Some Articles

Swimming pools, like any other man-made object, will fall apart without regular maintenance. Simple maintenance of your pool will help to prolong its life and delay any need for repair. There are many little things you can do to keep your swimming area well maintained, and in the process keep both yourself and others safe.

There are many things you can do every day to ensure your pool is well maintained. Listed below are just a few of the daily things you can do:

Add Chlorine - Be sure to add chlorine to the pool daily to make sure all those pesky bacteria that can cause sickness are sanitized. While many pools use chlorine as a sanitizer, bromine is an acceptable substitute.

Adjust pH levels - If you have an automatic balancer in your pool this step is already done for you. If not, be sure to adjust both your pH and Alkaline levels. This helps make sure your water does not turn an undesirable cloudy, or irritate your skin when you go for a swim.

Clean your skimmer - Your skimmer should be cleaned daily to make sure your pool water stays fresh, and can circulate around the pool.

In addition to these things that you can do on a daily basis, there is more you can do. You don’t have to do these every day, but rather only every one to two weeks, and this can go a long way to adding years of functionality to your pool’s life.

Shocking Your Pool

Shocking your swimming pool is where you add a concentrated amount of chlorine into the pool water for a short time. The chlorine levels become so high that any organic organisms (mold, algae, and bacteria) are completely destroyed. You should shock your pool at least once a week, but may have to do so more than one time per week depending on how often the swimming area is used. You may also need to add algaecide to kill any remaining algae that the chlorine did not already destroy.

Adding Metal Out and Clarifier

You will have to add other chemicals into your pool on a weekly basis, with clarifying and anti-metal agents being chief amongst them. Metal Out agents are used to eliminate the tiny particles of metal that escape your pool filtration system. Clarifier, on the other hand, is used to prevent your water from turning cloudy. It also helps to remove those particles of matter that are too small for the pool’s filter to catch. The Clarifier makes it so that these particles cling to each other, making them large enough for a vacuum or your filter to catch.

There is still more you can do to keep your pool well maintained. Vacuuming your pool from time to time will help keep your water clean, as will skimming the surface of your pool water for leaves. Every winter (or every six months if you live in a warmer part of the country) you will want to drain your pool and scrub your pool walls and floor. This may also be a good time to check your railings and bolts on accessories, like diving boards or step rails to see if they need to be tightened or replaced.

Spring has finally arrived and it’s time to think about opening your swimming pool for the season. What terrors lurk under the seemingly innocent winter cover? What expensive and time-consuming issues will face you this season before the pool can be fun?

Here are a couple of proven tips that can help get your pool in shape and ready for summer fun and relaxation.

THE POOL’S GREEN!

Algae is often a problem when opening a pool after a long winter. A little light through some pinholes in the winter cover, no chlorine in the water and voila, algae blooms unrestrained. As unsightly as it is, getting rid of a spring case of algae shouldn’t be difficult, expensive or time consuming.

If you discover algae when you open your pool the first thing to do is get your pump and filter set up and functioning properly. Once the pump and filter are up and running simply add algaecide to the pool according the to dosage guide on the container. Use only concentrated algaecide with active ingredients at least 50% of the contents. Look for quaternary ammonia or polyquaternary ammonia as the main active component.. These two chemicals are extremely potent and leave little or no residue.

Once added, LEAVE THE POOL ALONE for at least 4 hours with the pump running.. Many people want to shock the pool right away under the mistaken notion that chlorine kills algae. Chlorine alone will not kill algae (that’s why algaecide is sole) but will knock out the algaecide just added if used right away. Give the algaecide time to kill the infestation and THEN shock the pool with chlorine to break down the dead material so it can be filtered. Make sure to check the filter pressure and backwash when indicated. The whole procedure shouldn’t take more than a few hours during one day. Once the pool is clear add chemicals as you normally do and the water should be ready for the season.

I NEED TO REPLACE MY SAND

With proper maintenance pool filter sand will last from 5-7 years before needing to be replaced. Pool sand filters get more efficient with time. The sand traps fine particles during use, which in turn act as filtering media and improve the efficiency of the sand. New sand will not filter as well unless you help it along. The easiest way to bring your new sand up to speed is simple. Add a pound or two of diatomaceous earth, DE, to your skimmer when the pump is running. The DE is much finer than sand and will lodge in the filter sand and improves filtering right away. Your new sand should work just as well as the old.

These simple tips should help make opening your pool simpler, easier and cheaper so you can enjoy it as soon as weather permits.

