pool equipment – The Deck and Patio Company

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Pool Renovation: No Need to Start from Scratch

Blending the old with the new is frequently possible when it comes to swimming pools and backyard upgrades. Take the project we’re highlighting today. The pool and its equipment was over 20 years old. The homeowners thought it probably wasn’t possible to upgrade it.

But, looking over the project, Deck and Patio came up with ideas that allowed them to keep the existing pool and spa.

“Our initial concern was whether we could get at the pool’s old plumbing,” says Dave Stockwell, owner of Deck and Patio. “But we learned the clients also wanted changes to what they felt was a ‘confining upper patio’ area. Since this required tearing out all the patio areas, that would give us the perfect opportunity to get at all the equipment for an upgrade.”

Deciding What to Keep, Upgrade, or Restore

Working closely with the homeowners, an overall plan emerged that called for updating the existing gunite swimming pool and spa, removing and expanding the various patio areas, eliminating obstruction of the property’s fabulous views of Long Island Sound, and adding new landscaping that would enhance the newly opened up views.

Pool Upgrade (Long Island/NY)

Pool Upgrade

Deck and Patio changed the inside of the pool by refinishing its old white interior to a new dark gray. The gray tone reacts with the water to create the more “natural lagoon” feeling you see here.

“We also added swim-out steps as a modern amenity,” says Dave Stockwell, “and of course modernized the plumbing, etc, which should last for many years to come.”

Spa Upgrade (Long Island/NY)

Spa Upgrade

The custom spa does double duty because it is continuously being filled with pool water which then spills over into the pool. This means the pool water is recirculated and aerated via the spa.

“When refurbishing the spa, we took the opportunity to upgrade it and enhance the spillover into a larger waterfall to create an even more special scene,” says Dave. “In addition, we added boulders around its spillover area for a more natural look.”

Patio Upgrades (Long Island/NY)

Patio Upgrade

Enlarging the various patio areas completely changed the clients’ outdoor living experience. Using Techo-Bloc pavers, Deck and Patio expanded the upper patio where the clients prefer to sit when they want a cool spot to enjoy views of the pool and the water vistas beyond.

The lower patio had been just as confining for the clients. Now they had an enlarged lower Techo-Bloc patio/pool surround for sun bathing etc. Plus, the upgrade allows plenty of room for a new outdoor kitchen and dining area, an additional seating area — all of which makes entertaining so much easier.

Landscaping Upgrade (Long Island/NY)

Landscaping Upgrade

Landscaping is not just an opportunity to create beautiful scenes. Groups of colorful or dense plantings can be strategically placed to block out things you don’t want to see. Here, Deck and Patio did all that, allowing the family to enjoy everything their new property upgrade offers.

Their yard boasts a comfortable feeling of expanse now. Different areas are defined for different purposes. Views were opened up and enhanced.

Backyard/Pool Upgrade

“This became a happy upgrade for our clients. It completely transformed their outdoor living experience. Best of all, they didn’t have to start from scratch,” says Dave.

By June Sullivan|2017-06-29T14:41:14-05:00June 29th, 2017|Backyard Escapes, Backyard Resorts, Backyard Upgrades, Concrete (Gunite) Pools, Concrete (Gunite) Spas, Deck and Patios, Design and Build Experts, Landscaping, Outdoor Kitchens, Outdoor Living, Patios & Decks, Pool Surrounds, Pool Upgrades, Pools & Spas, Spillover/Custom Spas, Unique Ideas|Comments Off

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Closing Swimming Pools: Has the Sun Set on this Year’s Pool Season?

Once Labor Day is behind us and kids are back at school, many feel it’s time to close the pool. But with temperatures occasionally hovering near 90 in the Northeast, maybe the sun hasn’t yet set on this year’s pool season.

Of course, in areas like the Northeast, we know there are good reasons for closing a pool before any frost. As Michael Truehart (True Blue Swimming Pools/Dix Hills, NY) highlighted in a previous Deck and Patio blog:

“In climates like the Northeast, the most important reason for closing a pool is pipes and other pool equipment can freeze in cold months. Part of what we do is administer a chlorine shock, or algaecides, or phosphate remover to the pool water. Then the pool/spa equipment is taken apart and cleaned, drained of water, and underground pipes are blown out so no water can freeze in them.”

Glen Cove, NY Deck and Patio project

That said, apparently closing down your pool “too early” can also cause problems. In a blog by Hayward Pools, they state that shutting down the pool while temperatures are still very warm could mean that the chemicals Truehart mentioned might not last until spring.

Michael Truehart also agrees with Hayward that closing a pool when temperatures are still very warm can cause algae blooms and staining in your pool.

So it seems the sun has not yet set on our swimming pool season. Happy September 2016, and keep cool, everyone, and keep watching the weather reports.

Backyard Retreat:

Keeping your pool open after Labor Day is not a fashion faux pas like wearing white. So why miss out on the sounds of any, perhaps, waterfalls, orr pool landscaping, and the sense of refuge offered by your swimming pool and its surrounds. Just keep an eye on the weather.

Closing a Swimming Pool:

Installing and measuring a mesh pool cover that involves freeform shapes, waterfalls, etc., must be exact. A mesh cover is strong because its straps with tension springs are connected to anchors set in the patio. For this pool’s water feature area, stainless steel eyelets were drilled into rocks where a cable secures it.

Closing Spas for Winter:

These clients decided that having a portable spa, instead of an in-ground one linked to the pool equipment, was an ideal way to let them enjoy the superb hydrotherapy benefits of Bullfrog’s JetPaks massage jets/seats – all year long, even when the pool was closed.