Gas Swimming Pool Heaters
December 4, 2009 at 11:22 am | In Hayward, energy efficiency, exercise pools, health benefits, heat pumps, pool heaters, solar heating, swim spas | Leave a CommentTags: arthritis, commercial pools/spa, heat pumps, pool heaters, pool maintenance, solar heating
Gas Swimming Pool Heaters
Gas-fired pool heaters remain the most popular system for heating swimming pools. Today you can find new gas-fired heater models with much higher efficiencies than older models. Still, depending on your climate and pool use, they may not be the most energy-efficient option when compared to heat pump and solar pool heaters.
How They Work
Gas pool heaters use either natural gas or propane. As the pump circulates the pool’s water, the water drawn from the pool passes through a filter and then to the heater. The gas burns in the heater’s combustion chamber, generating heat that transfers to the water that’s returned to the pool.
They’re most efficient when heating pools for short periods of time, and they’re ideal for quickly heating pools. Therefore, gas pool heaters can be a good choice for pools that aren’t used on a regular basis. Unlike heat pump and solar pool heaters, gas pool heaters can maintain any desired temperature regardless of the weather or climate.
Selecting a Gas Pool Heater
When selecting a gas swimming pool heater, you need to consider the following:
Installation and Maintenance
Proper installation and maintenance of your gas pool heater can optimize its efficiency. It’s best to have a qualified pool professional install the heater and even perform complicated maintenance or repair tasks.
Read your owner’s manual for a maintenance schedule and/or recommendations. You’ll probably need to tune up your pool heater annually. Also, scaling in the burner or heat exchanger may decrease efficiency over a period of time.
FAQ about Solar Pool Heating
December 4, 2009 at 11:16 am | In Hayward, energy efficiency, exercise pools, health benefits, heat pumps, pool heaters, solar heating, spas/jacuzzis | Leave a CommentTags: commercial pools/spa, solar heating, arthritis, exercise pools, pool heaters, heat pumps
How well does solar energy heat a pool?
Solar energy is just another fuel with which to heat your pool. A properly designed solar pool system can achieve the same results as other fuels. On days when you can relax comfortably in a bathing suit at poolside, but the water is too cold for swimming, solar energy can heat your pool to a temperature comfortable for swimming.
In simple terms, how does a solar pool heater work?
Using the pump that circulates pool water through the filter, the water is automatically diverted so that it flows through the many small passages of the solar collector. While passing through the collector, it is warmed by the sun. This warm water then flows directly back into the pool. When the pool has reached your desired comfort level, the water then bypasses the solar collector and returns directly to the pool.
Do the solar collectors have to face south?
Not necessarily. The solar collectors should just be installed where they can be in the sun a good portion of the day. Depending on the angle of the mounting surface east and west facing systems can function equally as well.
Why would I want my pool heated?
You probably bought your pool for many reasons like family fun, entertaining friends, exercise, those quiet relaxing moments or perhaps even for therapeutic reasons. You spent alot of time making the decision to invest in a quality pool, furniture, fencing and accompanying items that go along with a pool. You are therefore expecting to get the most use out of your pool. But if your pool is frequently too cold to swim in comfortably, you are not realizing the full benefit of your significant investment. Solar pool heating can effectively double the length of your pool season.
What is the best type of collector to use to heat my pool?
You shouldn’t spend money on expensive equipment that is not expressly designed for pool heating, such as the glass covered and insulated housings that are used on high temperature household water heaters. Actually the lower cost unglazed collectors can deliver heat more effectively to your pool than the more expensive covered collectors.
What kind of maintenance is required?
Your solar pool heater will require no maintenance beyond your usual pool winterizing procedures.
How much will my solar pool heater cost to operate?
Since the sun’s energy is free, there are no operating costs.
How does solar pool heating compare with heat pumps for pool heating?
The cost of installing an electric heat pump is generally comparable to the cost of a solar heating system. The annual cost of electricity to run a heat pump may be two thirds of the cost of natural gas or one third the cost of electricity for a conventional resistance electric heater; but the sun’s energy is FREE
Raypak Classic Series Heat Pumps
December 4, 2009 at 11:12 am | In energy efficiency, health benefits, heat pumps, pool design, pool heaters, solar heating, spas/jacuzzis | Leave a CommentTags: arthritis, commercial pools/spa, exercise pools, heat pumps, pool heaters, solar heating, spas/jacuzzis
| Classic Series Heat Pumps Raypak is proud to introduce our new heat pump product line. Every Raypak heat pump comes standard with a Titanium heat exchanger. The Classic Series heat pumps have been designed to meet the exacting needs of the pool and spa professional. Raypak offers a feature rich entry level heat pump, the Classic Series Analog, which provides rock solid performance at an affordable price.The Classic Series also offers a top of the line Digital product for the customer who demands the best. And for those big jobs and high end pools, the Raypak 8320ti is the heat pump of choice. So dive in and take a look at the heat pump that can meet your exact needs, just click on the links below for more information. |
| Raypak is also a proud member of AHRI and all Raypak heat pumps are AHRI listed. Click here for directory listing. The Air-Conditioning, Heating, and Refrigeration Institute (AHRI) is the trade association representing manufacturers of air conditioning, heating and commercial refrigeration equipment. | |
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| In addition, all Raypak heat pumps meet the Florida 4.0 minimum C.O.P. Requirement. Raypak has been in the heating business for over 60 years. You can buy with confidence knowing that we are here for you today and will be there for you in the future. Step up to Raypak’s superior customer service and stellar product performance. When you desire the best, you deserve a Raypak! | |
| Classic Series Heat Pumps | |
| R5310ti | Standard 95,000*/90,000** BTU heater Excellent choice for pool and spa applications in normal to humid climates. |
| R6310ti | Deluxe 115,000*/108,000** BTU heater Excellent choice for pool and spa applications in normal to humid climates. |
| R8320ti | Deluxe 130,000*/121,000** BTU heater Excellent choice for large pool and spa applications in normal to humid climates. |
| * Tested outside the scope of AHRI 1160 at 80/80/80 **Tested to AHRI 1160 at 80/63/80 |
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| Classic Series Technical Data | |
| Specialty Model Heat Pumps | |
| R6330tiHC | 105,000*/100,000** BTU heating and cooling The solution for warm climates that require the water to be cooled as well as heated. |
| R6310tiPD | Power Defrost 115,000*/108,000** BTU heater Excellent choice for pool and spa applications in normal to humid climates with seasonal low ambient conditions. |
| R6310tiHS | Heat System 115,000*/108,000** BTU heater Special application heat pump designed for use with a gas fired pool heater. |
| * Tested outside the scope of AHRI 1160 at 80/80/80 **Tested to AHRI 1160 at 80/63/80 |
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| Speciality Model Technical Data | |
Patio Heaters
December 3, 2009 at 4:14 pm | In Poolside picnics, backyard decorating, golf/putting greens, outdoor kitchens, pool design | Leave a CommentTags: backyard decorating, firepits, grill islands, outdoor kitchens, pool design
 Please Click Here for an Image Gallery
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The Powder Coated Heater is one of the best solutions available to restaurants, rental companies, event planners and homeowners. They look great and are available in Bronze/Brown or Black. The bullet design housing gives this patio heater a sleek look so it no only works great but looks great too!!
Simple yet elegant. These will provide you with 45,000 BTU of heat to enjoy on those chilly nights when you would just rather stay out longer comfortably. |
Cut your heating bill
November 30, 2009 at 7:42 pm | In energy efficiency, exercise pools, health benefits, heat pumps, pool heaters, solar heating | Leave a CommentTags: heat pumps, pool heaters, surgeries
With Geo-Thermal Pool & Spa Heating systems from Symbiont Service Corporation
Our pool and spa systems tap into the earth’s natural heat to provide incredibly efficient heating systems.
Here’ how it works:
1. The Symbiont system uses water from a well, lake , or cooling tower.
2. The system transfers free heat from your source water to your pool and the two waters never mix (and you can coll in the summer)
3. The source water is returned after the free heat is absorbed.
Like gas, the system is unaffected by weather conditions and heats your pool for a fraction of the cost.
The Symbiont substantially outperforms solar heating systems and air source heat pumps.
