Swimming Pool Blog
Tips on Operating, Care, Installation & Maintenance
Summon Your Inner Snow Monkey
While most people I know look forward to lighting candles and decorating trees in December, I look forward to summoning my inner snow monkey. Japanese macaques spend a good deal of their time soaking in naturally steamy volcanic hot springs, but since I live nowhere near a hot spring, I count on my portable hot tub to whisk me away to snow monkey paradise.
There’s really nothing quite like lounging in a hot, bubbling spa when the surrounding air is cold enough to turn breath into ice crystals. Falling snow and winter bird activities make for relaxing entertainment while basking in warm 
waters. At night, clear winter skies spread… Continue reading
Check and Balance Your Pool Chemicals
Making sure that your pool chemicals are balanced during the winter is very important. Chlorine, pH, total alkalinity, calcium hardness, and stabilizer levels should all be checked and regulated so that spring opening is easier. The following levels should be maintained throughout the winter.
Chlorine: 2.0 ppm
- To raise the chlorine level, you should shock the pool.
- To lower the chlorine level, you should turn down your chlorinator.
pH: 7.8 ppm (or 7.4 ppm in summer)
- To raise the pH level, add soda ash.
- To lower the pH level, add muriatic acid.
Total Alkalinity: 80-100 ppm
- To raise total alkalinity, add baking soda or sodium bicarbonate
- To lower total alkalinity, add muriatic acid
Calcium Hardness: 250-500 ppm
- To raise calcium… Continue reading
When Safety Covers Are Not Safe
Many homeowners prefer to use a safety cover rather than a winter cover when preparing the pool for the winter months. Safety covers protect the pool, but they also help prevent submersion and drowning accidents should a child or pet wander out onto the cover. A proper safety cover can support a minimum of 485 pounds per 5 square feet, according to the American Society for Testing and Materials’ (ASTM) standard F1346-91. If that safety cover is torn or in any other way damaged, though, it is no longer a reliable barrier.
Purchasing a new safety cover to replace a damaged one is not always necessary. Safety covers can be repaired for much… Continue reading
Winterizing: Don’t Miss This Important Step!
There are many important steps in shutting your pool down for the winter. If you live in climate with harsh conditions, making sure that you pool plumbing is protected with anti-freeze might be the most important! After lowering your water level and capping off your return lines, you should always add an anti-freeze agent through your skimmer to protect your pool from frigid temperatures. As a standard rule of thumb, you should use one gallon of anti-freeze per every ten feet of distance from the pump to the pool. Pool Anti-Freeze Concentrate is the perfect freeze prevention product because it is both effective and safe. It is non-toxic and is… Continue reading
Winterizing Your Pool? Don’t Neglect the Diving Board
Winterizing your backyard swimming pool includes taking proper care to protect the diving board. Some pool owners prefer not to do anything to protect the diving board through the off-season. Without a proper cover, though, a diving board can become stained by debris that falls on the board and stays there for an extended period of time. Additionally, an uncovered diving board can become damaged over time by harsh winter weather.
Covering a diving board with a tarp and ropes or bungee cords is another way some pool owners choose to protect the diving board. Doing an effective job of covering the diving board in this manner, though, is physically challenging, and the tarp… Continue reading