Category: News

(Courtesy SPATA website: http://www.spata.co.uk/failing-children-not-teaching-swim/)

SPATA (the Swimming Pool and Allied Trades Association) has recently reported that the demand for home swimming pools in the UK has been on the rise for several years, and this trend has continued its upward course through the economic peaks and troughs in the UK over recent years.

Installing a pool needs careful planning to reap the rewards of the investment. SPATA reports that the UK residential pool market is estimated to be worth at least £500 million per year, while the whole market in the UK is valued at nearer to £1 billion. So with this in mind, what types of pools are UK consumers demanding? SPATA have the answer, with results from their annual competition for UK Pool Installer companies, the British Pool & Hot Tub Awards. PR & Marketing Manager for SPATA – Sallie Leslie-Golding provides an insight into the trends SPATA have seen this year within the UK Wet Leisure industry.

“The British swimming pool market has traditionally involved rectangular swimming pools, and these are often favored by clients. However, over the years, new trends in swimming pool construction and remodeling have made swimming pool designs more original, unique and customised”.

There are three basic methods of pool construction, for inground pools, each with its own merits:

1. Hard finish. A strong, waterproof reinforced concrete shell, typically finished with tiles or mosaics (or sometimes plaster finishes).
2. Liner finish. A tailor-made PVC liner that comes in a variety of colours and several different thicknesses. The pool shell may be constructed or is formed by panels interlocking.
3. Fibre Glass/Ceramic. A one-piece moulded swimming pool shell that will typically require some kind of crane to manoeuvre it into position.

Consumers also have the option of having an above ground pool, and robust kits can be purchased that include swimming pool water filtration and circulation.

When weighing up the best option, please also remember that, similar to the one piece pool options, a swim spa (or exercise spa) may be worth considering. The difference between a swim spa and a one piece pool is likely to be the provision of jets (like a hot tub) in the swim spa, whereas the one piece pool more often does not include this feature. Both the one piece pool and the swim spa will provide an option for having a countercurrent fitted, so that users can swim continuously against a water current, rather than swimming laps.

So what’s hot in this year’s Pool Trends?

Trend No.1: Infinity Pool

This option provides pool owners with a key feature which can benefit those with great views to enjoy while swimming. An infinity pool is designed so that water flows over one (or more) edges of the pool, producing a visual effect of water with no boundary. Such pools are often designed so that the edge appears to merge with a larger body of water such as a lake, with the sky or a fantastic view, adding an extra touch of luxury.

 

Trend No.2: Unusual Materials

It used to be that a garden pool was finished with white plaster. Now, there are all sorts of design trends that homeowners are choosing to make their pool unique. By choosing glass tiles, pebbles and stones in the finish, a swimming pool can be as unique as the homeowner and as aesthetically beautiful as desired.

 

Trend: No.3: Movable Floors

Space can be at a premium, so if two rooms can be combined in one that makes lots of sense. Imagine a swimming pool that also doubles up as a dance floor, or an entertaining room or even a place to park a car? A space that transforms seamlessly and safely from one function to another, adding valuable square meters to home. The floor can even be used to change the depth of the pool, now that’s smart!

 

Trend No.4: Outdoor Living Rooms

For pool owners building a pool in the garden, it’s going to be an eye-catching feature, as a central location to gather and entertain. During the summer, guests can cool off and relax around the pool on outdoor furniture. Outdoor kitchens extend living spaces beyond the back door, and during the autumn and winter months, a fire feature is a great place to gather.

 

Trend No.5: Indoors meets the Outdoors

With the ever-changing weather in our country, it can be tough to choose between an indoor or outdoor pool, but worry no more, the best of both worlds can be achieved. This type of pool can feature dual heating components, as well as separate devices to close the opening between the house and garden and use the pool with two independent sections.

 

All of these trends prove that swimming pool design continues to evolve. These beautiful gathering spaces create a sense of community for both family and friends. It will be interesting to see how swimming pool designs and trends develop and take shape in the next few years!

(Courtesy SPATA website: http://www.spata.co.uk/failing-children-not-teaching-swim/)

The National – Swimming Pool and Allied Trades Association (SPATA), has put out an alert ahead of the summer, urging parents to plan in more water skills time with their young children. Providing essential life skills that will make a big difference to children’s lives.

There is nothing quite like getting out and swimming in a pool. However, whether it’s with friends or family, in a pool at home or abroad or enjoying a picnic by a river or swimming in a lake, it’s always important to keep safe.

From the first few months of birth parents are encouraged to spend time with their baby in the pool, and at this early stage, these infants can be taught crucial water skills. Charities such as the Jack Rabbit Foundation, are raising awareness for the safety of babies and toddlers in and around water encouraging the teaching early years water survival programs which are popular in the United States and Australia but need more publicity in the UK and Europe: www.thejackrabbitfoundation.com

Under the National Curriculum, all children under the age of 11 years should be able to swim 25 meters unaided, ensuring they have some knowledge of safety in the water. It is always good to have competent swimmers on hand who can swim to an emergency if need be. Where possible, use a swim school so that children can learn to swim correctly and safely. Key swimming organisations include www.sta.co.uk or www.britishswimming.org

Around 400 people needlessly drown in the UK every year, and thousands more suffer injury, some life-changing, through near-drowning experiences. Putting this into context, one person dies every 20 hours in the UK. Drowning is also the third highest cause of accidental death of children in the UK. So the need for children (and adults) to be competent and confident in and around water is essential.

If you have a garden pool or body of water, it is crucial to keep it safe so that everyone can enjoy their time in and around the water.

