A hot tub installation is not very difficult if you plan for it and have the requisite preparation. Here are a few tips to help you select a spot to install the hot tub.

The hot tub or spa will be considerably heavy. The surface you place it on must be structurally sound because it has to support not only the hot tub, but also the weight of the people who will use it. An unsound or an uneven surface can damage the hot tub and make the warranty void.

Placing a hot tub outdoors

• When placing the hot tub or spa outdoors, ensure that the area has adequate drainage, so that rainwater does not accumulate around the spa.
• The surface should be leveled before you fill water into the spa.
• Make sure that the machine can access circuit panels and a power source.
• There should be enough space to service the machine.

If you plan to install the hot tub on the ground, place it near a walkway or build a perimeter boardwalk so that debris does not collect in the tub. You can build a walkway with concrete, paver stones, or even gravel.

Setting up a hot tub or a spa indoors

Before setting up a hot tub or a spa indoors, make sure that the space is properly ventilated so that moisture can escape. You can install a bathroom fan to avoid condensation. When building a new room, consider having a floor drain. Water may splash out and you would not want water to pool on the floor. The floor should also give a good grip to the feet.

Many people who own individual houses have built their own backyard escapes where they can retire to eat a meal, take a nap in a hammock, or just to breathe in fresh air. But if you are thinking about entertaining guests, it will need more effort. Here are a few pointers.

Basics for an outdoor social setting

When you get the basics right, half your work is done. The first step is to create a shelter to protect your guests from the blazing sun, rain, or wind. A simple option is a summer house. These are cheap and easy to install. If you want something classy, you can install a gazebo. If you do not have space for a permanent structure, think about installing a canopy or a shade sail.

Garden umbrellas

If you are planning to have an eating area in your garden, a cantilever parasol can be useful. If the area is small, a brolly can help.

Seating arrangements

A social setting in the outdoors is not complete without a dining table and chairs. You have a number of choices here. For example, metal bistro or woven rattan chairs can be used. Make sure that the furniture is able to handle rough weather. Wooden furniture is also a good option, but the wood should be sourced from a sustainable forest. Alternatively, you can choose wire-work seating or metal too.

Facilities for cooking

To cook food quickly, you can install a gas barbeque. You can even install a simple cooking pot with a tripod and grill or a BBQ complete with electric rotisserie, warming rack, and stainless steel burner.

Lighting options

You can provide lighting with a combination of storm lighting, solar lights, uplighters, fishing lights, or even candles.

• Control: Equipment that consumes energy must be carefully controlled so that it reaches the necessary conditions, and turned off when not in use.
• Maintenance: Measures to ensure energy efficiency must be made a part of routine maintenance.
• Refurbishment: If you planning a major refurbishment of your pool or house, make energy efficiency one of your objectives. This will make your refurbishment cost effective as well.

In a swimming pool, energy is mainly consumed by

• Space heating or ventilation, if the pool is located indoors
• Water treatment and heating
• Lighting
• Drives and motors used by filtration equipment and pool pumps

Recently, there has been a growing trend towards heating pools to higher temperatures, especially in the case of leisure pools. Apart from an increase in energy costs, this can create many other problems. Here are some of them.

• As the temperature of the water goes up, micro-organisms multiply faster. For every 10°C rise in temperature, bacteria start multiplying twice as fast.
• The increased temperature causes bathers to sweat more. This sweat and grease mixes with the water.
• Evaporation of water from the pool increases.

You can improve a pool’s energy efficiency through many steps. For example, you can use a pool cover and reduce evaporation. It can save up to 30% of the total costs associated with the pool and will pay for itself within three years at the most. Standard lamps can be exchanged for compact florescent lamps that are known for their energy efficiency.

Motor and drive components must be cleaned regularly. You can also explore high efficiency motors. These cost a little more, but your energy bills will come down by 3%-5%.

The responsibility to protect the environment rests with us. Your health and the planet’s health depends on it. If you want to do your bit, why not start in your backyard?

Many people use weed killers and insecticides without giving the slightest thought to whether they are safe on the environment or not. Others will change their outdoor furniture regularly, putting strain on the environment. Here are some eco-friendly alternatives.

