Now Selling Bull Gas Grills!

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We recently completed our visit to the Bull Grills factory. There, we got to see how these beautiful islands are built and assembled for our clients. These islands and grills are truly one-of-a-kind and built with superior quality!
We recently completed our visit to the Bull Grills factory. There, we got to see how these beautiful islands are built and assembled for our clients. These islands and grills are truly one-of-a-kind and built with superior quality!

We’ve all been there – the trips to Home Depot, Lowes or a local grill store. Comparing grill products and asking for the best prices. You just wanted to get a grill that wouldn’t break the bank and you needed it yesterday. Family is on the way over and you’ve been meaning to replace the dirty & dusty grill that you first bought when you got married. Time is pressing in and so you buy the one that you think looks good and hope will work for you.

The time then comes to bring it home and fire it up the first time. It doesn’t seem to work as well as the Home Depot associate said it would and you’ve got plenty of “Hot Spots” – areas that burn too hot compared to others. You’re making your adjustments and cooking as best you can. When family arrives, you’ve got a pile of well cooked patties and another pile of overly well-done. You’re slightly embarrassed but continue with the evening like normal.

Looking back on those experiences, wouldn’t it be nice to have a grill station in your backyard that looks both beautiful and works exceptional? Wouldn’t it be nice to have an actual outdoor kitchen that excels at hosting large parties and groups of people? If you had a space like that, would you spend more time outdoors enjoying that backyard that you just renovated?

Learning From the Best: Visiting the Factory

As Illiana Backyard Fun continues to grow, we’ve received numerous request from clients who’ve asked for Gas Grills. To continue our quest to find the newest, best and highest quality products – we paid a visit to the Bull Grills factory.

While there, we got to listen in on presentations from the Bull development team. They educated us on how these grills are sourced, designed and assembled (by hand) here in America. First started in 1993, Bull has grown from a 1,200 SQFT garage into one of the largest manufacturers of grill products around the globe. Now operating out of 3 facilities with a factory located in Athens, TN – Bull can ship any of their products to dealers within a 3 day window.

As far as Illiana Backyard Fun is concerned, we loved what we saw and can honestly state that this is a brand that supports our customers. With high quality materials and craftsmanship, this brand of Gas Grills offers exceptional value, customer service and warranty to our customers.

By aligning out product assortment with new and exciting brands, Illiana Backyard Fun is taking our concept of “Outdoor Living” to a whole new level. As with anything, it takes time to develop a brand and we’re constantly developing ours with amazing vendor relationships – like Bull Grills!

– Kristie Cheatum (Owner)

Offering Natural Gas & Propane Grills

So what all is offered to customers who shop with Illiana Backyard Fun? Well, for starters you now have access to a complete lineup of outdoor kitchen products, such as:

If you’ve been dreaming of living outdoors this summer and are looking for an excuse to hit “pause” on life – this is it! You can now enjoy amazing evenings right in your own backyard with family a friends. It’s your turn to cook, sear, chill, slice and dice your way to culinary perfection!

Constructed out of 304, 14 Gauge Stainless Steel – Bull produces Grills and Accessories are designed to last a lifetime. As they put it, “this is the last grill that you will ever need.” With the capabilities to cook directly or indirectly and with accessories like their rotisseries or infrared back burner – you can literally cook any meal you’ve dreamed of on these grills.

Customize a Complete Outdoor Island!

In addition to the amazing components and grill selection – you also have the option of having Bull construct a custom island (right in their factory)! They offer several island programs such as Custom Islands or Bull Best Buy Program. Both of these programs provide our clients with a wide array of options, but the best way to summarize both programs is listed below:

  • Custom Island – select any component or finishing material from a long lineup of Island Shapes. After Bull receives our order, they build your island right in their shop. Once complete, they deliver it to our retail store located in Watseka, IL. We then coordinate delivery of the island with you so you can enjoy bringing your new outdoor kitchen to its new home (in one easy step)!
  • Bull Best Buy Program – designed for our clients who prefer simpler options, this program offers a slimmer selection with faster lead times. This program offers you four island shapes with a Basic or Premium package. Choose from a Stucco or Rock finish and between Tan or Gray. We have all of this information and will be glad to show you the options!
These Bull grills are ready for you to take one of them home! Trust us, this truly is “the last grill you’ll ever need to buy.” It is efficient, beautiful, strong and fast cooking. You’ll enjoy the cooking experience these grills provide! Contact us today so we can get this in your home before summer kicks off!

Complete the Outdoor Living Experience

In essence, we have collaborated with this amazing brand of grill products to bring options and customization to our clients. We want you to be able to enjoy your outdoor living experience to the fullest. That means being able to sit outdoors with friends and family while cooking and sharing a delicious meal – right in your own backyard!

If you would like to receive some more information, we invite you to fill out our Contact Form or give us a call! We firmly believe in our mission of helping people to enjoy their homes to the fullest extent. That means constructing outdoor living spaces that helps us to get away from the hustle an bustle. We envision our clients turning on the gas grill, throwing on some steaks, grabbing a cold beer and sitting pool side on a warm summer afternoon. It’s these slow moments that mean the most in life and we need to enjoy them while we can!

What Type of Pool is Right for You?

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Purchasing a Pool is Exciting – But What Options Do You Have?

Congratulations, you’ve saved up enough money and purchased the house and are now looking to buy a swimming pool for beautiful home! You’ve worked hard to get to this point and you’ve got dreams for your home and family. You foresee your children growing up and enjoying time outdoors with mom and dad. When reflecting back on your past, you remember all of the memories spent outdoors with your parents – and you want the same for your family too.

Illiana Backyard Fun is all about building lasting family memories and we believe that swimming pools help build some of the best ones! In fact, studies show that most people are investing in their outdoor living spaces and spending less on family vacations. You can still escape once in a while to an exotic place, but home is where you spend all of your time. Therefore, it might be a good idea to spruce up your outdoor living space and create your own daily escape.

When you begin your research, you’ll notice that there are several types of swimming pools and hundreds of options for brands and models. Where do you even begin to draw the line and determine which is right for you? For a quick synopsis, let’s review each type of pool and we’ll cover more. This list comprises the 5 basic categories of pools in order of most expensive to cheapest.

What’s The Difference in Each Type of Pool?

Each category of swimming pool has its strengths and weaknesses. The fastest way to compare each pool style is to evaluate the cost and characteristics of each. Let’s begin!

In Ground Gunite (Concrete) Pool: $35,000 – Unlimited

This is where creativity meets unlimited possibilities. Builders can create exotic designs or basic layouts. The choice is yours and it all depends on what you envision for your family. Simply let the builder know what water features, lighting options, tanning ledges, etc that you would like and they can make it happen. These pools are constructed out of reinforced steel and concrete which means they can take any shape and design. This gives you the greatest flexibility, durability and therefore – the highest price.

In Ground Fiberglass Pool: $25,000 – $75,000

Fiberglass Pools are the new fad in the swimming pool industry. Gone are the days of basic layouts and two color choices. These manufactured swimming pools provide stellar warranties, a huge range of shapes and sizes and a wide array of colors. Builders give you a menu of options (with very accurate pricing) and make your choice. These pools often have short lead times and can be installed in a matter of weeks after you sign the contract. These are the fastest to install, provide an actual warranty and have a wide array of choices. For their strength, speed and great selection they land in the second highest price category.

In Ground Vinyl Pool: $20,000 – $50,000

These pre-packaged swimming pools are a blend of custom designs or stocked components. Buyers typically have a menu to choose from (similar to fiberglass) but there are some options for customization. Vinyl Pools provide similar lead times that range from 4-6 weeks from the date of purchase. They require a bit more maintenance and need a replacement liner approximately every 3-5 years. With that in mind, these pools are made out of simpler materials and therefore have a much lower price associated to them. Vinyl Pools are still labor intensive to install and therefore, it elevates their price compared to the other options (listed below).

Semi-In Ground Pools: $15,000 – $30,000

Alas, a new category of swimming pools has finally hit the market and it is exploding in popularity. Many home owners enjoy the new style of these pools and the functionality they provide. Able to be installed full in-ground, semi-inground or completely above ground – you have complete control over the design of your new swimming pool. This is truly a unique design and it adds a modern touch to your outdoor living space. Due to the cost effectiveness and ease of installation, these semi-in ground pools are the second to lowest price category.

Above Ground Pools: $10,000 – $25,000

Last but not least, we have the wide popular and very notable above ground swimming pools. You know this option by its basic look and popularity across the United States. Many home owners purchase or construct these swimming pools out in a short time frame. Once installed you can expect these pools to last between 5-10 years based upon the level of care and maintenance they receive. Because they are above ground, they are exposed to the elements such as freezing and wind. The are fairly rugged but aren’t expected to last more than the warranty states due to their stainless steel or resin materials. This is also the cheapest option for new swimming pools.

Can I Visit with Kristie to See My Options?

With so many options, how do you possibly decide which one is right for you? Well, at Illiana Backyard Fun – we believe in helping our clients achieve the backyards of their dreams. We are a business built on good old-fashioned values and we will meet you at your home or our store for free consultations. Our ultimate objective is to help you determine which type of pool you’d like and deliver exceptional service from install to pool school.

If you have any questions over this information, we invite you to give us a call or fill out our contact form! We’d love to meet you and get you started with helpful information to make the shopping process easier and a lot more fun!

We Sell Garden Leisure – Above Ground Spas & Swim Spas!

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Illiana Backyard Fun is proud to provide our clients access to the Garden Leisure Spa line! This premium line of above ground spas and swim spas is constructed with high quality materials & a premium user interface. Control it with your phone and turn on some brilliant LED lighting.
Illiana Backyard Fun is proud to provide our clients access to the Garden Leisure Spa line! This premium line of above ground spas and swim spas is constructed with high quality materials & a premium user interface. Control it with your phone and turn on some brilliant LED lighting.

The Premier Garden Leisure Spas

Are you tired of cold & dreary winter months that keep you from enjoying the great outdoors? Stop feeling gloomy and instead turn your snowy backyard into a warm oasis that soothes the body and soul!

Illiana Backyard Fun is a proud supplier of the Garden Leisure Spa line. These above ground spas & swim spas consists of high quality benefits including:

  • High-efficiency pump & filtration systems
  • Energy saving heating & insulation design
  • Smart phone controls from the In.Touch App
  • Beautiful & illuminating LED lighting
  • Bluetooth capable audio sound system
  • Stunning acrylic & side skirting finish colors & materials

We pack these amazing values into 7 different spa models & 4 different swim spas. These spas are also customizable based upon which features you want to add. Consider it your opportunity to design your dream spa A La Carte!

All of our Garden Leisure Spas are designed to provide the user with ample leg room and plenty of massage points. Garden Leisure Spas invests hours upon hours calculating the exact position for each of their rotating spa jets. Each spa jet is specifically placed to focus on unique massage points for optimum relaxation and pleasure.
All of our Garden Leisure Spas are designed to provide the user with ample leg room and plenty of massage points. Garden Leisure Spas invests hours upon hours calculating the exact position for each of their rotating spa jets. Each spa jet is specifically placed to focus on unique massage points for optimum relaxation and pleasure.

Top Notch Quality & Energy Savings

Not only do we have some beautifully designed above ground spas and swim spas – but we also provide the highest quality materials & energy savings!

Utilizing some brilliant engineering, Garden Leisure Spas retains the heat expelled from the spa pump to internally heat the walls of the spa. Combine this internal heat with the heat of the water – and you’ve got a spa that is nice and toasty from that chilly winter evening!

Additionally the Garden Leisure Spa line installs high quality Icynene Foam. Designed for homes, offices and commercial applications, Icynene Foam retains heat easily due to its airtight design & spray in application. Therefore, the energy you spend on heating your spa is retained to a much higher degree than other models you may find at other retailers.

