What are the major health benefits of swimming?

Swimming is the perfect means to beat the heat and to relax and de-stress oneself. But do you know that there are many health benefits of swimming?

Swimming is a high calorie burning exercise. You can knock off those extra kilos by swimming regularly. To look leaner and to lose weight, you need to aim at distance rather than speed. You can afford to go for less tiring strokes but go for at least 15 strokes in your custom swimming pool. Do some water exercises too to get in shape.

Swimming is the ideal exercise for whole body work out. You can work out your entire body from head to toe, without over exerting your muscles or worrying about back injury or pain. For those who can not indulge in jogging and walking, swimming is indeed the best exercise to stay fit and healthy.

As well as keeping your body in shape and form, swimming keeps your heart too in perfect condition. It strengthens your heart, improves blood circulation, and protects you from cardiovascular diseases.

Swimming also helps build muscles. By combining swimming with some weight lifting exercises, you could get stronger muscles and can improve your physical endurance too.

Now next time you take a plunge in your private pool, enjoy swimming all the more. It can do a lot in improving your overall physical well being and health.

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7 reasons to consider an outdoor kitchen

An outdoor kitchen is a place to cook and eat out of doors. It can be on a patio, screened porch or it can be set in a courtyard or out in the garden. If you have not considered an outdoor kitchen yet, here are 7 reasons why should consider one right away.

1. Cooking indoors in the summer can be a nightmare. Cooking outdoors can save you the seat and at the same time keep your air conditioning bill down.

2. All the mess and garbage is kept outside. Just make sure to have a garbage bin nearby.

3. You can enjoy cooking with a grill flair. Cook barbecue, steaks or other grilled dishes without fear of smoke filling your house.

4. While having food outdoors you don't have to run indoors to get supplies. Install an outdoor refrigerator and sip chilled beverages!

5. An outdoor kitchen serves as a great place to entertain guests and hold dinners and luncheons. Install a small fireplace and see how it adds to the magic.

6. Once installed, an outdoor kitchen will last you a long time. Since the materials used are weather resistant it generally lasts a long time. You might just have to change the grill occasionally. An Outdoor kitchen can add to the real estate value of your house. If you plan to move out in a few years, consider an outdoor kitchen as an investment, not as a cost.

7. However the most important reason of all: It's about the quality time you have family. Imagine having meals with wind blowing in your face and the smiling faces of one's family around! 

Source: http://www.streetdirectory.com/travel_guide/203084/kitchen_design/7_reasons_why_you_should_consider_an_outdoor_kitchen.html

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Check out the best options for pool decks

A swimming pool deck is a valuable addition to any home. It provides the perfect place to relax on a cool summer evening or on a warm winter afternoon. Pool decks even provide homeowners a wonderful opportunity to entertain guests outside their home. A well constructed and beautiful pool deck helps add a lot of value to a home.

Though there are a plethora of materials that can be used for constructing pool decks, check out some of the best options.

Concrete pavers-concrete pavers are the most popularly used materials for constructing pool decks in homes and hotels. Concrete pavers are extremely strong and durable and require minimal maintenance. They do not catch up dirt and dust easily. If maintained well, your pool deck constructed out of concrete pavers would last for many years. Yet another advantage of using concrete pavers is that they are quite affordable and can be used in several ways for achieving the effect that you want to create. 

Tiles-tiles are available in a variety of designs and styles. They look beautiful and add a lot of appeal to the outdoor living space. You can buy pool deck tiles made out of terracotta, or granite or even marble. Though such tiles exude with style and grace the problem is that they tend to be slippery in nature.

Wood-if you have budget, use wood for constructing pool deck. Pool decks made out of wood boast of unparalleled warmth and elegance. The problem with wood pool decks is that they are difficult to maintain. You will have to spend a lot of money in polishing, removing the stains, and in keeping your wooden pool deck in good condition for long.

Choose the pool deck material that fits your budget and requirements and add a beautiful and practically useful structure to your home.

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Top 10 Awesome Pools In The World

Best example of creativity of the swimming pool builders imagination. Here you will find the list of 10 awesome swimming pools in the world. 

1. Shaw House, Vancouver

2. Ubud Hanging Gardens Resort, Bali
3. Tangga House, Singapore
4. Nemo 33, Belgium
5. Marina Bay Sands Skypark, Singapore
6. Joule Hotel, Dallas
7. Main Pool at Seagaia Ocean Dome, Japan
8. 232 West 15th Street, New York
9. Aquarium Pool at the Golden Nugget, Las Vegas
10. San Alfonso del Mar Seawater Pool, Chile

Source: http://gizmodo.com/5914228/the-10-most-awesome-pools-in-the-world

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7 tips to help you keep your pool clean

It is definitely fun to swim in your private pool during summers. A private pool in your backyard gives you a lot of flexibility and lets you have hours of non-stop fun, swimming and enjoying water sports with your friends or kids.

Here are 7 tips to help you keep your pool clean and healthy -

1. If you notice any debris in your pool, just skim them off. If too much of debris is allowed to build inside the pool, it can interfere with your pool’s filtration system. You can install an automatic cleaner in your pool for effectively removing the small particles in the water. Make use of a net for removing the leaves and twigs that may have fallen inside the pool.

2. Vacuum your pool on a regular basis. Empty your pool once a month and try to clean the pool manually. Take a brush to remove any dirt and dust that may have got deposited on the walls of the pool and then use the vacuum for better results.

3. To ensure that your pool is safe and enjoyable to use, you have to keep a close watch on the water quality. Use the right chemicals to keep the pool water clean and free of contaminants.

4. Chlorine is very important for your pool. It helps kill the micro organisms like bacteria and disinfects the pool thoroughly. Buy chlorine based products and try to add them after sun set when chlorine works more effectively.

5. Test the pH level of your pool water. A pH level that is between 7.4 and 7.6 pH is desirable in swimming pools. Having a pH level above 8 or below 7 can cause problems to the swimmers and can also affect the quality of the water.

6. Stale water can lead to the growth of algae and bacteria in your swimming pool. Make sure that you change the water frequently to prevent algae and bacteria from setting in and making your pool green and unhealthy.

7. Apart from regularly changing your pool water, you can make use of algaecides. They help get rid off algae and prevent their growth.

If you find that swimming pool maintenance is time consuming and exhaustive, hire experts to do the job for you. But do not ignore regular pool maintenance.

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