Swimtown Pools has thousands of products at wholesale prices and we’re proud to be carrying Global Lift Corp pool lifts. Each model is ADA Compliant, and if you don’t know about the new compliance laws kicking in in 2012 you can go here to learn all about it. Here’s a quick rundown of each of Global Lift’s pool lift offerings and where you can find them to buy on the Swimtown store.
The Swimtown Pools blog has found a permanent new home, which you can find at www.poolsuppliesblog.com. Make sure to check us out there for more valuable pool information, fun news and contests.
It’s not uncommon to find an arbitrary frog or toad in your swimming pool. And it’s not a painstaking process to get it safely back to land. But imagine you came upon your pool to see a buffalo wading water or a deer mysteriously swimming laps. It sounds absurd, but it has happened. Check out our list of five strange animals found in swimming pools (all of whom were successfully rescued) for the complete tales of these and other unusual pool-goers.
1. Cow
What does it take to get a cow out of a swimming pool? One hydraulic vehicle, two fire crews and an animal rescue team for starters. In June 2010, a heifer was found struggling to swim in a neighbor’s swimming pool after escaping a nearby farm in the U.K. Daisy, as she was named by rescuers, was estimated to have been in the water for a number of hours before being found. Her rescue also took several hours, as she was hesitant to follow the lead of rescuers, swimming laps in the pool instead. She was eventually caught and sedated before being pulled out of the water by a harness. It wasn’t long after, that she was dried off and returned to her herd without any signs of suffering.
2. Deer
An indoor swimming pool in North Carolina became home to a surprise swimmer in 2009 when a deer crashed through the ceiling of an apartment complex and decided to take a swim. The unusual incident was caught on the apartment’s security camera, which showed the deer swimming laps within the lanes of the pool. Apartment managers saw the deer on camera and called maintenance, who herded the animal to the shallow end. The deer, who had been swimming for 15 minutes, walked right up the steps and ran out of the apartment complex unharmed.
3. Buffalo
When Chris Nonnemaker discovered holes in the cover of his pool and a wild, disturbing movement beneath it, he grabbed his camera, called some friends and made the bold move to reveal the mysterious ruckus in his backyard. What he found was a wet, wild and unhappy buffalo that had escaped from a local farm one week before. The animal was believed to have spent at least a night in the pool before being successfully rescued and returned to the farm owner.
4. Horses
In one of the most shocking animal-pool episodes, two horses were picked up via tornado, dragged along the countryside and dropped into a neighboring swimming pool. Libbey and Murphy were plucked from their Fulton County Ohio pasture in 2010, surviving several crashes into the landscape before being swept into the pool. Upon rescue, one horse easily walked up the steps and out of the pool, while the other required help becoming untangled from the pool liner. Both horses survived with only minor scrapes and skid marks.
This last pool-dwelling animal wasn’t exactly found in a swimming pool, but the story is still nothing less than amazing. When Jim Leyden hired contractors to install a swimming pool at his Tennessee home, he had no idea they would find archeological treasure. While working under the pool, the construction crew came upon the jawbone fossils of a Gomphotherium, or the “Welded Beast.” This 9.8-feet tall elephant-like creature was believed to have roamed the Americas 12 to 1.6 million years ago and was later discovered to have been a food source for early humans. Its fossils are said to be the first of the Welded Beast found in the state of Tennessee.
Four-thousand infants and children drown each year, twelve-thousand won’t die but will sustain brain injury, and, what’s worse, more than half of all parents in the country don’t consider drowning as a threat to their children.
With drowning as the leading cause of death in children one to four years of age, parents must do everything possible to prevent the tragedy from striking home. While prevention of drowning is not entirely possible, there are special precautions to be taken to preserve the life of a child in the water. One such precaution is the increasingly popular infant swimming lesson. Experts have argued the infant swimming movement in recent years, and there seems to be no forthright end to its debate.
When thinking about whether or not to enroll your child in an infant swimming course, there is a lot to be considered—which is why we’ve put together a complete resource to help you determine whether or not infant swimming lessons are right for your child.
