When you decide to purchase a swimming pool, you may feel the hardest decision is what size of pool you want or whether to get a in ground or above ground pool.  In reality the most important decision is purchasing a good pool liner.  You need to purchase the correct kind of expandable pool liner for your pool choice.  It is a very difficult decision to pick the correct one with so many choices on the market today.

Colorful pools are now the new pool trend, making the concept of just a white or blue pool a thing of the past.  Expandable pool liners today are able to change your entire pools design.  Special liners are designed with underwater scenery, or fish designs that are very attractive.  There are boulder designs that resemble an actual beach with water crashing against boulders on the side.  Themes are becoming more creative and imaginative all the time, so choosing one becomes a fun and time consuming decision.

There are many styles of pool liners.  There is beaded, overlapping and expandable which is probably the most efficient.  Overlap pool liners fit the pool and a extra liner overlaps the sides.  Coping strips are put in place, fastened and to cover the sides of the pool top covers are installed last.  An overlap expandable liner works in the same way, but is for pools having a multiple depth over the length of the pool.  The least expensive pool liner requiring the least amount of work to install or replace is the beaded pool liner.  The most popular and wisest choice for many reasons is the expandable pool liners.

There are protection systems for pool liners that must be purchased and installed before you install the actual liner.  These systems protect your expandable pool liner from stones and other debris that would cause wear and possible tear the pool liner.  These systems also extend the warranty in most cases if purchased at same time.  They will also extend the life span of your expandable pool liner.

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admin | Uncategorized | 01 27th, 2010 | No Comments »

You may be now thinking about getting the pool ready for use with summer coming up in the near future.  To prepare your pool for the upcoming season follow the steps below to achieve this in the most efficient way:

1. Using a leaf net dispose of any debris or leaves on the cover.

2. Pump off any standing water on the cover.  At this time note, if the pools cover has a hole in it.  You could inadvertently be pumping water out of the pool itself.

3. Remove the cover.  Clean and dry correctly and then properly put into storage.

4. Inspect to be sure that the pools water level is at the correct level.  It could be low due to evaporation during the time it was covered.

5. Remove all the items installed to keep your pool water from freezing such as freeze plugs.

6. If you did not clean your pool filters prior to storing the pool you will want to properly do that now.

7. You are now ready to start the filter system on the pool.  Purge all the air from the lines, remembering to release all the pressure prior to opening the pool filter, pool pump or chemical feeder since air does get compressed while priming the pool pump so you can start the pool filter system.

8.Inspect pool filters, plumbing, and all other areas of the pool for leaks.

9. Check to make sure that the water is clear and blue.  If it isn’t clean accordingly.

10. Vacuum the pool removing any debris, sand and algae.

Now that your pool is totally clean, verify your water pH and chemistry. The pH and water chemistry is probably even more important than your pool pumps and filters.  The wrong balance can ruin our pool time with algae, other microbes or even making swimmers sick.

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admin | Uncategorized | 01 26th, 2010 | No Comments »

GPM Calculator

We have shown that the oversized pool pumps we have been talking about are more harmful than good.  You can keep a proper size pool pump running for more hours which will furnish a cleaner pool as opposed to an oversized pool pump that requires too much energy to allow running for the same amount of time of a correct sized pool pump.

So how to get the ultimate efficiency from your pool pump without empting your wallet. Let’s look at the following example to calculate what your needs are from a pool pump to achieve the above mentioned goals.

1. The amount of water in your pool (pool volume) we need to think of is the pool volume times 2 (in a 24 hour period how many gallons of water that needs to be changed over)  For example if your pool holds 15,000 gallons it needs to circulate 15,000 more gallons (total of 30,000) in a 24 hour time frame.  Now since GBM (gallons per minute) are how the pump specs are measured we need to do some math.

2. You take the volume of the pool which is 30,000 gallons of water, divide by 24 (hours in a day) and that equals 1,250 gallons an hour.  You then take 1,250 and divide by 60 which comes to 20.8 GMP.  So we have shown that 20GPM what your pool pump needs to be circulating.

Since normally in a 24 hour period the pool pump only is operating about 8 hours that would mean that for 16 hours a day the water is not circulating.  It is during the time it isn’t circulating that most of the negative things happen to your pool.

A few of the things that happen during the non-circulating time are:

· The pool becomes contaminated with algae

· Debris and dust particles accumulate

· The pH in the pool becomes unbalanced

To assist in keeping an effective and easy maintenance routine and save you money it is better to operate the pool pump for 24hrs a day.  Since your pump is working all day and night you do not have to keep watching for the moment the water quality has fallen below standards.