My sand filter is running at high pressures

Follow the backwashing instructions in your Owner’s Manual. The sand bed may be clogged with mineral deposits that will not backwash away. Some calcium based chlorines and other alternative sanitizers will build up in your sand bed, and will require more frequent backwashing and changing of the sand.

Before you replace all the sand in your filter, try removing approximately 1″ of the top layer of the sand, replace with the exact amount of sand you removed. Normal life span of the sand is about 4 - 5 years.

You may have to clean your filter system with a special filter cleaner, please call Blue Haven Pools & Spas for more information.

Check to see if there is a closed or partially closed valve along your return piping, open the valve.

Your pump may be too small to provide sufficient flow for proper backwashing. Your filter will function, but a lower design flow rate will cause your system to backwash improperly. Check the output of the pump to be sure that it equals your filter’s design flow rate. Replace the pump if it is too small.

My sand filter is running in short cycles

Improper backwashing could be the reason. Always backwash until the water runs clear in the valve’s sight glass, usually about two minutes.

You may have live algae causing the filter to clog. By testing the water balance with a test kit and super chlorinating, you should solve this problem.

There is sand at the bottom of the pool

The sand you are using could be too small, which will go through the filter system, then back into the pool. Remove the sand and replace it with the proper grade of sand - #20 Silica or 45-55mm pool sand.

Your pump may be too big for your filter. During backwashing the pressure can cause the sand to rise high enough to overflow into the standpipe, allowing sand to flow back into the pool. Refer to your Owner’s Manual for the correct amount of sand for your filter.

There could be a loose lateral located at the bottom of your filter. Tighten any loose laterals, replace if broken.

Most calcium based chlorine, both powder or tablets, contain from 30 - 35% of what is called inert materials. This is calcium residue or dust, which many pool owners mistake for sand. You can confirm this by following these steps: During vacuuming, use a hand vac and pole. As the vac head approaches, the sand will lay on the bottom, and will allow itself to be picked up. Most calcium residue will scatter away from the vac head as you try to pick it up.

If you have this problem, we recommend that you put extra water in your pool and vacuum to the waste line. If you vacuum to the filter, some of it will be trapped on the sand surface, allowing dust to get back into your pool.

The pool won’t stay clear

Your pool chemistry may be out of balance, allowing algae to multiply.

The flow rate through the filter may be low due to clogged or undersized piping. Cleaning the lines or changing to larger pipes will correct this problem.

Your filter operation time may not be long enough to compensate for heavy use or hot weather. Try running your filter for 24 hours to clear the water, then adjust to less running time.

Your pump may be hooked up to the wrong port on the multiport valve. If incorrectly installed, the filter will be flowing in reverse. Be sure the pump is connected to the port marked “pump” on the valve.

You could be backwashing too often. Backwash only when the pressure rises 7 - 10 psi over the starting pressure, or when the return flow back into the pool becomes low.

My filter is noisy

An oversized pump may cause noise in your filter valve due to excessive flow. To test, hold your hand partially in front of any returns at the pool wall. If the noise subsides, this will confirm that the problem is excessive flow. It can be remedied by by installing smaller eyeball fittings in the return(s), changing the pump impeller size in the pump, or change to a 2-inch control valve.

My Vari-Flo valve leaks to waste

The valve seat gasket inside the valve has become worn or loose. How do you replace the gasket? You will need a new gasket, some Krazy Glue, and a sharp 1/8-inch wide flat bladed screwdriver.

NOTE: Mark the top and bottom of the valve with a marking pen. It’s very important that you do not change the location of the cover when re-assembling. Remove the cover, usually six screws. Using the screwdriver, scrape out every last part of the gasket and cement, in order to get back to a clean flat surface. Put a fair amount of crazy glue on the flat side of the gasket. Place the gasket, flat side down, back into place - let dry for one hour minimum.

A solar pool heater means more enjoyment, more fun from your swimming pool or outdoor spa. Anyway, why do you have one? It is a valuable investment on which you also spend much time and money, looking after it.

There are four means of heating your pool

* by using an electric heater

* using gas, usually a propane heater

* using a pool cover

* and by using solar pool heating

You are probably aware already that heating a swimming pool electrically or with gas is very costly. Accordingly many people choose not to heat the pool at all at cooler times of the year or day, thereby foregoing your potential enjoyment from your pool .

Only because it is expensive to keep it warm and usable.

