While the most popular sports activity in the US is walking, and the second is exercising with weights and other exercise equipment, swimming ranks a close third. In the United States, there are almost 10.5 million residential pools and more than 300,000 public swimming pools, because 36% of children and 15% of adults swim at least six times a year. That?s because American?s love to swim!

Are you giving your pool the care it needs?

Even with superior workmanship at the installation stage, your pool?s life can easily be cut in half without proper maintenance, and with just a little bit of knowledge, you can take care of your own pool in just 20 minutes or less. If you start to notice reduced water flow and more debris than normally in your pool, you should remember to check the basket weekly. Or, with new automated systems, maintenance and chemical checks can take only a few hours a week. Better to care for your pool than let it go and create a real issue.

What are in ground pools and are they better?

First of all, the superior workmanship used to add an in ground pool can increase your property?s values by up to 8%, and in ground pools are better in times of drought, because they use about 30% less water than the amount of water needed to keep a lawn of the same size green.

An in ground pools will cost between $20,000 and $50,000 to install, and depending on the time of year it can take up to 12 weeks to build. Superior workmanship allows you to save water, and build a custom pool.

Remember, in ground pools should always have a fence that?s at least four feet tall around them, for safety and to eliminate drowning hazards. Safety first!

Finally, according to studies conducted by Pool and Spa Marketing, there are more than 6.6 million hot tubs in operation, in North America. As long as you?re having skilled craftsmen do superior workmanship in you yard anyway, shouldn?t one of those jacuzzis be yours?