Okay so you have your pool and you have been self-cleaning your pool to save money. Starting very enthusiastically and slowly it becomes a daily chore, then a weekly hassle and finally only as needed, if then. The trouble is your pool is taking longer to clean as your enthusiasm wains and the pool water balance becomes more complex and the chemicals needed increase. I slow spiral into a black or green hole.
But all is not lost, there are robotic pool vacuums to rescue you and your pool.
These generally remove more dirt and debris from your pool than other cleaning methods. If you use them, it will save you the need to engage a professional pool service – cleaning company as well.
And it will save you time and energy as for most pools the job is done in 3 hours.
How to Select The Right One
Robotic Pool Cleaner 2
There is a considerable range of such cleaners so check with your local pool shops for ideas and recommendations.
Selecting the right unit for your pool will take a little knowledge and understanding. Knowing the pool surface is the first step (fiberglass, tiles, paint etc, meaning smooth and slick) select a soft super grip PVA type bush.
For more textured surfaces, (plaster, Marcite, Pebble Tec etc) look for a cleaner that has wheeled or universal PVC brushes works best.
And don’t afraid to seek feed back from neighbors with similar pools to yours and what they use and find works best.
Then you need to figure out you are wanting; just the floors, or walls too and swim outs and so forth to be cleaned. So, you can sit back and watch them do all the work!
Lastly you may already know areas in your pool which seem to collect stuff and its important they get to these areas and do a good job.
Some types can get stuck behind steps, in sharp radius inside corners, and on swim outs and ledges. So be clear in your pools’ needs, before selecting the right unit.
A few other aspects to be aware of:
Suction power, ideally 70 GPM or above
Micron Value, the lower the better for the filter, as removes the smallest particles.
Power Wash, can be helpful if your pool suffers from sand or fine silt blowing in
Warranty, you want it to last so a well designed and constructed unit will have a decent warranty. 2 – 5 years. Keep away from cheap and flimsy no matter the price.
When it comes to items around the house (equipment, appliances, tools etc) each of us have a different way of looking after them. Some of us leave them where they were last used, even outside in all weathers. And then are bitterly dissatisfied when they refuse to function when needed. Others put everything back in its storage place when not needed, knowing where to find it and that it will operate perfectly when needed. And of course, many slip between the 2 extremes.
So where do you fit on this spectrum?
If you are in the neat and tidy end, great as you will know how to look after and manage the pool equipment also. Pool equipment is largely outside so it exposed to a lot in its life. A few items can be stored inside. However, if you can provide shelter and protection for all, it will respond in kind by working longer, needing little or no maintenance. And you will save money in the process. So, a little care and attention goes along way.
If you are more of well its designed for use outside and so I expect it to stay there in all weathers, you will find more expense due to faster degradation, loss of performance and even replacement sooner than you expected.
So, the choice is very much yours. If you seek to have the best value in pool equipment then develop a plan, stick with it to protect, store and look after the equipment. From leaf rakes to pumps and everything else. Buying a new leaf rake yearly as it gets stepped on seems not too much but over a decade it adds up. Some prevention can save you plenty.
If you can create pool shed for all items pool related, then just keep it for pool items. Junk has no place there. And pool pumps etc need room to breathe as they get hot. Good access to filter equipment is needed. You don’t want to have it buried under other stuff.
Look after your pool equipment and it will look after your pool much better.
If you have ever worked in the swimming pool industry you would see a stark contrast between how different people care for their pools and associated pool equipment, chemicals, and maintenance items. One pool owner leaves every last pool toy, pool chemical and pool maintenance item laying on the ground in the last place it was used, while other pool owners have a neatly organized pool shed with each component for the pool labeled and stored away in a specific home. Year after year it is interesting to see how the pool and pool equipment ages in these different environments. Unsurprisingly the people who care for their equipment experience much greater longevity from each component.
Pool owners do not get the benefit of seeing this progress happen first hand. It stands to reason, logically, that the better you care for your things the longer they will last you, but it is less apparent when you only ever see your own pool. If you stand back and look at the long term equation of pool ownership objectively, getting the longest service life out if every last thing you buy is critically important to the bottom line numbers. If you need to buy a new leaf rake or telescoping pole every year because you keep stepping on yours and breaking it…your pool will end up costing you more than it should. Worst of all this is something that is completely within your control.