Why would you invest so much in a pool and then not splash around in it for a good deal of the time? It is easier than you think, and cheaper, to use solar power energy and make your pool or outdoor spa a much more welcoming environment to savor at any time you want. A solar pool heater - or spa heater - enables you to carry over the use of your pool or outside spa into springtime and fall, chilly evenings and morning time*.

Additional rewards of solar pool heating include:

* You economize on utility bills, charged for running a conventional pool heater

* No bills for solar energy - it is free!

* You cut down on greenhouse gas emissions

Of course you are able to purchase a solar pool heater, maybe spending up to $2000. Or you can construct one yourself. For much less.

You might ask, Is a DIY solar pool heater not highly complex and pricey to build? No, rest easy, it just takes a good set of instructions and common DIY skills to make one yourself. A fourteen year-old might be able to do it.

And the cost? Well, it can really be done for the piddling sum of less than US$100.

Sure, naturally you do need a circulation pump and if that runs on mains power it will take just 15 to 20 Watts only for a 30,000 litre pool. But of course, using a solar powered pump won’t even call for this use of mains power. There are solar pool heaters for various situations, and they come in whatever size. Rooftop systems lie flat on your roof and are best used for the very large pools, or you may like to look at an system, placed on the ground. The on the ground system is set up directly next to your pool with the greatest possible exposure to the sun’s warmth.

It is this ground system that you could be build for under US$100. So, in choosing your solar pool heater system you need to know the size of your pool and your local weather. You do need some sunshine but good solar heaters work even on cloudy days!.

A word of warning. Do remember that heated pool water is a good breeding ground for bacterial and algal growth so you must monitor correct chlorine or salinity levels to the pool or spa water. You should obtain some expert advice about that from your local pool supplier.

Oh yes , and the pool cover. By all means use it as a passive solar top-up of your pool enjoyment. It will help you make the most of your greatly enhanced pool.

Now off you go - enjoy your swim!

Without cleanliness and maintaining the hygiene of the swimming pool it becomes dirty. Swimming pool vacuum cleaners are excellent equipments and with regular cleaning the pool can be used for longer periods.

Several cleaning tools are freely available in the market but some cleaners are more popular and effective in use compared to the others. Vacuums working with suction action are one of the popular cleaners utilized to vacuum the entire vicinity. Beneath the surface area, the ******* machine not only absorbs water but also drags it to the filter area. Some of them act as good scrubbers, scrubbing against the walls while moving from one place to the other in the area. This useful equipment can absorb the debris found inside but not the larger ones. Large debris might get stuck and spoil the cleaner. Vacuums are the hardest working equipments that keep swimming areas fresh and hygienic to use.

They are available for all types of swimming areas. Some of the few well-known ones are Supa-Vac Venturi Vacuum, Cruiser C400, Hayward Aquabug, Barracuda Topaze. The C400 automatic cleaner is intended for usage for above and in ground pools. The Hayward Aqua Bug never requires emptying or replacing debris bags as it facilitates with the existing filtration system. Topaze cleaner is designed for the clearness of round as well as oval ones. The aim for using machines is to clean the entire vicinity but few devices provide additional facilities and some offers just the basic requirement of simple cleaning.

There is a new swimming pool building technique that’s turning heads. It’s called vanishing edge. Actually, this style of pool has been around for years but it is starting to gain popularity. Many of our customers are asking us about negative edge or vanishing edge swimming pools including questions about design, practicality, and if any home can have this type of pool. For the rest of the article, we will inform anyone interested in a new swimming pool about the vanishing edge style.

The style of a vanishing edge pool is unique. The essence of the structure is to make the area appear as though it is vanishing into the horizon. When the contractor builds this type of pool, there is one end which has no edges or walls. The water appears to be spilling off into the horizon which creates a beautiful look for any home. However, this type of swimming pool looks best in areas where the home or the ground level is elevated, such as homes built on a cliff, large hill, homes near oceans, or homes with open views in their backyard. The negative edge area will be overlooking the edge in your home. Water appears to spill over the side where it is captured by a ledge and recycled back into the pool through pump and filtration systems. This type of swimming pool is perfect for homes with overlooks as it doesn’t take away from the natural beauty.

People are choosing infinity pools and negative edge styles because of their aesthetic beauty. And, because the vanishing edge style can only be made with gunite, your pool builder can create any shape possible. This means full customization of your pool so it will look great in your already beautiful backyard. And, even more than any other variety, the negative edge pool will look great with exotic coping materials and specialty tiles. Because the vanishing edge type of pool is more expensive than a standard or traditional gunite build, customers are typically prepared to spend the extra money on exotic stone and lighting to accentuate the beauty of the vanishing edge.

