What to seek for maximum skin protection in and around your pool

While enjoying your swimming pool with friends and family, it’s easy to get caught up in the all the fun and relaxation and forget about guarding your skin against the sun. Before spending the day in or around the pool and patio, make sure everyone is using an effective sunscreen that blocks harmful rays and stays put even in the water.

Keep biting insects out of your outdoor living space

Mosquitoes are a nuisance that make you itch just thinking about them! Once they invade your pool and patio area, they can make a good time in your backyard less comfortable for you, family, and guests.

A helpful flier for your family, friends, and guests who swim

As a swimming pool owner, nothing is more important than the safety of the people enjoying your backyard. That’s why you want rules in place to help keep every adult and child at your home safe in and around the pool and patio area.

Simple steps that make all the difference

Whether you’re an active or recreational swimmer, you’re probably familiar with how chlorinated pools can wreak havoc on your hair, skin, and nails. For your hair in particular, chlorinated water can break down and dry out the cuticle─leaving you with a brittle, tangled mess!

Unfortunately, chlorinated swimming pools are tough to avoid: While pool sanitizing technology has improved by leaps and bounds over the last few years, many public and private pools still use heavy chemical loads in their water. Outside of the controlled environment of your backyard pool (where safer, gentler methods like UV light and ozone can be used), you’re bound to encounter chlorine─and all of its nasty side effects.

Looking to enjoy a dip in the pool while keeping you hair fresh, happy, and healthy? Stay low-stress and tame your tresses with these 5 Ways to Protect Your Hair from Harsh Pool Chlorine.

3 Tips for When it’s Cold Outside

A soak in a hot, bubbling outdoor hot tub or in-ground spa is relaxing at any time of year, but in cold weather it can feel especially good as the water warms your body. However, additional care is needed to keep safe in a spa or hot tub during the fall and winter seasons.

Regular precautions for spa and hot tub use, such as proper water disinfection, should be followed year round. When the mercury outside dips low, additional precautions are needed. Here are three key ones to follow for safe enjoyment of a warm, aquatic escape.

How to prevent swimmer's ear when enjoying your pool—5 tips

Swimming may be lots of fun, but getting swimmers ear is not. If you feel itchy inside your ears, have drainage or inflammation in your ear canal, or pain inside your ear when you tug on your earlobe, chances are good you have a case of swimmer’s ear.

The infection impacts the external ear, specifically the skin of the ear canal. When this skin gets wet and stays wet, it softens—becoming a warm inviting spot for germs to grow. Typically the culprit is bacteria, but it can also be fungal.

—5 smart tips for a successful holiday event around your swimming pool

—Updated July 11, 2018

Throwing a backyard swimming pool party is a great way to celebrate Labor Day. If you want to host one, plan ahead so that everyone can enjoy not only a good time but also a safe time.