Outdoor Living Ideas

Are you tired of checking the pool chemicals constantly to make sure the chlorine and pH are at the right levels? Sure, you enjoy lying out by the swimming pool and entertaining in the backyard, but isn’t there some way to make the maintenance less tedious? Well, maybe so.

This wireless pool chemical monitoring system watches the levels in your swimming pool 24 hours a day and only alerts you when you need to add more chemicals. There’s no need for you to go out and check the levels yourself any more.

Here’s what the product description adds: ”It uses a remote floating pod that contains sensors for water temperature, pH, and chlorine level, which transmits its data wirelessly to the display. The sensor pod floats freely in your pool and takes measurements at the same 18″ depth recommended by the Association of Pool and Spa Professionals. Your pools pH level is measured based upon the total pool volume that you enter on the display, so the system tells you when to add chemicals to bring your pH near a balanced 7.2 reading (a chlorine generator is r required for total alkalinity test). The sensor pod and display can communicate up to 150′ away from each other, so you don’t have to step outside each time you want to check on your pool.”

Sounds like a good way to cut down on the maintenance aspects of bring a pool owner to me. The device is $400, but it should last for many pool-using seasons to come:

The Wireless Pool Chemical Monitoring System

The biggest downside of owning your own swimming pool is the maintenance. Anything that can automate the process takes some of the load off your shoulders, and if it’s eco-friendly by being solar-powered, so much the better.

This solar pool purifier from Smart Home is supposed to reduce the need for chlorine by 80%, which means less fussing with balancing the chemicals for you (and less of that chlorine smell around the water). The device requires little maintenance (it just floats around the pool releasing mineral ions that eliminate algae and bacteria but are harmless to humans), and since it’s powered by the sun, it won’t add anything to your monthly energy bill.

The price is just under $270:

Solar Powered Pool Purifier

An outdoor shower can be a great idea for the backyard if you’ve got a swimming pool, hot tub, or you’re just out and about getting dusty all day (i.e. if you have a vacation home and you’re out hiking or horseback riding or the like). These showers let you wash off (or wash the kids off… or the dog) before tracking grime into the house. They also let you get that chlorine off from the pool before you lie down to sunbathe or whatever else you want to do.

This one is called the “Cactus” pool shower (take a look at the shape) and is available from HomeClick for $1,685. It comes with all the parts you’ll need to install it, and there’s even a separate foot shower, in case you live by the beach and you just want to wash the sand off your feet before tromping into the house.

The Pool Shower “Cactus”

Is your backyard swimming pool as much for entertaining adults as it is for children? Or maybe you’d like it to be? This floating party table (called the “AquaPub”), complete with attached floating chairs, can give the adults a place to hang out and have a drink.

I remember when I was down in Cancun, I got a big kick out of the swimming pool bar. You could get your pina colada and sit at the bar in the water and drink it. Or you could take your beverage and toodle around the pool. Though this table doesn’t come with a complete bar, it would at least give you some place to sit and enjoy your beverages in between sun bathing and chatting with friends and family.

The party table comes with 6 chairs, 6 drink holders, and 2 removable ice trays so you can keep drinks and snacks cold. The AquaPub is available via Vacation Gadget Man for $125.

Here’s an accessory for your backyard swimming pool. Okay, maybe I’d call it more of a toy than an accessory, because it looks like it’d be fun to play with. The motorized pool lounger gives you a couple of joysticks to drive yourself around the water without going through all the effort of kicking or paddling. Want to see what’s going on over in the deep end? Just tap the joystick. Oops, you got too close to the diving area. No problem. Another tap puts you in reverse. A motorized pool lounger is probably the epitome of laziness, but who cares? It’s not like you’re flopping down on a pool toy in order to get a workout anyway.

The lounger is available from Vacation Gadgets for $130 plus shipping.

If your kids are bugging you for a slide for the backyard swimming pool, but you think they’re too expensive to install (permanent structures do tend to be costly), maybe this inflatable pool slide could be a suitable compromise. Granted, it’s not going to entertain big kids (although the product description says it can hold up to 150 pounds), but if your youngsters are still toddler-sized, they may have a blast zipping down this.

It’s designed to be hooked up to a hose (there’s a built-in “spray strip”), so it becomes a water slide. Made of heavy-duty PVC, the slide should stand up to some wear and tear. Since it’s inflatable, you can simply let out the air at the end of the summer for easy storage.

The price is $120 from Plow & Hearth.