What Kind of Pool Alarm Should You Get?

November 22nd, 2012 Posted in Pool Safety
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Whether you are considering installation of a new pool or have been enjoying your swimming pool for years, responsible pool owners should maintain the safety of their pool  by investing in a pool alarm.  There are various styles for different purposes, depending on your needs.  Be sure to check your local ordinances and with your homeowner’s insurance carrier to make sure that your pool alarm system is in compliance.

A Gate Alarm

This alarm alerts you to the gate being opened so that you can make sure no children or unauthorized people are entering your pool area.

Perimeter Alarm

This may be useful if you do not have a fence around your pool.  Anything that comes near your pool triggers the infrared lights on the alarm.

Pool Alarm

This type of alarm sits on the edge of the pool with one end submersed in the water.  Any time something heavier than fifteen pounds enters the water, the alarm is triggered.

Wrist Alarm

This alarm is worn on the wrist of a child to alert parents if their child enters the pool unattended.

Even if you have taken other precautions such as installing a fence or purchasing a lock for the gate, you may want to consider an alarm for additional peace of mind.  Drowning is the second leading cause of death for children who are under 14 but over 1 year of age.  It can take as little as 2 minutes for a child to drown and they can be out of your sight for such a short time.

Installing other safety measures such as a tall fence is still a good idea to protect your family and other people in your neighborhood.  Your pool service company can help you choose the pool alarm system you need and often they will install the equipment.

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Choosing the Right In-ground Swimming Pool

November 22nd, 2012 Posted in New Pools
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While an above-ground pool is the most affordable option, many people like the permanence and look of an in-ground pool.  You have several options for in-ground pools if you are considering adding a new pool to your property.

Vinyl lined pools are the ideal choice if you live in a cooler climate since they hold up better to changing weather conditions.  It is a low maintenance option since you only need to drain it and cover it until the next season.  It is also less expensive, but must be replaced and can be damaged or torn.

Fiberglass pools are a valuable choice for pools since they add worth to your home’s resale price.  The entire pool is installed as one piece and requires fewer chemicals to keep it at the correct level.  This results in lower maintenance costs and less work.

Concrete pools are the most durable of the choices and can be custom made for a unique look.  They can be in different shapes than the traditional rectangle or round option.  They are the ideal choice in areas where the weather gets very hot and is not affected by soil expansion.  Concrete pools require very little maintenance and almost no pool repair since concrete is such a durable material.  However, this is the most expensive option for upfront costs.

If you are looking at adding an in-ground pool to your home, you should contact a pool services company.  They can answer your questions about the best choice for your lifestyle and climate.  They can also provide an estimate on the cost so you know what to expect before you begin.

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What is involved in a Pool Opening?

November 22nd, 2012 Posted in Pool Management
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If you operate a commercial pool, you will have to begin planning for the opening of the pool weeks in advance.  February is not too soon to start making plans since pool service companies book up early.  If you don’t want to be the last to open your pool, get ahead of the crowd.

First, check your pool supplies for expiration dates and replace any that are not current.  Remove all of the debris that has fallen on top of the cover and pump off any water that is standing on the cover.  Remove the cover carefully to make sure no remaining debris falls into the pool, and allow it to dry before you put it away.

Connect the pump, filter, and any other equipment.  You are ready to set up the pool area with diving boards, ladders, and other devices.  Connecting the equipment is best done by a professional to ensure everything is in proper working order.

You will then need to check the chemical levels of the water and add what is needed to get the right balance.  If you are not sure what this entails, you can contact a professional pool management services company to do the testing and adjusting for you.  They will also come back periodically to make sure the balance does not change.

If you operate a public pool, you will be required to get an inspection by a licensed inspector in order to operate for the summer.  You can have a pool service company do all of these tasks and manage your pool through the entire season so that you can simply enjoy it.

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Choosing the Best Option for Pool Resurfacing

November 22nd, 2012 Posted in Pool Remodeling
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If you want to update your pool’s surface, you have several options.  You can stick with traditional pool plaster that remains popular even today.  For a different look, you can use tinted pool plaster that will reflect colors and add interest.  White plaster is the most affordable option and it allows the clear blue of the water to stand out.  However, it will also change colors over time from the alterations in the pool chemicals.

Colored plaster accentuates anything seen in white plaster.  Therefore stains will be more noticeable and variations in shading will be more pronounced.  The color may also fade out.

