Everything You Need To Know About Fountains

If there’s anything that can turn an otherwise ordinary outdoor living space into a very relaxing and inviting area, it’s a water fountain.

This brief guide will serve as a beginner’s introduction to the subject of water fountains and cover topics such as maintenance, building, cleaning, and the positive effect that an ordinary water garden design can provide to your residence.

Maintenance

Fundamentally speaking, the heart and soul of any water fountain is the pump. Regardless of what water garden design or construction materials you use, the secret to ensuring that your fountain works properly is a high quality and well-maintained pump.

Outdoor water pumps are also far more vulnerable than indoor ones, due to the issue of debris being blown into the pool. This is why the biggest maintenance tip of all for outdoor fountains is to periodically clean the fountain of all debris and to wipe down the pump.

Building

Water garden design, in general, has advanced to the point that fountains are available in a wide variety of different construction materials. These include but are not limited to:

CAST STONE

• This is one of the most common construction types for fountains that is is well-adept for withstanding the rigors of outdoor use.

CERAMIC

• Ceramic is forged out of one thousand degree ovens and are most commonly used for terraces and patios.

FIBERGLASS

• While not quite as durable as cast stone, fiberglass fountains come in a much wider variety of different finishes and colors. Most fiberglass fountains are used indoors, such as in homes and offices, but they can be suitable for outdoor use with added maintenance.

Cleaning

As you can imagine, cleaning an outdoor water fountain requires more work than cleaning an indoor fountain. This is because an indoor fountain isn’t subject to much more than fingerprints and light dust, but an outdoor fountain has rain, snow, animals, plants, wind, leaves, grass, dirt, and heavier dust to contend with.

The best way to clean an outdoor water fountain is to open up the cover of the pump and them wipe down the indoors with a clean cloth and a toothbrush for the harder to reach areas.

For the pool itself, you’ll want to invest in a net that you can use to reach out to and scoop out any leaves or grass. Many fountains and pools, such as modern-day koi pond designs, are quite large and require a net to reach out and scoop out the debris.

Effects

Setting up an outdoor fountain comes with many important benefits, including:

DECOR

• First and foremost, a water fountain will become the centerpiece of an outdoor living area and will greatly add to its look and value.

NATURAL HUMIDIFIER

• As natural humidifier, water fountains can add moisture to an otherwise dry area. Most water pumps are also adjustable, so you can set the flow of water to the level and speed that you like. This stands in stark contrast to mechanical humidifiers, which often have a loud and annoying buzzing noise.

STRESS RELIEF

• Last but not least, anyone who’s been around water fountains knows how soothing they can be. Simply relaxing on a comfortable lawn chair or swing next to a fountain after a busy day can greatly aid in releasing stress.