Swimming is an activity that we all love. It relaxes you as you have fun. One of the greatest benefits of swimming is that it lowers stress and depression that may be caused by frustrations in school and the workplace. According to the Huffington Post, there are an estimated 350 million people in the world who suffer depression. In America alone, up to 50% of these people do not seek medical help. Engaging in fun activities such as swimming could help cure depression. The sound of gurgling water, people laughing and your breathing helps to calm your nerves. Swimming is also an all-around form of exercise. Most people take up swimming for fitness. Paddling water with your arms and legs flexes and strengthens your muscles. It keeps you healthy and your weight in check hence guarding against chronic illness such as diabetes and heart disease. The activity also enables you to spend quality time with your family and friends.
Many people frequent the beach to swim in the warm ocean waters while others have in-ground swimming pools in their homes. What if these two options are not available to you? This is where above-ground pools come in handy. Above-ground pools, as the name suggests are swimming pools that have their base on the ground level. Statistics show that these types of pools are quite popular these days. Of all the pool owners in the United States alone, 47.1% have above-ground pools as compared to 50.6% with in-ground pools. In an above-ground pool, a surrounding structure, usually circular in shape holds the water in place. The pools are made of a combination of materials such as rubber, plastic, planks of wood, thin sheets of steel and metal frames that are assembled on site. The best above-ground pools are lightweight, have stable metal frames to support the structure with heights that do not exceed the waist level of an adult. Above-ground pools are very beneficial for a number of reasons. They are;
- Cheap: The materials used to make them are ordinary, cheap to maintain and replace.
- Movable: After disassembling you can easily transport the materials used to make the pool from one home to another.
- Safe: The walls of the pool are mostly made of rubber or soft plastic. If you happen to slip and fall, there is no danger of hurting yourself. The pools are not deep and therefore the risk of drowning is greatly reduced. They are safe for your kids and pets to swim in.
- Easy to set up: With most of them requiring just one day of assembling and hardly any professional help. This means that you can move with your pool wherever you go, and you can deconstruct the pool to create space for a different activity.
Some of the best above-ground pools in the market are rectangular, oval or round shaped with custom ladders for toddlers climb in and out. They are accessorized with;
- Pool chlorinators that automatically put chemicals in the water to disinfect the dirt that goes into the pool.
- Pool pumps that move the water around for the purpose of cleaning.
- Pool heaters that raise the temperature of the water when the weather is too cold.
- Pool vacuums that remove solid materials from the water. These could include leaves that fall off trees, dirt and algae that may begin growing on the walls and floors of the pool.
What to look for when selecting your above-ground pool
When buying an above-ground pool, pay attention to size and shape. You want it to fit the space you plan to place it just right. If your space is narrow, an oval pool might be a suitable choice. How your pool would look like should be determined by the size and shape of your yard. For a rectangular space, choose a rectangular pool and for a circular space choose a circular pool. This would ensure that there is enough walking space around and that the pool is in harmony with the surrounding architecture.
Where to place your above-ground pool
The best place to place your pool is in your backyard. This would ensure that your living room all the way to your driveway would be shielded from the noise coming from the pool. Ensure that your backyard has a flat slope so that the pool would not be tilting and water dripping out from one end. The pool should also be in a location of direct sunlight to provide naturally heating to the water so that it is warm and pleasant to swim in.
Maintenance of above-ground pools is easily achieved by constructing a fence around them to guard against physical damage. Above-ground pools vary in sizes and have many features to select from. They are guaranteed to offer you the swimming experience of your life.
Featured photo credit: Chris Grazioli via flickr.com