Our Garden Leisure Spas utilize the highest quality spa automation on the market. Powered by In.Touch, you can have the power to control all the aspects of your Garden Leisure Spa from the palm of your hand! Turn your lights on and off, adjust the temperature and play audio. This spa is designed for your ultimate enjoyment!
Our Garden Leisure Spas utilize the highest quality spa automation on the market. Powered by In.Touch, you can have the power to control all the aspects of your Garden Leisure Spa from the palm of your hand! Turn your lights on and off, adjust the temperature and play audio. This spa is designed for your ultimate enjoyment!

Premier Digital Controls with In.Touch App

What better way is there to enjoy your backyard oasis than from the palm of your hand? Swimming pools and backyard automation systems are now a part of our everyday lifestyle. Well, the same is now true for your above ground Garden Leisure Spa!

Powered by the In.Touch automation system – you can control all aspects of your Garden Leisure Spa from the palm of your hand! Turn your lights on and off, play audio via Bluetooth and control the temperature of your spa. These spas are designed to give you complete control; thereby providing the optimal environment to entertain both family and friends!

Our Garden Leisure Spas are beautiful, simply put! These spas include add-on LED lighting & accent lights. Now you can have a stunning visual effect in your backyard that is sure to wow your family, friends and guests!
Our Garden Leisure Spas are beautiful, simply put! These spas include add-on LED lighting & accent lights. Now you can have a stunning visual effect in your backyard that is sure to wow your family, friends and guests!

Ultimate Color LED Lights

In addition to amazing smart phone technology, Garden Leisure Spas also gives you some brilliant LED lighting options! Turn your spa a wide array of colors from Blue, Red, Green and much more. You can create any array of atmospheres for you and your loved ones to enjoy for the relaxing experience outdoors!

Along with smart phone controls and brilliant LED lights, we provide you the ability to play music via Bluetooth technology! Simply pair your iPhone or Android device and play your music through integrated audio speakers! You can even select add-on LED backlights for your audio speakers. Absolutely stunning!
Along with smart phone controls and brilliant LED lights, we provide you the ability to play music via Bluetooth technology! Simply pair your iPhone or Android device and play your music through integrated audio speakers! You can even select add-on LED back lights for your audio speakers. Absolutely stunning!

Bluetooth Audio Sound System

If we make it sound like it just gets better and better, well that’s because it does! Not only can you control all aspects of your Garden Leisure Spa from your smart phone, but you can even listen to music!

As an add-on feature, Garden Leisure Spas allows you to add on Bluetooth capable audio speakers that sync right to your smart phone! And as if that weren’t enough, you can even illuminate these speakers with LED back lights for added beauty & aesthetics!

Our Swim Spas are excellent spaces for aerobic activity and water workouts! You can now get your sweat on even during the freezing winter months in your own backyard! This is an excellent way to relieve stress and manage your weight everyday with fun and rigorous exercise activities.
Our Swim Spas are excellent spaces for aerobic activity and water workouts! You can now get your sweat on even during the freezing winter months in your own backyard! This is an excellent way to relieve stress and manage your weight everyday with fun and rigorous exercise activities.

We Even Sell Swim Spas!

Oh yeah, one more thing – we also sell Garden Leisure Swim Spas. Now you can have access to water therapy and swim aerobics anytime of year. Don’t wait for Summer to arrive to get outdoors and stay healthy. Your Garden Leisure Swim Spa is the perfect place to exercise and stay fit all year round!

Just turn on the swim spa system and you’ll receive a steady current of water that provides the perfect exercise for your joints and muscles.

Contact Us for a Free Estimate

As you can probably tell, we at Illiana Backyard Fun are pretty passionate about what we do everyday! Simply put, we just love providing the best products and services to all of our clients.

If you would like a free estimate on a Garden Leisure Spa at your home, just give us a call! We would love to provide you with additional information to help you make an informed decision based on your needs!

Imagine Pools – Fiberglass Pool Models

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Illiana Backyard Fun is proud to supply our clients with the very best in Fiberglass Swimming Pool selections! By purchasing a fiberglass pool from Illiana Backyard Fun, you gain access to Imagine Pools (our manufacturer).

Through Imagine, we have access to the highest quality fiberglass pools in the United States! From simple flat bottom rectangles up to free form pools with deep ends – we have a wide variety of the choices to fit your family and outdoor lifestyle!

We’ve Expanded Our Line of Fiberglass Pools

Since our first article, where we announced our access to Imagine Pools, we’ve expanded the number of pools that we carry. Imagine Pools has released 1 new design (below) which brings the running total up to:

  • 9 Fiberglass Pools
  • 2 Fiberglass Spas
  • 2 Fiberglass Splash Pads

But, before you begin shopping our amazing selection, it’s important to ask yourself one question. “What do you envision doing in your backyard living space?” By asking yourself this question, we can determine the shape, style and design to match your outdoor lifestyle.

If you are a proud parent with young children and foresee years of birthday parties and summer entertainment – a larger model may be the best choice. On the other hand, if you determine you need a small swimming pool – we have some great options as well! Just let us know what your needs are and we can match our pools to fit your usage.

The Celebration – An 8′ Deep Diving Pool!

Imagine Pools has designed a brilliant 8′ deep end swimming pool titled The Celebration (shown above & below). This pool features an overall length of 40′ and  is deep enough for diving. You’re family with love the size of this brilliant new model and are sure to spend many wonderful hours outdoors together! We recommend this pool to any family with active children who are advanced swimmers.

The Celebration is certified to fit any Type 1 Diving Board and must follow ANSI regulations. If you have questions about what this means, just contact us. We are here to give you expert advice and help you with your pool buying experience!

 

Quick Recap – The Benefits of a Fiberglass Pool

Fiberglass Swimming Pools are excellent choices for your home for several very distinct reasons:

  • Very fast installation process (typically takes only 1-2 weeks from start to finish)
  • Simple shopping experience
  • Supported by a Lifetime Structural Warranty
  • Available in 7 colors
  • 100% American Made

From our blazing fast installation process to strong selection of pools to choose from – we are geared to provide you what you want for your home and fast! Once you place an order for a fiberglass pool from Illiana Backyard Fun, we can schedule, ship, deliver & install your pool in as little as 4 weeks!

In addition to our rapid installation times, our pools are supported by a Lifetime Warranty! This is unheard of in our industry and is only possible due to the high quality materials and construction techniques that go into their design and manufacture. From our premier Fiberglass & Vinyl Esther Resin composition to our 100% American Made philosophy, Imagine Pools is our premier manufacturer that is taking the swimming pool industry by storm!

9 Pool Options, 2 Spas & 2 Tanning Ledges

If you’re looking for options, you’ve found them! Illiana Backyard Fun has a total of 13 beautiful fiberglass designs to choose from. For a quick overview, we’ve included a product slider below which showcases our gorgeous design options!

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For a complete lineup of their designs, we suggest visiting the Imagine Pools website! There you can browse their complete lineup of designs and product information. At Illiana Backyard Fun, you have access to all of the Imagine Pools inventory by shopping with Kristie! That means anything you see and can imagine for your home – we can bring to life! It’s all about developing our outdoor living space for you and your family to grow into.

Lifetime Structural Warranty

As we mentioned above, all of our fiberglass pools ship with a Lifetime Warranty! This warranty is an important part of our product that protects you and your investment. Based solely on the ways that our fiberglass pools are manufactured, Imagine Pools is able to guarantee their longevity because they stand behind their product.

Developed by a team of experienced professionals, Imagine Pools produces some of the finest swimming pools available on the market today! Comprised of fiberglass & Vinyl Esther Resin, our fiberglass pools are designed to withstand any Osmosis effects.

Osmosis is a problem that used to plague fiberglass pools and cause “bubbling.” Since then, new materials have been developed to prevent this problem. It’s the reason why Imagine Pools is able to offer such an amazing Lifetime Warranty policy.

Much Faster Installation Than Any Other Pool

So, how is it that we can install these fiberglass pools in such a short time frame? To put it simply, these pools are manufactured offsite which saves us time constructing the product in the field.

Our primary objective is excavating our hole. Before the pool arrives, we shape the length, width and depth of the hole to match the swimming pool. Therefore, once our delivery arrives at your home all we need to do is offload the swimming pool and set it in our hole. Of course, there is always some slight adjustments to make but our prep-work makes that minimal.

Lastly, once the pool is set in the ground, we run our plumbing and electrical lines. Then we add in the back-fill material and fill with water. After those steps are completed, you now have a beautiful fiberglass pool for your home and family!

Get a Free Estimate Today

If we’ve given you plenty of information to chew on and have some questions to ask – no problem! We are here to answer any and all of your questions. Our goal is to help you select the right type of fiberglass pool for your family and outdoor lifestyle. Therefore, we suggest letting us set up a free in-home appointment. This allows us to provide you with any and all pertinent information to know before buying your next outdoor stay-cation piece!

Winding Down For Fall – Pool Closings

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Prepare You Swimming Pool for Fall

Water that is not properly treated and well balanced can lead to cloudy conditions such as this. Additionally, our water can enter states of Corrosive or Scale-Forming behaviors. All of this can be easily prevented by collaborating with Illiana Backyard as your Pool Partners this Winter season!

Water that is not properly treated and well balanced can lead to cloudy conditions such as this. Additionally, our water can enter states of Corrosive or Scale-Forming behaviors. All of this can be easily prevented by collaborating with Illiana Backyard as your Pool Partners this Winter season!

The Importance of Proper Water Balance

“Winter is coming!” says the mother who’s tired of long summer hours. We all encounter mixed emotions this time of year. Summer is over and school is back in session. Parents shift their focus from entertaining their children to keeping up with busy schedules. Agendas change and responsibilities shift. Oftentimes, the busy schedules lead to ignoring your swimming pool… which creates an ugly green giant of an eye sore.

If you’ve owned a swimming pool for over a year, then you’re familiar with the slow and steady change from crystal clear water to a green swamp. Oftentimes, home owners ignore their swimming pools due to several reasons, including:

  • Restricted budgets – now that school is back in session, people have less money to spend maintaining their pool chemistry
  • Busy schedules – people often forget to maintain their pool because they are just too darn busy
  • It’s a long winter – people think Spring is a long way away… that being said, why not just let the pool go?
  • It’s just water, what can it hurt? – you can always just fix the water in the Spring when your ready to swim. It’s not going to hurt anything, right? Wrong. We’ll fill you in on why.

Winter – The Silent Pool Killer

Calcium is a mineral that exists in all forms of water. In essence, Calcium is a rock that exists in a dissolved and invisible state in your swimming pool (if the water is balanced). The recommended Calcium level is swimming pools is between 100-400 ppm (parts per million). If your Calcium levels are within this range, it’s likely that your pool water is balanced and your water’s demand for Calcium is satisfied.

Now, that’s Calcium 101 for swimming pools. Lesson #2 entails the relationship between Calcium and Temperature. Because Calcium is a dissolved rock, it is more soluble (or solid) in cold water. Therefore, as temperatures cool down, your water balance may be at risk.

Although your Calcium levels may read between 100-400 ppm, you water may be nearing the Corrosive side of the Langelier Saturation Index (LSI) due to the decreased temperature.

What Is The LSI Index?

The name sounds nerdy, but understanding the LSI Index could save you thousands of dollars in swimming pool repairs. The basic principle of the LSI is this:

Our pool water requires a state of balance. The LSI Index provides us with a numerical calculation for the “balance” of our pool water. A Score too low (-.3 or lower) means your water is Corrosive (harmful to pool plaster & equipment). A Score too high (+.3 or higher) means your water is Scale-Forming (leaves thick scale on your pool walls & equipment).

