WHAT TO DO WITH THAT OLD SPA IN THE BACKYARD?

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WHAT TO DO WITH THAT OLD SPA IN THE BACKYARD?

So you want a new spa or bought a home that has an old one there already, and don't know what to do. This is a question I hear often. One of the question I would ask is, "Does the spa still work?" If not it's probably best to just throw it away. A lot of companies will take your old spa away for a fee. If you are buying a new one see if the company will remove your old one as part of the deal.

If your spa does still work but you are tired of investing money in it and want to upgrade to a new one, try listing it for sale on Ebay or Craigslist and set a reasonable price. Remember spas are like cars, once they leave the showroom they start to depreciate. I had a friend put a sign out front of his house that said "Spa For Sale, First $500 Takes It!" He sold it in 2 days. One of the local landscapers saw it and took it right out of the yard on their trailer.

There are also companies that will just come and take any old items you don't want. Check your local newspapers and phone books. Just remember to have the electric removed from the old spa by a qualified electrician and make the wiring safe until the new spa arrives. There still is a big market for used spas, one persons junk is another mans treasure!

Until Next Time...

Is your Pool and or Spa cover secure?

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Is your Pool and or Spa cover secure?


I just wanted to write a quick blog to remind all of my readers that are anywhere near the east coast to check on there covers to be sure they are secure with the winter conditions we have been having this year.

Check that their pool cover has been secured so it will not blow off or into the pool. For my spa customers be sure that your spa cover locks are latched and secure.

I do not recommend that you place any object on the spas as this can damage the covers. For pool safety covers be sure that the springs are tight if not shorten the straps to tighten the springs.

Another thing that is very important is to check on your spa during power outages then remember to reset the breaker to the spa after the power is restored.

Ensure that the spa is operational and the heat is working once the power comes back on. If the spa does not power up on it's own try turning the breaker off and then on again and this should get things going.



Until Next Time...

Thinking about buying a home that has a pool? What should you do?

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So you are thinking about buying a home that has a pool? What should you do?

I hear these questions often and here are some of my suggestions:

First thing you need to do is get a professional to do a complete pool inspection that includes a pressure test of all the plumbing lines. When they do a pressure test they will fill all the lines with water and get the pressure in the lines up to 10-15 lbs and they will watch to see if the pressure starts to drop this could indicate a leak in one of the plumbing lines.

An inspection will also give you an experts opinion on the condition of the pool equipment it's possible age and if there is any repairs they feel should be made right away, the biggest issues I have found is an older heater that leaks and or does not fire up. Repairs can be costly if you need to replace equipment. If you have a concrete pool then you may need to have the pool re plastered or tile and coping repairs these can be a costly repair that you should not have to be responsible for. Re plaster jobs could be in excess of $5000.00 tile and coping could be the same.

A vinyl liner pool is different as long as the vinyl liner is in tact and not leaking you should be OK a liner can fade, but this will not change the integrity of the pool itself. A new liner can run from $2000-$3000 for the liner and then another $1000 for the installation.

Once you determine that the pool is sound and you have a good report from the inspector you can go to the homeowner and ask for credit for any pool repairs needed before you close on the house.

Once you own the home take a water sample from the pool to your local pool supply center and have the water tested. They will tell you what you need to add to the water to keep it clean and safe for swimming, they can also guide you on proper maintenance and operation. A pool is a great feature to have in the backyard, it can be fun for the whole family and give your kids some great summer fun.

With a little knowledge and patience, a pool can be a great STAYCATION at home and save you a great deal of money on those costly trips to the beach.

So go ahead and buy that house and go swimming.....

Until Next Time....

Is It A Bad Idea To Build A Spa Into A Deck?

www.rickrobinsonhomes.com

Is it a bad idea to build a spa into a deck?

I have been getting a lot of questions lately about building a deck around a  spa so I wanted to touch base on the pros and cons of this type of installation.

First off let me start off by saying I love the look of this type of installation but it does present some very difficult service issues.




Sundance spas

                        Lets go over the pros first:

• Very attractive appearance
• Easy access to get in/out of spa
• Does not block any views
• Seating can be incorporated around spa

                       Now lets talk Cons:

• It can be a trip hazard
• No service access to panels around spa
• May need a crane to install into place ($)
• If no access for service NO REPAIRS
• If spa is ever removed you have a big hole

Now I am not saying don't do it, all I am trying to do is give you some incite as to what the situation is. Most spas made today have a removable skirting all the way around the spa in the event of service the technician can remove this skirting and gain access to the inner part of the spa and find and repair the issue, if there is a deck around the spa then the skirting can not be removed and no repairs can be made unless the spa is removed out of the deck.

I recommend getting a designer to plan out this type of install. You can have pre-determined hatches made in the decking to allow a service professional to open these hatches and gain access to the skirting. In most cases they can blend these hatches into the decking so they are not noticeable and will not take away from the beauty of you new deck project.

If you have a pre existing deck you can also place the spa at an outer edge of your deck and remove a section of handrail and redesign it to incorporate the spa and you will get an appearance of a sunken spa and still have access to three sides of the skirting. This is what I usually recommend to my customers.

No matter what your choice is, a spa is a great family gathering spot, and even greater relaxation destination. So go out and get one NOW!

Until Next Time...

Simple Changes for Healthier Living



Simple Changes for Healthier Living

Improving your overall health doesn’t have to be complicated. To get on the right track, here are few simple changes one can adopt to live a healthier life:

Sitting too long is bad for you                   

Our bodies are made to be moved and function best when put to use. Apparently, we were not made to sit. Also recent studies have revealed multiple health problems that can arise from sitting all day. If you have a desk job, make sure you at least stand up for a few minutes at the beginning or end of every hour. Sitting for several hours each day is bad for you, regardless of whether you do other healthy activities, too.

