Pool Planning Tips for Nighttime Use
With the summer in full swing, backyard swimming pools are at the perfect temperature for nighttime use. Evening swims have a relaxing, luxurious feel that can make your custom pool area feel like a true backyard retreat. Following are special considerations to keep in mind when planning for post-sunset swims.
Lighting for Safety, Security, and Ambiance
The safety of your family and friends is key in planning for evening pool usage. Incorporating the proper lighting design in your custom swimming pool area can enhance its ambiance and make it possible for swimmers to see all underwater areas of the pool. It also make it possible for those spending time on the deck area to see anyone who is swimming in case of an emergency. The steps, edge of the pool, and surrounding deck areas also should be illuminated. This can help prevent accidents and enhance security so that you feel more comfortable when spending time outdoors at night.
Beyond safety, lighting can transform your pool area for evening entertaining. Today’s pool lighting can be changed to a single color or set to change colors, and many systems can be programmed to adjust speed, motion, and brightness. Due to their brightness, durability, and energy efficiency, LED lights are the most popular choice for homeowners installing in-ground pool lighting. While bulbs can be more difficult to change than in fiber optic lighting, they can last up to 15 years. For areas that surround the pool, low-voltage lighting provides a soft glow that creates a warm ambiance. It can also be used to highlight unique architectural and landscape elements of your backyard area.
Privacy from Neighbors
While lighting is an important element that provides you and your guests with security during evening swims, landscape features and fencing also are effective. Whether you are enjoying your luxury swimming pool or relaxing in a custom pool spa, it can be uncomfortable to feel like you in full view of your neighbors. Trees and plants provide visual and audible screening that can make your backyard more private and quieter. Evergreen trees and shrubs are a good choice, while deciduous and fruit-bearing trees should be avoided, as should plants that attract insects or have thorns.
There are many options for fencing, and your New York tri-state region pool contractor can guide you through the regulations that apply to your specific town, whether you live in Sleepy Hollow, New Rochelle, or Yonkers in Westchester, Wappingers Falls or Beekman in Dutchess County, or Ramapo or Nanuet in Rockland County. Wood, aluminum, and wrought iron are popular choices of material that can be designed to lend a sophisticated look to the backyard.
Protection from Insects
A backyard mosquito problem can be a deterrent to using your pool at night, as they tend to come out around dusk. Since they usually begin appearing when the outside temperature is consistently above 50 degrees, the warm summer months can be a problematic time. Insect control options aside from harsh chemical pesticides include bug control lamps and mosquito dunks, which use pesticides made from naturally occurring soil bacteria that is harmful to mosquitoes but not to people, pets or wildlife.
Discuss your nighttime swimming and entertaining needs with your custom pool contractor to ensure that your luxury backyard is safe, private, and comfortable.