Whew! That was a little in depth, but we still need to dive deeper to truly understand this concept. Below is a list of each chemical listed in the LSI Index; each one weighs a little different on the scale. For the sake of this article, we are paying attention to Calcium & Temperature.

Factors in the LSI Equation:

  • pH
  • Temperature
  • Calcium Hardness (ppm)
  • Alkalinity (ppm)
  • Cyanuric Acid / Stabilizer (ppm)
  • Total Dissolved Solids (ppm)

Temperatures

In essence, temperatures affect the speed of chemical reactions. Winter (and it’s cold waters) cause our water to be more corrosive.

If you’ve purchased a new shiny heater for you backyard swimming pool; you could be in danger of corrosive pool water.

Trust us, corrosive water is not a pretty picture for the heat-exchanger within your heater. Corrosive water eats away at the copper elements inside of the heat-exchanger. Consequently, copper molecules are then released and added to the chemistry of your pool water. In the right conditions, these copper molecules can fall out of suspension and stain your liner or pool plaster.

All of this can be prevented by keeping your water in balance. By hiring Illiana Backyard Fun to maintain your swimming pool during the cold months of the year, we can keep your water happily balanced and protect your swimming pool investment!

Your pool water should be healthy, clear and beautiful! If you're curious about how to utilize the LSI Index to keep our pool water balanced and safe for your pool equipment & swimmers - contact Illiana Backyard Fun! We are here to educate our home owners and ensure that they have a happy and safe swimming pool to enjoy for years to come!

Your pool water should be healthy, clear and beautiful! If you’re curious about how to utilize the LSI Index to keep our pool water balanced and safe for your pool equipment & swimmers – contact Illiana Backyard Fun! We are here to educate our home owners and ensure that they have a happy and safe swimming pool to enjoy for years to come!

Professionally Maintaining your LSI

Although you can’t control the Temperature of your pool water, you can monitor and control your pH, Calcium, Alkalinity, Cyanuric Acid & TDS Levels.

WARNING: The LSI can be a tricky concept to understand and implement safely. We emphasize the importance of contacting Illiana Backyard Fun to help you utilize the LSI Index and identify the balance of your pool water.

Depending on where you fall on the LSI Index: -.3 to +.3 (or somewhere in between) – we can identify if your water is Corrosive or Scale-Forming.

We provide all of this background information for one purpose. By properly balancing your water now (often with the technique of Calcium levels) you can bring balance back to your pool water. This is one of the surest and safest ways to prepare your swimming pool for the tough winter months ahead.

It’s a little bit of homework, but trust us – it’s completely worth the effort! And it’s certainly a task that we recommend contacting your Pool Partners to assist you with!

We provide high-quality Pool Closing services. This entails properly balancing your pool water, adding Enzymes and Winterizing Chemicals to keep your water healthy all winter long. Give us a call today!

We provide high-quality Pool Closing services. This entails properly balancing your pool water, adding Enzymes and Winterizing Chemicals to keep your water healthy all winter long. Give us a call today!

Not All Water is Created Equal

If you’re thinking that all swimming pool water requires the same LSI Number, think again. Each body of water finds it’s true balance through one way or another. Every swimming pool differs based upon the same variables that we mentioned above: pH, Temperature, Calcium, Alkalinity, Cyanuric Acid & TDS.

It’s possible for any swimming pool to have a hundred different combinations of these metrics and maintain a well-balanced water. Some of these metrics weigh heavier than others on the LSI Scale (i.e. Temperature & Calcium). Therefore, by ensuring that both of these metrics play along nicely together, we can prevent Corrosive or Scale-Forming water before the issue takes place.

Pool Service

Our Professional Winterizing Program

Whew! We’ve covered a lot of information in today’s article. We don’t discuss it to stress our customers out to or overwhelm them with pool ownership. Swimming pools are joyful areas of our home that bring years and years of family connection and outdoor fun. But there is certainly an element of swimming pool maintenance that we need to keep in mind.

By contacting Illiana Backyard Fun and asking for a professional assessment of your water balance, we can prevent a lot of problems before they occur. The trick is asking before the problem forms. If you’re curious about all of the information that we’ve covered in this article, we recommend contacting us and inviting us to your backyard.

Our goal is to educate our customers on the importance of the LSI Index and use the magic of it’s formula to keep our pool water healthy and balanced.

Check Out Our Informative Articles!

Installing a New Automated Pool Cover

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Installing a New Automated Pool Cover

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Continuing Our Fiberglass Pool Installation

You’ve guessed it right! We’re hard at work again in the field completing another aspect of a swimming pool installation! This week we’re installing our Automated Pool Cover for the Fiberglass Swimming Pool installation that we covered a couple of weeks ago.

Just a quick recap: this fiberglass pool required a large amount of plumbing to be custom measured & cut. Our client reached out to us when they identified that they needed assistance with this complicated aspect of installing a their swimming pool. So we showed up and helped them get the job done!

Secondly, we poured our Concrete Deck which we sub-contracted to Silver Brothers, Inc. located in Hoopeston IL. During that phase of the construction process, we had to be careful to pour our concrete deck using Stegmeier Forms and set our Polybox. The Polybox is what will house our Automated Pool Cover when it is not in use.

This image shows our Polybox (black rectangular box) which will house our Automated Swimming Pool Cover. Polyboxes are perfect compartments for this type of swimming pool accessory. It's also a necessary component that allows us to store and essentially "hide" your automated pool cover when it is not in use.

This image shows our Polybox (black rectangular box) which will house our Automated Swimming Pool Cover. Polyboxes are perfect compartments for this type of swimming pool accessory. It’s also a necessary component that allows us to store and essentially “hide” your automated pool cover when it is not in use.

The Final Phase: The Automated Pool Cover

Now that we’ve set our Polybox and prepared our space for our Automated Pool Cover, let’s take a look at our installation. The Automated Pool Cover includes two parts:

  1. The Cover – this is a custom component that needs to be measured to fit each specific pool shape
  2. The Motor & Railing – the motor is what drives the opening & closing aspect of our safety cover. The railing allows it to slide smoothly and has to be installed prior to pouring our concrete deck.

The Cover itself is custom designed to fit our swimming pool exactly. It’s often easiest to install these covers on rectangular swimming pools due to the parallel shape of the opposite walls, but they can be custom made to fit nearly any shape. Secondly, the covers come in several different material selections – each offering unique characteristics. We’ve included a comprehensive guide explaining the benefits of these covers if you’d like some additional details.

Lastly, the motor is the driving force behind our safety cover system. These components are near and dear to our service hearts and need to be inspected and maintained each season to ensure proper operation. If you’ve got a safety cover or would like to purchase once, we invite you to give us a call for a free estimate!

This picture shows our pool cover set into our polymer box, with the motor and braces on the left. The beauty of these pools covers is that they are easy to access to service and maintain. This provides a great way for us to work with these systems and keep them operating smoothly!

This picture shows our pool cover set into our polymer box, with the motor and braces on the left. The beauty of these pools covers is that they are easy to access to service and maintain. This provides a great way for us to work with these systems and keep them operating smoothly!

The Benefits of a Automated Pool Cover

Automated Pool Covers are valuable additions to your swimming pool for many different reasons, including:

  • Enhanced Safety – close the cover when the pool is not in use and lock the control box with a key to prevent children from accessing the on/off switch
  • Fits Various Pool Shapes – our rails can be installed above or below deck depending on the layout of your swimming pool
  • Electricity Savings – by covering your swimming pool, you’ll save hundreds on heating cost. Your water will stay 8-10 degrees warmer during periods of non-use.
  • Multiple Color & Fabric Options – we offer various fabric types that provide different benefits. Of course, we’ve got the color selection to fit nearly any design as well.
  • Extended Swim Season – by covering your pool you prevent heat loss, which increases the length of your swim season by nearly 2-3 months!

As you can see, the benefits of adding a Automated Pool Cover to your home are numerous! We believe that this product category fits right in with our business model and enhances our products and services for our customers.

Here we're finishing up the final touches of our cover installation. Our safety cover will wrap around this steel cylinder. This keeps the material smoothed out and wrapped tightly when not in use.

Here we’re finishing up the final touches of our cover installation. Our safety cover will wrap around this steel cylinder. This keeps the material smoothed out and wrapped tightly when not in use.

Adaptable to Several Pool Shapes

As we stated above, these Automated Pool Covers are perfect additions to your backyard and can be installed on nearly any pool shape! Of course, there are various installation methods to fit your pool shape; it’s also dependent upon if this is a New Construction or Renovation Job.

Essentially, what it comes down to is: will the railing system be installed above or below deck. One new construction installs, we utilize “encapsulated railing” (it’s encapsulated within the deck) and provides a “hidden” look.

Conversely, if you have an existing swimming pool but want to add on a Automated Pool Cover, we will mount the railing system above deck. This is known as an “exposed railing” system.

If you’re curious about what type of Automated Pool Cover you’re able to add to your home, just give us a call. We will visit your home, collect measurements & pictures and provide you with an in-depth proposal for what we have to offer.

Trust Illiana Backyard Fun with Your Next Project!

In conclusion, we are very excited and proud to provide Automated Pool Covers as premier product to our Illiana Backyard Fun customers! This is a premium product line that enhances the functionality and safety of your outdoor living space. After all, our primary mission is to enhance your quality of life outdoors! Isn’t that the purpose of owning a beautiful backyard – for you and your family to enjoy?

Keep in mind that each Automated Pool Cover is 100% custom. Therefore, it takes a little time to draft our plans and provide you with the details. But trust us, it’s worth it due to the energy savings these covers provide! Also, you can’t ignore the enhanced safety measures it brings to your family.

We also have a long list of other products and services to offer to encompass your complete outdoor lifestyle. Feel free to browse our collection of product pages and articles. You’ll find out more how we can enhance your backyard experience!

 

Fiberglass Pool Installation – Pouring a Concrete Deck

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A Technical Guide to a Beautiful Deck

We have made some impressive headway and completed the fiberglass pool installation (if you've been following our blog). The final stages of this project were pouring our concrete pool deck, cleanup & pool startup. Now this home owner has a beautiful fiberglass swimming pool to enjoy for many warm days outside!

We have made some impressive headway and completed the fiberglass pool installation (if you’ve been following our blog). The final stages of this project were pouring our concrete pool deck, cleanup & pool startup. Now this home owner has a beautiful fiberglass swimming pool to enjoy for many warm days outside!

Sub-Contracting The Tough Work

You heard us right, we like doing a lot of the grunt work ourselves. It keeps us sharp and teaches us new construction techniques from hands on experience. However, there are just some jobs that require the attention of professionals who are artisans of their trade. For our concrete deck, we sub-contracted the deck installation to Silver Bros., Inc – from Hoopeston IL.

This talented team of concrete professionals was amazing to work with and we are very happy with their finished product. As you can see from the image above, we installed a concrete deck all the way around the edge of the pool. If you’re familiar with our industry or just simply curious, we had a couple of technical aspects of this job that is worth pointing out:

  • This is a Cantilever Deck (a.k.a. a poured concrete deck that requires the use of Styrofoam Stegemeier forms during the installation)
  • We also had to properly set the Polybox where our Automated Pool Cover will sit. This is tricky work because wet cement is heavy; we needed to ensure the wet concrete did not disturb our Polybox.
  • This deck had multiple elevations

Prior to pouring our concrete deck, we had to complete the "prep work." This involves "forming" our fiberglass pool with the white styrofoam Stegmeier forms (shown above). We also had to set framework (wood border) and lay our network of rebar in a 12"x12" grid.

Prior to pouring our concrete deck, we had to complete the “prep work.” This involves “forming” our fiberglass pool with the white styrofoam Stegmeier forms (shown above). We also had to set framework (wood border) and lay our network of rebar in a 12″ x 12″ grid.