A modern option is to use aggregate effects.  This uses ceramic-coated sand with a variety of patterns and colors to make your pool unique from anyone else’s.  The sand provides a slip-proof surface and requires very little maintenance.  When it is combined with plaster, the surface is more durable and resistant to staining than plaster.  This option is more expensive than plain plaster.

The pebble surface pool is beautiful with a natural look in a wide variety of colors.  It is also the most durable surface choice for a pool and does not react with pool chemicals.  This allows it to retain its natural color.  The down side of the pebble surface pool is that it is more expensive than the other choices.  However, it will last longer and stay in better condition than the other options.

Once you determine what surface you would like to have when you update your pool, you should contact a pool renovation specialist to help you get started.

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Why You Should Schedule Regular Professional Pool Cleaning

November 22nd, 2012 Posted in Pool Maintenance
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If you clean out debris that falls into the pool and use a brush to clean off the walls, you may think you are doing a regular cleaning.  However, that is not all that companies do when you schedule them to come clean your pool.  Their services provide much more.

If you hire a pool services company to perform a regular pool cleaning and maintenance on your pool, you should expect them to do the following:

  • Clean skimmer baskets and pump baskets
  • Skim leaves and other items off the surface of the water
  • Vacuum debris
  • Brush floor and walls of pool
  • Clean filter and water line tile
  • Test water chemistry and make adjustments
  • Sweep and wash the pool deck

These services ensure that your pool is working at its best and will last a long time.  When the pool filter or other parts get clogged, it causes them to work harder and have other problems.  Just keeping your pool clean can reduce your maintenance costs.

Keeping the pool area clean is also essential for protecting the people that use the pool, whether it is residential or commercial.  This includes keeping the pool deck free of items that could be a trip hazard or cause an injury.  Maintaining the right chemistry in the pool ensures that no bacteria can survive to turn the water murky or green.

While you can do the basic cleaning such as removing debris, you need a professional to help you with other aspects of pool cleaning to ensure that everything is working properly.  They can also monitor the pool to ensure that the filter and heater does not need replacing.

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Jazz Up Your Pool Area With A Remodel

November 20th, 2012 Posted in Pool Remodeling
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Your backyard pool is your oasis, a place to unwind and relax. However, many pools when they are originally built are made more utilitarian in design than a tropical paradise. You can change the whole look of your pool and backyard by doing a pool remodel, adding beauty and value to your home.

Choosing A Theme

The first step towards a pool remodeling in deciding what theme or overall look you want for your pool area. Just like remodeling any part of your home, it is all a matter of taste and function. You can choose a more modern look, a natural setting or even a tropical island feel. Some features to consider when planning a pool remodel:

  • Resurfacing. Most pools need resurfacing every 7-10 years so if you are doing a remodel, you should probably incorporate a new surface as well. Choose a surface that will compliment the rest of your design.
  • Light features. Adding lights both in the pool and surrounding the pool can give your pool new dimension. You can create a glowing pool, up light water features or just add lighting around the pool deck.
  • Fire features. One of hot, excuse the pun, design ideas for pool areas is to add a fireplace or fire feature. With a fire blazing and reflecting off the water, your pool area will be beautiful.
  • Water features. Waterfalls, water slides and geysers can add more water fun to your pool. Consider have geysers that shoot up through your pool deck and back into the pool.

By adding a new surface and a few features, you can transform a plain pool into a relaxing getaway, right in your backyard!

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Pool Maintenance Tips

November 20th, 2012 Posted in Pool Maintenance
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Pool ownership has its rewards and its drawbacks. While nothing beats a cool dip in the pool on a hot day, that pool needs constant maintenance to keep working properly. If a pool is not maintained, it can cost even more money to fix or repair. By creating a simple maintenance schedule, you can keep your pool in great working order and ready for that afternoon dip.

Daily And Weekly Maintenance

There are some things that should be checked daily, or at least every few days. By keeping up with these small maintenance chores, they can help you avoid big messes down the road.

  • Chemicals. Keeping the correct PH balance in your pool is much easier if you stay on top of it. Huge swings one way or the other makes it harder to control. Test your water daily if the pool is used regularly. Make sure you add chemicals, especially chlorine, at night. They will work better and last longer.
  • Filters. Make sure you are checking and emptying skimmer baskets or lint pots regularly. Debris can wreak havoc on your pool system, creating poor circulation. Consider a filter sock to keep out other debris.
  • Run the pump. Most pumps should be run for at least four hours a day. In peak season, this will most likely be closer to six or eight hours to make sure it is completely circulating and sanitizing.

