BACKYARD 2010
ESSENTIALS S
速
PARTY IDEAS
OUTDOOR DECORATING
EXPERT POOL ADVICE
SAVE! $16
NS OUPO BLE C E 13 A U L VA EE PAG S
COOL WAYS
TO ENJOY
SWIM TIME!
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it’s swim time! Forget the calendar—summer officially starts the day you open your pool. Enjoy every luxurious drop with our tips for summer fun. BioGuard’s easy-to-use pool-care systems allow you to enjoy crystal clear, blue water every day— without a worry. Start the pool season right with a visit to your locally owned BioGuard Dealer, who will test your water and customize a care system just for you. Your BioGuard Dealer’s advice will keep you and your family in the swim all summer long. To locate the BioGuard Dealer in your area (plus read more fun pool tips and easy-care product information), go to bioguard.com.
Follow us on Facebook and Twitter. To see step-by-step videos too make pool care easier than ever, visit the BioGuard channel on YouTube ube at YouTube.com/BioGuardUSA.
Look for our NEW logo...
...and our quick-read packaging instructions on every BioGuard Care System product. Learn more about our new look at bioguard.com.
swim fun, swim safe Goggles, fluffy towels els and big smiles may be all kids need for a super swim, but pool y is National safety should top your list. May me Water Safety Month and the perfect time e at to establish good pool rules. Read more w these tips: watersafetymonth.org and follow ety • Enlist a water watcher. The best safety er—an asset is a set of eyes. A water watcher—an en’s water adult designated to supervise children’s activities—provides ultimate water .org. safety. Learn more at waterwatcher.org. • Install a pool and/or gate alarm. A sensor blares a pulsating alarm when someone gains entry to your pool. Read more at poolguard.com. • Speed dial. Keep a cordless waterproof phone poolside in the event of an emergency. Check out the Uniden digital waterproof model at unidendirect.com. • Learn to swim. It may seem obvious, but good advice. Find area swimming classes at redcross.org. backyard essentials
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POOLSIDE COLOR flowering vines
clematis
trumpet vine
morning glory
Earth-friendly EcoKlean™ is a new filter media that replaces the DE (diatomaceous earth) in DE filters and can be used to improve e the performance of sand and cartridge filters. • improves water clarity • uses 100% biodegradable cellulose fiber • increases filtration run cycles on DE filters by up to 70% Ask your BioGuard Dealer for details.
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divine vines Enjoy cooling natural shade by planting vines on poolside structures such as the grapevine-smothered pergola, left. Grow privacy too by screening the view with a trellis or arbor clad in colorful flowering vines. Some blooms attract butterflies and hummingbirds, so they’re worth having poolside. Fragrance is also a sweet benefit. Try these easy-to-grow high-climbers: • Butterfly-attracting: trumpet vine, clematis, morning glory • Fragrant: jasmine, rose, moonflower
Green pool blues Nothing halts swim time faster than algae. “A pool customer who never in 12 years had an algae problem wakes up one morning with a slimy pool,” says Mike Elder of Imperial Pools and Patio in Rock Hill, SC. “A combination of hot weather and lots of rain makes algae multiply—fast,” says Elder. “BioGuard® Optimizer Plus suppresses algae growth and prevents the problem,” he says. Stay algae-free this summer by contacting your BioGuard Dealer.
laps for a cause When Emily Schreiber was 9 years old, she was diagnosed with Cystic Fibrosis (CF). A short couple of weeks later, she started raising money for CF research. Now Emily is 17, and she’s raised more than $1 million— all by swimming laps. Her tenacity and generous spirit is the inspiration behind BioGuard’s Splash for CF. Join Emily in raising money for CF research by hosting a fund-raiser in your own pool. Contact your BioGuard Dealer for details or visit splashforcf.org. Meet Emily “in person” on YouTube.com/BioGuardUSA.
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See the sparkle Can you notice the difference in your y water when you change to BioGuard® Mineral Springs®? “Yes!” says Jane Wilkinson at Up Country Pools in Jackson, CA. “A customer switched her pool care products and tried Mineral Springs. She reported a 100 percent difference in her water,” says Wilkinson. “She was so pleased! She said her water had more sparkle and the pool sides stayed cleaner.” No matter what kind of pool you have, your BioGuard Dealer can customize a care system for you. If you want to see more sparkle, contact your BioGuard Dealer today.
save cash, save energy Smart pool maintenance will improve energy efficiency, reduce evaporation and save you some cash this summer. Consider these steps for your pool: • Cover up. Reduce pool heating costs by 50 to 70 percent by adding a cover to your pool. Learn more at energysavers.gov. • Reroute the wind. Decrease water loss in windy areas by planting a windbreak of trees or shrubs or by erecting a fence. Less evaporation means less water replacement costs.