The Prep Work: Prior To Pouring The Deck

As you can see from the image above, pouring a concrete deck is not as simple as just pulling up in a mix truck and dumping the contents. It’s much more involved and always comes down to one very simple step: Prep Work. As with any construction process, the efficiency of our installation is always based upon how well we prepare our work space for the next stage of development.

In our case, we prepared our work space by installing the following items prior to pouring our new deck:

  • Installed our Stegmeier Forms with a plumb strip. These forms are used form the inside edge of our concrete deck around the edge of our swimming pool. The plumb strip also prevents wet concrete from seeping through and setting in our new swimming pool. 
  • Secondly, we Framed our deck by setting reinforced wood beams around the outside perimeter of our pool deck.
  • Thirdly, we reinforced our Polybox to ensure it would not move from the weight of the wet cement as it rests and sets.
  • Lastly, we placed 1/2″ rebar steel in a grid-like pattern (12″ x 12″ to be exact) across the entire surface area of our new pool deck. Rebar creates a latticework inside of our new finished deck and holds the product together and reduces shifting or cracking.

Concrete is tough work! These gentlemen had to carefully operate around the smoothed wet cement and are essentially working backyards. You always want to ensure you do not walk on the "smoothed" side of your wet cement. They took create care to touch up our concrete deck and left us with a great finished product!

Concrete is tough work! These gentlemen had to carefully operate around the smoothed wet cement and are essentially working backyards. You always want to ensure you do not walk on the “smoothed” side of your wet cement. They took create care to touch up our concrete deck and left us with a great finished product!

Professional Installation – Your Pool Partners

Pouring a concrete deck is fairly simple in concept but hard in execution. Wet Cement is a malleable product that can be smoothed out, trenched out or sucked out (with a shop vac vacuum). However, once it sets and dries it takes on a permanent shape.

You can certainly understand why we hired professionals to handle this part of our fiberglass pool installation. One small mistake and you will see it forever. We would rather collaborate with these professionals so that our customer is left with a beautiful finished product.

At Illiana Backyard Fun, we are passionate about ensuring our customers receive the very best in all of our products and services. We work diligently, both in the field and our retail store, to provide our customers with the very best information for their swimming pools and backyards. It’s part of our overall mission of becoming your new Pool Partners for 2018!

After our cement was poured, Silver Bros, Inc. created some accent lines equally spaced along the surface area of our deck. This adds a nice tough and gives our new deck a more custom feel.

After our cement was poured, Silver Bros, Inc. created some accent lines equally spaced along the surface area of our deck. This adds a nice tough and gives our new deck a more custom feel.

Next Step: The “Startup” Process

Now that this stage of our fiberglass pool installation is over, we are ready for our final procedure: cleanup and startup. There is a lot of information to cover for new pool startup, but it mainly comes down to water chemistry & equipment maintenance.

Often, new swimming pool installations are a dirty and involved process. Once any new swimming pool is installed in your backyard, you want to hire Illiana Backyard Fun to “start up” your new pool the right way. We follow a specific process to clean up that construction work space, balance your water chemistry and complete a thorough check and cleaning of your filtration equipment.

This ensures that your ready to enjoy your new swimming pool without the initial hassle of getting it inline with industry standards first. Our startup procedure only takes a day and we do the dirty work so you can enjoy getting a tan and your first pool-side cocktail!

Contact Illiana Backyard Fun

We are here for all of your swimming pool and backyard needs. Our talented team of swimming pool professionals is here to answer any questions that you have about how to care or spruce up your backyard and outdoor living space. We believe in the concept of creating an Outdoor Oasis for you and your family to enjoy. It’s all about extending your home outdoors and create a wonderful environment for play and to make some great summer memories.

That being said, we have a great line of Outdoor Grills, Pergolas, Chemicals, Hot Tubs and much more available at our retail store in Iroquois County. All of these items are sold to enhance your overall backyard living experience. Contact us any time for a free estimate on any of our products or services! We are here for you and would love to meet you!

Check Out Our Other Installation Articles

27′ Nova – Above Ground Pool Installation

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27′ Nova – Above Ground Pool Installation

We are hard at work this week completing the installation on 4 new above ground swimming pools! We have been truly blessed this year with some tremendous growth and we are very grateful for our loyal customers and new business! Let's take a look at this new 27' Round Nova Above Ground Pool Installation!

We are hard at work this week completing the installation on 4 new above ground swimming pools! We have been truly blessed this year with some tremendous growth and we are very grateful for our loyal customers and new business! Let’s take a look at this new 27′ Round Nova Above Ground Pool Installation!

We’ve Been Hard At Work!

Illiana Backyard Fun is a company founded upon bringing people outside and restoring the concept of outdoor living. We strive to provide our clients with helpful information, trusted products and valuable services to make outdoor living fun! The purpose of all of our efforts is simple. We want to make outdoor living fun, easy and develop outdoor living spaces for everyone to enjoy!

This past week, we were blessed with multiple installations on Above Ground Pools in and around Iroquois County. Believe it or not, just this weekend we installed 4 new Above Ground Pools! It was certainly a busy weekend and we are very grateful to our customers for the increase in business!

Now that the 4th of July is here, we are approaching the second half of summer. Temperatures are still high and students still have over a month left of their summer breaks. There is still plenty of time to get into your backyard to enjoy the great outdoors and soak up the last few weeks of summer.

If you’re interested in purchasing an Above Ground Swimming Pool, Spa, Fiberglass Pool or In-Ground Swimming Pool, then you’ve come to the right place! We have the teams in place to build your new swimming pool with a few weeks to enjoy it before the onset of the Fall months.

We are lucky to have such a supportive network of suppliers and vendors. This image shows our delivery from our local supplier. They often meet us in the field and at job sites to provide us with on-time deliveries. Here you can see their driver delivering a new Above Ground Pool package they day of our installation.

We are lucky to have such a supportive network of suppliers and vendors. This image shows a delivery from our local supplier. They often meet us in the field and at job sites to provide us with on-time deliveries. Here you can see their driver delivering a new Above Ground Pool package they day of our installation.

Multiple Installations: AKA Project Management

As with any business growth, it’s paramount to place a large emphasis on project management and quality control. This is where Illiana Backyard Fun is very unique. If you’re new here or have been following our blog for some time you’ll notice the hard-working blonde in all of our pictures. No, she’s not our cheerleader or crew member; she is the owner of the company.

Kristie Cheatum is very connected to all of her customers and spends a large amount of time in the field! You’ll often find her:

In order for us to keep up with new installations, manage our retail store and deliver multiple services to our customers, we have to be hands on. Kristie spends so much time in the field working with her products because it keeps her sharp, in-tune with what’s happening and ensures quality installation every time. When you purchase a product or new swimming pool from Illiana Backyard Fun, you’re also purchasing a quality installation from a professional who really cares and does the job right!

Building an Above Ground Swimming Pool requires us to build from the ground up. We work first with the soil that will sit beneath our swimming pool structure. Here you can see our plot of 27' round soil that has been prepped. We work to remove the top layer of grass, spray a weed killer, lay a top layer of silica sand and spread it until level. This is the perimeter that we will use to build our swimming pool.

Building an Above Ground Swimming Pool requires us to build from the ground up. We work first with the soil that will sit beneath our swimming pool structure. Here you can see our plot of 27′ round soil that has been prepped. We work to remove the top layer of grass, spray a weed killer, lay a top layer of silica sand and spread it until level. It’s all up hill from here (literally). 

One Day Installations on Above Ground Pools

So what is our installation time frame for a new Above Ground Pool Installation? We are glad you asked! Currently a new above ground pool takes only 1 business day to install, from start to finish. Typically this is a consistent time frame and it’s due to our hard working crews and quality of product that we install. There may be circumstances where a larger pool, such as an Oval (15’x30′ or 18’x33′) requires two days but that is still lightning fast.

As you can see from our images, our Above Ground Pools follow a specific set of installation procedures. We follow these unique steps to ensure our pool is set level, walls are stable and ready for swimmers:

  • Clear the top layer of grass and spread our silica sand (pool base)
  • Set our bottom rail & concrete blocks – always double checking our elevations
  • Install our pool wall & uprights
  • Lay our hard bottom (prevents weeds from breaking through)
  • Hang our beaded liner within the liner track
  • Install our filtration equipment, plumbing lines, skimmer & returns
  • Fill with water & startup chemicals
  • Voila, you’re ready to swim!

Trust us, this process is very involved and requires close attention to detail. We have installed hundreds of Above Ground Pools in our company’s history. If you’re looking for a company that you can trust, then we invite you to give us a call!

Once our base coat is set, we run our bottom rail which connects in a 27' circle. Next we install the concrete blocks beneath each "foot" where our uprights will sit. We do not cut corners here; the entire structure of our pool rests on these concrete pads. It's paramount that we ensure each pad is level before moving on to construct our walls.

Once our base coat is set, we run our bottom rail which connects in a 27′ circle. Next we install the concrete blocks beneath each “foot” where our uprights will sit. We do not cut corners here; the entire structure of our pool rests on these concrete pads. It’s paramount that we ensure each pad is level before moving on to construct our walls.

The Benefits of The Nova Pool

The Nova Above Ground Pool is part of our Steel Pool Collection. These swimming pools offer a lot of really great benefits including:

  • Wide 9″ top ledge
  • Resin ledge cover
  • Corrugated wall & frame with Zinc Guard (for corrosive resistance)
  • Narrow risers to minimize taking up yard space

These swimming pools are a proven leader in the Above Ground Industry and is another reason to trust Illiana Backyard Fun! We bring you the very best in new products and services to ensure you are able to live your best life outside!

We Are Your Pool Partners!

Now that we’ve covered some information for these Above Ground Pools, we’d better get back to work and leave you to it. If you’d like to check out some other articles of things we’ve been up to, we’ve got some great content listed below. We work hard to put this information together and provide our customers with insights into our business. It’s part of our goal of becoming your Pool Partners.

We want you to have the best access to information and products and to turn to Illiana Backyard Fun anytime that you have a question. As always, feel free to reach out to us at anytime. After all, we are here to service your outdoor living lifestyle!

Pool Equipment Repairs & Chemical Maintenance

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Swimming Pool Maintenance & Repairs

This home owner contacted Illiana Backyard Fun after they noticed mold developing inside of their swimming pool. At first glance, this appeared to be a chemical issue. After several chemical treatments, it was apparent that something else was wrong. Hence, they contacted Illiana Backyard Fun!

This home owner contacted Illiana Backyard Fun after they noticed mold developing inside of their swimming pool. At first glance, this appeared to be a chemical issue. After several chemical treatments, it was apparent that something else was wrong. Hence, they contacted Illiana Backyard Fun!

Identifying a Home Owner Need

The swimming pool shown above is a Vinyl Swimming Pool with a rectangle layout and radius corners. These are fairly easy swimming pools to maintain and are forgiving due to the Vinyl texture of the walls. However, our home owner had a stubborn mold issue that they could not solve and decided to contact Illiana Backyard Fun to take a deeper look.

At first glance, we agreed that it appeared to be a chemical issue. After a couple of treatments, the mold issue did not subside. This prompted Kristie to evaluate the pool equipment where she located the issue. The sand filter was not properly filtering the water due to several broken laterals (fittings inside of the sand filter).

Once the issue was narrowed down to the pool equipment, the solution became much simpler. Kristie’s new goal was to fix the internal components of the sand filter. Once the filtration equipment is repaired, the swimming pool would regain proper filtration and the mold would be wiped out with basic chemical maintenance.

Before we are able to get into this sand filter to swap out the filter media, we need to empty it first. These filters provide a great method of water filtration. However, they are a bit tricky to get into and empty out. Unfortunately, there is not just a compartment to remove the sand from the bottom. These need to be emptied from the top - hence our handy shop vac!