Takem from Symbiont advertisement
Gift Idea for the Swimmer on your List
November 30, 2009 at 12:37 pm | In exercise pools, health benefits, pool games | Leave a CommentTags: backyard decorating, exercise pools, pool design
1. SwiMP3 Underwater MP3 Player for Swimming by Finis
Swimming with music? The Finis SwiMP3 underwater MP3 player allows swimmers to listen to hours of their favorite music during a swim workout. It utilizes bone conduction, the direct transfer of sound vibrations from the cheek bone to the inner ear while swimming, to provide underwater sound clarity. It’s fully waterproof and can be used with all swimming strokes. It comes with goggles, a carrying case, a USB cable, an installation manual, and Musicmatch software.
Swimming Pools and Storms
July 16, 2009 at 3:00 pm | In Safety | Leave a CommentTags: Hurricane Preparedness, Pool Safety, Storms
swimming pool prep and storms are huge concern in florida summers. make sure you are prepared. contact poolside for more information!
-kathi
Tips for Storm Preparation and reactivation
PREPARATION
Should I drain my pool?
The number one rule: Do not empty your pool.
Keeping sufficient water levels in your pool provides the important weight to hold the sides and bottom in place, especially when heavy rains that accompany most storms raise the local water table. Pools which have been emptied may experience serious subsidence problems and could even be lifted off their foundation.
Consider an Ozone pool system instead of chemicals?
July 22, 2009 at 10:16 am | In water purifiers | Leave a CommentTags: chlorine generator, ionize, ozone, saltgenerator
Q: I have thought about using a no-chemical ozone or salt purifier kit for my swimming pool to save on chemicals and reduce eye irritation from chlorine. Are these kits effective and do they use much electricity? – Mike G.
A: People often are unsure about using ozone to purify swimming pool or spa water because of stories about harmful ozone smog in the air. Installing an ozone kit yourself, instead of using strong chlorine chemicals, is safe, natural and not related to ozone smog from cars.
Ozone gas is basically an active form of oxygen that reacts with bacteria, viruses, algae and other impurities in the water. At its low concentration levels in the water, it has no effect on your skin and eyes. Many municipal water purification plants use ozone to treat drinking water.
When the ozone gas dissolved in water comes in contact with impurities, it oxidizes them as chlorine chemicals do. It also causes particles, body and suntan oils, etc. to clump so the filter can remove them more effectively.
Most ozone purifiers for pools and spas use only about 0.5 amperes when they are running. This is about the same amount of electricity a 60-watt light bulb uses. Since the ozone generator unit only runs when the filter pump is operating, the total amount of electricity used is not great.
The ozone kit is installed in the existing pool or spa filtration plumbing. There are several basic designs of ozone generators, but they all inject the ozone gas into the pool water through a small tube. The concentration of ozone gas is strongest at the point of entry for effective purification.
An ozone system is not actually “no-chemicals” because you will still need to keep a very low residual level of chlorine in the pool water. This is generally only about 20 percent as much chlorine as when no ozone is used.
The two basic types of ozone generators are ultraviolet (UV) and corona discharge (CD). UV systems use a fluorescent light to create ozone as the sun does above the earth. CD units use an electrical arc inside a generator to create ozone as lightning does (the fresh smell after a storm).
Salt-type purification kits are used to create a steady level of chlorine in the water. They use only a small amount of electricity to break down the salt in the water into basically the same chemicals as adding chemical chlorine does.
The required salt concentration in the water is only about one teaspoon per gallon, less than the salt in a human tear. Pool water purified by this method is comfortable to swim in because the salt also softens the water. Once the pool water is charged with salt, the concentration stays fairly constant.
Written by James Dulley in his $ensible Home column.
Drowning prevention
July 22, 2009 at 3:27 pm | In Safety | Leave a CommentTags: Pool Safety
Backyard and community pools are popular with children and adults of all ages but owning or operating one is a major responsibility. Take every step possible to prevent unintended injuries in and around pools and spas.
Learn about the hazard of drain entrapment and what to look for at pools and spas your family frequents. Individuals in the 5-9 year-old category had the highest frequency of entrapment reports.
Safety Tips
Supervise children at all times around pools and spas. Adults should keep a constant eye on all kids in the water. Emphasize the need for constant supervision to babysitters.
Install a four-sided barrier, such as a fence with self-closing gates completely surrounding the pool. If the house forms the fourth side of the barrier, install alarms on doors leading to the pool area to prevent children from wandering into the pool or spa. Also install safety covers and perimeter or in-water alarms as additional layers of protection.
Learn to Swim and teach your children to swim. Many organizations provide swimming lessons.
Know how to respond:
- Get training in basic water rescue skills, first aid, CPR
- Have rescue and first aid equipment available at the pool
- Keep a phone at the pool
An article in Florida Pool Pro
Storm preparation for commercial swimming pool facilities
July 23, 2009 at 9:37 am | In storm preparedness | 1 CommentTags: commercial pools/spa, Hurricane Preparedness, Storms
Should commercial pool facilities take any additional special precautions?
Specialists in commercial pools remind owners / operators of the following points:
Stored chemicals should be removed to a safe, high and dry location. Remember, some chemicals, when mixed, can produce dangerous gases; others, if wetted can cause fires.
Sump pits should be cleaned and sump pumps should be checked. A portable gasoline-operated pump is helpful if power is not restored quickly.
Pools near apartment units / motel rooms should have water levels lowered by one to two feet if potential flooding is a factor.
Remove all loose items around the pool area including trash cans, ashtrays, nets, etc.
Equipment covers should be secured by being latched or bolted down
After the Storm
July 26, 2009 at 3:57 pm | In Safety, storm preparedness | Leave a CommentTags: Hurricane Preparedness, Pool Safety, Storms
How should I remove debris from the pool?
Use a “pool rake” or other nets / skimming devices such as hose powered leaf baggers to remove small debris. Do not use your regular pool vacuum equipment and your pool pumps as they are likely to clog the plumbing. Watch out that you do not damage pool walls or bottom when removing any large objects.
What about the electrical equipment?
Be sure that everything is dry before dealing with electrical start-up. Check your circuit breakers to be sure they are off before attempting to reconnect electrical equipment such as pump motors. Inspect the wiring (especially ground wires) for proper connections. Be sure that you are following manufacturers’ instructions when reactivating equipment. If electric motors have been exposed to water, they should be checked by a competent professional.
Should I add chemicals again after the storm?
The experts say it will probably be necessary to “shock” (super chlorinate) the pool water again. The heavy fresh water accumulation from rainfall may need to be counteracted. Test your pool first.
What about monitoring the system?
It is advisable to closely monitor the operating systems through their complete cycles. Be sure clocks, timers, etc. have been properly reset. Balance the water chemistry and continue to check it carefully. If the pool appears to be leaking, you may have clogged a hydrostatic relief valve. Have a professional check it.
What about draining the pool after the storm?
Just as before the storm, if the water table is high, damage may occur. If you must drain your pool to clean it, be sure to seek professional advice.
Talk to a pool professional. Taken from FloridaPoolPro.
Landscape lighting
July 27, 2009 at 5:24 pm | In Safety, landscape lighting | 1 CommentTags: landscape lighting, Safety
Q: I have some gorgeous landscaping in my yard which I want to accent with lights. I also want more security at night. My budget is limited, so I want to install the lighting myself. What do you suggest? – Pam C. A: Adding just a few lights can enhance any landscaping layout and emphasize specific areas and plants. Also, it doesn’t take bright floodlights to deter thieves. For security, some relatively dim, but strategically placed lights or motion-sensing ones can be effective. You have three basic options for adding landscaping, accent and security lighting: fiber optic, low-voltage or standard 110-volt lights. Since you are not an electrician, don’t attempt to install 110-volt wiring outdoors. It can be dangerous if done improperly. Also, if you do not install it according to code, you may be liable if the next owner gets hurt by it. Fiber optic lighting is easy to install and efficient. Instead of running wires to various lights, thin durable fiber optic cables connect a projector box to each of them. There is only one bulb in the projector box and the fiber optic cables carry the light to the various fixtures in your yard. Since no electricity is connected directly to each fixture, it is safe to use. Also there are no bulbs to burn out in each fixture. When the projector bulb burns out, you have to replace only one bulb. The projector box is located against your house and plugs into any outdoor electrical outlet. Complete fiber optic landscape/accent lighting kits are available. They include the projector box, cables and various light fixtures (flood, spot, bollard, path, step, and wall). Fiber optic kits are also excellent to use as safety perimeter and accent lighting around swimming pools and water. Low-voltage lighting is also simple to install and safe because it operates at only 12 volts. If you have tried using these lighting kits in the past and were not pleased, the new ones are magnitudes better and easier to install. Two-piece connectors make it simple to attach the lights to the main wire. The new halogen bulb models produce brighter light and enhance colors. The best low-voltage lights are made of durable cast metal and are very stylish. I use double inverted tulip and polished brass spotlight models to highlight my hosta garden. Authentic stained and frosted glass fixtures light the area around them as they add a decorative touch to your landscaping. Low-voltage simulated brick edging kits are ideal for marking a walkway or garden. The bricks have the wiring built into them and they snap together. You can make it as bright as you wish by using more or fewer non-lighted bricks between lighted ones. They can be connected in an arc for curved paths.