Restore old furniture

When you restore your old furniture, you give it a new lease of life, save money and also protect the environment. If you have plastic furniture in your garden, you can clean it with a mixture of vinegar and lemon juice. If your outdoor furniture is build from wood, use eco-friendly wood varnishes, free from acrylics and oils.

Buying new furniture for the outdoors

If your old furniture cannot be restored and when it is time to change it, you can contact your local council to know where it can be disposed in an eco friendly and legal manner.

When you go to purchase new furniture, make sure that the furniture is eco-friendly. You can choose furniture made from recyclable material such as rattan or aluminum. Some materials are very sturdy and will last a long time. When you purchase wooden furniture, try to find out if it was sustainably sourced. Look for a furniture company that has sound environmental policies and ethical values.

Bathing load of a pool is the number of people who can use a pool safely at one time. There is an intricate relationship between a pool, treatment capacity, and the number of people who can use it at once. When you are designing a new pool, you have to consider the bathing load also.

The number of people, who can use a swimming pool at a time and in a single day, is determined by the pool’s area and the replenishment rate of the pool with fresh water. Always design a pool keeping the peak bathing load in mind and the amount of space available for the pool’s construction.

What factors determine the bathing load?

Many factors determine the bathing load of a pool. Mentioned below are some of them.

The water area: The space that is available for bathers to swim and move around.

The water depth: If the water is deep, more area will be required by the bather to swim.

Safety: When there are people in the pool, there should always be someone supervising them. Overcrowding will lead to an increased risk of injury and drowning. For example, did you know that by closing a pool’s diving board, 10 more bathers can use the pool?

Comfort: While you are considering the maximum bather load, do not forget that bather comfort is also important and should be looked into.

Bathing activity and pool type: Different pool types have different bather loads. The bathing activity is important too. Some pools are only used for swimming. Others are used for sports such as water polo. Exercise pools, wading pools for kids, and competition pools are some other kinds of pool that are used for a particular bathing activity.

Design options for the outdoors are endless. For starters, think about your indoor lifestyle. The plan is to get ideas from it so as to design your outdoor living space.

Start small and then expand

You do not have to dig up the entire backyard to design the outdoor living space just as you want. Start small and then scale up. For example, you can spruce up your lawn by adding a few pieces of furniture. The furniture does not have to be tables and chairs. There are many other options such as loungers, loveseats, and more. Note that the furniture you choose should hold up when the weather changes.

Fire pits and fireplaces

You can also add a fire pit in your backyard for a campfire atmosphere. But note that you will have to keep replenishing it with firewood and then clean the ash after the fire goes out. You can solve this problem by getting a gas fire pit or fire bowl. Another option is to install a fireplace.

Building an outdoor kitchen

Outdoor kitchens are the trend. You can start by adding an outdoor grill. You can make it more elaborate by adding sinks and refrigerators. The design depends on where you plan to install the outdoor kitchen. If your indoor kitchen is nearby, it might not be a good idea to take the water line outside.

If you are willing to increase your budget, you can do much more to make your outdoor living space enjoyable.

A hot tub can give you hours of fun and entertainment. It can be really blissful to lounge in a hot tub after a hard day’s work or on the weekends. But there are a few things that you must take care of to ensure that hot tub safety rules are observed. Here is what you must do.

Supervise the use of the hot tub: Children should not be allowed to use the hot tub without supervision.

Avoid alcohol around the hot tub: Do not intake alcohol while using the hot tub. When you drink alcohol in the hot tub, you increase your chances of passing out, slipping in the water, drowning, and getting a heart attack or other injuries.

Only plastic should be used around the hot tub: Glass or pottery can break and the shards can fall into the hot tub. These can injure you.

Ensure good behavior from kids: Do not allow kids to jump or dive into the hot tub. There should be no pushing or running around the hot tub. Kids should not be allowed to hold their breath underwater. Do not allow them to jump on the cover of the hot tub. It is not designed to support weight.

Rules during storms: Do not use the hot tub during a storm, or even before and after it. Lightning could hit the water and cause electrocution.