Before we are able to get into this sand filter to swap out the filter media, we need to empty it first. These filters provide a great method of water filtration. However, they are a bit tricky to get into and empty out. Unfortunately, there is not just a compartment to remove the sand from the bottom. These need to be emptied from the top – hence our handy shop vac!

From Chemical Maintenance to Repairs

As we stated above, once we pinpointed the root cause of our mold proper (improper water filtration due to a damaged sand filter) we solved this proper quickly. Kristie, first began her work by removing the old filter media inside of the sand filter. Sand filters are large fiberglass tanks that can hold hundreds of pounds of filter media (typically sand and pea gravel). This filter media is packed into the sand filter so that water is finely filtered when pushed through at high pressure.

After opening up the filter, Kristie utilized a Shop Vac (can found at a local home depot) to remove the old filter media. This is typically a very easy step and the shop vac would suck out the old debris within a few minutes. However, our sand had crystallized on the bottom of our filter tank because the water had sat in the filter for too long without complete movement.

Good Ol’ Fashioned Hard Work!

Moving into manual debris removal, Kristie had to get a good ol’ fashioned plastic scoop and a strong arm to remove the solidified filter media from this sand filter. It’s of paramount importance to remove all old filter media when doing a sand change out. The reason being – old filter media can contaminate the new filter media rendering it less effective in proper filtration. Our objective here was to completely clean out the inside of this filter before repairing the broken components.

Rather than just diagnosing our customer's mold issue as a chemical proper and continue to sell them chemicals - we took a deeper look. It turns out, the root cause of their mold issue was not a chemical error but improper filtration. This image shows our broken lateral system from inside of our sand filter. They laterals needs to be replaced for this filter to achieve its proper flow levels.

Rather than just diagnosing our customer’s mold issue as a chemical problem and continue to sell them chemicals – we took a deeper look. It turns out, the root cause of their mold issue was not a chemical error but improper filtration. This image shows our broken lateral system from inside of our sand filter. These laterals need to be replaced for this filter to achieve its proper flow levels.

Rapid Equipment Repairs

After the old filter media was removed, we purchased a Lateral Component Kit from our local distributor. This kit includes new laterals, a manifold (to hold the laterals) and a PVC riser. We used this kit to rebuild the internal components of our sand filter.

Once our new manifold system was installed, we poured in our new filter media. In case you haven’t heard, we are avid believers in the Glass Filter Media by Maytronics. This is a relatively new filter media on the market but does an unbelievable job of filtering out particles from your pool water. In fact, this new glass media is capable of filtering your pool water down to 3-5 microns (which is the finest level of filtration in our industry).

Regular silica sand (the same as what we removed from this filter) only has the capability of filtering down to 20-30 microns. This is a massive improvement and will greatly boost the water clarity of our customer’s pool water!

Here you can see Kristie, replacing the manifold system for this sand filter. The PVC riser & replacement laterals are shown on the back end of this manifold system. The black valve with the handle is the diverter assembly that controls the flow of water going in and out of the filter system.

Here you can see Kristie, replacing the manifold system for this sand filter. The PVC riser & replacement laterals are shown on the back end of this manifold system. The black valve with the handle is the diverter assembly that controls the flow of water going in and out of the filter system.

Proper Repairs Every Time!

You may be able to tell by now; we are very passionate about doing a terrific job for each and every one of our customers. In fact, we care so much that we invest a great deal in showing our customers what we do day in and day out. We do this in order to build our customers’ trust and provide exceptional value for those who’d like more information on how to care for their pool & backyard.

In fact, Kristie loves providing as much information as she can to help customers understand how to care for their backyards better. If you have an opportunity to, we invite you to stop by our retail store located in Wateska, Illinois.

Not only do we offer a wide range of swimming pool & spa products and services, but we cover the complete backyard experience! Our retail store is a flag ship of new products and outdoor living products that will greatly boost your overall outdoor lifestyle. From Grills to Pergolas, Spas and Furniture – we have everything that you need to enjoy your life outdoors!

We like to install Glass Filter Media on every sand filter due to its superior filtration quality and lifetime warranty. This product has completely revolutionized the sand filter industry. What used to be the lowest end filter systems are now the best on the market place. This glass media has the same consistency as sand but has the color of green glass. Pretty cool!

We like to install Glass Filter Media on every sand filter due to its superior filtration quality and lifetime warranty. This product has completely revolutionized the sand filter industry. What used to be the lowest end filter systems are now the best on the market place. This glass media has the same consistency as sand but has the color of green glass. Pretty cool!

On To The Next Job

Now that this filter change out is complete and our customer is taken care of, we are on to the next job site! We believe in showing up to our job sites and doing the work ourselves. It’s a great way for us to connect with our customers and ensure that your job is done right the first time. Whether it is a Above Ground or Fiberglass pool installation, a Pool Repair, or Pool Opening or Closing – we are on the job. We care very deeply about our quality of work which is why we stand behind it and ensure that you receive the best level of customer service. It’s our way of going above to sell more and provide you with the best level of service available.

If you have any questions over our products or services, we invite you to give us a call! We are available to answer your questions and would love to provide you with the information that you need to enjoy your backyard experience during this Summer 2018!

The Southport 21′ Round Above Ground Pool – New Installation

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The Southport 21′ Round Above Ground Pool

We are hard at it again and finishing up on the installation of a new Southport 21' Round Above Ground Pool! These above ground pool kits are amazing and provide us the ability to build a new swimming pool at an affordable price. The Southport uses a steel wall construction to provide strength and durability at an affordable price.

We are hard at it again and finishing up on the installation of a new Southport 21′ Round Above Ground Pool! These above ground pool kits are amazing and provide us the ability to build a new swimming pool at an affordable price. The Southport uses a steel wall construction to provide strength and durability for a pool that lasts.

New Above Ground Pool Installation

At Illiana Backyard Fun, we love building new swimming pools for our amazing customers. It’s a time where people are excited at the prospect of moving their family time outdoors, enjoying the season of summer and bringing back the nostalgic memories from childhood. We truly love the swimming pool industry and building new swimming pools is our favorite part of the job!

Here we are seen installing a new Southport 21′ Round Above Ground Pool Kit. The Southport is among a family of above ground pool kits; all of which offer both Steel & Resin construction. Our above ground pools ship with a manufacturers warranty and the hope of fun summer days ahead!

These above ground pool installations are a bit technical but fairly easy to learn and explain. If you’re familiar with Legos or an Erector Set then you’re familiar with how these swimming pools are built. Out of the box, we have a:

  • Steel Wall
  • Metal Upright Kit
  • Top Rail Kit
  • Steel or Resin Kit

All of these “kits” include various parts: bolts, screws, framework and much more. This all connects to build a very sturdy and sound above ground pool kit.

We use sand as the base for our above ground pools. Sand offers a great support base due to its soft texture and ability to allow water to pass through. It's also an excellent protective layer for our vinyl liner - which holds our water.

As you can see from this image, we use sand as the base for our above ground pools. Sand offers a great supportive base due to its soft texture and ability to allow water to pass through. It’s also an excellent protective layer for our vinyl liner – which holds our water.

Setting on Sand & Leveling

As with any Above Ground Pool installation, we need to level our ground and pour our sand. Depending on the size of the pool kit, we have a different amount of risers and bases to set. Other than that, the installation is fairly standardized and involves the following steps:

  • Leveling our foundation
  • Setting our Bottom Rail (shown above as the circular channel)
  • Leveling the Bases for our Uprights (shown above as the black square pads)
  • Installing the Uprights
  • Running the Wall along our Bottom Rail
  • Setting our Top Caps (to hold the wall in place)
  • Hanging our Vinyl Liner
  • Plumbing our Equipment
  • Filling up with your water!

This list is fairly extensive and it certainly has it’s details for each step. However, with an experienced team of installers, such as Illiana Backyard Fun, an Above Ground Pool can be installed in as little as day!

Our Vinyl Liners are designed with a J-Hook attachment. This attachment has a "Bead" or fattened edge that we place into our liner track to hang our vinyl liner. These liners are very sturdy and offer a decent out of expansion once the water is added. This creates a smooth texture around the entire surface of your swimming pool.

Our Vinyl Liners are designed with a J-Hook attachment. This attachment has a “Bead” or fattened edge that we place into our liner track to hang our vinyl liner. These liners are very sturdy and offer a decent out of expansion once the water is added. This creates a smooth texture around the entire surface of your swimming pool.

What is a Steel Pool?

At this point, you may be asking yourself, “What exactly is a steel pool?” It’s a simple as it sounds. Steel is the primary component in these Steel Above Ground Pool Kits, but is not the only element that is present. These pool kits are also comprised of Resin Plastic (for essentially everything except our Wall). Resin is a strong material that is anti-corrosive and allows for light weight during shipment and adds nice coloring.

We currently offer 3 Above Ground Pools as our line up of Illiana Backyard Fun approved pools. If you’d like some more information on the types of pool that we offer, we invite you to view our the Above Ground Pool page of our website.

The primary swimming pools that we offer include the:

We offer these different types of pools based on the structural benefits that each one offers. For more information, we invite you to contact Kristie Cheatum (our owner) so she can provide you with some more in depth information. She can also help you to identify which swimming pool is right for you and your backyard!

You can see one of our crew members here leveling our base for one of our pool uprights. We "shoot our elevation" for each of these riser points to ensure that our pool is completely level once completely built. It's always better to double check your measurements at this point to ensure the pool is level - the water doesn't lie!

You can see one of our crew members here leveling our base for one of our pool uprights. We “shoot our elevation” for each of these riser points to ensure that our pool is completely level once completely built. It’s always better to double check your measurements at this point to ensure the pool is level – the water line doesn’t lie!

The Benefit of an Above Ground Pool

The benefits of purchasing an Above Ground Pool are wide ranging! They are an excellent choice for many home owners due to:

  • Small Backyards
  • Affordable Pricing (these types of pools are often the lowest price compared to Fiberglass, Rockport In-Ground Sport Pools & Gunite Swimming Pools)
  • Lower Maintenance Costs
  • Ability to Transport (if you decide to sell your house and move)

One strong point that we’d like to emphasize here is the lower “Maintenance Cost.” If you’re familiar with pool care, you understand the inherent cost of maintaining your pool chemistry levels. Every swimming pool has different chemical requirements due to the volume of water in your pool.

Swimming Pools with higher water volume require higher chemical dosages (makes sense). Above Ground Pools are excellent because they often range from as little as 7,000 gallons to 15,000 gallons depending on the size you choose.

These smaller bodies of water mean that you will be spending less money each year maintaining the chemistry level of your water. This is more money back in your pocket and a happier backyard experience. Everybody loves swimming pools that are easy to maintain!

We use a Dreamline Filter System for all of our Above Ground Pool installations. This equipment package utilizes a sand filter, 1.5 HP pump and a 110V outlet. This is perfect for any backyard that doesn't want to hire a licensed electrician to install a 220V electrical line (another cost saving measure that these pools offer).

We use a Dreamline Filter System for all of our Above Ground Pool installations. This equipment package utilizes a sand filter, 1.5 HP pump and a 110V outlet. This is perfect for any backyard that doesn’t want to hire a licensed electrician to install a 220V electrical line (another cost saving measure that these pools offer).

We are Your Pool Partners!

Speaking of swimming pool maintenance, if you every come across a problem in your time as a pool owner, please don’t hesitate to call us! We love answering customer questions and it’s one of our goals to become your Pool Partner for all of your backyard needs!

Kristie Cheatum first started this company with the purpose of helping home owners understand how to care for their pool and backyard better. We are a Do It Yourself (DIY) company at heart and we love when home owners are eager to learn about how to care for their backyard oasis!