The solution here is to develop a plan for success. You need to have a place to store your pool chemicals that is NOT next to your pump and filter. You need hooks to hang up your telescopic poles, as well as storage bins for your inflatables and pool toys. If you have a pool shed that is half filled with garbage then you should clean it out. Pool equipment needs a lot of room, and air, to breathe in order to remain cool when it runs. Also messy pump sheds will attract rodents and other pests that can move in and cause damage to your pool equipment, pool cover, or any other items left in storage for any period of time. Treat every component of your pool as though it is a small pile of money. Would you just take a pile of money and throw it blindly into the shed and close the door? Probably not…you would probably place it, with great care, in a safe place until you needed it again.
Pools are very simply, mild chemical baths. Most pools and spas use some form of chlorine for sanitation.
In order to not waste your money on unnecessary (and often dangerous chemicals), you should manage or have managed the pool water chemistry, well. An out of balance pool may not only be uncomfortable to swim in (it may be unhealthy even), but it can also result in the shortening of the life of the pool filtration system and pool surfaces themselves.
So close and well managed pool water chemistry will save you money both in the short and long term.
Chlorine is a strong oxidizing agent and is quite dangerous if mishandled. Hence for pool use its either sold in diluted liquid form (12.5%) tablets or generated via a saltwater chlorinator.
There is a lot of information written about pool water chemistry. Much of it by commercial enterprises who are keen to sell you something. There is little unbiased information available for the home pool user.
Pool water can be a very complex mixture of metals, nonmetals, salts, oxides, chemicals, oils and phosphates etc.
ALSO, the water you put into your pool (well or town supply) may also contain many salts & metals in small and varying concentrations. These can vary daily (and within your street) and impact quickly on the pool water chemistry and how you need to deal with it.
The most important aspects to monitor are: pH, Water Balance, Total Dissolved Solids (TDS) and Chlorine (Bacteria) ,
In one sense having a low maintenance pool is the most delightful experience and some owners achieve this year in year out. Others struggle to get theirs to run well. Why?
The best place to get good advice is your pool shop, however not all are run by knowledgeable persons who can discuss your pool issues and take the time to work out what’s going on. Many shops run a simple computer test for pH, Chlorine, TA (Total Alkalinity) and CH (Calcium Hardness) and sell you some chemicals to add to your pool, in the expectation all will be well. Yet a few weeks later you are back seeking a solution to an issue. Why? Could the TDS or LSI be getting too high, causing additional problems?
Testing Your Pool Water
Saltwater Pools
These are now quite common but are not “NO” maintenance. They do require care and attention.
Firstly, in an average size pool some 800lbs of pool grade salt is used. And it’s topped up from time to time. If salt is from sea water, so it has the same composition as sea water, including sodium chloride (Nacl) along with other minerals like Calcium, Magnesium, and salts of these, plus biological items. There are many trace minerals and some metals too, along with fine sand. Not all are soluble and can drop out as fine white powder over time when the water temperature changes. Filtration systems cannot remove all. There is also salt from mechanical evaporation with different composition and potential issues. Lastly mined salt is considered the purest.
Also, the Chlorinator itself may assist in creating insoluble materials such as calcium and alkali precipitate and resultant scale in the pool itself.
Chlorine pools:
In pools with liquid or granular chlorine, Sodium Hypochlorite is the most common sanitizer used. Calcium Hypochlorite (increases Calcium load) and Lithium Hypochlorite (higher cost, lower effectiveness) less so.
However even Sodium Hypochlorite leaves a residue that’s about 85% salt, NaCl. This is reactive and may combine with other minerals and salts in the pool (water supply, rainwater flowing across cement) to form insoluble salts too, much like those seen in Saltwater pools.
Fibreglass, Vinyl, Painted Pools:
Pools with non-mineral surfaces can suffer from a low Calcium level. If there is no Calcium in the pool lining, (non-mineral) then with rainwater entering pool, (that’s calcium free) plus any limited Calcium in the pool is being filtered out, a deficiency exists. This upsets the water balance, leading to a loss of “buoyancy” to hold dissolved solids in suspension. Within a matter of minutes, the dissolved solids drop out as a white film over the pool surfaces.
What to do if your pool shows these signs? Discuss with your pool shop. We can also provide more information on the white film and how to get rid of it.
Usually, a flocculating agent will do the job.