What is infant swimming?
Infant swimming lessons are designed to train children to survive in the event that they accidentally fall into the water unattended. Today, the most well-known infant swimming program is Infant Swimming Resource (ISR). ISR survival training programs use certified instructors to augment the reflexive swimming techniques of infants and children. Through these programs, infants and children are trained to maintain a back float position while adopting a breathing pattern, while children over the age of one will also learn how to swim to safety. Students may even learn procedures in their clothing to simulate an actual fall into the water. ISR lessons run five days a week for only ten minutes each day. According to ISR, your child should be able to float after four to five weeks.
Why infants?
Experts say infancy is the prime time to teach children how to keep afloat and swim in the water, because they possess reflexes in water that older children and adults do not. These reflexes keep their eyes open under water and most times prevent them from swallowing water. At the same time, their experience in the womb makes water more familiar, and the air between their cells gives them more buoyancy.
When is my child old enough for lessons?
This question may be the most debated in the infant swimming movement. The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) and ISR don’t agree on an acceptable age for infant swimming lessons, but the gap is closing. The AAP recently changed its policy to consider infant swimming appropriate for children as young as one year old, when in previous years, the policy stated four years old was the proper age. The ISR, however, recommends these swimming lessons as soon as your child begins crawling and will offer training to infants as young as six months old. They believe starting young is key.
Why the discrepancy? In years past, there has been no evidence that infant swimming lessons reduce the risk of drowning in children, but with the surface of multiple studies citing the benefits of early swim training, the pediatric academy altered their policy. But while their policy is more accepting, they don’t agree that these survival lessons are for every infant. The organization stresses that parents play the deciding role in whether or not their children enroll in swim lessons, and that the decision should be based on the infant’s frequency of water exposure, emotional and physical development and health concerns.
Is infant swimming safe?
The safety of infant swimmers is dependent on a variety of factors. The health and development of your child, as well as their physical and cognitive ability will make a difference in their safety in the water, but the training strategy is just as important. Most infant swimming programs adhere to rigorous safety measures and training protocol to ensure the safety of your baby. For example, the ISR prides itself in practicing the safest means of swim training. They even go as far as maintaining your child’s medical and developmental history in creating a program and tracking progress. In addition, their trainers undergo intensive training and yearly recertification programs. To be sure you trust the safety measures of an infant swimming program, we recommend investigating their protocol or speaking with a trained instructor. Word of mouth is also an excellent way to judge the safety of a swim class. The experiences of other parents are likely to be most valuable.
Pros
Parents, industry experts and researchers alike cite a host of advantages of infant swimming courses, from developmental benefits to actual instances of drowning prevention post-training. Getting babies and toddlers in the water can improve cognitive skills, emotional skills and social skills, as well as motor functioning, gripping and balance skills. For example, a study of 38 four-year-olds in Iceland reported that those who participated in swimming lessons as infants performed better on tests of gripping, reaching and balance compared to children who had not participated in the lessons. The 19 four-year-olds who had completed formal swimming lessons two hours a week for four months as babies scored higher on tests of prehension (grasping) and static balance.
The most important advantage, however, is that infant swimming lessons save lives. There is new evidence, acknowledged by the AAP, that children ages one to four may be less likely to drown after formal swimming instruction. These programs train children to respond to immersion in water the same way they’ve been instructed in lessons. By floating on their back and utilizing practiced breathing methods, children and infants who accidentally fall into the water are able to buy time until rescued. These methods work in large swimming pools, inflatable pools and even drainage ditches, and the ISR reports that they have not had a single child enrolled in their program drown to date. Want more survival stories? Read them here.
Cons
While infant swimming courses provide a specialized opportunity for children to gain life-saving swimming skills, there are debatable downsides to the program.
