Swimming Pool Leak Detection
Leak DetectionYour pool will naturally lose some water to evaporation, some to splash-out and some to backwash wastewater. You may also gain water from rainfall. My rule of thumb is that if you're routinely adding more than two inches of water to your pool per week, you may have a leak. It is worth spending some time and money to repair.Pools are meant to be watertight but sealants will deteriorate while other parts of your pool shift and settle or just plain wear out. Pools can leak through any of the fittings or accessories, plumbing, or even right through the shell. It is important to repair leaks, not only to save water, heat, and chemicals, but also to prevent undermining pool structural components and washing away fill dirt.
Spring Swimming Pool Openings
Spring Pool OpeningsPool openings in the Northeast US typically range $175-$300. You can often save money by doing some of the work yourself, i.e. removing the cover, or vacuuming the pool.Here is a list of things you can do yourself to help lower the cost of opening your pool in the Spring:*Remove, clean, fold and store pool cover. *Testing water balance; adjusting calcium, Alkalinity and pH levels *Replacing stored items; ladders, auto cleaner, baskets, plugs, gauges, etc. *Inspect and test electrical service to pumps, lights, heaters, etc. Load testing. *Lube plugs, fittings, valves and o-rings. *
Seasonal Swimming Pool Check Ups
Seasonal Check Ups O-Rings...There are many items worth checking through out the season. Simple checks are as common as making sure the pump lid o-ring is properly lubricated. Products like Jack's Lube, Liberty Lube and Magic Lube can give the proper lubrication to o-rings to help maintain longer life of the o-rings. Pump Baskets...Another thing that should be checked is your pump basket for cracks, and splits. A cracked pump basket can allow debris to clog your impeller. This can cause loss of flow, that can lead to poor filtration, and other water clarity problems.
The POOL JANITOR, FAQ on pool cleaning topics
Pool Janitor FAQ
My pool has a bathtub ring...
Floating oils, dirt & waste can combine to form a scum line around the pool; this is why tile, an easily cleanable surface, is placed at water level around the perimeter of the pool. There are many tile cleanser products available which are applied with a scrubbing pad or brush and a little elbow grease. Abrasive cleaners work well, but should be avoided in vinyl lined pools, or pools using products such as Baquacil. On vinyl pools use a vinyl cleaner such as Armor All Cleaner (not conditioner), and on Baquacil treated pools, use a cleanser made without chlorine.
Cleaning the scum inside of the skimmer frequently will help to keep the tile cleaner, as scum sticks itself to clean plastic. Using enzyme products can reduce or eliminate the amount of attention to the scum line as the work to "eat" scum producing substances.
The floor of my pool is covered in leaves...
Put on your back brace, heavy leaf removal can be hard work. At this stage, vacuuming through the skimmer or using automatic pool cleaners are very ineffective methods; both will clog up too quickly. The method of choice for the pool janitor is using a leaf rake attached to a telescopic pole. Slowly push the leaf rake along the floor, scooping up leaves into the bag. Work the pool in sections, trying not to create leaf-stirring currents. It takes practice and a strong back, but it can be very effective.
Another method is the use of a Leaf Bagger, a product by Jandy Industries. Attached to a telescopic pole and a garden hose, the Leaf Bagger uses venturi action to suck leaves up into a large attached bag as you roll the unit over the leaves. It's slow going, but you won't have to stop to empty the bag too often.
Pool winterization. Tips on closing a swimming pool.
Fall Pool Closings Snowbelt1. Balance the water chemistry:Approximately 3 - 7 days prior to closing the pool, adjust your water balance within the ranges below: *pH: 7.2 - 7.6 *Alkalinity: 80 - 120 ppm *Calcium Hardness: 180 - 220 ppmThen, shock the pool with a Chlorine Shock or a Non-Chlorine Shock, at least 1lb per 10,000 gallons (follow package directions). Allow the chlorine level to return to 1.0 - 3.0 ppm before adding any winter algaecide and your pool cover. Chlorine tends to break down both algaecides and [floating] pool covers.
