Many of y'all in the south are not accustomed to winterizing your pool, or even to such cold winter temperatures. here's what to do if your pool equipment freezes or if you have had freeze damage to your pool equipment.
Monday, November 30, 2015
Wednesday, November 25, 2015
You Need a Pool Freeze Guard This Winter!
A pool freeze guard is, as you may expect, going to protect your pool from freezing. That may be obvious, but today we’re looking at something more interesting than just what a pool freeze guard is; we’re looking at how they work digitally.
Freeze Protection for Pool Equipment
It’s OK for the water to freeze across the pool surface, but if you have unwinterized pool equipment, and water freezes inside of your pump, filter or heater – you can have an expensive freeze damage repair on your hands.
The solution to pool equipment freeze damage is prevention.
Tuesday, November 24, 2015
Your Pool and The Cold
The system and plumbing:
Ice and plumbing don’t mix. Most plumbing on pools now a days is made of PVC plastic and is subject to cracking as the water expands as it turns to ice. This can cause major damage in the lines for the returns and suction side of your system. Most inground pool plumbing is under ground and the depth it is buried depends on the frost line in your area (see chart below).
Plumbing depth differs due to frost lines in your area
The last thing you want is to have a freeze break in the plumbing under the nice concrete deck around your pool. This will cost a lot of money to replace and matching an old deck with a patch is hard to do. It can also be difficult to locate the exact point to start digging. And tunneling under the deck? Ugh - been there, done that!
What’s worse than that is an inground plastic skimmer that is sunk in concrete and rebar on all sides. The only way to fix them is to jack hammer it out and that takes about a day because the concrete is about a foot thick on all sides and you have to cut through rebar. Normal cost to replace a skimmer is about $1200 to $1700, so it is not something you want to have happen.
Your pool equipment is the “heart of you pool” as we call it, and it can become damaged too. We have seen pumps and filters freeze and split in half. When this happens you are better off buying a whole new filter. This is because most manufactures charge just as much for a filter tank as a whole new filter.
Pool heaters are a whole different game. They have 3 things that can be damaged from ice:
1. The exchanger, this is the most expensive part in the heater and can run as much as $1400 to replace. This is the copper tubing that is use to transfer heat from the flame to the pool water.
2. The headers, these are cast iron or high tempeture composite material at the ends of the exchanger that redirect the water flow to the pool and back to the exchanger. A low spot in the heater, the headers will freeze before anything else usually.
3. The pressure switch tube. This is a tube that water gets pushed through and operates a switch that tells the heater that there is enough water flow to operate the heater. It is only a 3/8th inch copper tube that is very prone to freezing.
The pool shell:
Pools come in all types of materials from Fiberglass, concrete, to metal or composite liners pools. All pools are made for all climates when it comes to the structure to a point. If the weather gets to freezing they must have the water lowered. The reason for that is the ice expands and if it start to push on the side at the top that can cause damage from popping off tiles and cracking the bond beam behind them to breaking the top rail supports on an above ground pool. It is best to plan ahead to winterize your pool before this happens.
Above ground pool freeze damage Inground pool tile and bond beam damage
So what can I do to prevent this?
The best thing to do is to winterize your pool before you get a freeze but when a freeze will hit is up to Mother Nature and you may not have time to do so.
What do you do if you know it is going to freeze? It is a fact that moving water has less of a chance to freeze. Take off your timer trippers if you have a timer or turn on your switch to set the pool to run 24 hours a day. The water flowing through your pipes will help protect your plumbing and system. If you have a heater, set it to the lowest setting to heat your pool. This will stop the surface of the water from freezing against your pool shell or tiles.
The good news is that they have what they call freeze protectors for your pool. These systems are not a lot of money and can save you hundreds of dollars in repairs. They will turn on your pool equipment when you are a few degrees above freezing to protect you plumbing and system. You can even get one with built in timers to run your pool too. These are must if you live up north or in an area that is prone to freezing, and you tend to keep your pool open later in the fall.