Note there are two Types: Aluminium Sulphate and Synthetic Polymer and either one may work. You may need to try both. If not successful then it may be that TDS is too high and the pool needs to be partially emptied to remove water and some of the TDS and replaced with clean, water. Only further testing will confirm this last approach as being needed.
In a nutshell there are remedies to overcome these issues and, in some cases, they are straight forward. In others more detective work and some trial and error is needed to get you pool back to being in tip top condition. Do not let you pool just sit and get worse as the longer it is left the more difficult it can be to fix.
The BEST Measure of Pool Water Balance and being correct is the Langelier Saturation Index, (LSI).
It should always be in the range of +0.3 to – 0.3. This means the water is balanced.
If higher than + 0.3 the pool is in the scale forming mode, so it deposits minerals on the surfaces, pipes etc. You may well start seeing a white dusty film forming on the pool surface below the water line (and a hard scale above the water line). This can be very abrasive and “sand” the coating off, blue hands feet etc.
If the LSI is less than -0.3, then the pool water is corrosive. This means the pool water will be dissolving any mineral surfaces or eating away at any metal fittings connected to your pool, steps, pumps valves etc.
As Stabilizer Increases
LSI Decreases
As Total Dissolved Solids Increase
LSI Decreases
As Temperature Increases
LSI Increases
As Total Alkalinity Increases
LSI Increases
As pH Increases
LSI Increases
As Calcium Hardness Increases
LSI Increases
The LSI is a VERY useful and easy way to see if your pool water is in balance or not.
Your pool shop can calculate this from the pool water tests they do. Ask them to show you and discuss.
For maximum life of the pool finish and equipment, the pool water quality should be maintained continuously in accord with accepted pool water management practices and the following criteria;
The recommended ranges for each variable are.
pH
7.2 – 7.6
Temp
40 – 95 F
Total Alkalinity (TA)
80 (min)–180(max) ppm
Chlorine Levels
1 – 3 ppm
Calcium Hardness (CA)
250–350ppm
Watch CA carefully
Pool regularly cleaned, brushed (at least each 2 weeks in summer and monthly in winter).
Check water balance at least twice weekly in summer and monthly in winter.
Pool chemicals to be correctly mixed and not dumped into pool,
Pool remains full of water (unless winterized)
If using a Cu/Ag system monitor and keep ion concentration low to prevent staining.
If having your pool professionally maintained, then make sure they set the testing equipment to the correct surface type of your pool. Otherwise, incorrect chemical dosage may result, shortening the life of the current surface.
Also, Total Alkalinity should be carefully maintained to prevent a powdery surface developing with attendant “pick up” on hands and feet and a shorter life.
Do you feel you pool is leaking or even know it may be?
Do you add water when you think you should not be having to do so?
If you have this thought or feeling, there is an easy way to see if your hunch is right or not. Of course, pools loose water to evaporation so you will see this for sure, more so on hot windy, low humidity days.
To check if you pool is losing water and not by evaporation, do the following on a warm to hot sunny, windless, rainless day
Fill the pool to its normal level and make a mark or note exactly where it is, (Smart phone image close up will often do and don’t drop the phone!).
Take a 5 gal or similar size bucket and near fill it,and mark its level also.
Place the said bucket on a top step or somewhere where is about half submerged in the pool water and note the time. (Early morning before the sun gets too high is best)
Late afternoon or early evening, note the difference, if any in the levels of the water in the pool and bucket. If they both drop by say 1/2ins, then no leakage. If the pool drops 1 ins and the bucket ½ ins, the pool is leaking.
So you now know your pool is leaking but from where?
Checking water evaporation
There are a few common suspects no matter the type of pool. At this stage you can call in a pool leak detector company to go over all aspects and see where the pool leak is. Or you can save money at this point and do some detective work yourself, to pinpoint the lucky location.
It depends on your preferred option. Here is a sequence of steps you can take to start with.
Let the pool level drop till it stops. If at or just below the skimmer box, then the leak is there or in the pipework connecting it.
If it drops down further to a point where you have a water entry pipe or light fittings and stops, then the leak is mostly likely at one of those points.
If the water level drops to being almost empty, its more than likely the hydrostatic valve. Of course, if it just stops at some other point, then there will be a crack or hole in the pool itself, that is the culprit.
With letting the water continue to drop below say half full be mindful there is lot of water going someplace and your pool, fiberglass especially, will become unstable and may move, creating additional issues.
Ideally you should not let the water level drop more than 1 – 2 ft and if no obvious issue found or seen, its probably a good time to call in a leak detector.