Below is a checklist of some ways to do this:

1. Undivided Supervision:
Adequate supervision is the first and most important way to prevent drowning. But, regardless of the best efforts and intentions, children cannot constantly be supervised. The phone will ring, there will be a knock on the door, or a neighbor will stop by to chat. Furthermore, constant supervision becomes difficult, if not impossible, if you have more than one child. Sadly, all too often a moment’s distraction can cost a child their life. So it is important to make sure that your undivided attention is given to children while in the pool.
2. Permanent Pool Fencing with a Self-latching Gate
A fence can prevent direct access from both the house to the pool and the garden to the pool. If a fence is installed, a self-latching gate is a critical feature. Keep in mind, however, that many toddlers can scale even a four-foot fence in only a few minutes. Be sure to keep pool furniture inside the fence because children can use the furniture, or even toys that are outside, as a stepping stool to climb over the fence.

3. Pool Safety Covers
Safety covers are available from most SPATA retailers and contractors and in a choice of styles and designs. These range from a simple safety net, which is tensioned over the pool when not in use, to a fully automated system which will completely cover the pool
in a matter of minutes, by simply pressing a remote control switch. Please note, there are no swimming pool covers that are 100% safe, and therefore in certain circumstances, other measures, such as fences might have to be considered, dependent on each individual case.

4. Enclosures
Enclosing your swimming pool not only enables you to use it for more of the year but it also means that the pool can be shut off when unsupervised. Added to the savings in heating and cleaning which a pool enclosure can bring, the prospect becomes very attractive.

5. Pool alarms
Pool alarms can be purchased that sound an alert if the water surface is broken. Many home security systems can also be programmed to sound an alarm if the patio doors that give access to the pool are opened. While these alarms are helpful, the drawback is that they tend to be used consistently, and we can ‘tune out’ the sound if we hear it every time the door opens.

6. Keep toys stored away
Toys that are kept around the pool area can be very inviting to young children. Remove the incentive to be in the pool area by keeping toys away from the pool when they are not in use. Riding toys should never be used in or around the pool area.

7. Keep jets aimed towards the shallow end and the steps
If your child does fall into the water, properly positioned jets can create a current that will guide them towards the shallow end and steps giving the child a better chance to exit the pool.

8. Hot Tubs
Spas and hot tubs with warm water and bubbles can be particularly enticing for children. To prevent dehydration, or heat-related illness, keep the water temperature below 100 degrees Fahrenheit and limit your child’s playtime to less than 10 minutes. Also, keep the jets off; the currents created by the jets can be particularly strong and are very dangerous for young children. When the spa or hot tub is not in use, secure it with a hard top cover with a latch that locks.

Being able to swim from an early age can open the door to incredible experiences, time spent at a swim class as a child can bring years of new opportunities as you grow and develop. The ability to swim competently is essential for any water sports from diving, canoeing, jet skiing, snorkeling, rowing, kitesurfing and wakeboarding, the list goes on! And this vital life skill can be a regret for many adults who don’t learn to swim early in life!

(Courtesy of SPATA – The Swimming Pool and Allied Trades Association offers guidance for UK homeowners looking to purchase a home swimming pool for all-year-round use.)

Pool ownership is on the rise, with an estimated 240,000 in-ground and (top end) above ground residential pools in the UK and with swimming pool ownership ranking in the top ten status symbols throughout Britain, pools have become one of the top ‘aspirational’ features for British homes and gardens.

Diving into the inviting waters of a swimming pool at home is one of life’s great pleasures. So how do prospective purchasers ensure they get a seamless integration of their dream pool into their homes and gardens, making sure they maximise the pools usage and sustainability?

When considering adding a swimming pool or spa to a home, there are an enormous number of products to choose from on the UK market. It makes sense to be able to use your pool whenever you want, day or night and whatever the weather, the perfect solution for this is a pool enclosure.

Covering a swimming pool has financial benefits too; reduced heating and chemical costs and substantial reduction in water loss through evaporation. Pool enclosures come in a wide variety of types both fixed position or telescopic versions (which can be opened up or rolled back in fine weather). The different types of enclosures also include architect designed buildings, glazed conservatories, log cabins and specialist aluminium/PVC and polycarbonate/glass enclosures specifically designed for the swimming pool environment. Enclosing a swimming pool not only enables it to be used for more of the year but it also means that the pool can be used earlier and later in the day when the outside pool temperature is colder.

Added to the savings in heating and cleaning which a pool enclosure can bring, the prospect becomes very attractive. Deciding which type of enclosure is best will depend on the type of pool use, budget and how permanent the required structure. Thousands of owners can attest to the benefits of enclosing their pools.

Time spent in planning a dream pool is never wasted; this helps to safeguard the build “wish list”, against the planned budget. An easy pointer is; the larger the pool dimensions, the more expensive it will be to build, and the larger the volume of water contained in the pool, the greater the operating costs. Choose a contractor with care, ensuring they build to industry standards and will they behave ethically?

SPATA – The Swimming Pool and Allied Trades Association are the number one resource for British consumers looking for information on pool ownership. The SPATA website (www.spata.co.uk), is set up to help consumers find out all they need about pool ownership, as well as, where to find SPATA approved companies who all work to SPATA Standards and a Code of Ethics, which can bring peace of mind. Choosing a SPATA member to build your swimming pool can provide the reassurance needed to make owning your dream pool at home a reality. Visit; www.spata.co.uk for free information and guidance along with an easy to use members search tool.