Can Basketball Really Help Miami?

James, Wade, Bosh

Will the signing of Lebron James and Chris Bosh to the Miami Heat help improve the lagging economy in South Florida?

Some may be skeptical but a Heat ticket is now the hottest ticket in all of sports, replacing the Lakers ticket, proving the boost of interest in Miami. This activity or the "buzz" surrounding the team may stimulate the local economy. Economist suggest that the real estate market and the above average unemployment rate will be slow to recover. This may take several years but Reef Tropical’s pool construction and landscape divisions are receiving calls and delivering proposals suggesting renewed optimism.

Lebron and the Heat will certainly need help to bring Miami out of the troubled times but according to the International Business Times, “People are hopeful that Lebron and company can make a meaningful impact upon Miami's fragile economy”. With the signing of the two super stars, there will be an increase in the migration of wealthy individuals seeking to buy second homes in the Miami area. Also, when athletes of this caliber are introduced into a city, the city has a chance to become a premier sports hotspot similar to New York and Los Angeles. “Miami will become a more attractive destination for travelers and tourists, as well as sports fans, and that should have a positive spillover effect upon downtown restaurants, hotels, cruise-lines and other related businesses.”

Considering the pick up in pool construction projects at Reef Tropical in the last three months, we remain optimistic that the South Florida Real Estate market is the last piece of the puzzle before the economy takes an upward path. Some of the others positive affects of the signing include; hotel occupancy rates, tourism, higher TV advertising fees and merchandising revenues. Go Heat!

Summer Tropical Storms

High Tree Trimming

There was a tropical storm Thursday night July 15^th in Miami that produced loud thunder, lightning, heavy rain and strong winds. It rolled over the area around 11pm at night and lasted about 45 minutes. There will be about half a dozen storms like this before the end of the summer. As my son and I were driving through Miami on Saturday after the storm, we noticed some trees that were slanted due to the storm and other smaller trees that had roots coming out of the ground. This is unfortunate and takes time and money to repair. Additionally, Friday morning I noticed a dent on the hood of my car. This dent is from a medium sized branch that fell from a tree onto my car during the storm. We actually saw the culprit that caused it lying next to the car. Needless to say, the trees have been sub-sequentially trimmed around my house. Again, this takes time and money to repair.

Properly Staked

The point I want to emphasize is the importance of tree maintenance and summer pruning. With proper tree care, also called preventative maintenance, damage can be circumvented or avoided completely. During hurricane season, valiant storms are likely and we advise our customers to take action before the storms hit. When a tree is taken care of and properly maintained, it will be clear of dead branches or unnecessary thickness to allow the wind to filter through the tree easier. Consequentially, there will be less damage. It is similar to taking your car to the shop and servicing the engine so the engine will last longer and won’t cause damage to other car components. Also, new landscaping that comes in a root ball will take six months before it can sustain a 50mph wind. These trees need to be staked and it is important to stake them properly.  

Pool Construction & the Economy

Pool construction and renovations requests have really picked up in the last few months. I believe it is a sign that the economy and confidence of our customers are improving. Spread the word. The Dow Jones is the best indicator of the trend of confidence of customers. It is now up from 2009 lows when construction requests were near zero. So many weak and insolvent competitors have fallen out and so many customers have experienced the real cost of the low bidder, poor quality or other horror stories. We are now getting some people who ask for us to negotiate a value engineered pool renovation or construction to meet their budget and avoid the horror stories. Spread the word on that too.

Rare White Marlin

All year long the 50+ staff at Reef Tropical take care of our customer's pools and landscaping. Our customers are draw to Ocean Reef and the Keys to primarily fish and golf. In June, with most of our customers gone for the season, the Ocean Reef Chamber of Commerce sponsors a Dolphin and Golf Tournament. Last Saturday, June 5th was the 4th annual Ocean Reef Chamber of Commerce Golf and Dolphin Fishing Tournament. Approximately 50 anglers on 10 boats and 45 golfers enjoyed what the Florida Keys and Ocean Reef is famous for. Eight lucky employees from Reef Tropical participated. After the fishing and golf all participants met at the Fishing Village for a late lunch/early dinner to exchange golf and fishing stories. It was a perfect summer afternoon with 2-3 foot seas and chance of rain that never showed.

The fishing torment land several hundred Dolphin. The top three fish were entered for weigh in and 46 LBS total took home the trophy. But the prize was not the Dolphin on this day.

Attached is a very lucky, very rare white marlin landed by Kevin Starling, Reef Tropical Pool Mechanic / Angler and Ed Katz, Captain. It was aboard the 35' Contender "Land Shark" owned by Sam Persaud. The Fish won in the Most unusual category award. I am sure the top boat with Dolphin would trade us in a minute.

