Platinum Pools' appearance on HGTV's Million Dollar Rooms last year has reached 70,000 views on our Platinum Pools' youtube channel.  If you haven't had a chance to view it yet, take a look.  The video features our well-recognized "Shell Pool', and all of its amenities which include 7 bodies of water, a moveable door separating the indoor pools from the outdoor pools, the waterfall and grotto entry into the sauna, hand painted custom tile from Wales throughout, and many other feaures.

Our friends at swimuniversity.com posted this great article about how a swimming pool affects the value of a home. 

Does Owning a Pool or Hot Tub Increase The Value of Your Home?

When researching the answer for this article, I spoke to a few real estate agents and residential property appraisers in South Jersey. And from my many conversations, the unanimous answer I received was, "depends."

Here is a collection of photos from thechive.com entitled " A Pool would be good for you".  These are some very unique swimming pool designs and ideas from around the world.  Including vanishing edges, clear bottoms, balcony pools, indoor pools, balcony pools, lap pools with unique designs, desert pools set in bedrock, etc. 

Click here to see the post

The Hot Tub – A Bubbling Bath of Positive Health Benefits

November 14, 2012 By Shelly via filbur manufacturing blog

What's not to love about a hot tub? With its health, social, and home-improvement benefits it's a veritable hot pot of positives. Add to that the strides that hot tub manufacturers have made in energy efficiency and environmental friendliness, and one's hard-pressed to find a reason not to invest in what used to be considered solely a luxury item.

Health benefits are many, including relief for the 1 in every 3 Americans that suffer from arthritis. The heat, buoyancy, and massage elements exercise and relax the muscle joints, relieving pain and making daily tasks and movement in general more comfortable.

Relief for insomnia, which affects almost 60 million Americans, is another huge hot-tubbing benefit. The obvious stress relief it provides is a great sleep aid in and of itself, but there's more to it. According to a recent study in the scientific journal Sleep, a drop in body temperature can help to ease your body into a deeper, more relaxing sleep. Therefore, it is suggested that you soak in hot water (103° F) about 90 minutes before bedtime. This causes the body's internal thermostat to pull your temperature down, enabling sleep to set in with more ease.

Probably the most surprising benefit, though, is the effects in reducing blood sugar in Diabetes Type 2 patients. A study at McKee Medical Center reports that patients who spent 30 minutes per day in a hot tub recorded a 13% decrease in blood sugar levels, better quality sleep, and a great overall sense of well-being.

Even if you don't suffer from one of these ailments, a hot tub is a natural aid in stress relief, blood pressure, headaches, and the acceleration of the healing process. As with any type of therapy, it is important to consult a physician before soaking in a hot tub if you have health concerns.

OK, so there's got to be a negative, right? Well, the closest we could find is the maintenance of this bubbling tub of bliss...and that's even a stretch as far as negatives go. This does not have to be overwhelming or difficult. My friend in the industry, Matt Giovanisci, has created a great visual guide for easy hot tub maintenance and was good enough to share it with us. And, tomorrow I'll share it with all of you!

The National Step into Swim campaign is teaching the American population how to swim.  A Dupage County, IL businessman and former olympic swimmer is doing the same thing for thousands in his Dupage Swimming Center.  Platinum Pools was recently given a private tour of this wonderful facility, and would like to share our experience with you.

Created in 2003, the Dupage Swimming Center has taught over 350,000 swimming lessons.

Founder Ross Seymour was an All-American Collegiate swimmer at Oklahoma State University and represented Australia in the 1976 Olympic Games in Montreal. 

The five-lane, 25-yard pool and an accompanying smaller teaching pool are used for 1,000 lessons in the winter months and 1,400 lessons during the summer.

Pool Specifications:

Lap Pool: 5 lanes X 25 yards - 82°F

4ft–9ft deep

Teaching Pool: 5 yards X 12.5 yards 92°F 3ft–3ft 5in deep

DSC's trained and experienced instructors strive to create a safe and positive atmosphere where students can achieve their individualized goals for swimming. Their policy is to promote a life long love of swimming in a structured and innovative environment.

The impressive pump room features state-of-the art equipment to keep both pools sparkling clean and crystal clear.  A dehumidification system provides the perfect ambient air temperature and moisture level, as well as a "chloramine" smell-free environment.

The center is open 6 days a week from 7 A.M. to 9 P.M. and accommodates swim lessons, open swim, and classroom activities for swimmers.  This is a truly state-of-the-art facility, and we at Platinum Pools are privileged to have been given this tour.  The Dupage Swimming Center actively and succesfully promotes the leading aspirational activity that prevents drowning, increases physical activity, and opens a range of fun aquatic activities: Swimming!