Need Winter pool maintenance?
Pool Maintenance: Weekly, Monthly, Annual
Pool maintenance might not always be the most fun part of owning a pool, but regular care will help to keep your pool clean and your equipment functioning properly. Proper maintenance is the best way to ensure that you are getting the most out of your pool. Accurate pool maintenance can help you save money and extend the life of your pool. You can keep track of your pool’s maintenance by following an organized schedule.
Weekly Pool Maintenance:
- Check the water levels to ensure that the pump can work efficiently
- Test the water and adjust the pH if necessary
- Test the chlorine levels in the pool water
- Test and adjust the alkalinity
- Test oxidizer and stabilizer levels and adjust if needed
- Inspect the pool water and check for clarity and algae growth
- Remove any leaves or debris from the bottom of the pool and skim the surface of the water to remove debris
- Add the appropriate amounts of weekly chlorine
- Check the filter pressure and backwash if necessary
- Shock the pool at least once every 2 weeks to eliminate contaminants and restore clarity to the water
Monthly Pool Maintenance:
- Test the calcium hardness and adjust accordingly
- Test the total alkalinity
- Clean the filter using chemicals
- Inspect equipment such as pump and filter for proper functioning
- If your pool has a liner, inspect the liner for holes and tears and make any necessary repairs
- If you have a concrete, gunite, or fiberglass pool, inspect for cracks.
- Check all other pool equipment including ladders, handrails, diving boards, etc. to make sure nothing is loose and it is working properly
Annual Pool Maintenance:
- Winterize and close your pool by doing the following:
-balance the water levels: pH, total alkalinity, calcium hardness
-lower the water levels to avoid freezing and blow out the lines to remove any excess water
-run the filter continuously for about 24 hours
-drain the pump and filter to remove any water
-Thoroughly clean the pool by vacuuming and removing all debris
-Remove skimmer baskets, ladders, and other exterior pool equipment
-Cover the pool
Whether you complete these tasks yourself or hire a professional, proper maintenance is an essential part of owning a pool. Regular maintenance will help to keep your equipment working properly and it will also help you to achieve a clean pool that is healthy and free of bacteria. This is the best way to extend the life of your pool and get the most enjoyment out of it.
If You need maintenance, contact The Blue Lagoons !
Happy Swimming!
Monday, November 23, 2015
Landscaping around your pool
Landscaping Around Your Pool
There is one main challenge that you will face when doing this: choosing lush, colorful plants that don’t hinder you from keeping the pool clean and properly maintained. You want your pool to be a luxury that you can enjoy, rather than a chore.
Plants to Avoid
The first step to choosing pool plants is knowing which ones to avoid. You should steer clear from trees that shed needles, leaves, seeds or bark because they can make it hard to keep your pool clean. Bushes that produce berries and sweet, fruity trees can make a mess around the pool and attract bees and flies. If the fruit gets in the pool, it could clog the filter system and create stains. Thorny plants such as cacti, aloes and roses may be fine for keeping thieves away, but they can also hurt swimmers who get too close. Water-seeking plants such as Weeping Willows seek water so aggressively that they could poke holes in the pool liner to quench their thirst. Finally, plants with invasive root systems such as elm, mulberry or maple trees should be avoided or at least not planted within 15 feet of your pool.
Recommended Plants
To complete the oasis that you started to create, you want plant varieties that provide vivid color as well as the foliage and texture that you need. The bird of paradise has large leaves that spread like a bird’s wings, and the fortnight lily is a perennial with white, blue or yellow blooms that grows up to 24 inches tall and likes full sun. Heavenly bamboo is a rusty red that makes a good screen or background for pool landscapes, and the golden euonymus is a shrub with oval, yellow-edged leaves that brighten up landscapes. Some other great options are the Japanese maple bush, blue sapphire cypress tree and purple heart.
contact The Blue Lagoons for weekly or biweekly service in the Dallas area
Thursday, November 19, 2015
When Does My Pool Filter Need Cleaning?
