Labor Day weekend is typically a very big weekend for swimming pool parties, probably second only to the July 4th weekend. Before long, we will start having much cooler weather. With that being said, it is typically still very warm over Labor Day weekend, therefore pools will be a great place to be.
Following is a checklist to assure that your Labor Day weekend pool party goes as planned:
Be sure that your pool is ready To avoid last minute water problems such as cloudy water or a green pool, be sure that your pool water is balanced—have it professionally analyzed at Gohlke Pools. This preventative maintenance will help prevent eye and skin irritation that sometimes accompanies a weekend of swimming in a pool of unbalanced water. Eye and skin irritation are usually due to insufficient sanitizer levels or incorrect pH levels.
Prepare the area surrounding your pool In addition to preparing the pool, the area surrounding the pool will also probably need some attention—such as mowing, trimming plants, cleaning the patio, etc. Consider using container plants in the pool area to help dress it up. Also, do not forget to get rid of pests such as wasps & ants. It would probably be a good idea to have wasp spray on hand for any unwelcome pests that arrive during your party.
Decorations & music Decorations and music really help set the mood. Seasonal decorations really can add to the feel of the party. Paper products, such as tablecloths, plates, cups, and napkins are also available in a pool party theme. Party stores such as Party City or Hobby Lobby are an excellent source for these festive decorations. For evening parties, try stringing Christmas lights along the fence and in the trees and shrubbery or use tiki torches.
Music Beach music (Beach Boys, Jimmy Buffet, or summer mix/tropical beach party music) can really add to pool parties.
Food Firing up the grill and serving hamburgers and hot dogs is always a safe bet. For the more courageous, smoke a brisket or some ribs. And for dessert, nothing represents summer and pool party more than homemade ice cream. Be sure to delegate some of the food responsibilities to your guests.
Safety Pool safety should always be a concern. Many drownings and accidents occur during parties as children are often ignored while parents socialize. It might be a good idea to either hire a lifeguard or have parents take shifts being the pool monitor (even provide a whistle and a list of pool rules if you feel it is necessary). If you are serving alcohol, be especially careful. Make sure that your pool’s depth is known by the swimmers and also be sure to let them know what areas are safe for diving—if any. In addition, do not forget to keep plenty of water available as spending time in the sun can lead to dehydration.
Sun protection & eye/skin irritation As you and your guests enjoy the pool party, you should be aware of the possibility of sun protection and eye/skin irritation. Applying sunscreen thoroughly and liberally is the key. Many times, we overlook the fact that we need a waterproof sunscreen for use in pools. Men with thinning hair should be extremely careful and apply sunscreen liberally to the top of the head or better yet—wear a hat. To prevent eye/skin irritation—be sure that the pool water is chemically balanced. Once the damage is done, eye drops will usually provide relief for irritated eyes. To treat irritated skin, take a cool shower and then apply a moisturizing lotion.
Activities Although providing a pool and some food is usually enough to provide for your visiting guests, activities such as pool games can really add to the party. There are many pool games that can be found by Google searching swimming pool games and activities.
The main thing to remember is that planning and delegation are the keys to having a good party that even you, the host, can enjoy. Have a great Labor Day weekend!
Matt has been around the pool business since he was born. When he graduated college in 1984, he joined the family business working for Gohlke Pool Supply. The following year Matt and his father formed a partnership, Gohlke Custom Pools, and started offering pool construction.
This has been a very warm fall—reportedly the warmest October on record. But with the first cold front of this winter now here, leaves are falling. What can a pool owner do to combat the leaf problem? Short of cutting the trees down (please don’t do this), following are some suggestions to help: Mesh covers Mesh covers have become increasingly popular in recent years. Mesh covers allow water to pass through but catch the leaves. Although the leaves will still have to be removed from the top of the mesh cover, the cover keeps the majority of the leaves from getting into the pool. A properly installed mesh cover (which resembles a trampoline-look over your pool) allows you to blow the leaves off the cover….
Well, just a few weeks ago (July 12th) I told you what a mild summer we seem to be having. OOPS! Since that time, it has been very hot-with several record breaking days. As a matter of fact-July was the 11th hottest July on record. The hottest July on record was 1980 and the 3rd hottest July on record was last July-2011. We have had approximately 17-18 days where the temperature reached 100 degrees, which is our average for the whole summer. It now appears that we will have many more than our average, but we will not catch the record-breaking summer of 2011 (71 days). What does this mean for pool owners? In mid-July, most pool water temperatures were in the 85-90 degree range,…
What a memorable summer that it has been – with a record-breaking 71 days over 100 degrees. Although I must admit I did not want the summer of 1980 record broken, it has happened and life will go on. But in just a few days, the record breaking heat will be just a memory and swimming for most of us will be over for this season. On Tuesday night, the temperature is forecast to be in the low 40’s, with a high on Tuesday forecast to be in the 60’s, which means that the pool water temperatures will plummet to an uncomfortable level. So if your pool does not have a heater, you might want to enjoy the final days of swimming for this season….