As we stated before, infinity swimming pools can be installed anywhere in any backyard. However, we feel that these pools are best suited for homes with elevations and homes with open spaced views in their backyard. Great candidates that fit this profile are homes in the woods, homes at the shore, homes in the mountains, and any home with beautiful overlooks including homes in the city. As stated before, this type of pool works best in an area where the it flows with the natural setting in your yard and your property. Location is the most important factor when you think about having a vanishing edge installed. If you are happy with your view, then a negative edge pool will work for you. If your view is of a cluttered neighbor’s yard or an overgrown area, you may want to think twice about type type of swimming structure. The vanishing edge portion of your pool will become the focal point of the area where your eye will visit each time you are in your backyard. You want to make sure that the view, the angle, and the location is something that you will never tire of.

Negative edge swimming pools require a contractor who understands the pumps and technology involved and is also an expert in excavation and gunite application. A negative edge pool is one of the most expensive variety of pools you can choose to install, and if you have the money, it is one of the most beautiful and timeless investments you can ever make. When choosing the right builder for this, make sure they have experience in this medium and they will be full service meaning they understand the entire building process from excavation to completion. The last thing any homeowner wants is a beautiful pool with muddy landscaping surrounding it. Make sure your pool contractor is creative, experienced, and will leave your yard as pristine as it was before they arrived on the job site.

Salt water pools can cause damage to your environment, your pool equipment, and your skin, not to mention your overall health. Because the chemicals used to treat salt water pools, namely chlorine, can be harmful to your health, it would be a good idea to explore other options available to you.

The backsplash water from salt water pools can kill any vegetation that happens to be near the pool as the chemicals will splash out with the water. Those harsh chemicals can do terrible things to your pool equipment and any decorations you might have near the pool as well. Decorative rock formations near salt water pools have been known to deteriorate and decay from the abrasive chlorine and salt chemicals used to treat salt water pools.

Salt water pools and the chemicals they use to clean the water can cause a feeling of dryness in your skin and irritate your eyes, making them red and puffy. The chlorine in salt water pools can cause a change to your hair color and can fade your swimwear. The vibrant colors of your bright orange or bright pink swimming attire won’t stay vibrant with prolonged use in salt water pools.

Chlorine, used to treat salt water pools, has been linked to possible asthma incidents. Inhaling chlorine fumes into your lungs is dangerous and can be painful. Studies involving chlorine have also linked it to bladder and rectal cancers, as well as heart disease.

There are more natural cleaning systems so that you don’t have to rely on harsh salt and chlorine chemicals in salt water pools. An ionic water purifying system using copper ions and including a natural oxygen oxidation process is one such method that cleans your pool water. Water cleaned naturally with such a purifying process is sparkling clear and the water remains cleaner for a longer period of time, regardless of how many bathers use your swimming pool.

Salt water pools cleaned with chlorine are subject to temperature changes, exposure to sunshine and rain, and the more swimmers in the pool, the shorter period of time it remains clean. You have to constantly adjust the pH level in pool water for the salt and chlorine to be effective. Chlorine can also produce a smell that isn’t natural to a swimming pool.

Just as salt water pools aren’t safe for you, your children, family and friends, they aren’t safe for the family pets either. You don’t want to expose your pets to the harsh chemicals of salt water pools by allowing them to get in the water. Small children and pets are more likely to get a higher dose of toxins sooner because their bodies, and therefore their physical systems, are smaller.

If you ingest a mouthful of swimming pool water treated with chemicals, it won’t taste good and the ingredients going directly into the cells and tissues of your body are not going to be healthful. If you choose an ionic purification system with copper ions, it won’t taste nearly as bad and if you drank two gallons of the water, the total amount of copper you would ingest would be relative to what is contained in a vitamin supplement

The good ol’ summertime has rolled into town once more, and lucky ol’ you are going to take on that lucky ol’ sun with your backyard swimming pool and weekend barbecues until the first chill winds of autumn blow back around. You’re getting the pool whipped into shape, but you notice that your Polaris pool cleaner isn’t holding up its end of the bargain in the manner you have come to expect. Don’t panic; every trusty tool needs a tuneup form time to time, and you may just need to treat your Polaris cleaner to a new Polaris pool cleaner part.

You may have become so used to the flawless performance of your Polaris pool cleaner that you had forgotten there were such things as Polaris pool cleaner replacement parts. But replacement parts there are, and you will have no problem finding whichever one you need. There are several ways, in fact, for you to approach your search for a Polaris pool cleaner part.