That being said, we invite you to stop by our store front anytime you would like to ask a question, try a new product or even just spend time talking to Kristie! We are always eager to hear from our customers and online readers; we’d love to hear what you have to think and find ways that we can better service you!

Check Out Our Other Industry Articles!

Fiberglass Pool Installation – Running Our Plumbing Lines

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Fiberglass Pool Installation

We are hard at work this week installing a new Fiberglass Swimming Pool. Kristie Cheatum is seen here managing the install of the plumbing lines & Automated Pool Cover. Kristie is a hands on kind of girl and a professional installer to say the least!

We are hard at work this week installing a new Fiberglass Swimming Pool. Kristie Cheatum is seen here managing the install of the plumbing lines & Automated Pool Cover. Kristie is a “hands on” kind of girl and a professional installer to say the least!

Summary of Our Technical Installation

As we mentioned last week, we are now selling Fiberglass Swimming Pools by the brand: Imagine Pools. These fiberglass pools are the best in the industry and provide superior quality to any other fiberglass product that you’ll find on today’s marketplace.

Bringing us to this article, we are hard at work this week installing a new Fiberglass Swimming Pool with an Automated Pool Cover. This is a technical installation that requires advanced “know how” to install properly. As you can see from the above image, we have completed the following tasks:

  • Set our fiberglass pool Semi-Inground
  • Installed our Polybox – which will house our pool cover
  • Run our Plumbing Lines (parallel with equal distance between lines)
  • Installed our Concrete Forms (shown as white foam on top of pool edge – more on this later…)

This image shows our semi-inground fiberglass pool shell. Kristie is setting our hanging braces that will support our plumbing lines as they wrap around the swimming pool. Once our concrete deck is poured all of this material will be covered up. The only component you will see is the deck and the swimming pool (right side).

This image shows our semi-inground fiberglass pool shell. Kristie is setting the “hanging braces” that will support our plumbing lines as they wrap around the swimming pool. Once our concrete deck is poured all of this material will be covered up. The only component you will see is the deck (left side of image) and the swimming pool (right side of image).

Automated Pool Cover

This sounds a bit advanced, and it definitely is. Setting any swimming pool semi-inground is difficult due to potential settling that can occur once the pool is set. We always back-fill our fiberglass pools with sand or pea gravel to allow for proper drainage of water behind our pool shell. Now that our pool is set, we are able to move on to stage two: preparing for our Automated Pool Cover.

Automated Pool Covers are very handy instruments that allow you to cover your pool with the click of a button. This is extremely beneficial in Fall and Winter months during periods of periodic or zero use. The primary function of these covers is to keep the leaves and other debris out of your swimming pool during periods of non-use.

To prepare our pool deck to conceal our pool cover (when in the open position), we install a Polybox. This black box (seen in the image below) hides our pool cover when it’s rolled up. We install this unit before pouring our concrete deck. This coincides with the time frame that we also install our plumbing and electrical lines (so that everything is concealed below deck).

Not all plumbers are created equal. Some are fast and lack attention to detail. Other's (like Kristie) emphasize precision and accuracy. She believes that the plumbing must be done accurately and understands the benefit it provides to her customers. She wants to build a swimming pool that is long lasting and functions as it's intended to! The best plumbers turn a simple task into an art form and we can see how great a proper plumbing install looks from Kristie's example here!

Kristie is seen here completing all the elements of a plumbing install using her tools and gluing the fittings. She enjoys this type of work because it keeps her sharp and she can ensure first hand that her customers are receiving an excellent product. Kristie works diligently to treat all of her customers like family!

Running Our Plumbing Lines

Not only do we see Kristie installing our Polybox, we see her hard at work running our plumbing lines from start to finish. The key to any successful pool installation is tools, attention to detail & hard work. Kristie is seen here following the proper plumbing guidelines:

  • Even spacing between plumbing lines
  • Setting the lines side by side (using an open trench) rather than stacking the lines and saving cost
  • Measuring and cutting each line in 90 degree angles
  • Applying both Cleaner (primer) & Quick Drying Glue

Not all plumbers are created equal. Some are fast and lack attention to detail. Other’s (like Kristie) emphasize precision and accuracy. She believes that the plumbing must be done accurately and understands the benefit it provides to her customers.

That being said, Kristie wants to build a swimming pool that is long lasting and functions as it’s intended to! The best plumbers turn a simple task into an art form and we can see how great a proper plumbing install looks from Kristie’s example here!

Who said this job was easy? Kristie is seen here connecting her return lines to the plumbing lines. Return lines are the components that jut through the pool wall and return water to the swimming pool. We seal these lines off with silicone to ensures we create a 100% water proof barrier.

Who said this job was easy? Kristie is seen here connecting her return lines to the plumbing lines. Return lines are the components that jut through the pool wall and return water to the swimming pool. We seal these lines off with silicone to ensure we create a 100% water proof barrier.

Our Mission of Customer Education

Applying the very best installation techniques is part of our mission to become your Pool Partners for 2018! We work diligently to earn our customer’s trust and educate our clients at every turn! Secondly, we believe that all home owners deserve to receive the very best treatment for their home investments.

Illiana Backyard Fun is dedicated to our clients and providing an outstanding shopping experience. If you’re stuck on a project, need some answers or are looking for a contractor you can trust – give us a call! We love helping customers get the answers that they are looking for and elevating the knowledge of our industry!

We're constantly on the road providing valuable products and services to our customers. Here you can see Kristie loaded up with tools and an Above Ground Pool Cover for another installation at a different job site. It's June 2018 and Summer is now in full swing. For us, this means we're bouncing from one job site to the next. The benefit, we are working hard to ensure our customers are treated right by professionals who care!

We’re constantly on the road providing valuable products and services to our customers. Here you can see Kristie loaded up with tools and an Above Ground Pool Cover for another installation at a different job site. It’s June 2018 and Summer is now in full swing. For us, this means we’re bouncing from one job site to the next. The benefit: we are working hard to ensure our customers are treated right by professionals who care!

Trusting Illiana Backyard Fun!

Lastly, if you’re interested in reading further about our other products and services, check out our other articles listed below. We strive to provide as much information as possible for our customers and are working hard to add to our blog on a regular basis. If you have any questions on this information, please give us a call so we can ensure your questions are answered promptly!

We Sell Fiberglass Pools!

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Now Selling: Imagine Fiberglass Pools!

Illiana Backyard Fun is proud to announce our offering of 100% American Made Fiberglass Swimming Pools. We offer this premier line as part of our mission to offer everything to complete your backyard experience. Our Fiberglass shells are 100% hand made and manufactured using the finest quality product available!

Illiana Backyard Fun is proud to announce our offering of 100% American Made Fiberglass Swimming Pools. We offer this premier line as part of our mission to offer everything to complete your backyard experience. Our Fiberglass shells are 100% hand made and manufactured using the finest quality product available!

Bringing You The Very Best

If you’ve been following Illiana Backyard Fun for sometime, then you know we are the pull up your boot straps kind of people. We believe in getting into the backyard, getting our hands dirty and creating some very cool land creative living spaces for our customers. Delivering excellent products is just a part of our business plan. We also believe in getting to know our customers and providing knowledge and expertise for:

Essentially, we want to become your Pool Partners and go with you on your journey of outdoor living. We believe that everyone has the ability to care for their home and maintain their pool chemistry, use high quality filter media, cook out with friends, and much much more.

To add to our list of Illiana Backyard Fun solutions, we are now offering an amazing line of Fiberglass In-Ground Swimming Pools by Imagine Pools! These fiberglass pools are 100% hand made in America and offer a Life Time Warranty on the shell structure!

The Benefits of a Fiberglass Pool

So what prompted us to offer a Fiberglass Pool in conjunction with our renowned Rockwood Sports Pools or Above Ground Pools? There are many benefits that come with a Fiberglass Pool that you may not yet be aware of:

  • Lifetime Structural Warranty
  • Smooth Gel Coat Finish
  • Lower Chemical Maintenance
  • Fast Installation
  • Compatible With All Sanitizer Types

We certainly did our homework before offering a fiberglass line to our customers. We wanted to ensure we selected the very best in manufactured products.

Unlike all other swimming pools, Fiberglass is manufactured in a factory and undergoes rigorous quality inspections before it is approved to ship out. Each Fiberglass shell is produced from a pre-fabricated mold so that each shell is the exact same shape, size and dimensions. When you browse our line of fiberglass pools, you will be shopping for the exact shape and size for your backyard! Now that’s an easy online shopping process!

This Fantasy Model is one of eight choices that you have when you shop the Imagine Fiberglass Pool line. Imagine Pools manufactures only eight different shapes so that they can make each model perfect. They find that utilizing a streamline process of consistent molds allows their staff to emphasize perfection. The result: you receive the very best fiberglass shell available on the market today!

This Fantasy Model is one of eight choices that you have when you shop the Imagine Fiberglass Pool line. Imagine Pools manufactures only eight different shapes so that they can make each model perfect. They find that utilizing a streamline process of consistent molds allows their staff to emphasize perfection. The result: you receive the very best fiberglass shell available on the market today!

A Full Menu of Choices

As stated above, Imagine Pools focuses their efforts on producing 8 brilliant designed pool shapes. These shapes were designed, tested and redesigned until Imagine determined they were perfect for the marketplace. Kristie Cheatum visited the Imagine Pools factory in February 2018 to see for herself what Imagine Pools was all about. Since then, we adopted this product line and are excited to offer it to the residents of Iroquois County and other surrounding areas.

Below is a gallery of the entire Imagine Pools line up. Each pool model has between 3-5 different sizes and 7 different colors.

Not only are these pools shapes uniquely designed and guaranteed to provides hours and days of enjoyment, but they are also built incredibly well! These swimming pools are composed of 7 – 21 layers (depending on the location in the pool) of Fiberglass & Vinyl Esther Resin. The key word here is Vinyl Esther Resin – a blend of Osmosis Resistant Material placed on both the inside and outside of the pool shell.

These swimming pools are manufactured with a manufacturer lifetime warranty on the shell. The Vinyl Esther Resin material is the reason that Imagine is able to offer this amazing warranty! Imagine goes down to the molecular level of how these pools operate once they are in the ground. They remove the molecular affinity for water which means your shell will remain strong, intact and resident to conditions taking place below ground. Pretty amazing stuff!

Our fiberglass pools can be paired with any time of deck (travertine shown above), accessories and water features. This image shows the elegant "Oasis" pool model with an automated pool cover. You can see the gorgeous Ocean Blue gel coat finish, which contrasts nicely with the ivory travertine deck! Simpy beautiful!

Our fiberglass pools can be paired with any time of deck (travertine shown above), accessories and water features. This image shows the elegant “Oasis” pool model with an automated pool cover. You can see the gorgeous Ocean Blue gel coat finish, which contrasts nicely with the ivory travertine deck! Simpy beautiful!

Comparing Fiberglass to Other Pool Types

In relation to other types of swimming pools, i.e. Gunite (Concrete), In-Ground Vinyl or Above Ground; fiberglass pools are in a class all of their own! These pools shells are unique from their manufacturing standpoint, manufacturer warranty and gel coat finish. There is not another swimming pool on the market that offers a gorgeous and smooth Gel Coat Finish.

The Gel Coat provides an extremely smooth and comfortable wall texture for the swimmer. These walls are gentle on your feet, provide a nice grip and beautiful polish. Not only can you select the shape and size of your fiberglass pool; you can also choose one of 7 gorgeous colors!

Only at Illiana Backyard Fun!

We’ve really enjoyed our new venture with Imagine Pools and know that our customers will too! If you have any questions over the material that we covered in this article, we invite you to contact us for a free estimate, brochures or more product information!

Our mission is always to provide our customers with the best information over any product that we offer! It’s part of our goal to become your Pool Partner for 2018!