Stop Drinking Calories

Coffee drinks, cocktails and other beverages can have anywhere from 300 to 700 calories. In addition to water, if you still need something warm to drink try decaf green tea. Green tea is a sure way to cut sugar, caffeine and excess calories.

Give your body the time to digest food

Probably one main reason why people eat more than they actually need is because they don’t give their body adequate time to digest. By slowing down your meals, you will give your digestive system and brain the time to register the fact that your stomach is full.

Losing Weight Takes Planning

When hunger strikes, many of us reach the accessible snacks we can find. If it is lunchtime and you did not bring your lunch, you are more likely to hit the restaurant and order whatever looks most promising. The best way to shed some weight is to adopt some healthy choices to stay ahead of snacks and meals with a little planning. When you eat breakfast at home and bring a lunch to work you are not forced to jump in the café or restaurant for a meal. Map out your menu for the week and have a plan for snacks and evening meals. 

  

Benefit from Hot tub Water            

Anyone who has used a hot tub before is familiar with the relaxing, rejuvenating, and naturally rehabilitative qualities. Hot tub use is known to promote a multitude of physical and psychological benefits. When combined with Master spa accessories, hydrotherapy can provide ultimate stress relief, and overall wellness. Choosing the right hot tub parts and accessories will heighten your experience and ensure your hot tub is always ready for use.  For more details click here - http://masterspaparts.com

Smile

Can you measure the time you spend laughing in a day? As silly as it may sound, laughter therapy can make you healthier by improving your overall psychological state. This simple change is highly successful and health professionals often embrace it into their treatment of various conditions.

So what change(s) are you going to make today for your healthy living? 

This was a guest post by Sam Rutter. We thank you!

Until Next Time...

Why Do I Want To Buy A Spa

Why do you want to buy a spa?

Let's discuss some of the reasons to buy a spa. Let me start off with my family, I have a wonderful wife of 23 years, a 21 year old son in college, and a 15 year old daughter, like most busy families out there we do not get to spend very much time together. My son is away at college and only comes home every other month, my daughter would rather be bored than spend time with her parents. One thing we can all agree on is the spa is great, we get in and relax to the warm water and just talk about our family and what is going on, NO phones, NO television, NO video games, just us.

Now not all kids want to use the spa with their parents, so I guess we are lucky that way but at least we get to have some quality family time. Aside from the family togetherness there is also the therapeutic qualities of the warm water.Tight joints in the body with the warm water, loosen up the muscles and relax you. You can keep the water temp anywhere from 65-104 degrees. The warmer you keep the water, the less time you should spend in it, the rule of thumb is this, if the spa is set to 98 degrees which is body temperature,you can enjoy it as long as you want, for every degree above that, you have to pace your time. At 100 degrees limit your stay to 30 minutes, at 102 you should only stay in for 10-15 minutes, at 104 the limit should be 10 minutes and then get out and recoup. Then go back in if desired. You can overheat the body by raising the internal body temp too high and causing Hyperthermia.

Lets talk about some other reasons for buying a spa. Gathering together all the people you love to spend time with. Once you have a spa and the word gets out, the friends will be calling to come over for dinner. How about therapy? I had dislocated my knee some years back and the orthopedic I was seeing recommended I do some swimming or spa therapy to help me with the swelling and joint pain. I never sleep as good as I do after using the spa, I am so relaxed I forget the worries of the day and just enjoy the stars. It's coming close to winter now,and in the Northeast that means cold weather, but there is nothing like going out and getting in a 100 degree spa with the snow coming down and I am there in the spa as warm as can be, I love it!

Remember this, a spa can add value to your home as well. With a swimming pool you limit the buyers that would look at your home, but a spa is an added bonus for anyone. You can take the spa with you when you move so you are never without it. You can use the spa all year long in any weather, with a pool you would get maybe 6 months in the cold climate areas.

There are many reasons to buy a spa, but the bigger question you should ask yourself is what are YOUR reasons for NOT buying a spa?

Check out my other tips here @ www.fixmypoolandspa.blogspot.com

Until Next Time...

Are You Buying A House With A Spa

Rick the Spa Guy

So you are thinking about buying a house with a spa outside and don't know what to do? A spa is designed for therapeutic value. They are portable units, so if you do not want it you can simply have an electrician disconnect the power and sell the unit or cut it up and throw it away, but before you do that consider the relaxing nights outside under the stars enjoying that warm water and therapy you would be getting from being a spa owner.

Spas are just an over sized jetted bath tub, most homes built today are designed with a master suite and master bath with a jetted bath tub in them, and people love to see the jetted tub in their bathroom but do not like spas outside. The reality of it is that most homeowners that have jetted bath tubs say that they rarely if ever use it. They have to wait for it to fill, if the unit does not have a heater in it then the water cools off quickly and you have to keep draining a little and refill with the hot water, it becomes a hassle and they just end up showering instead.

With an out door spa you are under the stars, the water is always full and at the temperature you prefer. In the winter you can be soaking in 100 degree water with snow all around and enjoying the company of your spouse or significant other at the same time. The chemical balance is easy if you monitor the spa once a week, and you are only adding a few ounces of chemical to keep the water clean and clear.

If you have never owned a spa or been in one before I recommend that you get in one and see how great it can be to own a spa. Go to a spa showroom at your local pool dealer and ask for a wet test, they usually will have a couple of models full and running, get in and enjoy the message therapy and see if a spa is for you.

So again, do not turn that house away that has a spa before you see if you will enjoy it. You can always get rid of it if it is not for you.

Until Next Time....