I have a swimming pool that uses cartridge filters. How often should I clean the swimming pool filters?
The answer can vary from filter to filter, but a general guideline on any swimming pool filter is to take a reading when the filter is clean, then clean the pool filter when the pressure rises about 10 psi.
Wednesday, November 18, 2015
How To Acid Wash a Swimming Pool (Drain & Clean)
How to Acid Wash a Swimming Pool
Whether your pool looks like a swamp, or you just want a fresh, clean-looking appearance, acid-washing your swimming pool can help. Also called "drain and clean," pools need this type of cleaning when winterizing the pool isn't done correctly, or algae has taken over due to the pool not being used or maintained in a while. The acid-wash process essentially strips the top layer of plaster to reveal fresh plaster beneath, so it's not recommended to do it often. But once in a while is a great idea!
1
Drain your pool completely. As you drain, make sure to clean up any debris as you go. If your pool has an autofill, you should make sure that you turn it off during the drain. Once your pool is completely empty, start the acid-wash process.
2
Mix 1 gallon (3.8 liters) of acid with 1 gallon (3.8 liters) of water in a watering can. Acid must be added to the water and not the other way around.
3 Wet down one of the walls with the hose. The hose should not have a nozzle and water should be running from the hose at all times.
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| Here's Allan, Blue Lagoons Pool Tech doing a Drain & Clean on a commercial pool. |
4 Pour the acid mixture on the wall from top to bottom in 10-foot (300 cm) sections at a time, leaving the acid on the plaster for about 30 seconds.During this time, you should be scrubbing the wall with a brush.
5 Rinse the section you just acid-washed quickly and thoroughly. Before moving to the next section, make sure you rinse the wall well so the acid doesn't continue to eat the plaster.
6 Neutralize the pool after the acid-wash is complete. The acid-washing process leaves a foamy puddle of residue on the bottom of the pool that must be removed before it damages the plaster.
- Apply soda ash to the acid puddle, scrubbing the mixture with a pool brush. You will need to use 2 lb. (.9 kg) of soda ash per 1 gallon (3.8 liters) of acid.
- Pump the mixture into a bowl using a submersible pump.
- Dispose of what you pumped, as the acid can kill frogs, fish and plants. Rinse out the bowl.
- Pour water over any remaining residue, rinsing carefully around the drain
Voilà !
If you live in the Dallas area and need an Acid Wash, Contact The Blue Lagoons.
Happy Swimming!
Tuesday, November 17, 2015
Get Your Heater Installed! So You Can Keep Enjoying Your Pool In The Winter!
NATURAL & PROPANE GAS HEATERS
There are several options when it comes to heating your inground pool, and the benefits certainly outweigh the operation costs. In my case, gas pool heaters offered quick heating that could warm-up the water for the weekend or a few hours before I had guests over. With the digital control panel, I can accurately gauge the current temperature, keep track of target temperatures, and measure the costs of maintaining a given temperature. A natural gas heater can range from $1000-$3000 and generally can last 15 years or longer.
Pentair Pool Heater is designed with easy operation in mind. The straightforward digital, rotating display is complete with indicator lights makes for simple system operation. The compact design quiet operation makes for a discreet heater that will not be an eyesore near your pool area. It’s built to last with tough corrosion-resistant components can withstand exposure to low pH, high water flow, and heavy use-age. With a hot surface ignition it does not require lighting of a pilot light, and push-button, digital control panel is easy to operate. The heater incorporates PMG combustion technology giving it the a high 84% efficiency rating.
If you live in a region with a dramatic climate one of the best heaters on the market specifically built to withstand the elements is the Raypak Digital Pool Heater. Many consider the Raypak Digital Heater to be among the best heaters specifically designed to defend itself from factors that can decrease performance in a typical heater: wind, leaves, rain, sleet, snow, airborne debris, down drafts, updrafts – it has an answer for all of these would be antagonists. It would pretty much take a hurricane or apocalyptic ice age to slow it down. Rust is also not a problem with this pool heater – equipped with polymer headers, a copper finned-tube heat exchanger and stainless steel tube sheets. The Raypak Digital interface includes a self-diagnostic center that clearly explains the problem without the use of confusing codes.