If you’d like to contact us, please click this link and give us a call or fill out a contact form! We will get back to you promptly and answer any question you have. Now let’s get to work and prepare your backyard for a summer of enjoyment for you and your loved ones!

Backyard Pools & Grills – Cooking Up Some Summer Fun!

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Primo Charcoal Grills

You can find the complete Primo Grill line at Illiana Backyard Fun! We also stock a long list of grilling accessories that pair perfectly with your backyard cooking space! Stop by our store located in Watseka, IL to browse our collection of Primo grills and accessories!

You can find the complete Primo Grill line at Illiana Backyard Fun! We also stock a long list of grilling accessories that pair perfectly with your backyard cooking space! Stop by our store located in Watseka, IL to browse our collection of Primo grills and accessories!

The Charcoal Difference

Any backyard pool owner is bound to tell you about their love of outdoor grilling at some point in the conversation. Truth be told, if you’ve got a outdoor living area that you share with family and friends, then you need a grill to cook on!

At Illiana Backyard Fun, we are proud to supply the American Made Primo Charcoal Grill line. These charcoal grills are designed to outperform standard gas grills available on the market today. The premier oval design provides a broader cooking surface than the famed “round” design of the Green Eggs.

Charcoal cooking allows the food to naturally soak in the flavors of lump charcoal (a natural cooking method) while leaving out the fumes of natural gas and propane. The Primo Grill also retains majority of its heat and provides a safer cooker method that has less surface radiation than stainless steel grills.

The Primo Grill utilizes both Conventional and Conventional cooking methods. Direct heat is applied to the food from the charcoal beneath. Meanwhile, heat is circulated inside of the unit due to the vertical airflow that is created internally. Regulate the heat utilizing both the air intake and air outlet.

The Primo Grill utilizes both Conventional and Conventional cooking methods. Direct heat is applied to the food from the charcoal beneath. Meanwhile, heat is circulated inside of the unit due to the vertical airflow that is created internally. Regulate the heat utilizing both the air intake and air outlet.

It’s All About “How It Works”

The genius is in the design. Created to operate similar to an oven, the Primo Grill has the capability of cooking your food using 3 diverse cooking methods:

  • Grilling: Direct Cooking
  • Grilling & Roasting: Direct & Indirect Cooking
  • Baking, Roasting & Smoking: Indirect Cooking

Alter your cooking method depending on the type of dish you’d like to whip up! You have the freedom to choose what works best for you. One of our favorite aspects of this grill is the diversity and re-usability. Once you’ve finished your meal, you can leave the remaining lump charcoal in the cooker and re-light it for your next dish!

Controlling the temperature is fairly straight forward. You can regulate your temperature based upon the air flow that you allow into the unit. Utilize both the air intake (metal door located on the bottom) and the air vent (cast iron lid on top).

Both of these units regulate the amount of air allowed into the unit. The more open you leave the vents, the faster the temperature will rise. Secondly, once you’ve dialed in your desired temperature level, just close the grates halfway and allow your meal to cook!

Our oval design provides you with greater cooking surface than the conventional shape of the Green Egg. Using the same cooking technology, we can slap on some juicy t-bone steaks or sizzle up some crispy asparagus as the perfect pair to any dish!

Our oval design provides you with greater cooking surface than the conventional shape of the Green Egg. Using the same cooking technology, we can slap on some juicy t-bone steaks or sizzle up some crispy asparagus as the perfect pair to any dish!

Convection Versus Conventional Cooking

As we’ve already mentioned, the Primo grill utilizes the power of Convectional and Conventional cooking methods: all in the same design! Our oval design allows us to fit more food into the same grilling space compared to the widely appraised Green Egg units.

We dare you to take your next meal from your battle hardened gas grill to the Primo so you can see and tastes the difference! If you think your gas grill has more horse power, then you’ve got another thing coming! The superior engineering of the Primo grill allows you to hit a range of 150 – 850 degrees Fahrenheit! You’ll be melting your stainless steel grill while trying to keep up with our oven style cooking technology!

Lastly, the heat is circulated internally allowing your food to cook both internally and externally. Not only will it cook your food throughout but it will retain the moisture of your meat and hold flavors due to the gentle radiant heat. Your food will be tastier, healthier and and more flavorful than ever!

Stop by our store front to browse our collection of these amazing charcoal grills. Find your perfect size; ranging from smaller Kamado all the way to the grand Jack Daniels Edition! We got all the bells and whistles for your next outdoor adventure!

Stop by our store front to browse our collection of these amazing charcoal grills. Find your perfect size; ranging from smaller Kamado all the way to the grand Jack Daniels Edition! We got all the bells and whistles for your next outdoor adventure!

In Stock Now!

Now that we’ve bragged about these amazing grills, let’s get down to business! Illiana Backyard Fun provides a wide ride of Primo Grills to suite your personal needs:

  • Oval JR200 (Junior): 210 Square Inches
  • Kamado Round Grill: 280 Square Inches
  • Oval LG300 (Large): 300 Square Inches
  • Oval XL400 (X-Large): 400 Square Inches

Pair these grills with a custom built outdoor island, or utilize our very popular All-In-One Caddy System. We have the ability to sell both the “head only” or “all-in-one” system: paired with some grilling accessories.

Visit our store to browse all of the options in person! You’ll be delighted by our award winning customer service and desire to pair you with the perfect grill for your backyard!

Tastes The Difference

Lastly, our sole focus is helping each and every one of our customers match themselves with the perfect product, every time! Whether it’ an In-Ground Pool, an Outdoor Pergola, replacement Pool Equipment or anything else; we are here to become your 2018 Pool Partners!

As always, we’d love to meet you in person and discuss our large assortment of products and services. All of which is centered around providing you with the very best in outdoor living experiences! We only stock the best products and newest technology. It’s all designed to keep you, our customer, at the center of every decision we make!

Water Purification: Sand Filter Changes

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Water Purification: Sand Filter Changes

Your pool equipment is one of the most important elements of your swimming pool. It is the source and method for water circulation - the key to the purification process. Keeping your swimming pool filter healthy is a key element and our secret for success!

Your pool equipment is one of the most important elements of your swimming pool. It is the source and method for water circulation – the key to the purification process. Keeping your swimming pool filter healthy is a key element and our secret for success!

The Importance of Water Filtration

Riddle of the Day: “What goes round and round, contains an ingredient key to life, and provides happiness and safety at the same time?” Answer: your swimming pool!

All swimming pools operate on the principle of a closed loop system. Once water is initially added to your swimming pool, it is not regularly added. Therefore, we call our swimming pools “closed loop” because we circulate the water in and out of our swimming pool basin.

In order to keep our water happy, healthy and pure – we circulate the water using a pool pump. Our pumps push the water through a series of filtration equipment. Lastly, we apply pool chemistry as a secondary method to sanitize our water.

Key Elements For Water Sanitation

Water must have all of the following properties to remain sanitary & algae free:

  • Movement – water standing still is an invitation for organisms to settle and reproduce
  • Chemistry – proper water balancing ensures our PH (acid & base), Alkalinity and other factors are satisfied
  • Filtration – water is a sponge for all types of elements (good and bad). It’s imperative that water be filtered through a outside medium in order to filter out and capture bad organic material.

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It Starts & Ends With The Filter

If we were to compare our pool equipment to the human body, the pump would be called “the heart” while the filter would be “the liver.”

Like all of our bodies, the liver performs various functions. It operates as a filter to extract and secrete numerous organisms, materials and non-digestible properties that shouldn’t exist in our digestive tracts. The same goes for swimming pool filters.

In fact, the purpose of running all those funky lines of PVC pipe, adding in a pump and applying our control valves is to push all of that water through our filter. This all ties into a principle in the swimming pool industry known as: Water Turn Over. 

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Residential “Water Turn Over” Requirements

In the residential realm, your total pool volume must be turned over in a maximum time frame of 8 hours.

For most Above Ground pools, our water volume ranges from 5,700 Gallons – 22,000 Gallons. This equates to a water turnover rate of 12 GPM (Gallons per Minute) – 46 GPM. Based upon our GPM requirement, we then select our filter size. For most above ground pools, we utilize the Hayward S180T (max of 35 GPM) or Pentair TA60D (max of 60 GPM).

Filter Media & Micron Levels

There are 3 types of swimming pool filters. Each one inherently removes to a level of “microns” – the degree of microscopic material left in the water in PPM (parts per million) after water passes through the filter. Let’s compare our options:

  • D.E. (diatomaceous earth): 2-3 ppm
  • Cartridge: 5-10 ppm
  • Sand Filters: 20-40 ppm

All sand filters operate by combining Filter Media with Water Flow. As the water is pushed through the filter, it cruises past sand particles that are rough and absorbent. These sand particles remove microscopic particles from the water in order to remove organic material & debris from your swimming pool water.

Summarizing Filtration Fundamentals

Now that we’ve covered all of this educational material – let’s review:

  • Filtration is vital to your pool health
  • Water Turn Over: is the rate (GPM – Gallons per Minute) that water circulates for a complete rotation
  • Filters are rated based upon Microns – the level of microscopic materials per PPM (parts per million) allowed to pass through the filter

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Choosing Our Optimal Filter Media

At this point you may be asking yourself: “if sand filters filter the least amount of microns, then why would you sell them for your above ground pools?” We use Sand Filters for 3 key reasons:

  1. They require less maintenance & are easier to operate
  2. Sand filters are cheaper to install, replace & change out media
  3. They have the longest life span of any filter

In order for us to step up our game with sand filters, we need to do one thing: improve the level of Microns that they filter down to. Long story short – we’ve done it! We have a product called Glass Media by Maytronics that operates as an alternative to silica sand (which has been used for decades).

Glass Media is crazy cool because it gives us a micron level of 2-3 microns and comes with a lifetime guarantee! That’s completely unheard of and it is totally revolutionizing the swimming pool industries and our customers maintenance programs. By converting your swimming pool filter over to a Glass Media program, you have install that product that lasts the lifetime of your filter. Here’s how:

  1. Install the Glass Media (size properly by Coarse & Fine media bags)
  2. Apply the Summer Enhance Enzyme at the beginning and end of each pool season
  3. Maintain proper chemistry levels and get your water tested by a professional pool provider (a.k.a. – Illiana Backyard Fun!)

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Professional Installation Techniques

Without having to say, we completely love this new Glass Media product that hit the market several years ago. Since it’s introduction into the industry, we’ve installed this product on several dozen swimming pools. It does a terrific job of clearing up the water and removing a greater amount of microns than typical sand!

If any of this information was overwhelming or you’re confused over any of this material, we invite you to give us a call! At Illiana Backyard Fun, we want to become your Pool Partner for 2018! We love educating our customers and believe it’s one of our core functions as a company.

Lastly, if you’d like more information on our Glass Media, Sand Filters or any other pool products, please give us a call! We do this for a living and take our profession and customer service very seriously! No pool is too much of a challenge for us. We’d like to get to know yours, provide a diagnosis and get you the best results possible for your Summer of 2018 Fun!

It’s Liner Replacement Season!

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It’s Liner Replacement Season

Now that Spring is coming to a close, the weather is heating up and kids are returning home from school - it's officially Liner Replacement Season! Season is now in full swing and we are hard at working installing new above ground vinyl liners to get these pools open for summer.

Now that Spring is coming to a close, the weather is heating up and kids are returning home from school – it’s officially Liner Replacement Season! Season is now in full swing and we are hard at working installing new above ground vinyl liners to get these pools open for summer.