Other maintenance such as checking the total dissolved solids and cleaning the filter need to be done every few months. For semi annual or annual pool maintenance, consider getting a good pool service to help you out. If you can take care of the daily and weekly maintenance, they can make sure the other systems are kept running smoothly. It is much easier and cost effective to keep your pool running then to have it repaired or replaced down the road!

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How To Check If Your Pool Has A Leak

November 20th, 2012 Posted in Pool Leak Detection
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Nothing beats a refreshing dip in your own pool. However, owning a pool require maintenance and repairs, including dealing with leaks. If you own a pool, eventually you most likely will have a leak that needs repair. The important thing is to know how to check if your pool has leak so you can get it repaired quickly before it causes damage to your property and costs you even more money.

There is an easy ways to see if your pool is losing water. Try this simple technique. Take a bucket, preferable plastic so it won’t rust, and put in on the first step in your pool. Fill the bucket to the same level as the water surrounding it so that the bucket water is even with the water in the pool. Make sure your automatic pool filler is turned off if you have one. Also make sure no one gets in to the pool during the test period. Check the water around the bucket once a day. If the level in the pool goes below the level in the bucket, you have a leak. If they stay the same but both lose water, it is just evaporation.

A general rule of thumb is that you should not be putting in more than two or three inches of water a week unless the temperatures are very high causing excess evaporation. If it seems like you are losing water, you probably are. The next step is finding a reliable pool repair company with experience in pool leak detection to find the leak and get it fixed before any more water is lost!

 

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Leaking Pools Can Cost You More Than Just Water

November 20th, 2012 Posted in Pool Leak Detection
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Most in-ground pools at one point or another are going to spring a leak somewhere, it is usually just of a matter of when and where. For homeowners, this can cause havoc on their water bills as they continuously are adding more water to their pool. But that is just the beginning of what a pool leak can cost if it is not detected and repaired quickly.

  • Chemicals. In addition to the water seeping out of the pool, so are the chemicals that are need to keep the correct PH balance. Additional chemicals will be needed as more water is added to keep the pool healthy.
  • Pool equipment damage. Water leaks can damage the pump equipment, piping and even cause damage to the pool structure. If allowed to continue, instead of a simple leak repair, the pool owner will be replacing other pool equipment as well.
  • Pool deck. Leaking water can undermine the ground supporting the pool deck and cause it to collapse. This can be costly and dangerous.
  • Foundation damage. The worst scenario is that a leak is left to drain into the ground long enough to cause damage to the foundation of the house or cause water damage in the house.

A pool will lose a certain amount of water to evaporation. However, if the water levels go down at an accelerated rate, the water bills go up or there is wet ground around a pool, it needs to be checked for leaks and repaired quickly. Hiring a professional pool repair service for pool leak detection will cost much less than the damage the leak will cost if allowed to continue.

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Adding A Beautiful Pool Deck

November 20th, 2012 Posted in Pool Remodeling
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Nothing accentuates your pool better than beautiful pool decking. If your deck is old, worn out or even worse, does not exist, it is time to create a deck that will be a pleasure to spend time on. There are many style and materials you can choose from to make the perfect landing area to surround your pool.

Concrete

If you have plain concrete and want to just work with what you have, there are plenty of options. You can add boulders and other features to your pool decking and just resurface the concrete into something special. Some ideas:

  • Paint. Experienced pool renovators are creative in their designs and can paint your concrete in many ways. One idea to use blues and textures to create concrete that looks like water.
  • Glow-in-the dark. There is subtle paint that glows in the dark, perfect for pool areas. Create designs that look great during the day and glow in the night.

Resurface

If you want an entirely new look, you can resurface the old pool deck. Tiles, both stone and ceramic can add natural beauty or brilliance to your pool deck. Talk with your pool designer about the hundreds of options you have to choose from.

New Pool Decking

If you are adding an entire deck where there was none before, you have a blank canvas and can make your deck into whatever you have dreamed of. This should be a reflection of your taste and a design that is beautiful, yet relaxing.

The area surrounding your pool should be as refreshing as your pool is. By giving your pool area a facelift, it will be even more enjoyable on those hot summer days and balmy nights!

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