Many believe that solar power was a trend that started in the 1970’s and fizzled out by the late 1980’s. What those people do not know is that any new house built today can be made to utilize solar energy better than ever before. Fortunately the use of large, bulky black panels is no longer needed to make use of solar energy in one’s living quarters. Instead, the solar techniques can be found when the actual designing of the house is done. An example of such a technique would be positioning the windows of a house to face south and southwest in order to capture sunlight in the winter months. Using heavy materials that insulate well is another instance of proper solar energy use. Thick concrete, large overhangs, and limiting windows on the north and east sides of a house are all useful forms of capturing and using solar energy. The same is true when installing an above ground or in ground pool. Design and place your swimming pool to maximize the amount of sunlight it receives each day. Also, the use of a solar pool cover will help retain the heat in the pool water and reduce pool water evaporation.

All of the aforementioned energy-saving practices are different forms of “passive solar energy”. In fact, any behavior that maximizes energy from the sun and cuts down on how much energy is lost is considered as such. Utilizing any of them will save you energy and money on fossil fuel costs. In a world that is trying to “go green”, you can do your part by simply designing your house properly.

Without a doubt, pools and swimwear go hand in hand, so we thought that we’d provide you with a few easy-to-follow tips on how to take care of your swimsuits. To ensure that you get the most out of your swimsuits for years to come, follow these tips and get ready to take swimwear season head-on!

-Always avoid sitting directly on pool decks, as they’re often pretty rough in texture. Either sit on a chair or lay out a towel to avoid getting pulls and runs in the smooth swimwear fabric.

-Be careful when you’re applying suntan lotion, oils and cosmetics to your face and body. If you get these on your swimwear, the chemicals can lead to serious discoloration of the fabric. Moreover, over time they will exacerbate the normal wear and tear process, forcing you to retire your favorite swimwear faster than you want.

-A number of designers suggest that swimmers do not wear their swimsuits in the hot tub, as the chlorine mixed with the hot temperature can not only discolor and fade the fabric, but it can lead to a breakdown of the fabric as well. Since you don’t want to avoid the hot tub altogether, try to wear your older swimwear styles that you don’t care as much about when relaxing in the hot tub.

-Always monitor your pool’s chlorine content. Make sure the concentration is not too high, as prolonged chlorine exposure can affect the overall durability of the fabric.

-After every single wear, make sure to rinse your swimwear thoroughly to prep it for washing. This will help remove some of the excess chlorine content before you actually wash your swimsuit.

-Always wash your swimwear carefully by hand after every wear, using mild soaps meant for delicate fabrics. Use cold or warm water. After washing, gently squeeze out the water, making sure to avoid wringing or twisting your swimwear. Finally, lay your swimsuits flat out to dry. Never use washing machines or dryers because they’re way too rough!

Use these tips as a general guide and do your part in preserving the life of your swimwear! Happy swimming!

Susan is a blogger for InStyleSwimwear.com, an online retailer of fine designer swimwear, resortwear and fashion-forward accessories for the beach or pool! Check them out today!

All about Aqua Zumba®.

…August has the highest percentage of births

…you can’t taste food unless it’s mixed with saliva

…a bear has 42 teeth

…the average person falls asleep in 7 minutes

…in Australia, swimming suits are known as “cossies”

…an ostrich’s eye is bigger than its brain

…most lipsticks contain fish scales

…no two corn flakes look the same

…lemons contain more sugar than strawberries

…8% of people have an extra rib

…85% of plant life is found in the ocean

…Ralph Lauren’s original name was Ralph Lifshitz

…approximately 65 thousand people in the United States alone do not know how to swim

…the Hawaiian alphabet has 12 letters

…Topolino’ is the name for Mickey Mouse in Italy

…a lobster’s blood is colorless but when exposed to oxygen it turns blue

…armadillos have 4 babies at a time and are all the same sex

…if every star in the Milky Way was a grain of salt they would fill an Olympic sized swimming pool

…the longest recorded flight of a chicken was 13 seconds

…birds need gravity to swallow

• Buy a coat rack. Just about everyone bundles up in a warm coat once the temperatures dip. But once you get home and the warm air inside welcomes you, the first instinct is to take your coat off and lay it down on the first chair you see. If you have a coat rack by the main entrance, you’ll always know where your coat is and the house won’t look so messy with coats strewn about.
• Have a tray set aside for keys. As clutter accumulates throughout the winter, the chances your keys will go missing increase. Save yourself the frantic search for keys in the morning by setting a tray aside where everyone places their keys.
• Partition desk drawers. It’s easy to fill a desk drawer, but it’s hard to remember its contents. Save yourself the stress of rooting through drawers by installing partitions. This will make things easier to find and will likely prevent you from just adding random items to desk drawers.
• Bundle all those cords. Nowadays, the average television has roughly one dozen cords attached to it. HDMI cables, video game consoles, DVD players, home theater systems, and, of course, the television cord itself are among the many cords that can make a mess near your television. Bundle these cords with a cord organizer to make wires and plugs much more manageable.
• Toss the junk mail. Thanks to paperless bank statements and online billing, many people no longer receive important documents through the mail. Instead, mailboxes are filled with junk mail such as advertisements or menus from local restaurants. Rather than placing junk mail on the counter or storing it in a drawer, throw it out as you receive it. You will undoubtedly notice considerably less clutter.
• Clean out the refrigerator. Another culprit when it comes to clutter is the family refrigerator. Half-eaten meals or expired items can be found in almost every refrigerator on the planet. If you’re putting leftovers in the fridge after every meal, then chances are you have lots of leftovers that have passed their prime. Solve this problem by scheduling a potluck night where you eat all of the leftovers, or commit to bringing them to work for the next day’s lunch. However you do it, clean out the refrigerator once a week.
  
• Add storage space. Using drawers and only drawers for storage is a great way to become disorganized. If you have any bare walls, particularly in the kitchen, use them to hang shelves you can use for storage. If the walls are full or not sturdy enough to hang a storage shelf, install an extra shelf or two in the pantry.

In the dead of winter we know where your mind wanders: to warm, soothing waters. But where to find them, outside of Hawaii?

http://realestate.msn.com/13-homes-for-sale-with-indoor-pools

1. Sing “Auld, Lang Syne”
2. Cheer for your favorite Super Bowl team
3. Send a Valentine
4. Drink green Beer
5. File income tax paperwork
6. Celebrate a birthday
7. Get a dental cleaning
8. Get a physical
9. Swim in a pool or other body of water
10. See a fireworks display
11. Attend a sporting event
12. Plant flowers
13. Mow the lawn
14. Go out for ice cream
15. Rake leaves
16. Eat turkey
17. Purchase a gift
18. Take a vacation
19. Give a car an oil change
20. Be shocked by a TV series season cliffhanger
21. Get a cold
22. Decorate the home
23. Make a resolution

Ritz-Carlton to feature rooftop pool, lounge on 118th floor at ‘world’s tallest hotel’ – USATODAY.com.

One cannot deny the current and still-growing wellness trend that is taking place in America today. People are making an effort to live healthier, and PcPools is helping to make it easier for people to do so. Saunas have been used for centuries to purify the body and the mind. Thanks to today’s wellness movement, that concept continues to thrive and grow. PcPools is making a strong effort to align itself with that concept by educating its customers on the short and long term benefits of owning an infrared sauna. Identifying sauna use as a fitness instrument sets such items apart from spas, which are traditionally only used for relaxation. PcPools offers its customers a way to improve fitness while in a relaxing setting, allowing them to enjoy the best of both worlds.