read the full article…
In many areas of the country, the summer months are when pool season is in full swing; however, here in Central Florida, we are typically able to enjoy our pools in Spring and into Fall. That doesn’t mean that the pool is the right temperature for everyone. Many times, kids will jump in the pool when the water is well below any temperature that is comfortable for an adult. So why not extend the pool season, backyard barbecues and get-togethers with family and friends? You can do this by installing a pool heater or heat pump! The benefit of an extended pool season is just one of the many pluses to heating your swimming pool in the winter months, and even during the summer months! Not only will you add many hours to your recreational time, but you also have a great venue for low-impact exercise. Here are just some of the many benefits to installing a heater to your swimming pool. Benefits of Installing a Pool Heater Comfortable Swimming Season Even in the summer months, heating your pool water makes for a more comfortable swim season. Depending upon your pool’s location, the amount of shade over it and if there is a pool cage around it, swimming pool water may only reach around 75 degrees. The ideal swimming pool water temperature for most people is between 82 and 84 degrees. This temperature can fluctuate further naturally due to inclement weather, which we are all used to here in Florida Read the full article…
When building a pool, we see many people add spas to their design for a variety of reasons. Some may want a spa to relax in at the end of the day, others for the sheer enjoyment of it. Whatever the reason, there are actually a lot of health benefits to pool spas, both mental and physical. Here are a few of the benefits you’ll get out of adding a spa onto your dream pool. Better Sleep Quality sleep plays an important role in your overall health and well-being. In fact, it has been proven that maintaining a regular sleep schedule that provides quality REM sleep benefits not only your mind but also your body. It improves your immune system, rejuvenates your muscles, increases your metabolism and heightens mental alertness. So how does this tie into owning a spa? According to the National Sleep Foundation, your body will ease into sleep easier with a drop in body temperature. By raising your body temperature in a spa before bed, your body temperature will be regulated to a comfortably warm level that helps in falling asleep longer and staying asleep. Just make sure you don’t use the spa too close to when you plan on crawling into bed. Soak in your spa about 90 minutes before you plan to go to bed for around 20-30 min. This allows for your body temperature to increase and then have time to drop and ease you into a long night’s sleep. Exercise & Lower Blood Read the full article…
Maintaining Your Pool During the Winter Months As the holiday’s approach, winter maintenance for your swimming pool is probably not the main topic on many people’s minds. You also may, or may not have, heard of “winterizing” your pool. That’s because the term has different meanings depending upon where you live. In the northern states, it is somewhat common practice to drain and cover a swimming pool as the winter months approach to prevent pipes from freezing. In Florida, however, there is an entirely different set of important steps to keep our pools properly maintained year-round. The following is a list of the top four things that every Central Florida pool owner should do to maintain their swimming pools during the winter months and the beginning of the spring season. Continue to Clean Your Pool Maintaining your cleaning routine, even if you’re using your pool less or not at all, is still very important during the winter months. Leaves continue to fall this time of the year, so debris traps can become clogged and dirt can build up, obstructing your pool’s filtration system. Old leaves can also cause stains on the sides and floor of your pool and promote algae growth, both of which increase your effort and costs when swim season comes back around. Continue to keep your filter clean, use a leaf skimmer to remove debris and leaves from the pool’s surface and clean up any sunken debris with a pool vacuum. Your pool and your wallet will Read the full article…
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…
People may be discouraged from investing in 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. You can time the Read the full article…
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…
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…
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…