We’re Hard At Work

Just like hunting season, Vinyl Liners are now in open season and it’s replacing time! This is a common practice in the swimming pool industry. Every Summer we receive calls from home owners who have vinyl liners that are worn out and in need of replacement or repair. The causes for the damage can be wide ranging, but we’ve listed a few common causes below:

  • Rips, tears or holes due to objects, animals, toe nails or grass
  • Seam separation
  • Old liner track fails or no longer hold the liner
  • Chemical Issues that lead to etched, brittle or cracked liners

Regardless of the cause or need for the liner replacement, we are here to support all of our customers! At Illiana Backyard Fun, we work diligently to get your swimming pool open as quickly as possible because we understand that you have family returning home and we want to help!

If you’re worried about the extensiveness of your liner damage and would like some replacement information, just give us a call! We have been replacing these liner systems for years and have teams and products in place to swap out your liner easily and painlessly.

You can see our beloved owner, Christie, hard at work installing a brand new 18' Round Above Ground Liner. Because these pools come in standard sizes, we use liner replacement kits (typically on-hand or from our local distributor) to replace your liner. Just select your pattern from our list of material selections and you're on your way to brand new pool for Summer!

You can see our beloved owner, Kristie, hard at work installing a brand new 18′ Round Above Ground Liner. Because these pools come in standard sizes, we use liner replacement kits (typically on-hand or from our local distributor) to replace your liner. Just select your pattern from our list of material selections and you’re on your way to brand new pool for Summer!

The Importance of Liner Care

As you may be able to tell from the list of issues we highlighted above, Vinyl Liners are a very important aspect of your swimming pool that requires the proper care. These liner systems operate as a membrane that separates water (what we swim in) from the outside elements around your pool.

Depending on if you have an above ground pool or in-ground vinyl pool, your style of liner will vary slightly in style and construction but the main purpose is the same. It retains water and must stay strong and soft for comfort and flexibility.

Vinyl is a unique substance that allows for slight amounts of stretching and abuse over time. It’s the reason why Above Ground and In-Ground Vinyl Swimming Pools are so popular. They are fairly easy to maintain and generally forgiving. So what are the best ways to keep up with your liner to ensure good health and a long lifespan?

  • Proper Chemical Balancing
  • Regular Brushing (with a soft nylon brush)
  • Removing foreign objects from swimming pool when not in use, i.e.:
    • Branches
    • Leaves
    • Toys
    • Ladders
    • *Essentially any object that can puncture or tear the liner due to sharp edges or rough texture
  • Removing weeds from around and below the swimming pool
  • Checking for signs of rusting or corrosion along pool walls, risers or liner tracks

Some Examples of Liner Damage

Steps For Proper Vinyl Liner Management

As a precautionary measure when you come across questions about liner care, we invite you to contact us! We love educating our home owners; it’s truly one of our passions and reason why we love this job! Kristie Cheatum originally started this company out of her desire to help the customers in her local Iroquois County.

That being said, we’ve got lots of tips and tricks to make liner care easier and simpler for our customers. From regular chemical maintenance to brushing and object removal, liner care can be an easy and fun part of pool ownership.

Proper Chemical Balancing – Liner Care 101

EZ Pool is our favorite chemical of choice because of it’s application method and how simple it makes pool chemistry for home owners. It uses a proprietary blend of chemicals to create a easy to understand one-a-week treatment method. Based on the size of your pool (we can help you identify dosage levels) you can add your designated number of scoops to maintain the following chemical levels:

  • Algae Prevention
  • Oxidizer (for shocking)
  • PH Balance
  • Water Softener
  • Scale Inhibitor
  • CH Balance (Calcium Hardness)
  • TA Balance (Total Alkalinity)
  • Water Clarity

When we say this chemical is EZ to use, we mean it! By adding your defined number of scoops to your pool each week, you can maintain the chemistry levels that we listed above. Of course, if you have some specific issues that need a little bit more horse power, we’ve got some additional specialty chemicals in our retail store. Just stop by and let us know what you’d like answers on and we’ll provide you with all the information you’d like to know!

Selecting The Right Style Bead

Lastly, we’ll give you one last tidbit of information about our vinyl liners. For those who have little to no knowledge of these materials, we use what is know as a J-Hook or Beaded Liner. It’s essentially the same thing and it uses a liner track to hand the liner along the edge of your pool wall.

The liner track does a great job of securing your liner and holding it in place while you swim and enjoy time outdoors. This is a much more efficient method of securing your vinyl liner versus the old method of the overlap liner.

The overlap liners are going out of style and it’s not just because of looks. You can always identify this style of liner due to the ugly blue sections of liner handing over the side of the pool. The main reason that we don’t like to install overlapping liners is because they can get pinched or are difficult to remove if you have a raised deck. In the event of a liner swap, if you’ve got an overlapping liner with a raised deck, it’s likely that you will have to remove sections of deck to get to the liner.

Old liners in need of repair typically have the same appearance. They are easy to diagnose and it's typically a matter of time until the liner tears that you'll need a replacement. If you have a similar looking above ground liner, we invite you to give us a call! It's better to replace the liner and enjoy your summer than to deal with an old liner all summer long.

Old liners in need of repair typically have the same appearance. They are easy to diagnose and it’s typically a matter of time until the liner tears that you’ll need a replacement. If you have a similar looking above ground liner, we invite you to give us a call! It’s better to replace the liner and enjoy your summer than to deal with an old liner all summer long.

Trust Illiana Backyard Fun

We don’t like complicated installs and your wallet doesn’t either. It’s reasons like this that we invite you to contact for advice or schedule us for an install. We know what works and what doesn’t and we’re here to provide you with the very best in customer service and products for your home! It’s what makes us unique and passionate about what we do for our customers!

We’re Here To Become Your 2018 Pool Partners!

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 Summer 2018 Pool Openings

At Illiana Backyard Fun, we believe that pool ownership should be a delight for every home owner. Your swimming pool is your escape from reality and the place where many great memories are made. Our mission is to help each home owner find that sense of happiness in their home by partnering with each customer.

At Illiana Backyard Fun, we believe that pool ownership should be a delight for every home owner. Your swimming pool is your escape from reality and the place where many great memories are made. Our mission is to help each home owner find that sense of happiness in their home by partnering with every customer to become their Pool Partner.

Preparing Your Backyard For Summer Time

Summer 2018 is right around the corner. As we speak, the schools of Iroquois County will be releasing their eager and energetic children for summer vacation on May 29 2018. Parents, that means we’ve got to get our swimming pools cleaned up in order to give these fun and crazy kids a place to release that summer energy.

The swimming pool has long been a haven of summer fun and the same can be said for your own home. We all love creating memories with our loved ones in our backyards. Grilling, sharing meals, playing games, swimming and connecting are all sacred elements of the American Dream. Our homes and backyards are the places where we all want to connect as a community during the summer.

Our Wide Range of Services

At Illiana Backyard Fun, our mission is to help you create these areas of fun. We like to think of it as creating your own Backyard Oasis! We specialize in swimming pools and a whole lot more! In fact, we’re continually adding new products to our service line; all for the purpose of expanding our backyard lifestyle. Our products and services now include:

  • A Retail Store located on 800 East Walnut Watseka, IL that sells the following items:
    • Above Ground, Semi In-Ground & Fully In-Ground Pools
    • Spas
    • Chemicals
    • Maintenance Kits & Equipment
    • Filtration Equipment
    • Pool & Spa Accessories
    • Primo Grills (Charcoal Grills)
    • Patio Furniture & Pergolas
    • Outside Yard Decor
    • Inside Wall Art
    • Flags
    • Household Decor
    • So much more…
  • A Service & New Construction Team that includes the following services & products:

Our company begin in 2004 as a dream to service a community and elevate the level of fun in our customers homes. Since our humble beginning, we have built our our retail, service & new construction side of our business. Our key to growth: developing trust with our customers and treating each one with the same level of high end service! We love what we do and it's apparent to see when you visit our beautiful retail store!

Our company began in 2004 as a dream to service a community and elevate the level of fun in our customers homes. Since our humble beginning, we have consistently seen increases in the size of the retail, service & new construction side of our business. Our key to growth: developing trust with our customers and treating each one with the same level of high-end service! We love what we do and it’s apparent to see when you visit our beautiful retail store!

The Ingredients for Success

As you can tell, we have a long laundry list of products and services that we offer. The reason for explaining and writing it all out is simple. We want to develop the trust of every customer in our service area.

We’ve been at this for a long time and every time that someone asks how we’ve grown and built such a wonderful company, our answer is always the same. We work diligently to value every customer interaction and always strive to provide outstanding customer service to each client.

There are a lot of transaction oriented pool companies out there, but that is not us. Not in the slightest. We place a huge emphasis on educating our customers how to take care of their swimming pools. From explaining the importance of proper pool chemistry down to the basics of hydro-dynamics; our mission is to help you understand how to care for your own pool.

Kristie Cheatum, our amazing owner, visits every job site and works with her crews in the field. She also manages our beautiful retail store. Needless to say, she is a busy woman. Rightfully so! She likes to work all avenues of the business so that she has personal experience with every task and keeps her team elevated to a superior service level. It's how we function so strongly as a team and the reason more people are choosing Illiana Backyard Fun for their homes!

Kristie Cheatum, our amazing owner, visits every job site and works with her crews in the field. She also manages our beautiful retail store. Needless to say, she is a busy woman. Rightfully so! She likes to work all avenues of the business so that she has personal experience with every task. This also keeps her team elevated to a superior service level. It’s how we function so strongly as a team and the reason more people are choosing Illiana Backyard Fun for their homes!

Selecting a Partner You Can Trust

That being said, we partner with you on all of the tough stuff in pool ownership. From fixing damaged equipment, installing new vinyl liner replacements, leveling your soil prior to an above ground installation, to so much more. Our list of services is nearly limitless just like our desire to serve our clients.

Over the years, we’ve developed some incredibly strong partnerships with our local suppliers and like-minded swimming pool companies. By working collaboratively with others in our industry, we’ve expanded our wealth of knowledge into other areas that we may have never experienced. Likewise, we partner with other newer companies to assist them with areas where we are considered the experts. It’s all part of our initiative to grow the swimming pool industry as a whole and elevate the service level for the residents Iroquois county!

Keeping us in mind for your Spring/Summer 2018 Pool Opening, we can provide you with all the information you need to make some very informed decisions regarding your swimming pool. Don’t just run down to your local Walmart and purchase a bucket of tablets and shock this Spring. Wouldn’t you like to understand how your pool chemistry really functions and the proper way to balance it? That’s what we’re here for! This season, we’d like to invite you to select us as your Pool Partners that you can trust!

Our team is seen here installing a new vinyl liner on an above ground pool. We work hard to ensure you have the right information from beginning to end. For example, did you know it's better to have a beaded liner instead of an overlap liner? This ensures that if you build a deck around your pool that you don't pinch the liner and it's easier to service & replace later on!

Our team is seen here installing a new vinyl liner on an above ground pool. We work hard to ensure you have the right information from beginning to end. For example, did you know it’s better to have a beaded liner instead of an overlap liner? This ensures that if you build a deck around your pool that you don’t pinch the liner and it’s easier to service & replace later on!

We Believe In Education

Keeping to our mission of free and accessible education, we are here to answer any questions you might have about how to care for your swimming pool or spa. Believe us, we know that these systems can be a little complicated with a large learning curve. But that’s why we’re here!

Our goal this swimming pool season is to develop even more wonderful customer relationships. We want to show Iroquois County that pool ownership can be a very and awesome privilege. Once you understand how to care for your swimming pool the right way, you can move away from stress and frustration into the fun zone. After all, isn’t our backyard supposed to be the fun part of our homes? For us, it surely is and we’d like to help you explore some new concepts of backyard living this summer!

Aside from swimming pool maintenance, if you’d like some free information on backyard renovations, swimming pool & spa installations, grills or even outdoor accessories – give us a call! We’d love to meet you and can’t wait to hear what you’ve got in store for your Summer 2018!