Rules for electrical appliances: Do not use appliances that get their electricity from a cord, around the hot tub. Instead, you must use a battery-operated appliance.

Keep the temperature below 104F: If the temperature of the water in the hot tub is elevated and you soak for too long, the temperature of your body can rise to high levels. As said by the National Spa and Pool Institute, the maximum temperature of water in a hot tub must not exceed 104F. For children, this threshold is even lower, that is, at 95F. Do not soak for more than 15 minutes at a time.

Consult your doctor: If you have a medical condition such as diabetes, heart disease, or low/high blood pressure, you should not use a hot tub without getting advice from your physician.

If you have a nice patio at your home and want to enhance its looks, umbrellas can be a nice way to do it. When you buy the patio umbrella, you would want it to be cost-effective and efficient. Choosing the right umbrella can easily transform the looks of your patio. But first you should know the different kinds of patio umbrella that are available. There are mainly three types of such umbrella.

Wooden umbrellas are considered as the original patio umbrellas. These wooden accessories can make your patio look elegant. These sturdy wooden umbrellas usually have to be opened and closed manually. They are noticeable and add to the look of your house. They come in all shapes and colors, and can easily be matched with your classic patio furniture.

If you are looking for an umbrella that is light and can be easily moved around, you should opt for aluminum patio umbrellas. These come in various designs as aluminum can be easily molded. If your house has got a very modern look, then you can find these in designs that suit your home the best. They also complement aluminum cast furniture well. Aluminum umbrellas usually come with multiple tilts, so that they can be used to your convenience. They are known to require minimum maintenance.

If your house is located in an area that sees a lot of gusty winds, then wind-resistant patio umbrellas could be the right ones for you. These umbrellas are usually made of flexible rib arms, which enable them to withstand strong winds for prolonged periods of time.

For more information on our patio umbrellas, contact one of our experienced sales people at 416-645-6980.

Self-cleaning hot tubs are one of the safest and smartest hot tubs around. The electrical system in self-cleaning hot tubs is energy-efficient, and the tubs are available at an affordable price. Here are some more advantages.

Decrease the frequency of water change

On an average, you should clean the water in your hot tub every three months. Over this period, the amount of TDS (Total Dissolved Solids) will increase, necessitating a change. The high TDS will lead to an increase in operating costs and maintenance costs.

The salt water system in the hot tubs reduces the need for chemicals, minimizing the TDS. Also, water is conserved, considering that a hot tub has a capacity to hold 400-500 gallons of water.

You do not have to shock the water often

The ozonator and the salt water system in the hot tub work in tandem and synergistically to provide sparkling water. The ozonator functions like a daily shocker, refreshing the water in the hot tub. This also reduces the demand on the salt system. All this translates to more leisure time and less maintenance time.

The salt water system in the self-cleaning hot tub is specifically created so that it can work in an environment running hot water. The shell is warranted for ten years, the surface for five years, and the plumbing and equipment for three years. In the improved versions, up to ten people can be seated at once.

For more information on our self-cleaning hot tubs, contact one of our experienced sales people at 416-645-6980.

Swimming is one of the most popular forms of exercise. It’s safe and effective in keeping our bodies fit and healthy. This is a result of the impact water has on our bodies due to its greater level of density.

Benefiting from water-based exercises

If you are participating in the upcoming Toronto Triathlon, you have probably started training for it a few months back. What if you could get a chance to reap all the benefits of several months of training in just a few weeks?

Bonavista Pools have collaborated with Dr. Greg Cannon – an expert in fitness training – to start a workshop for athletes who are training for this event.

This workshop is based on the benefits of water-based exercises and you will get to develop your body in time for the triathlon. Exercises like walking/running in both shallow and deep water, stretching, and dynamic movement exercises will be included in this program. Through these exercises, you can tone your muscles and improve their strength.

When you are swimming or stretching in water, your body goes through a wide range of motions and this can increase the flexibility and strength of your joints. This improves your chances of getting through the triathlon safely without major problems in your joints and muscles.

This weekly water-based training program will go on for 10 weeks and athletes are invited to experience the wonderful benefits of training in water.