BLOG

Routine maintenance of your pool is critical to the enjoyment of your pool. Even if you employ a service company to maintain your pool, there are steps that you need to take to ensure your pool is swim ready at all times:

1. Skim the surface: This should be done every few days. When debris falls to the bottom it can be harder to remove, so be sure to remove debris before it sinks to the bottom.
2. Empty the baskets: This will help lower the need for chlorine, thus saving you money. This task should be performed at least once per week and it may help to spray out and scrub the basket as well.
3. Maintain the water level: A lot of water is lost from your pool regularly. Whether it is due to evaporation or splashing and swimming, it is important to check the water levels regularly so they don’t get to low and compromise the pump. If levels do get low, you can quite simply use your garden hose to fill it back up.
4. Scrub the walls: Be sure to scrub the walls regularly to prevent calcium deposits and algae buildup. The kind of pool you have will dictate what kind of brush to use. For example, a stiffer brush can be used with a concrete pool, but if you have a fiberglass pool you should use a softer brush.
5. Check the pH: Make sure the pH in the water is between 7.2 and 7.8 to ensure safety for swimmers and that sanitizers are working.

Like many kids, your daughter loves the pool. She’s a blonde and you can’t seem to keep the green tint out of her hair. There could be two reasons this is happening – one is easily fixed, and more common, and the other is a more difficult (but luckily, less common) issue. Let’s start with the more common of the two – the presence of copper in your pool water.
Some people believe it is because chlorine is green and that it only happens to those with blonde hair. Neither of these beliefs is actually true. Pool water contains high concentrations of copper compounds that chemically interact with chlorine and can then bind to hair follicles. These copper compounds do not seek out or favor blonde hair. In fact, the compounds bind to hair of all colors. It is easier to see on blonde hair because it is so light.
One cause of copper buildup may be the corrosion of copper in your pool heater, if you have one, which can come up if you use chlorine or bromine to treat your pool. There is a solution for this. After testing your water for copper and once you know exactly how much copper is in your pool, you can treat your water with a double dose (for each 1 ppm of copper) of a quality mineral treatment. Something like phosphate-free liquid METALTRAP will do.
Another possibility as to why your child’s hair is turning green is the chlorine is reacting with his/her hair and/or hair products being used. Simply using ¼ to ½ cup of baking soda mixed with enough water to form a paste can be applied to the green areas of the hair, then rinse with clean water. Then, shampoo and condition as usual once her hair is free of the baking soda. This should help bleach the green (without damaging her hair) and return her hair to its natural color.
However, not all situations are equal and will be treated with these two solutions. Contact us today to schedule an appointment.

There are so many great reasons why swimming is good for your body. Here are just a few:
1. It incorporates both cardio and strength training into your workout, but it’s not hard on your joints.
Unless you’re cheating and touching the bottom of the pool during your workout, you have to be moving at all times or you’ll sink. Plus, because water is so much denser than air, it provides your muscles with constant resistance. Not to mention, you could have a crazy intense workout in the pool and be right back in the water the next day – because swimming is such a low-impact workout. So, not only is it good for injured athletes or those with fragile joints, it’s even great for those who want to work hard without feeling like their body has been through the ringer the next day
2. It’s great for your lungs, so it makes you a better runner.
Because we can’t breathe underwater, our body learns to use oxygen more efficiently when we’re swimming – adapting to take in more fresh air with every breath, and expel more carbon dioxide with every exhalation. This can allow for lower resting heart rates, lower blood pressure, and endurance capacity, which can make it easier to train for longer running exercises that require a lot of endurance.
3. It eases stress and makes you biologically younger.
We know that exercise in general produces endorphins that make you feel happy and energized, but swimming can boost your mood even more. When you’re underwater, you can’t hear or see much of anything, so the sensory overload that we experience on a daily basis is reduced significantly. Plus, according to a study done by Indiana University, even all the way up to your 70^th birthday, swimming can positively affect blood pressure, cholesterol levels, cardiovascular performance, central nervous system health, cognitive functioning, muscle mass, and blood chemistry, making frequent swimmers biologically up to 20 years younger than their actual age.

You’ve saved and sacrificed for it and now you have just had your very own pool installed. Congratulations! In more ways than one, owning a pool is like winning the lottery.  Upside: You have a beautiful oasis in your backyard to you can go enjoy.  Downside: Relatives, neighbors, “friends” from high school and distant cousins are coming out of the woodwork to swim in your pool.
So where do you start when it comes to rules?
Talk to your family about how you intend to use your pool.  Make sure everyone is on the same page as to whether the pool is open to everyone that asks or if it’s for family and close friends only. It might be best to keep your pool circle small to begin with and expand as you feel comfortable.
Also, work together as a family to determine and understand what the specific rules of the pool are so as others start to use the pool, everyone can explain them as new people begin to visit. Guests must mind their manners and respect the rules.
Safety is a major concern when owning a pool. Be sure you are well informed about the liability that you assume as the homeowner. It is important that you are fully aware and you should not hesitate or feel bad about telling people to stop acting recklessly if you are ultimately responsible, which includes asking/telling people to leave the pool area.
While having this new pool is a dream come true, ultimately there may be times you will have to law down the law (aka your rules). It is important to prepare yourself with these conversations with a focus on safety first!
Happy swimming!!!

Show your unique style with a custom blended LED lighting package.
Check out the video to see some of the lighting options you can select. Contact us to set up your consultation.

There is no single perfect temperature for pool water. The perfect temperature truly depends on what you are doing in the pool – whether it’s recreational or competitive – who is in the pool and even the air temperature. Typically, somewhere in the 80°F to 90°F range is comfortable. Something to also keep in mind is that algae and bacteria will thrive in warmer water, so it is important to ensure that you have a good balance of chemicals and temperature.

Public pools in Indiana are open Memorial Day through Labor Day but when is the right time to open your personal pool?  The quick answer is once temperatures are consistently 60° and higher, which typically happens in April. Some may think that the longer it is open the more work and the more cost but don’t discount the fact that the longer the pool is open the more time there is for fun and memories! So…if you haven’t opened your pool yet…it’s time to enjoy!
Have a question? Please use the “Contact Section” to submit a question about your pool or hot tub.

Pull out your color wheel and channel your inner artist while you create a custom lighting scheme for your pool. That’s right. Now you can blend different LED pool lights. Add a fresh and fun look to your new or existing pool that shows your style. Be one of the first families to transform their pool into a unique and colorful oasis.
Here’s an example…

Transform your pool today. Contact us: Sales@mudslingersinc.com or by calling 317-650-5131.
 

There are so many great benefits to having a pool when you have children. The convenience of being able to learn to swim in your own pool, at your home cannot be overstated. With family schedules as hectic as they are, being able to have someone come to your home and give swim lessons is definitely an advantage. Kids are more comfortable in their own surroundings, which can make learning to swim a much more pleasant experience.
Swimming is also great exercise. Whether you are swimming laps or just playing and having fun in the pool, being in the pool ensures you’re getting exercise. Playing basketball or volleyball in the pool, adds a new dimension of fun to those games. Not to mention, being in the pool gets kids outside in the fresh air and off their electronic devices.
Pool maintenance is also a fantastic teaching and bonding opportunity.  If kids take part in the fun times at the pool, they should also take part in the maintenance and upkeep of the pool. Make it a family affair!  Everybody has a pool chore to do and it can be time spent together, maybe even having fun.