Saturday, October 17, 2009

Portable and Permanent Lap Pools

By Lindsay Cooper

Swimming is a life-long sport. All ages can participate in it. It is low-impact, a great cardiovascular workout and as an added bonus, builds lean muscle. As a result, many health conscious people want easy access to a lap pool without the hassle of a gym membership, or sharing your lane with four other people. There are many great options for having a lap pool right at your own home.

Above ground lap pools: These lap pools have many pluses. They are portable - meaning they can be moved outdoors in the summer, indoors in the winter, or even come with you if you change residences. However, it is probably wise to keep them in the same place as much as possible. They are also pretty inexpensive running around $2500 and can be readily purchased at many sports stores. Above ground lap pools are generally just big enough for one person to swim in comfortably. The dimensions usually run about 7 ft by 28 ft by 7 ft. On the possibility of a down side, only one person can swim comfortably, meaning they are not meant to be used for recreation. However, they are still a great option for someone with limited space and a limited budget.

Indoor lap pools: Indoor lap pools are an excellent option, and no longer just for the rich and famous. They are in ground pools that can be used for recreation, entertaining, and exercise. These pools are typically smaller than a standard rectangular public pool, typically measuring 10 ft or less (however, you can build them as large as you want to depending on your wants and needs). The cost of these pools will vary greatly. Factors such as your location, the size of the pool, if you're building a structure around the pool among other things all must be considered.

Fiber glass lap pool: This is probably the best option available for several reasons. Fiberglass is a good finish so that you don't cut or scrape yourself when turning and pushing off the wall. It is also more durable and will save you money in maintenance and energy costs. Furthermore is will never need to be refinished or resurfaced as concrete pools will.

Vinyl Lap Pool: This is a specific type of above ground lap pools. Like all above ground pools, vinyl lap pools are portable. Vinyl lap pools are also easy to clean. With the money saved from not putting in an in-ground pool you could even install a deck around it to make it more visually pleasing.

Finally, a note about lap pool dimensions. You want to make sure that the lap pool is big enough to fit your exercise needs (especially if you are a tall person). However, dimensions are important for another reason, neighborhood codes. Many neighborhoods have by-laws dictating how large a pool can be, where it needs to be located and a million other little things. So before installing your dream lap pool make sure to familiarize yourself with these policies. - 16887

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