Printed from $ensible Home
Simply Stunning, add pizazz to your outdoor room
July 28, 2009 at 12:53 pm | In outdoor kitchens, pool lighting, shade structures | Leave a CommentTags: landscape lighting, grill islands, firepits, outdoor kitchens, shadestructures
Set your Aquascape Aglow
The latest advances in pool lighting make it easier to create breathtaking displays of color that dance against the night sky. The products are suprisingly affordable. Outdated underwater lighting is quickly upgraded with a snapon colored lense or an LED bulb change. These energy-efficient bulbs create an effect similar to fiberoptic lights, at a fraction of the cost and require no cables.
Some homeowners take a different approach. They create reflecting ponds by turning off the pool lights and allowing the lights on nearby rock formations, statues, and landscaping to play a leading role. Mister systems help add to the lagoon ambience
Tempt your Taste Buds
Nowhere is the outdoor living trend more evident than with the barbecue. From a simple charcoal grill to a top-of-the-line grill island, families love to grill.
The new line of grill islands possess the elegance of built-ins, yet maintain the advantage of mobile units. These gourmet delights boast counter top space, refrigerators, ice makers, warming ovens, sinks and storage drawers.With everything in one place, you can spend more time enjoying your outdoor room and pool with family and friends.
Smaller, portable grills have come a long way, too. Growing in popularity are styles that can cook several ways: charcoal, infrared, convection, rotisserie and conventional. Now you have unlimited choices in what to serve for your next pool party.
Drama from Above, more exciting ideas for your outdoor room
July 28, 2009 at 2:10 pm | In landscape lighting, outdoor kitchens, shade structures | Leave a CommentTags: firepits, outdoor kitchens, shadestructures
Outdoor rooms require boundaries to create an intimate, comfortable space. While walls and ceilings define each room of your home; shade structures, including pergolas, gazebos and fabric pavilions, are a popular way to frame your outdoor living spaces.
Available in custom-made, prefab or easy to assemble DIY models, these structures come in a variety of shapes and sizes – and are praised by everyone for their versatility. A shade structure creates the perfect shelter for a dining area, play area, or spa. It can turn a barren, sun-soaked deck into an inviting, shaded living space. An arbor with an outdoor rug, a few plants and a hammock forms a cozy nook. It can also block an eyesore , such as a garage wall, driveway or neighbor’s house.
Most shade structures accomodate light fixtures, fans and hanging plants. These additions not only provide additional functionality, but also spruce up the enclosure. Add a flat screen TV to a gazebo or a fire pit beneath a pergola to create an area for entertaining your guests after dinner. To dress it up even more, coordinate pavilion fabrics with outdoor cushions, curtains and umbrellas. For something different overhead; grow wisteria, roses, grapes or other vines over your pergola to provide an attractiveand useful shade option.
Got a pool? Get this book
August 2, 2009 at 2:59 pm | In Poolside picnics, Safety, water chemistry, water purifiers | Leave a CommentThe book ” I Love My Pool” written by Ken Christensen, features information on how to clean and care for a swimming pool in five easy steps. It is written in a light hearted simplified style and is complemented by more than 200 photographs and graphics.
Feature chapters and articles offer easy to understand insights on filters and pumps, automated floor vacuums, salt and chlorinating systems and water treatments. Highlights of the publication include information on child and pet safety protocol, pool chemistry and going green.
“A healthy pool is a happy pool!” says Christensen.
During the heat of the summer, an improperly balanced pool can cause a variety of bacteria and health related problems such as eye, ear and throat infections. By following the protocols of ”I Love My Pool”, children, families and visitors are guaranteed a healthy and happy swimming experience.
Let’s have a vacation at home this summer!
Articles tailored for children include Games and Pool Toys, Pool Parties and “What can I do by the pool Daddy?” They offer a variety of ideas for kids to enjoy their pool experience to maximum efficiency. And humorous perspectives for adults include “It’s My Pool And I’ll Float if I Want To!” and “When I Was A Kid… all I had was a hose and a Slip-n-Slide!”
Enjoying a pool need not fall into the standard line of thinking: “I think I’ll float in the pool for a while.” Feature articles include: Having Fun With Mother Nature – Turning your Backyard into a Tropical Paradise, A Poolside Picnic, The Perfect Raft and Exotic Drink Recipes ( with little umbrellas). Romancing Your Pool offers a variety of options for adults on enjoying a swimming pool to the fulllest … especially at night!!
“I Love My Pool! The Pefect Pool in 5 Easy Steps” Ken Christensen, Romantic America $15.95
Add months of Swimming Enjoyment to your pool
August 2, 2009 at 3:07 pm | In solar heating | Leave a CommentTags: solar heating
Q: I would like to use a solar system to heat my swimming pool water so my family can use it several more months each year. What are the various solar systems available and are there any do-it-yourself kits? – Beth L.
A: In most climates, you can get an extra two to three months use of the pool by installing a solar system to heat the water. During midsummer, when the pool water often gets uncomfortably warm, you can circulate the water through the solar collectors at night to cool the pool.
There are several basic designs of solar swimming pool and spa heating systems and many are sold as do-it-yourself kits. The manufacturers will advise you as to the amount of solar collector area needed based on your pool or spa size and your climate (temperature and amount of cloud cover).
One interesting design uses a heat exchanger located in your attic. The heat exchanger is somewhat similar to a car radiator with a fan. The heat from the hot attic air is absorbed by the pool water. This not only heats the pool, but it cools your attic for lower air-conditioning costs.
Another unique design uses a four- to eight-foot diameter solar collector. It looks similar to a large TV satellite dish. Its parabolic shape focuses the sun’s heat on a small center core through which the pool water flows. It is ideal for colder climates and can also be used as a household water heater.
Special hollow solar decking is available. This is particularly good for above-ground pools, but is also effective for in-ground ones. The pool water flows through the dark plastic decking and absorbs the heat. This also keeps the decking cooler so it is comfortable to walk and lie down on. Complete above-ground pool kits with built-in solar decking are available.
The most common type of solar system uses flat solar collectors which lay flat against the roof of your house or garage. These systems can also be mounted on racks or just laid on the ground near the pool. They attach to the existing pool filter system pump so most are easy to install yourself.
Some rigid plastic collectors are available, but today most of the solar collectors are made from flexible tubing or sheets. This allows it to fit irregular surfaces such as the ground, a trellis or roof. Although it looks like simple tubing, it is specially designed for efficiency. Some include hook-and-loop straps so they can be rolled up and stored over winter.
Do-it-yourself installation kits usually include the collectors, check valves, solar valves, and return line tee so they are easy to attach to the pool filter system. Automatic controllers are available to allow you to set any water temperature. When the sun is hot enough, the system automatically starts.
$ensible Home
Pool Safety tips for you and your family
August 3, 2009 at 8:57 am | In Safety | Leave a CommentTags: Pool Safety
SAFETY:
S-A-F-E-T-Y
You, your family, and friends will enjoy a happier, healthier pool and spa experience if you remember the FSPA rules of S-A-F-E-T-Y.
S is for more than just SUPERVISION – children must be watched closely
- There’s no substitute for an ADULT watching a child
- Do not let anything or anyone distract you when a child is in or near a body of water, not even for a second
- Keep your eyes on the pool at all times
A is for ALERT – Pay attention, Play smart
- Toys: A favorite toy left near the water can be a very strong attraction for a child. Toys, tricycles and other playthings should be stored away from the pool or spa area.
- Store all chemicals, cleansers and accessories safely and securely in appropriate areas.
- Sunscreen: Choose It and Use It! The sun is strongest in the summer months. Be sure to apply sun protection regularly while enjoyed the pool. No sun, just clouds? Be alert – Continue to use sun protection.