dog paddle with your pet? Your dog loves to hang with the family, but should he get his turn in the pool? That’s up to you. If he’s cleared for dog paddling, consider this: • Watch the pup. Keep an eye on your dog every minute he’s around the pool. Check into pet-safety aids such as a dog ramp or flotation vest. See your BioGuard Dealer for pet safety products. • Clean up. One medium-size dog is equivalent to about 50 people in your pool—that means you may need supplemental oxidation after your pooch does his last lap. See your BioGuard Dealer for advice. 6
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hold your breath and say “cheese” Underwater family snapshots are easier than ever with the wide variety of waterproof cameras available. Inexpensive single-use cameras are perfect for pool parties. (Buy one for every guest.) The fast film allows you to capture cannonball splashes or lap-race finishline action. Film below-the-surface movies with an underwater video camera. (What kid wouldn’t want to do his rendition of the shark in Jaws or the clownfish in Finding Nemo?) Share pool escapades with family and friends: Make a slide show of underwater smiles and post to flickr.com or add deepwater videos to youtube.com. Here are tips for capturing underwater memories in your pool from kodak.com: • Take lots of images. Water makes photography more difficult, so multiple photos increase the likelihood of getting more “keepers.” • Stand steady. Don’t snap photos while you’re swimming or you’ll end up with blurry shots. • Snap a split-screen photo. Position the camera at the water surface to capture fun photos of friends half in and half out of the water.
Erase mystery stains
If your pool is marred by metal marks, use BioGuard’s new Erase® Stain ID Kit to uncover the culprit. This easy-to-use system pinpoints the problem (iron or copper staining). Then use Erase® Stain Remover to clean up. Learn more from your BioGuard Dealer.
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jump for joy Enjoy sporty, splashy ways to have more fun in your backyard with these pool toys: • Bounce off the wall. Bust an underwater move with the Pool Sub Jumper, above, a pogo stick that keeps you hopping. toysplash.com • Hit this! Aquaman meets Robin Hood in the pool. The Bullzeye Pool Archery Game, not pictured, features soft foam arrows for safe shooting. amazon.com • Lap on. No need for a photo finish with ESPN Swimming Challenge, not pictured. This counter tracks times and laps. solutions.com Check out more cool pool toys at your BioGuard Dealer.
Swim in softness
Luxuriate in a mineral oasis—in your backyard—with the Mineral Springs® program. Easy-to-apply minerals deliver soft, comfortable, balanced water. Plus, scale inhibitors help protect your equipment. Best of all, pool care takes just five minutes a week. You can also transform your salt pool into a Mineral Springs pool with Convert. Learn more at YouTube.com/BioGuardUSA, bioguard.com or from your BioGuard Dealer.
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move inside out Transform underused deck space into a family-friendly poolside room. Here’s how: • Cozy up. Create furniture clusters just as you do indoors. In the photo above, three chairs and a sofa come together to create an intimate setting for chats or meals. • Add surfaces. Small tables offer space for food and drinks. Group pots of colorful flowers on tabletops for fresh accents. • Change colors. Alter the color scheme by replacing or recovering cushions or dressing up seating with colorful throw pillows.
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swing into party mode Vintage bathing suits, colorful swim caps, cool drinks, sizzling food. Your next pool party will swing with a 1940s vintage theme. (Make it a good cause too by raising funds for Splash for CF; see tip 3 for details.) Rent classic 40sera pool flicks (starring water maven Esther Williams) such as Bathing Beauty, Neptune’s Daughter or Million Dollar Mermaid. Film a “coming attractions” video invitation and post it on youtube.com. Or create invites with smilebox.com or evite.com. Glam up with vintage-era swimming suits from the synchro-swim star herself at esther-williams.com. Don a flower-encrusted swim cap from speedo.com. Choreograph a Busby Berkeley water ballet/synchronized swimming number. Grill something hot and cheesy. (See below.)
Mini Cheddar Burgers PREP: 20 MINUTES GRILL: 11 MINUTES ¾ ½ ¼ ¼ 4 8
pound lean ground beef teaspoon dried Italian seasoning, crushed teaspoon salt teaspoon ground black pepper slices cheddar cheese (4 ounces) ½-inch-thick slices baguette-style French bread, toasted, or 4 small round dinner rolls (such as potato rolls or dollar rolls), split and toasted if desired Pimiento-stuffed olives, small pickles and/or cherry tomatoes (optional) Ketchup and/or yellow mustard
ONE In a medium bowl combine beef, Italian seasoning, salt and pepper until well mixed. Lightly shape beef mixture into four ¾-inchthick patties. TWO For a charcoal grill, grill patties on the rack of an uncovered grill directly over medium coals for 10 to 12 minutes or until an instant-read thermometer inserted in the side of the burgers reaches 160°F, turning once halfway through grilling. Top each burger with a slice of cheese, trimming cheese as needed to cover burger. Grill about 1 minute more or until cheese is just melted. (For a gas grill, preheat grill. Reduce heat to medium. Place patties on grill rack over heat. Cover and grill as above.) To serve, place each burger between two slices of French bread or in dinner rolls. Garnish tops of burgers with olives, pickles and/or tomatoes if desired. Serve with ketchup and/or mustard. Makes 4 burgers. Nutrition facts per serving: 132 cal., 2 g total fat (0 g sat. fat), 66 mg chol., 62 mg sodium, 1 g carb., 0 g dietary fiber, 26 g protein.