Where To Find You Polaris Pool Cleaner Parts

The quickest way to corral the Polaris pool cleaner part you need is to head for your nearest pool supplies store. Polaris is one of the most respected and in-demand pool cleaners, so the odds are excellent that you will have to go no further than your local pool supplies vendor to find exactly the Polaris pool cleaner part you need. But if you’re accustomed to purchasing pool supplies from you local home improvement mega store like Lowe’s or Home Depot, fear not. They are also good bets to carry Polaris pool cleaner parts.

If you just don’t want the hassle of driving around in search of your replacement part, however, your third option is to go to Cyberland and hit the swimming pool supply websites which come up on a Google search. You can comparison shop for your Polaris pool cleaner part, and when you find the store offering it at the lowest price, place you order and wait for Fedex, UPS, or the postman.

Surfing the Internet is a great way to find everything and anything you need to get your Polaris pool cleaner running at its maximum for the minimum price; just read some customer reviews of the sites offering the part you need to make sure they are on the up-and-up, and let you determine if they have a satisfactory return policy in case the Polaris pool cleaner part they ship is defective in any way.

Why? It cannot be argued that swimming pool covers are an essential addition to any pool. No matter what the weather, you’ll want to keep the elements and the debris out of the water, keeping it clean for your family.

Swimming pool covers are heavy - those designed with safety in mind can be especially cumbersome - and easing the process of ravelling and unravelling the large cover may be a priority for many people. Why not opt for an electric swimming pool cover. These electric covers are essentially the same as other covers, but when you want to put them over or drag them off the pool it’s as simple as pressing a button.

Who would use them? Electric covers are often popular in public pools where it must go on every evening, and come off every morning - electricity greatly assists this tedious and difficult process.

But they can be used in the home, too. Unlike with standard manual covers, neither strength nor dexterity is required to use electric swimming pool covers. This makes them ideal for elderly or disabled people, especially those that require frequent dips into the pool for therapeutic reasons. If retracting the cover is too much for some people on their own, then an electric swimming pool cover would be an ideal solution.

How do they work? A motorised pole the turns a reel, either pulling the cover in or pushing it out along rails. The electric pole will be versatile enough to fit a range of pool widths and lengths (and should be easily adjusted by the purchaser or the installer) This increases the choice available for those seeking to buy one, as they are not restricted to a particular make or brand that is made specifically for a certain sized pool.

The aesthetics of the cover will often be more pleasing if electric swimming pool covers are integrated into newly built pools, but if the pool is aleady installed and working, a retro-fit version may be your only choice.

This electric, automated action means that electric swimming pool covers are often referred to as “automatic pool covers”, since they automatically deploy and retract. The two terms can often be used interchangeably, though it is important to note that by ‘automatic’ we do not mean that it performs the action without any prompting. While this behaviour is, conceivably, possible, it is not within the standard function of an electric cover.

Once summer ends and cold days start to show up, it will be time to shut your pool down. The first step you need to take care of is the water. You need to start by checking your pH level, and making sure that it is approximately 7.5. If it is not, just put in some dry acid.

Next, you need to check your chlorine as well. You should use a winterizing product to ensure that your pool will be protected from algae during winter months.

During these cold months, you have to run your pump for about six hours every day, in order to prevent the algae from settling in.

Next, check for any types of leaks as well. Switch your skimmer valve off and let the water drain to about six inches below the skimmer’s bottom. Doing this, you will have the preferred amount of water in your swimming pool.

If you used a summer cover, give it good cleaning using fresh water or a pressure washer. Once you have cleaned it thoroughly, put it in your building or garage and take out a winter cover. When putting your winter cover on the pool, ensure that there is enough tension on the cover. This will prevent anything from getting under the cover.

You need to check the pool cover several days a week to make sure that it is still tight. Tell your family and friends that you have closed your pool down for the winter, and that they should not be close to it. Most of pool covers are designed to protect your pool; they are not made for safety. In no way, under any circumstances should you let a person or even a pet on the cover.

Once you are done with the cover, you need to take care of the equipment. You have to drain the water from your pump, filter and heater. Every one have a drain plug located someplace near the bottom, which makes it easy to drain the water out.

Do not forget to do this, as the water will freeze inside of your equipment during the winter months and cause permanent damage of your equipment.

Once you are finished preparing your swimming pool for the winter months, you can relax knowing that your swimming pool is properly protected. Check on it every several days to make sure that nothing has happened.