Monthly Archives: February 2023

Outdoor Kitchen Design Tips

With cooking, the majority of meals you would normally make inside can be cooked in an outdoor kitchen. There are times when the favorite foods can taste better when they are prepared using outdoor appliances. With tempting flavors and aromas, barbecues can add a new element to your normal meals.

Outdoor cooking is not limited to simple propane and charcoal grills that a lot of people are used to. Modern kitchens are designed for the patio featuring high-tech appliances and sophisticated components that creates a luxurious space that is easy to use. Even outdoor kitchen builders will tell you that this is one of the best features you will have.

Here are tips you can follow:

You can Extend the Living Space

Among the great benefits of an outdoor kitchen is it extends the living and entertaining space. Use up the additional space by planning the shade, warmth, and shelter.

During the summer months, a shaded kitchen would mean that entertaining and cooking are better. In order to provide shelter and shade, you can plant some trees nearby or incorporate a pergola or an awning when you have it built. For the seating area, go for a patio umbrella.

Functional Area

Like in an interior kitchen, a thoughtfully-designed outdoor kitchen makes sure that the layout is functional.

Do you have enough room between the barbecue and dining area in order to cook comfortably? Is there enough bench space to place food, utensils, and condiments while cooking? Do you plan to wash up outside? Do you require a beverage fridge? Can you install ventilation?

Choose Between Portable and Permanent Options

If you plan or rent to move in the next couple of years, you should equip the outdoor kitchen with appliances and features that you can easily move. For instance, you can pair a standalone grill with portable carts that you can use as DIY counters or barbecue islands.

In case you do not see yourself moving or you just love home improvement projects, then an outdoor kitchen might be the project for you. Determine a safe and convenient location, then you should start thinking about materials that coordinate with the exterior of your home that is available locally.

Equipment

Choosing the appliance is one step when it comes to designing an outdoor kitchen where people are excited about barbecue lovers. However, beyond choosing if you have built-in hot plates and grills, a wok burner or wood fire oven are a few things to consider.

You would want to make sure that the equipment is made using a material that is weatherproof and easy to clean. You would have to consider what services you can access like gas, electricity, and water.

It is also worth questioning how often you are going to utilize the equipment before splurging – a cocktail station can theoretically sound great, but is that how you normally entertain?

Consider Surroundings

An outdoor kitchen is an extension of the indoor living space. It also requires that you fit into the yard and the area that surrounds it. While you brainstorm the design, think about the home’s exterior. Choose textures and colors that complement or extend that style.

You Should Commit to Proper Maintenance

An outdoor kitchen is exposed to different elements. Even if you do not often use it, the surfaces and appliances would have to be maintained and covered to withstand the changing weather. In different regions, your appliances would have to be regularly cleaned to get rid of buildups of salt from the ocean air.

You can contact outdoor kitchen contractors Long Island anytime once you are ready.

 

 

Benefits of a Smart Pool

In recent years, automation has been included in so many things in people’s lives and revolutionized them. Smartphones, home appliances, smart lights, and automation takes convenience and comfort to a whole new level compared to before, and it is slowly and surely making their presence felt in the market of swimming pools.

Automated pools, or are also known as smart pools, feature different technological upgrades to a pool setup. With these upgrades, owners can rest when operating and maintaining their pools. In-ground pool builders are aware of the benefits of a smart pool, and how it will make your pool maintenance easier. Future pools are going to come with smart technology installed, and there is already a trend. Read more about their benefits now.

Pool Pump Automation

Conventional pool pumps can increase your energy consumption, mainly if they are kept running for long hours. However, cutting down on the usage of a pool pump is not the solution if the pool is used regularly.

Pool pumps circulate the water across the breadth, length, and depth of the swimming pool and play a key role in keeping water temperature consistent. It is also important to prevent algae and bacterial growth.

Upgrading to an automated pool pump will cut down your energy consumption because you can control the pool pump using your smartphone.

Salt Chlorinators

Testing the pool chlorine levels is a labor-intensive but necessary part of pool maintenance. The chlorine levels have to be in pool water all the time because this kills the bacteria and it keeps your pool safe for swimming. It is important to get the levels right so the water can maintain the correct pH balance. This is important because the wrong balance can cause skin and eye irritation in people who are swimming.

