| One of the best ways to improve the aesthetic | | | | extremely well on upper story decks since their |
| appeal of an outdoor living space is to create a | | | | weight is supported by the wall and not the deck |
| great deck water feature. The gentle splashes | | | | floor. In addition, since the supporting wall shelters |
| and trickles as well as the sparkle of moving | | | | these features, water overspray is rarely a |
| water will make the deck seem like a world apart. | | | | problem. Of course wall mounted fountains require |
| A shallow reflecting pond with its glassy surface | | | | an electrical power source to run the pump that |
| acts as a natural mirror and creates a calming and | | | | recirculates the water. It's usually quite simple for |
| contemplative setting. The sound of splashing | | | | an electrician to install an outdoor outlet without |
| water soothes and cheers those around it. There | | | | disturbing deck flooring. |
| are many design possibilities from shaping a | | | | Running a pump without enough water can |
| peaceful and elegant reflecting pond with brick to | | | | damage any pump. Therefore the water in a |
| having a contractor or landscape designer pour a | | | | freestanding or wall mounted fountain must be |
| concrete base for a koi pond filled with water | | | | replenished during dry hot weather because of |
| based plants. Moving water plays with light by | | | | evaporation. All it takes is simply pouring water |
| catching it, refracting it and casting it about. | | | | into the basin to top up the supply. |
| Fountainheads can be used to spurt basic patterns | | | | Large water features that have a water source |
| such as multilevel tiers, glassy mushrooms, | | | | are best controlled by a float valve which |
| gurgling bubbles and simple streams of water | | | | automatically monitors the water level so that the |
| from a spitter. Some fountainheads offer a | | | | pool is always full. It allows for water to be turned |
| combination of patterns. | | | | on when the level falls below a preset mark and |
| Installing a water feature can be as simple as | | | | shuts it off when the fountain is refilled. The |
| setting up a small pond using a rigid liner or | | | | installation of a float valve requires extra cost but |
| forming the base of the pond with a flexible liner. | | | | makes regular maintenance much simpler. |
| Small earth berms, rocks, landscape timbers or | | | | To mask unpleasant sounds such as traffic or air |
| materials native to the region can be used to | | | | conditioning units it takes only a moderate volume |
| camouflage the edge of the liner. Keep the pool | | | | of moving water to do the trick. Even the |
| edges irregular so that it appears that the water | | | | smallest trickle or drip can buffer noises from the |
| has cut its own channel through the soil. Water | | | | outside world. Too much water moving too |
| plants can be set around the pond edges to add a | | | | quickly may necessitate adjusting the flow valve |
| more natural effect. | | | | on the submersible pump in order to reduce the |
| All water features share one mandatory guideline. | | | | flow and soften the sound to an ideal level. |
| The water has to be aerated. Any kind of | | | | Periodically it will be necessary to drain the pond |
| stagnant water is a breeding ground for | | | | for cleaning and maintenance as well as for |
| mosquitoes, anaerobic bacteria which smells and | | | | winterizing. With a small pond or fountain it is |
| algae. It also collects debris and silt. Water | | | | simply a matter of bailing the water by hand. A |
| splashing out of a fountain or spilling over the | | | | drain valve and drain line that empty into a storm |
| edge of a waterfall picks up air which helps it to | | | | system or natural area can be installed for a |
| stay fresh and sparkling. | | | | larger pond. In areas where the pond freezes solid |
| The installation of a submersible pump that | | | | it is wise to remove the pump and store it in a |
| recirculates the water will keep it moving, sending | | | | bucket of water inside the house where it will not |
| it out of a fountainhead, forcing it to the top of a | | | | freeze. Once a pump has been used it is vitally |
| waterfall or simply flowing back and forth within a | | | | important to keep it wet so that the inner seal |
| pool. Submersible pumps operate underwater in | | | | does not dry out and shrink. |
| order for it not to pump air and burn out the | | | | Adding a water feature to an existing deck is |
| motor. The intake filters of the pump must be | | | | certainly possible and is most easily done with |
| cleaned to prevent clogging by debris. Simply | | | | ground level types. It will be necessary to cut |
| skimming the surface of the pond to remove | | | | through the decking, perhaps alter some of the |
| floating debris and setting the pump on a stone or | | | | framing below, excavate beneath the deck and |
| brick on the bottom of the pond can go along | | | | insert a preformed liner. It is very important that |
| way to keeping the submersible pump working | | | | the bottom and the sides of the liner are |
| effeciently. | | | | completely supported. Then it is simply a matter |
| Liners, submersible pumps and fountainheads are | | | | of completing the steps mentioned before about |
| widely available at home improvement centers, | | | | making electrical connections and possibly a water |
| nurseries and aquatic specialy shops. It is wise to | | | | connection to the new water feature. |
| consult with the experts there to select the right | | | | The simple application of practical design |
| materials for the water feature and ensure that | | | | techniques and a little imagination can allow |
| everything is correctly sized for the volume of | | | | homeowners to add a dramatic touch to to a |
| water. | | | | new or existing outdoor living space by the |
| Wall mounted fountains catch water in | | | | addition of a deck water feature. |
| prefabricated decorative basins. They work | | | | |