One general concern, specifically among pediatricians, is that infant swimming lessons provide parents and children with a false sense of security around the water. These experts caution that if parents believe their child is comfortable in the water they will be more likely to leave them unattended. If your child was trained in water survival, would you be more likely to read that magazine poolside, run inside to answer the phone or leave the water to fix lunch? In only a few seconds, a child can slip into the water without warning. If that phone call you answered took longer than expected, infant survival training may not be enough to preserve a life.
Another worry pediatricians and parents have about infant swim training is that, even after lessons, children lack a sense of judgment around the water. While infants and children may have the skills to float in the water, they do not have the sense to keep away from it. Infant swimming lessons do not teach children to behave properly around the water or to avoid dangerous situations. Even if that was the case, children ages six months to a year, or older, are not cognitively able to follow pool rules.
Finally, the concern that plagues parents most. Not all children, especially younger children, will enjoy infant swimming lessons. They will cry, they will be uncomfortable, and they may struggle with the experience. Some children take to the water immediately, but some develop a fear of the water. Infant swim training is an intensive process designed to save lives—whether your child uses the training as a survival skill only or learns to love swimming is uncertain. It’s important to understand that these lessons aren’t going to turn your child into a fish. They may have the opposite effect. But it the process, your child will have invaluable, life-saving skills if ever they fall into the water.
Parental measures of precaution
Drowning is not entirely preventable. Everyone is at risk to drown—adults, children, seasoned swimmers and beginners alike. Infant swimming lessons may be the right investment in protecting the life of your child, but they won’t do any good if you don’t take extra precautions as a parent. Supplement your swimming program with preventative measures, and your child will have a significantly lesser risk of drowning.
Install climb-proof fences around swimming pools
Install an alarm on every pool gate
Supervise children at all times around pools, bathtubs, toilets, ditches, lakes, etc.
Assign a water watcher when your child is swimming with others
Never assume someone else is watching your child
Never leave a child unattended near water—even to read a book or answer a phone call
Empty inflatable pools when you know your children won’t be using them
Go over a list of water rules with your child when they are old enough to follow them
These are just several of many precautions you can take as a parent to keep your child from enjoying the water safely. Practice these preventative measures and consider the value of infant swimming lessons. Remember, it is dependent on you and the health and ability of your child in making the decision to enroll your child in infant swimming lessons.
We’re full of quality and inexpensive pool products, but we felt like we were missing something. We took a good hard look around town and noticed we didn’t have a tagline! What’s a town without a tagline? Instead of digging deep into our brains for the perfect way to describe Swimtown Pools in a concise and creative way, we decided to turn to you, our loyal fans and friends. Provide a tagline for Swimtown Pools in 140 Characters or less. If we decide yours is the winning ticket, you will win a Flip UltraHD Video Camera. So put your swimming cap on and get to tag-lining.
How to Enter
We will accept up to 2 captions per person. You may enter using one or both of the following methods (Please note that if you Tweet and Facebook us the same caption, that counts as one entry):
Facebook
Like us on Facebook. Then Post the following: Swimtown Pools: YOUR AWESOME TAGLINE HERE
Twitter
Follow us on Twitter. Then Tweet the following: @Swimtown: YOUR AWESOME TAGLINE HERE.
What We’re Looking For
Your tagline should be…
140 characters or less of pure genius
Creative or funny, and clean (family friendly)
Starting with the phrase, “Swimtown Pools:” or “@Swimtown”
Need inspiration? Head on over to SwimtownPools.com or Facebook.com/Swimtown to get a better idea of our company culture.
Timeline
Post or Tweet your entry before Friday, August 12, 2011 at 5pm.
Contest winner will be announced the following week.
Prize
The author of the tagline we like best will receive the following:
The newest model of Flip UltraHD Video Camera – Blue, 4 GB (pictured below)
Judging
Entries will be judged by our team of marketing professionals at SwimtownPools.com.
We reserve the right to disqualify entries we deem inappropriate.
Fine Print
By entering your tagline into the contest, you give SwimtownPools.com and affiliates the exclusive right to use your tagline in promotional materials, on SwimtownPools.com social media channels, the SwimtownPools.com website, and other outlets that relate to SwimtownPools.com
SwimtownPools.com reserves the right to disqualify any entry we deem inappropriate.