Smart salt chlorinators can take the pressure off you when the chlorine levels are managed. It will test the levels in the water and it ensures that there is the right amount of chlorine added. This is going to keep the water hygienic and maintain a safe pH balance.

Pool Cleaning is Easier

Manual pool maintenance is a huge responsibility because pool care is about balancing chemicals, cleaning the pool, and fishing the trash out. Even if these are enjoyable tasks, they are important to protect the investment you made. Automated self-cleaning pools of the smart pools can keep the pool sparkling clean anytime you want to use it.

Saves You Time

If you have a big swimming pool, then you have the work cut out for you already if you want to be sure of optimum maintenance. Instead of spending hours on pool maintenance during weekends, you can allow smart pool devices to take over maintenance duties. This is going to leave you free to spend precious time with your family in the pool.

Smart Heating and Lighting

You never have to worry about forgetting to shut off the pool heating or also the lights, with the smart systems of today. Aside from that, you can make the pool more welcoming and comfortable with just the touch of a button. This way, you can make sure that no matter where you go, the pool temperature is right whenever you want to use it. You can turn on pool lights as well from your phone, or you set them to change color at several intervals, which creates an excellent pool party atmosphere anytime. This will take out the stress of having to get the right temperature when you have surprise visitors.

You can contact the pool design contractor Long Island anytime you want to build a smart pool.

 

Benefits of Having a Small Swimming Pool

If you are planning to have a pool built but you have no space for a medium or large one, you can consider a small pool. The pool builders will be more than happy to install it for you. In case it is one of your clever plans to improve your time at home, you can easily invest in a small pool.

Have you ever wondered about the benefits of having a small pool? If that is the case, you will be happy to know that this post is going to tell you what those benefits are. Aside from easier maintenance compared to the bigger ones, there are other advantages you can enjoy if you have a small pool.

More Space

When you have a smaller pool, it means that there is a smaller footprint and you are going to have more space in the yard for other things. Instead of the pool consuming the entire yard, you can still have space for a fire pit, poolside furniture, and creative choices for your landscape.

Less Maintenance

One of the biggest disadvantages of big pools is that they need regular maintenance, which is boring and exhausting. The nice thing about a small pool is that it needs lesser maintenance and work.

Most of the time, the thing about flexibility is subjective with pools. You should note that most small pools are made of concrete or vinyl, which are very flexible materials. However, when it comes to quantity, larger pools have various options because they can be made of fiberglass. Vinyl and concrete are better than fiberglass.

Small Pools Have Lower Initial Cost

Everyone has mentioned that you are able to save a lot when it comes to upkeep and maintenance with smaller pools. However, a smaller pool is going to cost less from the beginning. Since smaller pools require fewer materials, the cost is going to be lower as well. It is the same for installation. Having a smaller pool costs less, and it takes less time to finish construction as well. That means you can enjoy a brand-new pool shortly after construction.

Injury Treatment and Prevention

Aqua therapy is about using foam “weights” while in the pool so they can stretch and rehabilitate your injured body parts. Physical therapy underwater has a very low impact, which causes ¼ strain on your body, as well as regular exercise.

You can keep up the aqua therapy after you are healed and you can prevent future injuries when your body is kept in better condition.

Gives You the Same Level of Relaxation and Benefits

No matter what the size of a pool is, it will give all the benefits, from end-of-the-day relaxation, weekend get-togethers with your family, and some good exercise as well.

If your worry is about the pool being too small for your laps, you can buy a swim training belt that lets you continuously swim in place. Therefore, you will get the same workout as if you were in a large pool. You can also buy pool weights so you can get a low-impact workout.

Better Sleep

A benefit it has to your overall health is that they are great for sleep improvement. In case you feel stressed and unable to sleep, you can hop in for a quick swim and you are going to sleep better before knowing it. That is because you are going to get a full-body workout before bed.

You can contact pool masonry contractors Long Island anytime you want to have a small pool built.