Wednesday, February 1, 2012

Thursday, January 26, 2012

Five Important Salt Water Pool Care Tips

!9#: Five Important Salt Water Pool Care Tips

If you have a salt water pool, caring for it is extremely important. Most commercial pool items and products are not made for pool care, so taking some time to learn what to buy and how to go about taking care of your pool is important. They can be a joy, but only if you learn proper maintenance techniques. Here are five important care tips that every owner should know:

1. Check salt levels regularly. In these, it is important to understand what your salt levels should be and how you can remedy it if there is a problem. Most companies recommend that salt concentration should be at 2,500 to 3,000 parts per million. This is where the chlorination comes from, so if you levels dip too low, the pool water will be unhealthy.

2. Never use more chlorine as needed. Occasionally, you may have to add a bit of granular chlorine to the pool. This is only necessary in your daily salt water pool care routine if you have excessive rain or a large number of swimmers. Under normal circumstances, you shouldn't use chlorine at all.

3. Read salt instructions carefully. These products are all meant to be used a bit differently. In a normal one, you have to use salt regularly. Most manufacturers recommend that you dump this salt directly into the deep end of the pool. However, this is not how every product is used. Read the back label of the salt water pool care product before just dumping it into the pool.

4. Use products to remove salt from the bottom of the pool. As the salt settles to the bottom, it can create a brownish or yellowish look to your pool. Commercial pool care products can be used to remove these stains.

5. Seal your pool steps to prevent rusting. The salt in the water can cause rusting, especially in pools that are converted from typical water to salt. First, use commercial care product to remove the rust. Then, you can use protective and restorative products to seal off the steps so that this doesn't happen year after year. This salt water pool care tip is best done at the end of the swimming season, when you can partially drain your pool in order to apply the sealant.

Care is extremely important if you want to ensure that your pool continues to run optimally. While there is tons of information regarding typical pool care, it can sometimes be a bit more difficult to learn about pool care. Many of the products available for pool care are not made for a salt water pool. Before using products and certain care methods on your pool, make sure you take some time to learn proper care tips like those listed above.


Five Important Salt Water Pool Care Tips

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Friday, January 20, 2012

Cloudy Pool Water - Causes & Cures

!9#: Cloudy Pool Water - Causes & Cures

Cloudy pool water is caused by many factors. These factors may be chemical (water balance, pH, improper methods), mechanical (pool filter system) or environmental (source water, excessive rain, heavy use). Often times, pool owners attempt to treat the symptoms but not the cause of the cloudy water, so we have to look at all of the things that may contribute to the problem. Let's look at the causes of cloudy swimming pool water, then we can look at treatments and cures.

Before we dive in let's first put cloudy water to the test. Cloudy pool water is in the eyes of the beholder. Cloudy can mean: Dull - the pool water just doesn't sparkle. Hazy - it just isn't as clear as it normally is. Cloudy - you can make out the bottom of the pool if you look hard. Opaque - the term says it all!

Chemical Reasons

Many pool owners quickly blame "bad chemicals" so let's start there. Here are some of the factors and their contribution to the cloudy water problem. Water chemistry can contribute to cloudy or hazy water - if the pH is HIGH (over 7.8) and or the Total Alkalinity (TA) is HIGH (over 200 ppm) and or the Calcium Hardness (CH) is HIGH (over 400 ppm). With pH & TA being high the water will become dull or flat and the chlorine reacts more slowly loses its ability to kill and control bacteria and algae. Now you have early algae growth - another cause of cloudy pool water. High CH doesn't become a problem until the water warms up to over 85 degrees F; then you have a "cloudy" condition that won't go away. Maintain good pool water balance with these parameters: pH - 7.2 - 7.6 (all pools); Total Alkalinity - 80 - 120 ppm (concrete) or 120 - 150 ppm (vinyl liner); Calcium Hardness 200 - 300 ppm (concrete) or 175 - 250 ppm (vinyl).

Other chemical or chemistry based reasons for cloudy pool water would be lack of regular shocking, periodic chemical cleaning of the filter, poorly maintained sanitizer levels, lack of a chemical maintenance routine. Regular weekly or biweekly shocking of the pool aids in oxidizing un-filterable swimmer waste such as body oils, lotions, urine, hair gel, perspiration, etc. We find that the single biggest mistake customers make in their normal care is not shocking the pool often enough or insufficiently (not using the proper amount of pool shock). Proper shocking also helps to "rejuvenate" the chlorine level and knock out early algae growth. Whenever you have a pool party with lots of expected bathers, consider shocking the pool the day before (helps build up the chlorine level providing a buffer for an eventual chlorine demand) as well as immediately following the party (shocks & oxidizes everything that was brought into the pool during the party -- if your guests weren't using the bathroom, the beer & soda had to go somewhere). Using a calcium hypochlorite shock such as BioGuard Burn Out Extreme is preferred since the product will get in, do its work, then get out. Potassium monopersulfate shocks like Oxysheen work well to help break up chloramines (combined chlorines), but shouldn't be used exclusively.