Entries received after August 12, 2011 at 5:00 will not be considered.
Good luck! We cannot wait to see what you come up with!
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Choosing the right heater for your swimming pool can seem overwhelming if you’re not sure what to look for. There are a variety of pool heaters to choose from, but the most common are gas heaters, electric heaters and solar heaters. Keep in mind your climate, pool size, heating needs and budget when determining the right heater for you, and make sure to read up on the pros and cons of each type.
Make the right choice.
Gas pool heaters
Gas pool heaters offer the best and fastest heating capabilities, highest power outputs and great consistency. They are available in both natural gas and liquid propane models at competitive prices. Gas heaters are capable of keeping swimming pools and spas at temperatures of 85-90°F by burning gas and extending its heat throughout the water. Few disadvantages exist in using gas pool heaters, however, they cost a lot of money initially and require higher running costs—especially when constantly heating large pools and those in cooler climates. Increasing fuel prices also make gas heaters more expensive to operate. Gas heaters usually need to be installed by a professional and might be the right choice for you if you are willing to spend the money or only heat your pool on occasion.
Solar pool heaters
Solar pool heaters are the environmentally friendly and efficient means of heating pool water. Solar heaters harness the sun’s energy by pumping water through a heating device—most often solar panels—kept warm by natural light before releasing it into a swimming pool. This type of pool heater is the cheapest way to heat a pool, costing less in the long run with no running costs. They may be expensive upfront, but solar heaters last for up to 20 years (longer than any other type of pump) and pay for themselves within ten or less. Using a solar heater, in conjunction with a solar cover, can add up to one month to your swimming season. Disadvantages of solar heaters include the fact that they are only useful on clear, sunny days and not at night or during poor weather. Solar pool heaters are ideal for pool owners who are looking for a good deal, an easy installation and a consistent pool temperature.
Electric pool heaters
Electric pool heaters are inexpensive but less efficient than other models. They work by taking in surrounding air, heating it up and transferring it directly to pool water. Thus, this type of pump only produces heat slightly warmer than the temperature of the air and would not be useful in spring or fall months or in cooler climates. Electric pool pumps are most effective if the surrounding temperature is above 40°F. Although relatively inexpensive, electric pool heaters are only ideal for small pools, heating to moderate temperatures or for pools in warm climates and long summers.
Ever wonder why public pools require you to shower before jumping in? That just sounds like a waste of time—why is it so important to rinse yourself off with water before cannon-balling into a swimming pool full of… more water?
Easy. Skipping the shower means a toxic swim.
And toxic pool water means possible birth defects, DNA damage and even cancer.
Don't fly one of these over your pool!
Okay, in all reality, most pools are nowhere near toxic, but it doesn’t take much to turn a healthy pool into a bath of poison. The disinfecting chemicals used in pools and spas can react with organic material—like your body oils, hair and sweat—to create a toxic swimming environment for everyone.
Don’t freak out just yet. There are plenty of ways to avoid a pool of poison. Step 1: shower before entering a swimming pool. Step 2: Comply with pool and spa disinfection standards, making sure you have safe amounts of chemicals in your pool. Step 3: Encourage others to do the same.
Some of the most important aspects of keeping your pool both clean and healthy include knowing exactly what chemicals you’re using, whether or not you’re adding the proper amounts and whether any of these chemicals react with others. It’s also equally important to test your water quality and chemical levels regularly.
Usually, pools are disinfected with chlorinating agents, such as chlorine and chloramines. These chemicals come in two types:
Inorganic
-Calcium hypochlorite
-Lithium hypochlorite
-Sodium hypochlorite
Organic
-Trichloroisocyanuric acid
-Potassium dichloroiscyanurate
-Sodium dichlorocyanurate
Both inorganic and organic chlorinating agents effectively disinfect pool water, but they should never be used at the same time. They are not compatible and can cause disaster when mixed. Even using the same scoop for both chemicals is enough to cause an explosive mixture. They are alike, however, in that they both generate disinfection by-products (DBPs).