Pool Leak Detector At Work
Be aware that clay soils and some other (reactive) soils also, vary in their stability and load carrying capacity as they get wet (rain, pool leakages or broken waterpipes) and then dry out. It’s quite usual for pool shells (fiberglass more so) to move slightly when this happens. In so doing, on a regular or only once off basis, fracturing the (aged) pipework where it exits the pool shell, creating the leak. It’s often the cause of many pool leaks. A leaking aged hydrostatic value is also common. If so, your pool will need to be emptied to replace it.
Be aware that concrete pools (gunite) are NOT waterproof everywhere or indeed anywhere and so there may be an area of porous concrete that provides a slow leak.
The plastered or mineral surfaces are not waterproof either, only a good quality well installed coating would be water proof. (e.g. PaintnForget).
For fiberglass the gel coat, that decorative protective top layer slowly wears through, and you may see glass fibers. At this point a FG pool is no longer water tight either.
Vinyl liners may develop small splits or holes and so will loose water to the space behind, which may not be waterproof either and so the water leaves the pool “shell”.
In summary many pools leak a little and its not a big issue. However, if you start to be adding water on a 2 – 3 times a week basis, it is time to seek out the problem and then get it fixed.
You have your pool or you’re a planning one, either way you want to make sure it’s situated in the best environment.
What does this mean?
All things being equal your pool should be situated as follows:
In an open space where it gets most sun, to heat it naturally
The pool pointing south or west is best.
Away from any and all trees (loss of sunlight and debris and leaves)
In stable ground location, no elevated areas that can create slips or substantial run off (into your pool)
Easy to access and walk around and good access to pump and filtration system, ideally under cover.
Open spaces around pool
Getting a new pool, there will be constraints and guidelines as to where to pool can be located. This will be largely the result of boundaries, slope and condition of the site and city regulations amongst many.
You may need to look outside the box, to make the best of some conflicting issues. Maybe a smaller size or a different shape will allow you to get better results.
Pool with overhanging trees
How about your existing pool then?
Its not something you can move so can you improve its environment even so?
Remove any trees, more so if they are or soon will impinge on the pool with shadow or leaf debris.
Improve the surroundings if access is difficult, create greater and open surroundings, such as a patio.
Make sure no rain run off enters the pool, from adjoining garden or hillsides.
Is the pool equipment in a protected, covered location.
Fiberglass resurfacing is an evolving technology that has been used in the swimming pool industry for over 50 years.
When you think about it fiberglass is the material of choice for water related industries. Sailboats, surfboards, jet skis, are made with fiberglass. Water parks use the material because it’s very skin friendly. Fiberglass gel coat is non-porous and smooth, dirt and algae blooms are less likely to find a foothold. Composite materials require less maintenance and last longer over sustained use.
The benefits of composite materials can be seen in other industries such as medical, energy and construction. Fiberglass has a superior strength-to-weight ratio as compared to other materials, such as concrete and metals. It also has the least expansion and contraction with heat, cold and/or stress plus, in pool applications it acts as an insulator keeping the water about 10 degrees warmer.
Fiberglass is an environmentally-friendly material that’s made of naturally occurring elements that are heated, melted and reshaped into threadlike material(fiberglass) that is now a very durable strong product when used with composite materials that bind everything together to make finished products that last. The main ingredient in fiberglass varies from silica to carbon graphite. Since the silica is ─ an abundant, natural, non-depleting resource ─ fiberglass used in support of swimming pool surfacing is a highly-sustainable solution. And unlike plaster, it doesn’t dissolve in the water, like the limestone in pool plaster which then requires the pool owner a regular replacement of the plaster every 5 to 7 years.
Fiberglass vs Concrete Pools
POSTED ON MARCH 24, 2014 BY BRANDON LEIBOWITZ
Is there an unbiased comparison of in-ground fiberglass and concrete pool resurfacing services on the internet? Finding information out there can be a daunting task. Here’s a down and dirty explanation of each service in detail. Once you’ve decided on your resurfacing option, the next step is to find the best contractor to do the work.
Fiberglass Pools: Pros and Cons
Advantages:
Low maintenance: The gel coat surface of the fiberglass pool shell is nonporous. This inhibits the growth of algae and reduces the amount of sanitizing chemicals required to maintain the pool.