The 100 degree days appear to be over for this year. Soon it will be getting cold, and I have heard several weather forecasters call for a winter that is colder and wetter than normal. That doesn’t bode too well for pools if preparations aren’t made, especially in the Denton area. If you have ever viewed a Google satellite image of Denton or have flown over Denton in a small aircraft, something is very noticeable: there are many trees in most areas of Denton. During pool season, these trees provide so much for the pool owner in the way of beautifying the pool environment, providing a cool spot near the pool, and providing shade for those that need sun protection. On the other hand, this…
It has been a fairly mild winter thus far, but it appears that will change this weekend, with lows expected to be as low as the single digits on Monday night. What can really be difficult on pool equipment is consecutive number of hours below freezing—which we are expecting from Friday night until Wednesday (over 100 hours). It has been 25 years (January 30-February 5, 1996) since we have had that many consecutive hours of below freezing, when we had 136 hours. FOLLOWING ARE A FEW GENERAL MAINTENANCE TIPS THAT WILL HELP WHEN IT COMES TO PREVENTING PROBLEMS DUE TO FREEZING TEMPERATURES: Fill the pool—Since water hoses typically freeze, we suggest that you fill up your pool prior to the arrival of freezing weather. Empty…
We at Gohlke Pools engage with the community we do business with in a number of ways. One way that we think pays off in multiple ways is through the Alternative Gifts Fair, an annual fundraising event for local charities sponsored by the First United Methodist Church of Denton, Texas. The Alternative Gifts Fair offers friends and family an alternate way to take care of their holiday shopping and participate in supporting the work of our local charities. Gohlke Pools was awarded this badge for participating as a Matching Sponsor at this event. We enjoy being a part of this multi-faceted world of giving that brings together so many people for the betterment of our community. Our thanks go out to First United Methodist Church…
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Albert did a great job communicating throughout... from swinging by before repair to ensure correct sizing/equipment, through quoting, ordering, scheduling time and completing repair. Top notch, very professional and great experience. Thanks, Albert!
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Kevin Nowak
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I just want to compliment Gohlke Pools for 14 years of service to our family. I want to especially thank them for their skilled repair techs. Albert has done a lot of maintenance work for us and his skills and professionalism are top notch. It is my pleasure to recommend Gohlke for regular service, maintenance, or new construction.
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Cristina Cueto
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We recently hired Gohlke Pools to remodel our patio and add on an outdoor kitchen. An important feature of the kitchen was a large pizza oven I ordered that from delivery to installation added a lot of complexity to our project. Bill, our project manager, handled every challenge I threw at him with patience and grace. There was some minor damage to the oven during shipping and before they installed it Bill spent a week hunting down replacement tile to repair the damage so I’d never know the difference. The oven looks perfect! Every member of every crew they had at our house were very skilled professionals but I must give a special thanks to their stonemasons, Jesus and Osvaldo. The fireplace they created for us is gorgeous. We couldn’t be happier with our new patio and I can’t recommend Gohlke Pools enough.
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steve kuzmich
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Gohlke did a great job building us an outdoor kitchen with a pizza oven and remodeling our large patio including resurfacing the concrete. Always on schedule, all over the worker were a class act. Bill supervising the job was a real pro and great to deal with. Placing a 3000 pound oven was a challenge and they made it look easy. Real attention to detail. This is a great company!
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sam sam
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Julie and Brittany are amazingly helpful and courteous. Thank you both for your help.
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Leslie Farris
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Travis is the BEST!!
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Bryan Beck
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They go above and beyond to make sure that our pool is running properly. Technicians, service guys, repairs, new construction, and the office staff are all super helpful and friendly.
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Rachel Sullivan
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DFW Hot Tubs made the entire hot tub buying experience easy and enjoyable. Pablo was incredibly knowledgeable, patient, and kind, guiding me through every step and helping my family choose the perfect spa for our needs. He provided clear education on care and maintenance, and his support has continued even after the purchase. I highly recommend DFW Hot Tubs and specifically Pablo for his professionalism and outstanding customer service!
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Stacey Luce
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WOW! Just WOW! We couldn’t be happier with our first pool! It’s a huge investment, and you want to feel confident and comfortable with your decision. From the first meet-and-greet to Matt and Connor checking in after completion, we are so thankful we chose Gohlke Pools. Communication gets 100 stars! We received regular email updates throughout the project with timelines and progress reports. Connor was extremely helpful with design ideas and changes, and Matt was always present—taking care of anything and everything promptly. Caden did a fantastic job with our “pool school” at the end. He was patient, answered every question, and genuinely wanted us to feel prepared. The entire process was smooth, and they even finished ahead of schedule. We were also impressed with each subcontractor—the quality of their work and the respect they had for our property were outstanding. Subias, the recommended landscaper, was wonderful to work with, and Javier Subias was incredibly helpful in planning our outdoor design. All in all, we were so impressed with Gohlke that we’ve decided to use them for our weekly service as well. THANK YOU, GOHLKE POOLS, for making our experience so positive!
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Gohlke Pools serves Denton, Corinth, Argyle, Flower Mound, Highland Village, Lantana, Double Oak, and many other cities and towns surrounding Denton.