Disinfection by-products are compounds created when disinfectants, like chlorine, react with organic matter in the water. The danger of these compounds varies, but according to University of Illinois geneticist, Michael Plewa, some are toxic, some genotoxic (damaging to DNA), some cause birth defects and some are carcinogenic. He and his team of researchers discovered that DBPs in drinking water containing iodine tend to be highly toxic and genotoxic, while those containing nitrogen are more toxic, more genotoxic and usually carcinogenic compared to those without nitrogen.
And what about swimming pools? Plewa found that swimming pools and spas are DBP reactors. Sweat, sunscreen, cosmetics, hair, oils, urine and other organic materials come off of the body in chlorinated water and are recycled over and over again, creating considerably high levels of DBPs. Those who are exposed to extremely high levels of DBPs on a regular basis—such as professional swimmers—have been shown to possess higher rates of bladder cancer and asthma. Because these compounds are absorbed through the skin, as well as inhaled at the surface of the water, swimmers with greater and longer exposure to such chemicals are more likely to encounter problems than occasional swimmers.
You might be thinking that chlorine is a terrible way to disinfect a pool. That’s not the case. Swimming pools, particularly public pools, are chlorinated to keep bacteria and pathogens at bay, and that’s exactly what they do. Chlorine is an efficient and effective means of keeping a swimming pool clean—the only stipulation is that it should be used in compliance with pool disinfection and chemical standards and that organic material is controlled.
That is why showering before swimming is so important.
In addition to keeping organic material out of your pool, you can also carefully monitor what types of and how much chemical you’re using. Make sure that you’re confident releasing chemicals into your pool before you do so. If you don’t feel up to the challenge, contact your pool provider or seek other professional advice. You should also make sure to add chemicals to your pool individually. Some chemicals, when mixed together (even in small quantities), can form deadly or dangerous gases. Make sure you give your pump an hour to distribute one chemical before adding another.
Never add chemicals to your pool while it’s in use, and try adding them during the evening if you know you’ll be swimming the next day. Water testing is also important when determining what to put into your pool, because the amount of chemical you release depends on the water’s pH, in addition to your pool’s capacity and volume of water. Following these guidelines can help you and your family avoid stinging eyes, itchy skin, shortness of breath and other symptoms of an overly-treated swimming pool.
You may also like to turn to chemicals that don’t create DBPs. For example, bromine is a common substitute for chlorine that doesn’t react with organic matter to cause irritation or dangerous effects on the body.
It is also preferred for not releasing the odor that chlorine does when reacting with organic matter. For swimmers who are plagued by asthma and allergies, low chlorine and chlorine-free products are available to prevent irritation by DBP-contaminated air.
Whether you choose to maintain a clean and healthy pool with chlorine or with other types of disinfectants, avoiding a toxic experience is completely possible—it just takes chemical responsibility, some safety measures and a good ole shower.
Summer is nearly here, and that means pool parties, beach outings and bikinis galore. It means shades and waves and sightings of celebs in the surf—well, maybe. In honor of this wondrous season of swimming, we’ve shed light on Hollywood’s highly pool-phobic population. But who in this world doesn’t like a good swim? How about a Baywatch actress, a rap sensation or a fiery country music star? Read on for our list of celebrities who can’t swim, don’t swim and won’t swim.
image courtesy of http://tinyurl.com/3vfauwd
Carmen Electra
Yes, she played a lifeguard on Baywatch, but this bombshell was only pretending to enjoy her seaside responsibilities. In all reality, Carmen Electra is terrified of water. She is wary of pools, lakes and oceans alike because she can’t swim. She once confessed that even being near a body of water can provoke a panic attack. How she ended up portraying a Baywatch babe rather than the show’s typical drowning victim is about as mysterious as how slow-motion lifeguards actually save lives.