Whatever your pool needs may be, The Blue Lagoons got it! Call us to get your Natural Gas Heater installed!
Happy warm swimming!
Is Swimming in the Winter Good for You?
Is Swimming in The Winter Good For You?
( Winter Swimming World Champions )
Some would argue that swimming in the winter, in freezing cold water, may actually have some health benefits. According to research done by the Federation of Tempering and Winter Swimming in Russia, the maximum healing occurs when the body is submerged in water with a temperature below 53°F for 1-2 minutes.
While in the cold water, the blood vessels in the skin abruptly contract, pushing a large amount of blood inside the organism. This results in the re-activating of the inner capillaries, many of which are typically atrophied by the age of 30, due to poor circulation and an unhealthy lifestyle. The regeneration of a large amount of capillaries ensures that our inner organs receive the necessary nutrients for their optimal performance and rejuvenation.
This great improvement in capillary circulation results in the younger appearance of cold-water swimmers!
HAPPY SWIMMING!
Contact The Blue Lagoons for weekly & biweekly service!
Monday, November 16, 2015
Friday, November 13, 2015
Thinking About Closing Your Pool for the Winter?
Giving your pool pump a break in winter to save money may actually cost you more later.
Is there a leak in your pool?
Swimming pools are great to help us beat the heat, but occasionally we may need to beat the leak! Pools can leak constantly or may only leak when the pool equipment is running. This can lead to water waste and a high water bill, and with pools being one of the greatest water users outdoors, it’s important to make sure they are being operated as efficiently as possible.
Why your swimming pool needs a Polaris!
If you are in the market for an automatic pool cleaner, you’ll quickly find out that Polaris is one of the top pool cleaner brands and is highly regarded in the swimming pool industry. These pool cleaners have set the standard for many copy-cat products that have flooded the market over the years.
Thursday, November 12, 2015
Convert to a Saltwater Pool!
Salt Water Pools
Salt water pools not only add value and beauty to your property but they also contribute to healthy living. If you are considering installing a pool or upgrading your existing one, it may be time to look into owning a salt water pool. The Blue Lagoons will tell you why.
Wednesday, November 11, 2015
Why Is my pool water cloudy?
Clearing out a cloudy pool can be a very difficult and time-consuming process. Sometimes, your swimming pool will turn cloudy overnight!
The Blue Lagoons will explain to you how your pool got cloudy in the first place, and share a few tips on how to fix it.
10 Tips on how to keep your pool safe for everyone!
It's considered fall now in Texas, but pool season will be here before you know it. Is your pool safe and looking great?! He's the Top 10 Tips that The Blue Lagoons want you to know!
Tuesday, November 10, 2015
13 Of The Most Famous and Exotic Pools Around The World That Will Blow Your Mind
1. San Alfonso Del Mar Resort
Algarrobo, Chile
How To Get Rid of Mustard Algae in a Pool
Mustard or yellow algae is a rare form of pool algae that is more common in warmer southern areas, but that doesn't mean your pool won’t be infected. It’s important, that if you spot signs of mustard algae, to act quickly and get rid of it.
Monday, November 9, 2015
Removing Stains in the Pool
Removing Stains in the Pool
It can be frustrating for pool owners to see unsightly stains in their swimming pool. After all, no one wants to jump into a dirty pool. Nonetheless, dealing with stains is just another part of pool maintenance. With the proper knowledge, tools, and chemicals, pool owners can remove just about any stain.