- Remember to serve all food and beverages in non-breakable containers in the pool area.
- Get out of the pool at the first sign of thunderstorms.
F is for FREE – Be Substance-FREE
- Never use a pool or spa while, or after, consuming alcohol or any drugs. Consult a physician if taking any mediation on a regular basis prior to swimming or using a spa.
E is for EMERGENCY Procedures – Get training and education
- Learning CPR , cardiopulmonary resuscitation, is a skill that may save a life. The local YMCA, the Red Cross and many local hospitals offer classes.
- Keep a charged portable telephone by the pool -
Parents won’t have to leave children unattended to answer the phone. And if you need to call Emergency Services, your phone is within seconds reach – your call could make a REAL difference! - Rescue equipment – Is your pool safety ready?
Ropes and float lines placed across the pool alert swimmers to the separation of the deep and shallow ends of the pool. Rescue equipment such as life rings and shepherd’s crooks can be used to pull someone in trouble to safety. - Keep a list of emergency contact numbers pool side.
T is for TEACHING – Never too old or too young
- Swimming Lessons – Everyone should be taught swim. Children of all ages should be enrolled in swimming lessons or a program to familiarize them with the water. Check your local YMCA, Parks and Recreation departments or other local programs near your area.
- Diving – Learn safe diving. Know the depth of the water prior to diving. Never dive into shallow water. Never dive into an aboveground pool.
Y is for YOU
By thinking about SAFETY all the time, YOU are being a RESPONSIBLE pool owner and user! Thank You!
A perfect prescription
August 5, 2009 at 5:38 pm | In health benefits, spas/jacuzzis, water exercise | Leave a CommentTags: commercial pools/spa, spas/jacuzzis, surgeries, diabetes, insomnia, stress, arthritis, injuries
Stress If you’re feeling stressed out, a spa’s warm water will release the tension in your body, and allow your mind to take a break from anxious or troubled thoughts. For headache sufferers, the warmth and jet action ease pressure on the neck and shoulders and reduce the pain.
Insomnia The National Sleep Foundation recommends a soak in a spa as one of its top methods for inducing sleep. Raising the body’s core temperature several degrees, then allowing it to drop naturally, can make even the most stubborn insomniac sleepy. Soaking in a spa, set at 103 to 104 degrees F, for at leat 20 minutes two hours before bed should do the trick.
Lower Back Pain If your back is killing you, you’re not alone! Eighty-four percent of Americans will suffer severe lower back pain at some time in their lives. Spa soaking can ease muscular and skeletal pain. The buoyancy of the spa water takes the pressure off the lower back, and the heat relaxes the muscles while increasing your heartbeat and blood flow. Jets slowly massage the affected areas to release the tension in the muscles.
Arthritis and Injuries Gentle exercise in buoyant spa water allows damaged joints and muscles to move freely, without the stiffness and aches typically associated with land-based movement. Spa-based hydrotherapy has been found to speed up healing time and strengthen muscles after an injury or surgery!
Diabetes Studies are ongoing, but there’s evidence that spa use can ease some of the severity of Type 2 diabetes, and can even lower the amount of insulin needed. Immersion in the warm water mimics some of the beneficial effects of exercise: It causes blood pressure to drop, which forces the heart to beat harder and faster. This increases the blood flow to the skin and muscles.
Note: Always consult your doctor before undertaking any therapy regimen.
A few facts about spas
August 6, 2009 at 3:01 pm | In Safety, health benefits, spas/jacuzzis, water chemistry | Leave a CommentTags: spas/jacuzzis, arthritis
| Hot Tub Facts
What is the difference between a hot tub, spa, whirlpool and Jacuzzi®? A hot tub is an open-topped tank filled with circulated, filtered and chemically treated water. A hot tub is considered portable, as it is a totally self-contained unit that is typically found outdoors. On average, the water in a hot tub is drained once a quarter for regular maintenance purposes. A spa typically refers to an in-ground unit that is constructed on-site, and is most often part of a pool/spa combination. A whirlpool tub is commonly found indoors in the master bathroom or in other indoor facilities. Whirlpool tubs are filled and drained after each use and are not chemically treated. Jacuzzi® is a brand name that describes only those products manufactured by the Jacuzzi Company. How do I know what type of hot tub to purchase? Evaluate what the hot tub will be used for. If exercise and therapy will be the focus, consider a hot tub with depth and room for movement. If the hot tub will be used recreationally, choose a model with four or more seats. HotTubLiving.com’s interactive “Your HotTub Profile” program allows users to learn about the variety of hot-tub options and features that are available to best suit their needs. How should I prepare the location where I plan to install my hot tub? There is very little site preparation for a self-contained hot tub. Decide on a strong, level area that can support the heavy weight of the unit once it’s filled with water. If you’re placing the hot tub outdoors, do not place the unit within 10 feet of overhead power lines and ensure that the installation meets all city and local safety codes. Homeowners will also require a dedicated electrical outlet (110- or 220-volt outlet) and a nearby garden hose. Many people choose to install tile, gazebos, custom wood decking or flora around their hot tubs to create a private oasis. If you install indoors, pay close attention to flooring and wall construction as it could possibly cause moisture damage. To ensure adequate ventilation and safe use, you must also ensure that you comply with ANSI (American National Standards Institute) / ASHRAE (American Society of Heating, Refrigeration and Air-Conditioning Engineers) Standard 62-2001. Are there any hidden costs? A local retailer should specify all of the costs associated with the purchase of the hot tub unit, any necessary equipment or parts, installation, shipping and delivery. Ask a local retailer for an estimate on maintenance costs to ensure the hot tub is being kept in optimal condition. How will the addition of my hot tub affect my electric bill? While electrical costs vary by region, model and quality of insulation, a recent study found that the average hot tub costs only $10 to $30 per month to operate. A local retailer can provide more specific information. Will it be difficult to maintain the proper chemical balance in my hot tub? With just a little reading, users can easily and quickly maintain the proper chemical balance in their hot tub. Most manufacturers recommend chlorine tablets be used about once a week. A local retailer can aid in chemical selection. I have small children and I’m concerned about installing a hot tub in my home. The Association of Pool & Spa Professionals (APSP) recommends that all portable hot tub owners have a safety cover that locks. Check to see if such a cover is included in the price of the unit, and make sure the cover meets the American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM International) F1346-91 safety standard. A local retailer can identify options that complement specific hot-tub models. And, always remember that there is no substitute for constant adult supervision when children are around water. Are outdoor hot tubs limited to certain seasons? Outdoor hot tubs can be used year-round in any climate. For especially cold climes consider a winterizing kit. A winterizing kit is comprised of insulation for the unit, pipes and equipment, an insulated cover to retain heat and a device that is monitored by a thermostat or timer that will protect the hot tub from freezing. Are hot tubs difficult to clean or maintain? How often should I clean my hot tub? In a recent survey conducted by the Association of Pool & Spa Professionals, 77 percent of current hot tub owners said they think their hot tubs are easy to clean and maintain. In addition to quick and easy water testing before each use, hot tub manufacturers recommend using sanitizing or chlorine tablets once a week. The filter should be cleaned at least once a month with a hose and, if needed, filter cleaning solution. The safety cover should also be wiped down about once a month. Drain and refill the hot tub with fresh water once every three months. Wipe down the hot tub skirting with a sponge as needed. To prolong the life of the hot tub follow the manufacturer’s instructions for water and filter maintenance. |
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Elements of Style
August 6, 2009 at 3:13 pm | In pebble tec / interior finishes | Leave a CommentTags: interior finishes, Pebble tec
Make a Splash
Waterfeatures can help express your pool’s personality, whether you’re hoping to recreate the Bellagio’s dancing fountains or if you simply desire a dainty trickle of water spilling over rocks. If it’s high-impact you’re after, consider the offerings of Crystal fountains. They have some really nice waterfeatures that offer a more contemporary look. They have deck-jet nozzles, where water sprays out of the deck and into the pool. You can adjust them so they turn on automatically. You can even mount them in the tile line.
Finish with Flair
With the growing trend toward pools that blend in with their environment, pebble finishes can help achieve a natural look while adding texture and dimension to a design scheme. The finishes come in a variety of different colors, where you can pick out complimentary colors for your coping, deck and plaster. Not sure which pebble finish is right for you? Not a problem. Pebble Tec has a catalog that will show what color your water is going to look like depending on what color finish you decide on.