image courtesy of http://tinyurl.com/4yy3d2e
Eva Mendes
She was born in Miami, has starred in a host of popular films, loves her swimming pool and can’t swim. What? Yes, Eva owns a home with a beautiful swimming pool but won’t venture farther than its shallow end. She claims she is petrified by water because she doesn’t know how to keep herself afloat. She says about her phobia, “I can’t swim. I don’t know how to. I’m pathetic. I should know how to swim.”
image courtesy of http://tinyurl.com/4yqvsa2
Snoop Dogg
He has already recorded well over 200 tracks, but none say more about this Dogg’s swimming ability than his 2000 hit “I Can’t Swim.” With lyrics like “I hate water, I never learned to swim, aah! I hate water, I can’t swim, aah!” we’ve concluded, fo’shizzle, that Snoop cannot in fact swizim.
image courtesy of http://tinyurl.com/3gt5ht3
Sandra Bullock
Who hates mirrors, loves poetry and can’t swim? Sandra Bullock! The actress has plenty of charming quirks, but we’re disappointed to learn that Miss Bullock is terrified of water. Maybe it has to do with the fact that she once fell into a lake and cut her head on a rock. Or, maybe she worries all lifeguards run in slowmo and fear the ocean (cough, cough, Carmen Electra).
image courtesy of http://tinyurl.com/3ptfn6y
Christina Ricci
Christina Ricci suffers from an especially specific type of swimming phobia—selachophobia, or fear of sharks. Obviously, the ocean terrifies her, but swimming pools should be no problem, right? Wrong. Christina is actually more horrified by swimming pools. She fears that sharks will enter a swimming pool through the walls. In an interview with The Insider, she stated, “I won’t swim in a pool by myself, because I think that somehow a little magic door is going to open up and let a shark out.” Aren’t we all?
image courtesy of http://tinyurl.com/3nqvdx6
Miranda Lambert
This recently-wed country star is forgoing a tropical honeymoon to spend some time at home with hubby, Blake Shelton. It’s not too surprising, either, since Miranda is not a fan of swimming in the ocean. She claims to enjoy looking at ocean settings but not swimming in them.
image courtesy of http://tinyurl.com/3fehzob
Rihanna
This pop icon is not the only girl in the world afraid of swimming, but she might be the only celeb we know of who avoids water solely due to a fear of fish. Rihanna avoids the company of any kind of sea creature, no matter the size. She once experienced a panic attack after noticing a few tiny fish swimming around her feet in Barbados. She claims to have frozen in fear before signaling SOS to a nearby swimmer, who carried her out of the minnow-infested water.
Hollywood is certainly plagued with a large sum of land-dwelling idiots, but there are actually a slew of celebrities who do enjoy the water. Whether they swim to stay in shape, to raise money or just for fun, these famous personalities are working hard to redeem the reputation of swimming celebrities.
image courtesy of http://tinyurl.com/3fyg68l
Richard Branson
This British business magnate is set to captain a team of celebs to swim the Irish Sea, in hopes of earning a new Guinness World Record and to raise money for an important cause. Branson and a to-be-determined team of eight celebrities will make the 56-mile swim to raise $1 million for the Marie Keating Foundation and Cancer Research UK.
image courtesy of http://tinyurl.com/3ojn6sv
Venus Williams
This Olympic medalist and Grand Slam titlist is committed to staying fit, strong and healthy, and she does so by swimming. She actually prefers it to running and any other kind of cardio exercise. Whether she takes a dip in the ocean or swimming pool, Venus is reaping the benefits of swimming, and she’s got 43 career singles titles to prove it.
image courtesy of http://tinyurl.com/44ea9hc
Matthew McConaughey, JLo, Teri Hatcher, Mario Lopez and Will Ferrell
These are just a few of many stars who enjoy swimming and have turned to triathlons to stay in shape while raising awareness and money for a great cause. These celebs and many more have participated in the annual Nautica Malibu Triathlon to raise money for the Children’s Hospital Los Angeles. The race includes a four-mile run, 18-mile bike ride and half-mile swim. Other participants have included James Denton, William H. Macy, Felicity Huffman, Frankie Muniz and Robin Williams.