Little or No lifetime cost: 99% of the time there is never any money invested in the shell of fiberglass pools. No vinyl liner to replace and no resurfacing.
Non-abrasive surface: The gel coat surface of fiberglass pools is smooth to the touch.
Quick Installation: Because the shell of the pool already exits, fiberglass resurfacing is easier and the installation occurs more rapidly (4-6 days)
Easy of start-up: Re-filling the pool is easier because it doesn’t require brushing and careful water chemistry to prevent staining of the new surface once water is reintroduced
Retains heat: Composite plastic acts as a thermal barrier that raise the temperature of the water an average of 10 degrees (less heating costs)
Energy cost savings: Pool equipment runs for shorter periods of time because the surface doesn’t dissolve in water like plaster. Cloudy water requires longer filter and pump cycle time usually 8 hours for plaster compared to as little as 4 hours for fiberglass.
Disadvantages:
Repairs on some colored finishes do not match: Many fiberglass pool manufacturers use colored finishes that will allow the sun to oxidize the pigment colors and then new material will not match in the unlikely event that a repair is needed.
Concrete Pools: Pros and Cons
Advantages:
No size limit: Concrete pools can be any size, shape, or depth.
Flexible design features: Vanishing edges, beach entries, tanning ledges, etc. are all just a sketch away from reality with concrete pools.
Works of art: Concrete Pools can be integrated into the design of the landscape.
Disadvantages:
High lifetime cost: Concrete pools will need to be renovated every 5-7 years involving resurfacing and re-tiling the pool
More chemical use: Because the surface of concrete pools is very porous, more chemicals and filtration are required to prevent algae. The alkaline pH of the pool shell also constantly raises the pH of the water, requiring the frequent adding of acid to counteract the effect.
Maintenance: Plaster on concrete pools need to be frequently brushed to remove algae from the pours of the plaster or aggregate surface
Longer installation: Plaster on concrete can take up to 10 days to resurface and brushed before chemicals can be introduced back into the water.
Higher energy costs: Longer hours of operation for pool equipment to remove cloudiness from water resulting from dissolving process of plaster in a pool
Rough Interior Surface: Rough interior surface harbors algae growth and can take a toll on tender feet.
You can expend the swimming season by the use of a pool heater, gas or electric. However, for every degree rise you dial up, the cost in energy will be significant. Swimming in a bath is an idea that is nice, but you can swim just as enjoyably in a cooler pool, and save money in the process. If you really want to save money, look to install a solar collector system as a stand alone or adjunct to your established pool heater. It can pre heat the water and save energy.
Of course, when the pool is not in use, turn it down and use a pool blanket – cover to retain the heat generated.
We all want to have a clean pool and so having an automatic pool cleaner is one good way you achieve this. However, like with any piece of equipment, it should be used effectively and efficiently. This means not over cleaning the pool, via leaving the auto pool cleaner on needlessly. Its waste of energy for very little benefit.
As with pool chemicals, getting the maximum benefit for the minimum cost, is desirable and so determining the optimum balance is needed. This can be done by careful observation and record keeping.
Thus, if you spend some time and effort, you can save money on these aspects also.
Traditional pool pumps are fixed speed and thus can be considered as wasting energy. This is due to the nature of filtration, which is a basic, low energy function.
An energy efficient pumps can yield significant energy savings, (upwards of 18% and as much as $300 per year) when they are optimized and sized correctly. A controller sets the best speed for the task at hand, there by matching pump speed to needs of the pump at that point.
If your existing pool filtration pump is in need of replacement, carefully look at getting an energy efficient pump replacement, which will save you significant energy costs. Though an energy efficient pump has a higher initial cost, it will usually pay back the value inside of a year or so.
Manage the time your pool filter runs to save money.
You need to run your pool filter to gain a hygienic pool and to maintain this, as required.
For some pool owners it let run near continuously and others on a few hours a day.
The real question what the correct time is so the pool water is filtered and clean say after a day’s heavy usage or after no usage for a few days.
It’s a fine balance and to do so, without wasting electricity.
With some observations you will see the time needed to run after different usage profiles.
Ideally you want to pinpoint the minimum time to run the pump to get the job done. After a day’s heavy usage, it may be necessary to run it longer, with a manual override.
Check with your electricity supplier to see if you can benefit from a lower overnight rate.
And consider a smart (variable) speed pump also, which gives added flexibility and can a lot of money on yearly basis. You may even receive a energy rebate.