Newest Technology for your Pool
August 7, 2009 at 12:49 pm | In Safety, health benefits, landscape lighting, pool lighting, water chemistry, water purifiers | Leave a CommentTags: wireless pool controls, UV water treatment
Clean and Simple
While most people think of soaking up some UV rays while hanging out by the pool, there’s another way UV can play a big part in keeping your water clean. With UV water-treatment technology, you can maintain your pool’s chemical balance without the harsh compounds that cause dry skin, irritated eyes and faded bathing suits. You run the pool water through a UV generator, which kills bacteria and destroys chloramines. While UV technology has been widely used in Europe for the past decade, it’s only recently caught on stateside.
Get with the Program
It might sound like something out of ”Mission Impossible” ( or maybe an episode of ” The Jetsons”), but thanks to the latest wireless touch-screen control panels, it’s entirely possible to control all of your pool, spa and backyard lighting functions with just a touch of the fingertips. If you have ” a smart house”, you can tie all of your pool operation into that. You can even control your functions from your cell phone or computer.
Bug Free Backyards
August 7, 2009 at 1:02 pm | In Safety, health benefits, mosquito misters | Leave a CommentTags: mosquito misters
If mosquitoes have you running for cover when the sun sets, consider the latest alternative for keeping bugs at bay. Mosquito misters are becoming extremely popular with pool owners. They are basically little sprinklers with tubing that is buried in the ground around the perimeter of your property or hidden in the soffits of your home. Emitting a mist of botanical-based, biodegradable insecticide; these virtually invisible systems are deemed highly effective in eliminating mosquitoes as well as other insects such as moths, beetles, flies, gnats and aphids. Even in Florida, such advancements in insect-repellent misters have made it possible for homeowners to forgo the traditional, expensive screened in pool enclosure.
They work really well, even around lakes; and the fluid they use is completely safe for consumers, their children and pets.
Lighting the way
August 8, 2009 at 1:38 pm | In landscape lighting, pool lighting | Leave a CommentTags: commercial pools/spa, landscape lighting
| LED shines as a frontrunner in pool lighting technologies. | ||
When AQUA reported on LED pool lights in November 2007, there was genuine excitement about the role they would play in the future of the industry. They were expected to gain momentum in the next decade, especially solid white LEDs.
Nearly two years later, the time has come for LEDs. While they are still the “new” player in the lighting category, they are a leader, giving customers a longer-lasting and more-energy-efficient — not to mention pocketbook-friendly — light. Color-changing LEDs have hit the market full force, but the introduction of an all-white LED appeals to those who want to light the pool in a classic way.
Whatever their lighting taste, customers have improved options to choose from, and builders and retailers have a top-notch product to offer them.
LED lighting is definitely playing a more diverse role in the way things are today, says Joe DiOrio, product manager for lighting, white goods and safety, Hayward Pool Products, Elizabeth, N.J. Especially due to its green appeal.
A Solid Investment
“One of the biggest reasons we would primarily use LED lighting is on green pools because [the lights] are so eco friendly,” says Jeff Boucher, vice president, Drakeley Pools, Bethlehem, Conn. “There’s nothing in the light itself that’s harmful. There’s no mercury, there are no gas-filled bulbs — nothing to harm the environment.”
But as with most things green, the upfront cost is more than with a traditional light. However, if customers are looking for a long-term investment with a positive rate of return, LEDs are the way to go. LEDs average a 90 percent savings in energy, a selling point that plays a vital role in the consumer crossover, especially in areas where energy rates remain high and appliance efficiency standards are tight.
“I think [some states] see it more than the rest of the country,” says Boucher. “I know California, Florida and Connecticut are states that have actually adopted appliance efficiency standards for pools and spas, specifically.
“There are a few other states — Michigan, Nevada, Texas, Washington and New Jersey — that have passed similar legislation specifically for the pool and spa industry on energy laws and energy efficiency.”
The difference in energy consumption between LEDs and incandescents is enormous.
According to Mike Hooper, product manager for the LED pool light division at J&J Electronics, Irvine, Calif., most LED manufacturers offer products that consume 35 to 50 watts of energy, as compared to the 300 to 500 watts for a typical incandescent bulb.
Hooper says that even if a customer runs an LED a few hours each night, every night, it will still only cost a few dollars a year.
“If you were to look at it on an annual basis, it will actually end up multiplying to a potentially significant amount of money,” says Hooper. “There’s no doubt that there’s a benefit in terms of energy consumption going to LED lights.”
Reduced energy consumption isn’t the only reason why LEDs are becoming a more popular choice. LEDs also have a longer lamp life than the average incandescent.
Hooper touts J&J’s products as having a lamp life that is 20-times longer than incandescents. “And you’re typically going to see that number from all the manufacturers out there. You would literally have to replace your incandescent light 20 times to equal the lamp life of just one of our LED lights,” he says.
Boucher agrees, noting that the typical LED light averages 60,000 to 80,000 hours. The extended lamp life also results in fewer service and maintenance visits for the customer, additional savings that may not be initially realized.
Freshening Up
Once a customer decides to go with LEDs, it’s time to figure how to incorporate them in a way that best suits their interest. New builds and renovations are both great opportunities for a homeowner to take advantage of an LED’s star power.
“The LEDs themselves are changing so much,” says DiOrio “We can be much more creative with them. The thermal characteristics are only getting better, allowing them to be brighter.
“On a new build, you have people putting in automatic controls, and then when you tie in the pool controllers you tie in the lights. It gives you a greater degree of flexibility in how your environment actually performs and looks.”
While including LEDs on a new build is a more obvious decision — everything is new, why not go with the best? — replacing the incandescent during a renovation is gaining momentum.
“When a homeowner is doing a renovation, they are generally looking to update the look of their pool and modernize it. Colored lighting — and LED lighting specifically — is a great way to help achieve that look,” says Hooper. “If a pool owner wants to do a renovation on their pool, they’re going to expect the finished product to look new, modern and really revitalize their interest in the whole backyard experience.”
For the customer looking to give the backyard a little pick-me-up, Hooper recommends a color-changing LED light.
“When you have a pool that you can light with any color you want — blue, green, purple, whatever — it will become the center of attention at nighttime pool parties,” says Hooper.
In fact, Hayward’s improved Colorlogic 4.0 features more than 101 adjustable fixed colors, so homeowners can create almost any color combination, according to DiOrio. With a nearly endless rainbow of colors to choose from, a “new” look for the pool can be achieved almost every day, especially for the homeowner seeking to add some flair to the backyard.
For those who like to keep things simple, an option that wasn’t available a few years ago has come to light, giving homeowners the choice of an all-white LED.
Bright White
“Lighting, in general, is very sensory for people,” says Hooper, “and people really respond to quality lighting. It really changes how you perceive the whole backyard experience.”
The all-white LEDs on the market produce a much whiter and brighter light, creating a look in the pool that is comparable to daylight, says Hooper.
While Hooper notes that the all-white LED was designed more for the commercial industry, he says a submarket has arisen where residential owners want the classic white instead of colors, mainly to showcase their specialty pool finishes.
“In the higher-end market, you are spending more time choosing color palettes on finishes and tile, whether the entire surface of the pool is glass tile or stone, or a custom-blended finish,” says Boucher. “You are choosing that color palette because that’s what works best with the environment around the pool. So to put a light in it to change the color of the pool to pink, purple or green wouldn’t be beneficial.”
The all-white light gives those types of clients a simple solution to their lighting needs while still gaining all of the advantages of LEDs.
“It’s going to optimize the way the pool is supposed to look,” adds Hooper.
From a lighting designer’s perspective, says Boucher, if they are designing a project and need a specific light, they know the type of product they are getting.
“You know what it’s going to be. It’s an instant on. Things don’t change after they warm up. It’s an instant on, and it’s a white light.”
Making Progress
Although the popularity of LEDs is growing, retailers and builders alike need to educate clients about their options. Most manufacturers are more than willing to supply retail stores with a display that showcases the staying power of an LED, a benefit for the hands-on customer who needs to see things for himself. But that’s not the only way to relay information.
“We do everything to promote LEDs,” says Cindy Clark, owner of The Pool Store in La Quinta, Calif. “Besides our display on the counter, we have a very large mailing list.”
Clark sent a direct-mail piece to her customer base recently and g0t a huge response.