I would imagine, the 2HP pool pump that you purchased, now doesn’t seem like the bargain that you thought it was, knowing the specific needs of the pool pump.

What is important when buying pool equipment is not the amount of money you first spend, but what it costs to operate over a period of time.

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admin | Uncategorized | 01 26th, 2010 | No Comments »

If 15,000 gallons of water is the amount of water in your pool then ever 12 hours there should be a complete change (turnover) of 15,000 gallons of water by your pool pump.  Unfortunately this may not be the way pumps really see it.

Similar to miles per gallon (MPG) your automobile gas mileage is quoted as and what your care actually gets are two different things so the gallons per minute (GPM) that your pool should have is not what the pump really does.  So to minimize the consumption of energy and maximize the “turnover” we have a plan for a green way of accomplishing this.

The problem

Most pool owners will purchase a swimming pool pump not on how simple it is to operate or how efficient it is.  They make their purchase on the total power or horsepower of the pump.  Many sellers are offering a larger pump as a free upgrade to beat out a competitors offer.  For this reason, the normal person ends up purchasing an exceedingly oversized pump.

1, 1.5, even 2 HP pool pumps are extremely common and for the average pool that is way too big.  Most pool pumps are not designed to work efficiently but are made to have a multitude of features and be attractive.

The Solution

California has enacted a law just recently putting a limit on your swimming pool pump, because of the how much of an issue oversized pool pumps have become.

If you are in the market to replace your pump you may want to consider the following. It is better to just look and purchase the right size of pump needed for your pool, because you could run a proper sized pump for 24 hours, as opposed to 12 hours of operation with an oversized pump. You not only will you save money, but since they run quieter they also will reduce noise pollution.

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admin | Uncategorized | 01 26th, 2010 | No Comments »

To ensure a safe and pleasant experience using your home pool, there are a few essential in-ground pool accessories you should have.  These accessories also have additional benefits such as furnishing a reliable and inexpensive way to maintain your pool.  These accessories are not hard to find and they are not expensive.

A definite need is a pool filter auto timer.  The fact is, to keep the pool water clean it is not necessary for it to run constantly.  Any type of home pool that is not used all the time or heavily this is especially true for.  Only about 12 hours of operation is needed for a pool that just has average use.  You save energy, and chemical use to maintain the water quality with the use of a timer.  It is an easy to program and simple to install.

To save money, difficulties and increase the durability of your pool, you must understand the importance of your swimming pool liner is.  If damaged it can break down parts of the pool operating system as well as facilitate personal accidents for someone in the pool.  The liner can sustain damage from the pool wall such as corrosion and degradation.  A simple remedy is the use of a wall foam cover.

If you have a animal at home, you may be like the majority of pool owners who do not see a need for a pet rescue ramp.  Many times, even if your pet is a good swimmer, this may not be sufficient to get out of the pool in a safe and timely manner.  There is another benefit for this pool accessory that is a great benefit.  It would allow wild animals to get out of the pool, preventing them from drowning and contaminating the water.  These ramps do not degrade the appearance of the pool area as they come in a white color, which will allow your pet to see it and are compact and easily installed

Most people do not see the need to use a pet rescue ramp for their in ground pool even regardless if they keep animals in their home or not. Usually, most domesticated creatures are good swimmers, but this is often not enough to get them out of the water safely and quickly. The ramps are compact and easy to install and come in white color so that the pets can see them, but this is also an advantage for you since such an item will not ruin the look of the pool area. Another superb benefit of these inground pool accessories is that they can allow for the prevention of wild animals drowning and contaminating the water.

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admin | Uncategorized | 01 25th, 2010 | No Comments »

Empty the current sand.  This can be accomplished by spreading a tarp or plastic sheet under the filter drain assembly and take the entire assembly off.  Turn on the pump and this should remove most of the sand through.  Another way of doing this is let the filter drain a period of time. (Could be a few hours or a few days)  Gain access to the sand by removing the multiport valve and removing the dome.

You may have to cut some pipes (you can reconnect later with couplings) to remove the valve if you have a top mount multiport.  Remove the clamp band binding the valve and filter.  The valve now will come right off.  Using a small cup remove the sand inside the filter making sure you have covered the standpipe with tape so sand does not get spilled into it.

It is recommended to replace the laterals at the bottom of the tank when you replace sand.  This is due to the tendency to become brittle with age.  If not replacing, care must be taken so you do not hit them in the process.  Use a hose wash out sand that is under these laterals.  Using a silicone sealant on the drain assembly threads, replace the assembly after sand has been removed from the tank.  Cover the laterals with water so they are not cracked with the new sand.  While adding the new sand if you have a top mounted multiport, cover the stand pipe so that sand does not enter it.  Wrap the baffle with plastic or move the intake gently on a side mounted pool filter valve, again to prevent sand from entering into it.