It was a good day to be a Reef Tropical employee.

Reef Tropical Pool Construction in Miami, FL

The Chairman of the Board of probably the most recognized, Miami business (will go unnamed here) has selected Reef Tropical Pools to build his private residence’s pool in Coral Gables, Florida. This prominent business leader’s water feature project was started about a month ago (see photo below) and will be completed in 90 days.

The project was designed by the “world class” Aquatic Consultants and the famous Brian Van Bower. It will feature a pool, spa, eight fountains and shallow children’s play area. The challenging hydraulics and finishes of the project demand an experienced construction and service crew that few Florida companies can provide.

Watch for the progress pictures of this exquisite pool and water features in future blogs as well as Reef Tropical expansion into the Miami Dade and other regional projects. Last month two higher end private residence’s pool projects have been awarded to Reef Tropical in Coconut Grove and Key Biscayne.

Service your pool year round in Key Largo

In the “Off Season”, May through October, we are often asked if we can cancel or curtail the weekly pool service since the pool will see limited or no use in the coming months. There are many reasons to keep weekly pool service on your pool at Ocean reef or in Key Largo, FL.

First and most important is to check and balance the chemicals each and every week. Stable chemical balancing of pool water prolongs the life of your pool finish and equipment. Chemical such as chlorine, muriatic acid and stabilizer can dissipate and change the character of the water in your pool. The plant growing season and golf course and property fertilizers bring airborne challenges into the pool water chemistry mix. Heavy rains of summer can bring one, two or even three or more inches of rain water, drastically altering the chemical balance of the prior week’s pool service. Water from the deck and roof often wash into the pool and spa, further complicating bacteria and algae control. Water temperatures of 80 degrees or more can be sustained in the pool stimulating algae growth. Reef Tropical uses more chlorine in summer months to care for pools, even though human use is substantially reduced. The pool should also be skimmed and vacuumed weekly, all year round.

With chemicals and labor discussed above, pool service in summer months is actually more costly in the “Off Season”.

Experts say the 2010 Hurricane Season will be Active

Let us all avoid tree damage from hurricane winds. The 2010 Hurricane Season in the Atlantic Ocean will begin on June 1, 2010 and end on November 30, 2010. Atlantic hurricanes affect the Eastern and Gulf Coasts of the U.S. and the Caribbean nations. For individuals in the paths of potential hurricanes, the key to minimize property damage is preparedness.

As homeowners in the Florida Keys, neglected trees, hedges, or shrubs in some situations have caused much damage to properties, utilities, cable lines and loss of vital services. Precautionary steps should have been taken to minimize or eliminate these damages. Before the beginning of the new hurricane season, homeowners should evaluate their trees, palms and shrubs to be trimmed by professional landscapers.

Here is some basic tree preparation before hurricane season: Trim Back Trees and Bushes, Make sure that any loose or dead limbs are cut back and removed from the property before a hurricane strikes. Also, trim back any trees or bushes that have branches close to any window in the house. Also, remove from trees and palms, any coconuts, fruits, and any fallen debris, which can fly through the air, and cause damage during a hurricane or tropical wind force. The trees that cause the most damage include: Australian pine tree, Mahogany, Ficus, Laurel Oak, Queen Palm and Tabebuia.

Unlike improper shrub pruning or hedge trimming, irresponsible tree service is something that can have serious ramifications for your property. Unless you have plenty of experience in the field, hiring a professional for tree service is generally a good idea. Not only do professional tree service companies have the right tools to trim large tree branches and the proper equipment to do it safely.

As a testament, here is a quote from the Atlanta Georgia, Center for Disease Control: “Each year, approximately 36,000 people are treated in hospital emergency departments for injuries from using chain saws. The potential risk of injury increases after hurricanes and other natural disasters, when chain saws are widely used to remove fallen or partially fallen trees and tree branches.” Correspondingly, being prepared and taking precautions is as important to hiring a tree service company. Locating a tree company, should be licensed, have insurance for any property damage, personal liability, workers compensation, and provide references.

Taking these precautions may help reduce property damage and keep your family safe. Even if the hurricane does not hit your area directly, consider this practice for the next big hurricane warning.

Additional Preparation Items

1. Secure Garbage Baskets and Covers
2. Take Down Patio Umbrellas & Secure tables and chairs
3. Close Window Awnings
4. Use Hurricane Shutters or Board Up Windows and Sliders
5. Secure Boats or Other Recreational Vehicles
6. Trim Trees, Palms & Shrubs on the Property

By Gilbert Hevia @ Reef Tropical Lawn