Diagnose the Stain
The first step in removing a pool stain is to diagnose what kind of stain it is. Pool stains can be caused by various sources including metals, rust, or organic materials such as leaves, mud, algae or berries. Different types of stains require different treatments. The best way to diagnose a pool stain is by looking at the color. Stains caused by metals tend to be reddish-brown and have a rust- like appearance. The most common metals that cause pool stains include iron, manganese, or copper. Iron stains can look rusty and red, brown, and greenish. Copper stains are usually bluish green, and manganese will cause brownish-black or purple stains. If there is evidence of organic matter and the stains appear green and brown, the culprit is likely leaves, mud, or other plant matter. Conversely, brightly colored berries or seeds will leave stains that appear red and blue. Once you have an idea of what is causing the stain, it’s time to test and treat it.
Organic Stains
These stains typically occur when debris such as leaves, mud, berries, algae, or dead worms sink down and settle on the bottom of the pool. While they may make your pool look dingy and dirty, they are relatively easy to remove. If you suspect the stains in your pool are the result of organic material, try applying a small amount of chlorine directly to the stain. Organic stains will dissolve easily and can be brushed away using a soft head brush, while metallic stains are more stubborn and tend to stay put. If there are multiple organic stains in the pool, it is best to shock your pool and let it sit overnight. Next you will need to brush away the stains and keep chlorine levels higher in the pool until the stains are removed.
Metal Based Stains
These stains can be caused by well water or corrosion from copper pipes. A small amount of oxidized copper can cause large stains in the pool. These types of stains often occur around ladders, drains, stairs, and under the lip of the pool. In order to treat these stains, you will need to know exactly which type of metal is causing it. This can be determined through a water sample. Take the sample to your local pool care store to determine what the problem is and they can recommend special chemicals and additives to treat the problem. You can also use a citrus based stain remover to move the process along. If these solutions do not solve your problem, you may need to seek professional attention.
Preventing Stains
The best way to prevent stains in your pool is through proper care and maintenance. This includes testing your water regularly to ensure proper chlorine and pH levels. Improper water balance can cause stains to occur. Furthermore, be sure to remove any debris from your pool and vacuum the floor on a regular basis. Routine cleaning and water maintenance is vital for stain prevention.
Friday, November 6, 2015
Breaking the Cycle of Algae Growth
Breaking the Cycle of Algae Growth
When you head to your backyard to take a dip in the pool, the last thing you want to see is a green pool caused by algae growth. This can be frustrating for pool owners, but there are steps you can take to prevent algae growth in the future. You will be enjoying a sparkling clean pool in no time!
What Causes Algae?
Algae spores are constantly being brought into the pool through wind, rain, contaminated equipment, and even contaminated swimsuits. If conditions are right, these spores can spread rapidly and take over the pool in a short amount of time. Warm weather, sunlight, lack of circulation in the water, and nitrates or carbon dioxide in the water can all be contributing factors for algae growth.
How is Algae Harmful?
While algae is not necessarily harmful to swimmers, it does create a rather unpleasant swimming environment. No one will want to go swimming in a pool that is green and slimy. In addition, it takes a lot of work and money to remove the algae from the pool. Algae growth can also cause problems by clogging up the filter and it creates a demand for chlorine in the water.
How Can Algae Growth Be Prevented?
The best way to save time and money is to take the necessary steps to prevent algae growth in the first place. This can be done with certain techniques and proper chemicals. For starters, it is important to check your water balance and make sure the chemical balance in your water is accurate. A high pH and low chlorine levels can contribute to algae growth. In addition to routine sanitation, it is helpful to use algaecide's in order to prevent algae growth. It is also important to check your filter and clean it regularly. Make sure the filter is circulating properly and remember to use automatic cleaners to keep the water free of unwanted particles and spores. If it is too late and algae growth has already formed in the pool, be sure to treat it as quickly as possible by shocking the pool. Make sure it is thoroughly clean and the water is balanced before allowing anyone to swim.
Proper maintenance, routine cleaning, and appropriate chemicals all play an important role in preventing algae growth in your pool. Be sure to check your water regularly and stay on track with the proper chemicals in order to keep algae out of your pool. With these simple steps, you can break the cycle of algae growth and start relaxing in a pristine swimming pool!
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