Using 45-55mm diameter #20 silica sand, you now start adding sand back in.  We recommend having someone hold the stand pipe in position at this point.  In the case of a top mounted multiport pool filter be sure that the hub assembly remains in the center.

Upon completion of refilling, replace the lid securely.  To make sure you do not overfill with sand, call us and will be happy to help.

To prevent sand dust from getting into your pool, if you have a push-pull valve back wash first after replacing the sand.  If you have a multiport valve, start up on RINSE mode when you restart the filter.

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admin | Uncategorized | 01 22nd, 2010 | No Comments »

Sand pool filters are constituted of a special grade #20 silica sand that is capable of sieving out contaminants and dust particles in the size range of 20 to 100 microns. The irony is that the sand filters tend to have increased efficiency as they collect more and more dirt. This could be attributed to the increase in density of the sand as more dirt gets collected in it. Just like other filters sand pool filters would not continue performing after a period ad you’ve got to backwash them to restore performance.

When the pool pressure gauge shows a reading of 8-10 lbs over it’s initial reading, it’s time to back wash the sand pool filter.

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admin | Uncategorized | 01 20th, 2010 | No Comments »

The popular belief is that pool filters need to be replaced once they stop performing to expectations. The point is pool filters are often costly especially when associated with fitting costs and accessories. Often a simple backwash can restore the performance back to you pool filter. So why not back wash the pool filter and breathe life back into it? This will save you a couple of hundred bucks for sure.

The following steps should guide you to backwash a sand pool filter with a side valve.

How to Backwash sand filter with slide valve:

1. If you have a backwash hose roll it out and shut down the motor.

2. Pull the plunger T-handle upwards 2-3 inches so that it is unlocked.

3. After opening the air bleeder assembly you then turn the pool pump on.

4. Check the pressure on the pressure gauge, to verify the hose has no kinks.  This should be +40 PSI.

5. When water is running clear through the hose you can shut off motor.

6. Return the T-handle to the locked position by pushing down.

7. Turn the pump back on and roll up the backwash hose and you are finished.

Your filter should run for 4 weeks at least before you need to backwash it.  There is a problem with the filter size or sand in the filter if you need to backwash in less time.

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admin | Uncategorized | 01 14th, 2010 | No Comments »

Many swimming pool owners use cartridge type pool filters in swimming pools. When the pool filter cartridges stop performing according to expectations, we replace them. Replacing pool filter cartridges is the easiest way out, but there’s another way of getting the best out of used pool filters – cleaning them. If you clean the filter cartridge properly, you can cut costs and also maintain a healthy pool.

Most pool filter cartridges do not contain paper as widely believed, but a synthetic fiber or fiberglass matt. Well, there are however some cartridges that have paper in them. The cleaning procedures mentioned below won’t work for such pool filter cartridges.

The first step is to remove the pool filter from the filter assembly and clean it thoroughly under a water jet. Make sure you clean the filter while still wet, dry filters are difficult to wash. Once you’ve cleaned the filter properly dry it under direct sunlight. Sunlight has great algaecidal properties and will kill all remain algae, if any, clinging to the filter. The next step is to shake off all debris clinging to the filter. You can do this using compressed air or by gently tapping the filter. Don’t worry if you still see some debris inside. This is not the actual cleaning, but prep to it.

Make sure you do not clean all filters all at once. Pool filter sanitation is a time consuming process and it’s best to clean a few at a time.

For the actual cleaning process, take a bucket big enough to hold all the filters together. Now submerge the filters in a solution of one part sanitizer and six parts of water. Secure the bucket lid after submerging the pool filters. This will make sure that all bacteria, algae etc. in the pool filters are killed. You’ll have to submerge the filters in this solution for at least 24 hours…the longer the better. For best results sanitize them for 3-5 days.

After the “submersion period” is over, rinse the filters in a bucket of clean water. Dunk them several times if you have to until you see the contaminants floating on the water. Once you’re sure the filters are spanking clean, hang them in bright sunlight to dry out. Once dry check the filters for any contaminants. Brush them off using a soft brush. Seal the bucket containing the sanitizer for future use.

Once dry, submerge the filters in a solution of one part muriatic acid and ten parts water. Keep them submerged until the bubbling stops. This process will dissolve all minerals clinging to the pool filters. Next rinse the filters thoroughly using a water jet, just like the way you did in the beginning. Your filters are now ready for use again.

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admin | Uncategorized | 01 14th, 2010 | No Comments »