Mechanical Reasons

If the chemistry is good and the pool is being properly shocked and algaecide added every 1 to 2 weeks, then it is necessary to look at the mechanical reasons. The mechanical components contributing to cloudy pool water would be improper filter size (too small), improper pump and motor size (too small or too large a horsepower pump), insufficient filtering time, poor circulation, improper maintenance (vacuuming & brushing). I can recount story after story when I've walked into a customer's backyard to help them troubleshoot a problem pool only to find the filter shut off or improperly connected. When simple corrections are made, the pool water is clear in as little as 24 hours. Let's examine some basics.

Your swimming pool's filtering system should be operating a minimum of 8 to 10 hours per day, every day from opening to closing. If the pool water becomes cloudy or other problems become evident, then constant running of the filter until the problem is solved is required. If the filter was properly sized (even slightly bigger is better) then 8 to 10 hours daily is good. On the other hand, too large of a pump may be "harmful" to the filtration. If the horsepower is too great, you may be blowing dirt and everything else you want filtered right through the filter (especially sand filters). When it comes to 2 speed pumps, make sure the "high" speed run time is set for a minimum of 6 hours daily PLUS and additional 12 to 18 hours at "low" speed).

Consider using an automatic pool cleaner. You'll end up with better circulation, cleaner pool surfaces and less work.

The other mechanical reasons are also important. Regular vacuuming and brushing help with the overall circulation by moving water around. Keep directional "eyeballs" pointed DOWN to force filtered water down to the bottom of the pool and therefore aid in water movement by breaking up dead spots. Too frequent backwashing of the filter doesn't give the filter media enough time to do its best cleaning -- a dirty filter filters a finer particle. One final mechanical reason for cloudy pool water, lack of use. Actively used pools are always better circulated and filtered. So even if the water is cloudy (as long as the water is in good chemical balance), use the pool!

Environmental Reasons

Remember that whatever is out in the world, will eventually get in the pool and detract from water clarity. Pollen, dust, dirt, leaves, make-up water, bird droppings (forgot about those, right?), rain, local construction sites, etc. can all affect your swimming pool. Each of these culprits needs to treated differently. Pollen, dust and other fine particulate can be treated using a water clarifier like BioGuard Polysheen Blue. Flocculants work well in severe situations by settling the particles to pool bottom and vacuuming it all out on Waste. Use a skimmer sock inside of the skimmer to remove fine pollen or dust that may be too fine for your sand filter.

Leaves, swimmers, makeup water, droppings will create a chlorine demand. Shocking the pool is necessary. Make-up water can change the water chemistry affecting the pH, TA and CH not to mention the possible addition of heavy metals, all of which can cause or add to water cloudiness.

Final Notes

As you can see there's no 1 or 2 reasons for cloudy pool water. It's usually a combination of factors. Some of them not even coming from the pool itself. The best solution to cloudy pool water is prevention utilizing a good, regular chemical and cleaning maintenance program. About 30 to 60 minutes per week is all that it takes. If or when your pool water turns cloudy, don't start adding clarifiers or flocs. Get down to the real cause. Look at all of the contributing factors.


Cloudy Pool Water - Causes & Cures

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Friday, January 13, 2012

Video Review: Pentair IntelliFlo SVRS Safety Demonstration

This video shows a demonstration of the Pentair IntelliFlo SVRS, or Safety Vacuum Release System. This pump is entirely programmable, offering the most advanced security on the market.

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Saturday, December 24, 2011

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Dr. Frank reviews the IntelliFlo Variable Speed Pump on Pittsburgh Today.

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Sunday, December 18, 2011

Video Review: Pentair IntelliFlo VF Pool Pump

Pentair's IntelliFlo VF pool pump's design and parts are top of the line in professionalism and refinement. In this video, we'll highlight its energy efficiency, lifespan, and user-friendly simplicity.

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Sunday, December 11, 2011

Annual Performance Review

!9#: Annual Performance Review

You need to ensure your staff is happy and the best way to do this is to complete annual performance reviews. These reviews are required to ensure your team members are happy in their role and to ensure they are striving to meet their goals. This is also a good opportunity to communicate any concerns to either party.

An annual performance review is an ideal way to gauge the effectiveness and the moral of your team. You may have to get them to speak or encourage them to tell you the truth. Reviewing your team's performance can improve your business's productivity.

What types of things need to be discussed in a performance review? This really depends on the person's role. Is it a complicated role or a simple role? Either way, you need to make sure you cover all aspects of their role. This means going through their daily tasks and the things they do well. You should also address the negatives. It is recommended that you start off with the positives first so they do not feel threatened.

Reviewing your team's performance should be an experience that is positive for both parties. If it is negative, then it is likely that one of the parties is not happy and should probably move on. Lastly, the salary should also be discussed when talking about people's performance. It is usually the last item discussed. If you are reviewing your team's performance then you should consider using an annual performance review template.


Annual Performance Review

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