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stow in style Pool decks get cluttered easily with the flotsam and jetsam of swim time. Keep the pool area neat with these creative pool organizers: • Noodle corral. A space-saving catchall, above, creates an attractive poolside rainbow of noodles. Includes a mesh bag for goggles, fins and other kid stuff, and a tray to hold suntan lotion or drinks. improvementscatalog.com • Float fixer. Foam floats make storage cumbersome. Not anymore! This wall-mounted bronze-finish rack, right, holds up to six floats. frontgate.com • Outdoor armoire. Store fresh towels, cushions and flip-flops in an attractive all-weather cabinet, not pictured, made of high-density polyethylene. soldura.com Discover more decorative and timesaving pool accessories at your BioGuard Dealer.
Clean your pool from top to bottom
BioGuard’s handheld tools make quick work of pool spruce-up. Leaf skimmers, rakes and brushes (with telescoping poles) make debris and algae removal a snap. Vacuum up bugs, leaves and other debris with tools made for all pool surface types. To learn more about easy-to-use handheld tools, contact your BioGuard Dealer.
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Quick save A wedding reception by the pool. Sounds romantic, doesn’t it? “Our customer was hosting their daughter’s reception,” says Mike Thompson of Thompson Pool & Patio in Norman, OK. “We spent a week treating the water (using BioGuard® Super Spot Kill and BioGuard® Backup®).” The water was perfect. An hour before the event, the florist floated sprays of flowers in the pool. As an afterthought, he splashed some blue dye into the water—which instantly turned the water bright green. The frantic parents called Mike, and in an hour the water was blue again—just in time for the reception. Catastrophe averted! Are you having a special pool event this summer? Contact your BioGuard Dealer for advice.
walk on the mild side Your pool is your own private health club. So head out back with that special someone for a daily workout. Low-impact muscle-building water walking is fun and relaxing. Water’s buoyancy reduces joint stress, so walking is also pain-free. Take a stroll in the shallow end, or use a flotation belt and amble in deeper water for a more strenuous workout. Stride forward, move sideways, step backwards. Every direction you walk works different muscles. Then kick back and relax because your workout is over. For more information about the benefits of aquatic exercise, go to mayoclinic.com.
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Stop algae in its tracks!
Save 2 $
$2 off when you buy one quart of SoftSwim® A, Back Up® or Algae All 60®. Coupon good until July 31, 2010. This coupon entitles you to $2 off the purchase price and may be redeemed at a participating BioGuard® Pool & Spa Dealer. Please fill in the information on the back. Not valid with any other offer.
Swim in smooth, luxurious water!
Save 5 $
$5 off Silk Tabs®, Silk Sticks® or Silk Smart Sticks®, any package 7.5lbs or larger. Coupon good until July 31, 2010.
This coupon entitles you to $5 off the purchase price and may be redeemed at a participating BioGuard® Pool & Spa Dealer. Please fill in the information on the back. Not valid with any other offer.
Save 5 $
Transform your salt water pool into a Mineral Springs pool.
$5 off when you buy six 4lb. bags of Mineral Springs® Renewal® or 3 bags of Mineral Springs ings® Convert. Coupon good until July 31, 2010. This coupon entitles you to $5 off the purchase price and may be redeemed at a participating BioGuard® Pool & Spa Dealer. Please fill in the information on the back. Not valid with any other offer.
Save 2 $
New! Earth-friendly replacement filter media for D.E.
$2 off EcoKlean™ 3lb. bag. Coupon good until July 31, 2010. This coupon entitles you to $2 off the purchase price and may be redeemed at a participating BioGuard® Pool & Spa Dealer. Please fill in the information on the back. Not valid with any other offer.
Save 2 $
$2 off one quart Stow Away ® or Polysheen® Blue. Coupon good until July 31, 2010. This coupon entitles you to $2 off the purchase price and may be redeemed at a participating BioGuard® Pool & Spa Dealer. Please fill in the information on the back. Not valid with any other offer.
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Fast results! Clear up cloudy water or clean your pool cover.
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GREAT PRODUCTS, BIG SAVINGS!
BRING THESE COUPONS
TO YOUR BIOGUARD DEALER TODAY.
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