“[Customers] called right away. They wanted know about it. They thought it was a very expensive product until they called, and they go, ‘Oh, this is great!’ And then of course we told them all the other good points about it.”
Between the low power consumption, long lamp life and the overall look of an LED, people are taking notice.
“The LED has more bells and whistles, and people like that,” says Boucher. “People like gadgets and they like to control things other than turning a switch on and off for lights. It’s nice having an option for something that up to this point, there was no option, it was either you have lights or you don’t have lights, and now they are able to provide something for all the different markets.”
Lights Out
U.S. DOE planning LED takeoverFew people are aware of the strong movement in the United States to lower its reliance on energy wasting inefficient light sources, says Mike Hooper, product manager for the LED pool light division at J&J Electrics, Irvine, Calif.
“The Department of Energy is very strongly favoring LED technology as kind of the wave of the future in terms of replacing what is currently being used out there with the new LED lights,” he says. “There is a strong indication that incandescent lighting, in general, will begin to be phased out here in the next few years.”
The DOE has created a long-term plan to “advance the development and market introduction of energy-efficient white-light sources for general illumination,” according to its Web site. Numerous research projects are currently underway supporting solid-state lighting research and development.
“There’s no doubt there is an LED revolution going on,” says Hooper. “What has happened with LEDs is basically that they have evolved to the point where they are commercially viable for just about any replacement lighting that’s out there, and because of this, they have gained most of the support from the community in that they use a lot less energy and last longer.”
Large manufactures like Phillips and GE have also made a huge push into the LED market, notes Hooper.
“LED lighting isn’t going to go away. It has been chosen as the product that is going to be pushed in the future that is going to lower our reliance on lighting technologies that are inefficient and wasting tons of energy every single day.”
For more information regarding DOE solid-state lighting programs, visit www.eere.energy.gov/buildings/ssl/index.html.
Tips for choosing a pool service technician
August 17, 2009 at 9:56 am | In pool maintenance, pool service technicians, storm preparedness, water chemistry | Leave a CommentTags: commercial pools/spa, Hurricane Preparedness, UV water treatment
Regular maintenance by a technician can help you avoid problems and extend the life of the pool.
1. Look for professional certification.
Certified professionals undergo frequent training to stay current on pool maintenance procedures. Learn about the various certifications that pool service techs may have by contacting trade organizations such as the Association of Pool and Spa Professionals (www.apsp.org), the Independent Pool and Spa Service Association (www.ipssa.com) or the National Swimming Pool foundation (www.nspf.com).
2 Check references.
Do not rely only on references that the prospective service company gives you. Talk with other pool owners in your neighborhood to gain information about reliable service providers. Call the Better Business Bureau also.
3 Trust your instincts
Meet with each company in person. After all, you will be placing one in charge of a significant asset and you want to feel confident about its professionalism.
4 Ask about fees and schedules.
If the service company is not forthcoming or resists putting agreements into writing, look elsewhere. Are chemicals included or extra? Storm prep or clean-up? Liability and Workmens comp insurance?
Clean Sweep
August 17, 2009 at 12:53 pm | In pool maintenance | Leave a CommentTags: pool maintenance
To make pool maintenance even easier, use an automatic pool cleaner to do the work for you. One of the most economical options is a suction-side cleaner, which attaches to the main circulation system and uses the pool pump’s power to suck up debris. Some varieties feature brushes to loosen algae and debris from the pool floor and walls. They often operate on the same schedule as the pool’ s filtration system.
Rather than taxing the pool’s main pump, pressure-side cleaners use an independent pump to collect litter. These cleaners are particularly adept at removing large debris.
Propelled by low-voltage motors, robotic cleaners draw water in as they move across pool floors and walls, filtering and storing debris in collection bags while their brushes scrub surfaces. These cleaners cost more, but save you time, water and energy, and don’t require additional plumbing.
Crystal Clear
August 19, 2009 at 9:19 am | In pool maintenance, storm preparedness, water chemistry, water purifiers | Leave a CommentTags: chlorine generator, Hurricane Preparedness, ionize, ozone, pool maintenance, UV water treatment
Face it, You want to spend your time in your pool, not working on it. Do not worry, It does not require an army of service technicians, wads of cash or large chunks of time to keep your pool in great shape. Regular maintenance and a few specialty products make it easy, efficient and cost-effective.
Don’t believe regular routine clean checks are important? Maintenance and repair specialists say that most of the problems they are called to fix could have been prevented if the homeowner had established a better pool upkeep schedule.
To help your pool stay sparkling and minimize expensive repairs, we offer a few maintenance tips that even the DIY- challenged person can master.
Testing the waters
Most pool owners do not think about the water until it is too late. By the time it looks cloudy, you could have a serious problem. Out-of-balance water can damage pool equipment and stain surfaces.
Water testing is simple. You should test your pool water at least once a week yourself, with easy to use test strips. You should also bring a sample to your local retailer for a free comprehensive, in-store analysis at least once a month. The results will tell you which chemicals to buy and the quantities that will make your water shine.
During warmer months, when your pool is in high demand, take in a water sample more regularly. Between visits to the in-store lab, conduct a home test every 2 to 3 days during heavy use or storms, and monthly during the off-season. In most cases, the necessary adjustments can be made using chemicals you already have on hand.
Many pool owners prefer to use test strips, while others opt for liquid test kits. Both are effective at providing an analysis of your water. Ask your dealer to advise you on which tests you need to conduct. Please be aware either type of testing needs to be replaced at least twice a year, as they do go bad and can give false results when “old”.
Brushing up
Brushes are one of the least utilized pool maintenance products, yet they are integral to keeping tile, plaster and fixtures clean.
Avoid entrapment
August 19, 2009 at 9:58 am | In Drain covers, Safety, Safety vacuum release systems | Leave a CommentTags: Pool Safety
Children are fascinated with the current created by a pool’s circulation system. They often stick their hands or feet over pool drains just for the thrill of feeling the powerful force of the suction. But occasionally drain covers break, or are removed by people who don’t know the possible repercussions.
When this happens, a swimmer playing with the drain can become stuck on the outlet, much the same way the hose of a vacuum cleaner sticks to your palm.
But unlike a vacuum cleaner, the force of a pool’s suction can be tremendous and will hold the swimmer in place until the vacuum is broken. Because these entrapment accidents occur underwater, time is of the essence.
As with general pool safety, experts recommend several ways to reduce the risk of entrapment. In this case, the devices include dual main drains, safety drain covers and safety vacuum release systems.
Dual Main Drains
Most building codes call for residential pools/spas to include hydraulically balanced dual main drains for each pump, set at least 3 feet apart in the deep end or on a wall. Even if an object covers one drain, a vacuum will not be created because the other one is there to offfset the pressure. Or ask your builder about “drainless” pools. In these pools, the water exits through the walls rather than the floor.
Drain Covers
Special drain covers are available to reduce the risk. These NSF/ANSI Standard-50 certified covers feature a beveled dome shape that prevents a seal from forming around the drain, eliminating the suction problems. Cetain covers now featue openings that reduce the risk of swimmers’ hair becoming entangled.
Safety Vacuum Release Systems
For extra security, SVRS’ can be installed on new and existing pools. These devices are engineered to sense sudden increases in vacuum, and automatically shut off the pump. When the vacuum is alleviated, the person is freed.