Expansion Joint Caulking around swimming pools
Expansion Joint CaulkingIt used to be that all pools built had the expansion joint between the perimeter coping and the pool deck caulked or filled with elastomeric sealant 30 days after the concrete was poured. This was holding up the checks to the builders, I was told, so they sort of stopped mentioning it.It is well worth mentioning. The expansion joint is an important interface between the pool and the deck. These two independent structures need to remain independent. Keeping debris out of the joint ensures that the joint is "true" and the two structures are not in contact with each other. When they do come in contact, the pool may develop a crack in the tile, which is usually an indication that the "beam" has cracked all the way through. The beam is defined as the top 6 or 8 inches of the pool wall which holds the tile & coping. Beam damage gets worse with time, eventually crumbling, requiring beam reconstruction. To avoid this costly expense, caulk those joints! Caulking also keeps out water which can freeze and expand. This can damage the coping, beam and eventually, the tile.
How to acid wash a swimming pool
Acid WashingAlso called a drain & clean, an acid wash becomes necessary if the pool has turned into the "black lagoon". This may occur if the winterizing process is not done properly, or if the pool has been stagnant for a period of time so that algae has taken over. If you notice scaly, man-phibian creatures splashing around out back, it's probably time to drain & clean.Our general rule of thumb for determining the need for an acid wash is: if you can see the bottom of the pool (the floor) then you can bring it back with chemicals, labor and filtering. If the floor is not visible, the cost of the chemicals and labor will generally be greater than the acid wash charge, and take much, much longer. Also, extensive algae blooms will stain plastered pools, making an acid wash desirable.
Swimming Pool Heater Sizing
Pool Heater SizingAll of the swimming pool heaters from the small 100 (100,000 btu) unit to the largest 405's (405,000 btu's of gas usage per hour) will heat your pool. The smaller heaters are slower to heat, and will operate more often to keep up with the output of larger heaters. Larger heaters are a small bit more efficient than the smaller pool heater units. Use of a pool cover to retain heat and installing fences or other wind* obstructions can reduce demands on the pool heater.
Facts about pool heating from Teledyne Laars
Laars/ Jandy FAQConsidering today’s high fuel costs, does it make sense for me to heat my pool?The answer is yes, if you want to enjoy comfortable swimming at your own convenience. One of the reasons for owning a pool is being able to swim when you want to. As for cost, that’s up to you. You really can control fuel consumption and waste simply by taking advantage of the suggestions made on this page. What guidelines should be followed in heating our pool?Taking into consideration the need to conserve energy and to minimize fuel consumption, any unnecessary pool heating should be avoided. You are the best judge of the kind of use you want out of your pool. Use of your pool for recreation, exercise, therapy or just general enjoyment obviously will require heating it. Your pool won’t contribute to your health or pleasure unless it’s warm enough to swim in comfortably, and when you want to swim. Actually, using your home pool can be far less wasteful of energy and cost you less in fuel than driving to distant resort and vacation areas for away-from-home recreation.
Swimming pool Solar Heating & Blankets
Solar Heating & BlanketsSolar heating is a very desirable way to heat your pool and spa for one simple reason; It’s free heat. After the initial investment, the heat that raises the water temperature in your pool or spa is free. The sun provides the energy to generate the heat through the solar panels or solar blanket. Solar blankets also prevent massive heat loss. When a pool or spa is covered with a solar blanket, the heating cost can drop by 70%. Use and Care of Your Solar BlanketSolar blankets serve a very useful role. Retaining heat is the most important one. A solar blanket will also help raise the water temperature a certain amount, but if you are expecting a solar blanket to heat your pool to 90 degrees in March or September, you will be disappointed. You can, however, expect a modest temperature increase with your solar blanket. The following are tips and ideas that will prolong the life of your solar blanket and make the most of your solar blanket experience.