Taken from Safety First by N. F. Mendoza
Enjoy the experience
August 19, 2009 at 3:12 pm | In health benefits, spas/jacuzzis | Leave a CommentTags: commercial pools/spa, spas/jacuzzis
Enjoy The Experience
Today, it’s easier than ever to turn the hot tub you see on the showroom floor into the customized centerpiece of your backyard. From lighting options to sound systems, aromatherapy, and landscaping, it’s easy to create your own experience. And these days, you can control the electronics with the convenience of a remote control. Lighting If you plan to spend your nights in your hot tub, soft interior lighting serves a dual purpose—provding the perfect mood-setting atmosphere and lighting the way when getting in and out. Fiber optic lights give you an ambient, color-changing array of lights that provides a funky, upbeat look when entertaining guests. (Top) What will be the soundtrack for your hot tub experience? Heighten the experience with a surround sound system. Many models come equipped with built-in and pop-up speakers and the sound systems have the option of attaching a CD or DVD player. Some come equipped with special transducers that transform the hot tub into a giant stereo speaker, which sends sound waves through the bottom of the tub and into the water. (Top) Aromatherapy uses essential plant oils to affect mood and promote health. The essences are usually inhaled, but topical application also can be effective for healthy skin and numerous physical conditions. Many hot tubs offer aromatherapy options, allowing your favorite scents to infuse the warm water. Here are some aromatherapy examples: Lavender soothes with a sweet, floral scent. Use it for insomnia, headaches, burns or infection. Lemon refreshes with a fresh, clean, citrus aroma and can be used for detoxification, fatigue and oily skin. Eucalyptus energizes with a penetrating, woody scent. Use it for colds, flu, muscle ache and poor circulation. Ylang-ylang is an aphrodisiac, with a sweet, floral scent. Use it for depression, high blood pressure, oily skin or to create a romantic mood. Ginger energizes with a spicy, warm scent. Use it for flu, muscle aches, and nausea. (Top) Landscaping plays a big role in the overall look and feel of today’s hot tub and home spa retreats. When choosing an outdoor location, consider the surroundings. A deck or patio is ideal to set up your hot tub retreat. Professional landscaping can transform the area completely. In areas that can not be landscaped, beautify the area by including potted plants or planting boxes. You can even add water features like fountains and waterfalls. Try enclosing your spa with a gazebo for privacy and to enhance the feeling of an incredible getaway. (Top)
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S-W-I-M
August 19, 2009 at 3:19 pm | In Drain covers, Safety | Leave a CommentTags: Pool Safety
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S is for SUNSCREEN – Don’t go outside without it W is for WALK – Don’t run around pools I is for INSIDE – Go in if it starts to rain or thunder M is for MAKE sure a grownup is always with you at the pool
Have a designated pool watcher to keep an eye on swimmers at all times. Never swim alone, this meands adults too! Do not use glass containers around the pool. Go in at the first sign of thunderstorms. No running or rough play in or near the pool. No diving in shallow water and always steer your dive up. Never stand or play on a pool cover. Do not play with drains of any kind.
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A technical edgeto pool safety
August 19, 2009 at 4:16 pm | In Drain covers, Safety, Safety vacuum release systems, Virginia Graeme Baker act | Leave a CommentTags: commercial pools/spa, Pool Safety
Advances in technology have given pool and spa owners some new, more effective ways to ensure the safety of family and guests. This article showcases products that comply with the Virginia Graeme Baker Pool & Spa Safety Act.
When it comes to pool Safety multiple layers of protection are crucial. That is one of the reasons Virginia Graeme Baker Pool and Spa Safety Act (VGB Act) became law in December 2008. Under this law, all public pools and spas must have ASME/ANSI A112.19.8-2007 compliant drain covers installed and a second anti-entrapment system installed, when there is a single main drain other than an unblockable drain. This law is intended to keep swimmers safe and help avoid possible entrapment and accidental drowning.
Designed for residential and public pools, Hayward VGB-compliant Drain Covers or suction outlets meet ASME/ANSI A112.19.8 requirements and are available in 8″round, 9″ X 9″, 12″ X 12″ and 18″ X 18″ sizes.
Stratum™ by Hayward adds that additional layer of protection as called out in the VGB Act. In addition it is the only Vacuum Relief System that automatically shuts off the pump motor and vents the suction line to atmosphere, then automatically restarts when the drain is clear.
For more information on the Virginia Graeme Baker Pool and Spa Safety Act and other ways to make your pool safe visit.
Convenience products save endangered leisure time
August 19, 2009 at 4:21 pm | In pool maintenance, water chemistry, water purifiers, wireless pool controls | Leave a CommentTags: chlorine generator, ionize, ozone, pool maintenance, saltgenerator, UV water treatment, wireless pool controls
Are you spending too much time maintaining your pool and too little time enjoying it? If so, a recent Harris Poll shows most people are shorter on leisure time than ever before. Read about what’s happening to American leisure time and what Hayward’s doing about it… if you can spare a minute.
Harris Interactive surveyed 1,010 adults by telephone during October 2008. Among their findings were these:
- The median number of leisure hours available weekly dropped 20% in 2008, from 20 hours in 2007 to an all-time low of only 16 hours this year.
- The median amount of time spent working, including housekeeping and studying, is increased to 46 hours per week.
- The biggest changes in 2008 were in time use—TV watching (up 6 points), exercise (up 3 points) and spending time with family and kids (up 3 points).
- Interestingly, Americans increased their work week by just one hour, yet claim to have lost four hours of leisure time.
Hayward knows that maintaining a pool can be something of a part time job, so we offer significant ways to get you back in the water. Did you know that, depending upon which Hayward cleaner you choose, it can do the sides, bottom, stairs and the surface of the pool for you? Our robotic cleaners have on-board computers that actually determine the most efficient cleaning pattern. A robotic cleaner with a hand held remote control saves even more time and money by allowing you to direct the cleaner to where the dirt is, without waiting for it to go through its entire cycle.
Our salt chlorination technology and chemistry automation ensure more consistent water quality and no more mixing, measuring and messing around with chlorine. And Hayward automation controllers take the work out of owning a pool and spa with automation.
Source: The Harris Poll on Americans’ Leisure Time since 1973.
Safety First
August 20, 2009 at 12:21 pm | In Safety, safety covers, swimming pool alarms | Leave a CommentTags: Pool Safety, safety covers, swimming pool alarms
A backyard pool is a magnet for family and friends. Not suprisingly, you will find your loved ones on your doorstep with towels in hand, happy to share in the joy of your outdoor oasis on a regular basis. To ensure they will enjoy years of Poolside fun, make sure you address water safety from the start.
Knowledge and preparation are vital for years of pool-owning happiness. Therefore, it is up to you to become a safety advocate. As with many activities or sports, swimming pools hold some inherent risks, but those risks can be largely diminished.
First, make sure there is always adult supervision around the pool. When watching kids in or near the water, do not leave them alone, even for a “moment”. Also enroll your children in swim lessons, and suggest classes for the youngsters who regularly visit your home.
Finally, use the safety products available on the market to your advantage. The goal is to create ” layers” of protection by employing a combination of them. While accidents occasionally happen, you can still aim for worry-free fun in the sun by investing in a few common sense products.
Safety First
August 20, 2009 at 12:31 pm | In Safety, pool maintenance, safety covers, storm preparedness | Leave a CommentTags: Hurricane Preparedness, Pool Safety, safety covers
When you are not at home and do not want anyone in your pool, safety covers can repel unwelcome guests and pesky critters. Covers block access to the water, keeping out kids, debris and vermin.
They can also save you money. Because covers reduce evaporation and heat loss, having one on a pool means you will enjoy reduced chemical costs and lower energy bills. Maintenance time can be reduced, too. Covers protect the pool from wear and tear, limit the amount of debris that gets into the water and block the sun, which can prevent algae blooms from forming.
Remember, not all covers are safety covers. To adhere to ASTM safety guidelines, the covers must meet specific standards. They must have proper safety labels, support a set amount of weight ( typically 485 pounds), feature a means of removing surface water and have no gaps around the perimeter.
Safety covers are available in a myriad of styles, starting at approximately $1500. Choose from mesh or solid safety covers, which are attached to anchors drilled into the deck. Or splurge on an automatic safety cover that quickly glides on tracks with the touch of a button or key.
Main Drain Covers
August 21, 2009 at 2:45 pm | In Drain covers, Safety, Safety vacuum release systems, Virginia Graeme Baker act, safety covers | Leave a CommentTags: Pool Safety, safety covers
09.26.2008
Hayward Pool Products’ Drain Covers Compliant with Pool Safety Act
FOR MORE INFORMATION, CONTACT
Osborn & Barr Communications (314)746-1941
Elizabeth, N.J. – As the deadline for compliance with the Virginia Graeme Baker Pool and Spa Safety Act approaches, Hayward Pool Products announces its drain covers meet the very specific requirements of the ASME/ASTM A112.19.8-2007and are embossed with the ASME/ANSI logos – the definitive sign of Safety Act compliance.
According to Kevin Potucek, vice president of marketing for Hayward Pool Products, all public pools must replace the non-compliant drain covers or suction outlets in all swimming, wading and diving pools, as well as spas and hot tubs by December 19, 2008. The Consumer Product Safety Commission can impose criminal and civil penalties for those found non-compliant. Public pools as defined with the context of the act include those found in: apartment complexes, condominiums, public or private clubs, hotel resorts, and neighborhood schools.
Potucek added, “Safety is paramount for Hayward. We took the lead on developing compliant drain covers, and we are very pleased they pass the stringent testing for hair entanglement, body entrapment and improved Ultra Violet (UV) stability.”
Pool owners and operators should first identify the manufacturer, size and rated flow of the facility’s existing drain and drain covers. Refer to the manufacturer’s website for the proper replacement covers. Hayward has suction outlets and covers available in a range of shapes and sizes to meet the replacement requirements for all previously manufactured Hayward drains. For sump-type drains, it’s important to ensure the cover can be retrofitted or the entire unit will have to be replaced.
“Consider using a certified diver to replace the drain cover or suction fittings,” said Potucek. “Once installed, they should be checked regularly for loose screws or damage as part of your regular pool maintenance program. Typically, approved drain covers have a rated-life of seven years. Record the installation date in a conspicuous place for scheduled replacement. There is no compromise when it comes to pool safety.”
SharkVAC robotic pool cleaner
August 21, 2009 at 2:50 pm | In pool maintenance | Leave a CommentTags: automatic pool cleaners
12.17.2008
Hayward® Pool Products Introduces SharkVAC™ Robotic Pool Cleaner
FOR MORE INFORMATION, CONTACT
Osborn & Barr Communications 314-746-1941
Elizabeth, N.J. — Hayward® Pool Products, a division of Hayward Industries, Inc., today announces a new robotic pool cleaner for the 2009 pool season. Available now, the new SharkVAC™ leverages the proven technology of the company’s popular TigerShark® family of cleaners, while adding a top-access debris chamber and enhanced programming for increased functionality and convenience.
According to Marketing Manager Kim Narvaez, the launch of the SharkVAC ties directly to Hayward’s commitment of meeting customer needs and responding to industry trends by introducing products with enhancements that are new to the industry.
“We understand that both pool owners and professionals want quick, convenient and efficient pool cleaning. To further meet our customers’ needs, we’ve expanded on the successful design of the popular TigerShark, which uses a filter cartridge opposed to bags, and added a top-access debris chamber,” said Narvaez. “With the touch of a button, users can quickly remove the filter cartridge chamber from the top of the machine and rinse it out for quick and easy cleaning. In addition, service technicians will appreciate the cleaner’s enhanced component designs that facilitate quick and easy maintenance”
The SharkVAC’s sleek, low-profile design, coupled with its intelligent cleaning ability, sets it apart from all other robotic pool cleaners. Equipped with Hayward’s QuickClean® technology, the floor-specific SharkVAC will clean most residential pools in 60 minutes or less, while using 94 percent less energy than most pressure cleaners.
“We’ve taken the programming a step further as well,” said Narvaez. “The SharkVAC is programmed to systematically perform the necessary maneuvers to free itself from pool obstructions – such as a corner or main drain. Once it has freed itself from the trouble spot, it will automatically resume cleaning.”
Hayward Pool Products introduces the SunRay and the KingRay
August 21, 2009 at 2:55 pm | In automatic pool cleaners, pool maintenance | Leave a CommentTags: automatic pool cleaners, pool maintenance
02.02.2009
Hayward Pool Products Introduces New Disc Cleaners
FOR MORE INFORMATION, CONTACT
Osborn & Barr Communications 314-746-1941
Elizabeth, NJ — Hayward Pool Products announces the launch of the SunRay® and the King Ray™. Energy efficient and easily connected to the pool’s skimmer or dedicated suction port, these products powerfully and effectively clean the pool with minimal effort from consumer – simply using the pool’s filtration equipment to clean the pool’s surface, floor and walls.
For more than 25 years, Hayward has supplied the marketplace with the most intelligent cleaners available for residential use. According to Marchal DePasquale, director of marketing APC & ABG, the introduction of these two cleaners is a natural extension of the company’s extensive line up of pool cleaners which starts with the SunRay and King Ray and leads to the more advanced programmed cleaners such as the Navigator® and Pool Vac Ultra®.
“Hayward consistently looks for ways to provide pool owners with inexpensive, low maintenance and high quality products,” says DePasquale. “With the addition of the King Ray and SunRay, we are now able to offer customers an affordable “random-style” cleaner that competes with other cleaners of similar technology, yet has the energy efficiency and uncompromising quality of our other cleaners.”
With only one moving part, the cleaners’ diaphragm technology provides trouble-free operation. The King Ray and SunRay each have the ability to vacuum up dirt and debris regardless of a pool’s shape, size or surface without the need for additional electricity or pumps. This leads to a more energy-efficient cleaning.
Light up the Night
August 22, 2009 at 9:35 am | In pool lighting | Leave a Comment03.29.2009
Light Up The Night With Hayward® ColorLogic® 4.0
FOR MORE INFORMATION, CONTACT
Osborn & Barr Communications 314-746-1941
Elizabeth, N.J. — Hayward Pool Products, the industry leader in LED technology, offers pool owners the widest spectrum of color choices along with significant energy savings with the new ColorLogic® 4.0 available now. ColorLogic comes equipped with 12 pre-set programs and seven extraordinary color-changing shows, five fixed colors and full integration with Goldine Controls? Pro Logic? Total Pool Management control system.
“Pool and spa owners are making their swimming pool and spa the focal point of their backyard experience. ColorLogic 4.0 allows them to set the mood for an all out party or a romantic evening for two with amazing custom light shows, 100 colors and the unique ability to control the light intensity from 100 percent down to 20 percent,” said Joe DiOrio, product manager of lighting and white goods for Hayward Pool Products. “But, ColorLogic 4.0 is more than just pretty colors. It’s an extremely efficient lighting option and can save pool owners up to 79 percent of their energy costs when compared to traditional pool lighting.”
When integrated with Goldine Controls Pro Logic, ColorLogic 4.0 extends the number of light shows from 7 to 11, including new shows “Harmony” and “Rainbow.” The five fixed colors can be adjusted to 101 different color tones including off. Also new, is the ability to integrate the five fixed colors into a custom fade or custom chase pattern.
The market leader’s patented Chromacore® technology, microprocessor and the industry’s most advanced LEDs, allow for unmatched performance and noise-and service-free operation. It is available in 120V, and the product can be installed in new and existing pools and spas.
Most valuable products
August 22, 2009 at 9:40 am | In Drain covers, Safety, Safety vacuum release systems, automatic pool cleaners, pool maintenance | Leave a CommentTags: automatic pool cleaners, pool maintenance, Pool Safety
04.09.2009
Hayward Industries Captures Most Valuable Products 2009
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Osborn & Barr Communications 314-746-1941
ELIZABETH, NJ — Two Hayward Industries products were chosen “Most Valuable Product” for 2009 by the readers of Aquatics International, a leading publication for the pool and spa industry. Hayward Pool Products was honored for its Stratum™ VRS, safety vacuum release system. AquaVac, a Hayward Industries division, was honored for its Pro 21 Cleaner.
“Hayward Industries continues to introduce forward-thinking, revolutionary products across all Hayward brands,” says Kevin Potucek, vice president of product management Hayward Pool Products. “Both the Hayward Stratum VRS and AquaVac Pro 21 Cleaner are representative of our commitment to delivering in-demand, high quality pool products to the industry. In an environment of rapidly advancing technology, being chosen by the readers is an extreme honor.”
A number of Stratum’s features work together to provide multiple layers of protection against suction entrapment. A change in vacuum activates the vacuum release system in less than one second, vents the suction line to atmosphere and turns off the pump. . Stratum VRS also goes through a complete internal test during every startup prior to the monitoring phase to ensure all components are properly functioning. “Stratum auto resets and restarts in protection mode eliminating “nuisance trips” or calls to a service technician to restart the system because of a towel or pool toy,” states Potucek. The newest safety innovation from Hayward meets the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) A112.19.17 and American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) F2387 standards for residential and commercial swimming pool, spa, hot tub and wading pool suction systems
Pro 21 Cleaner is one of the most powerful and efficient manual vacuums designed for service and commercial applications. The battery-operated, self-contained cleaner comes equipped with a non-destructible 21 inch cleaning head, requires no priming, hoses, hook ups, extension cords or power from the pool system. It pumps up to 16,000 gallons of water per hour and comes complete with caddy cart for easy maneuverability from pool-to-pool and in and out of storage. “AquaVac Pro 21 has become a must-have for service professionals looking for power, efficiency and speed incorporated in one design,” says Potucek.
Alternative sanitizers
August 23, 2009 at 10:57 am | In pool maintenance, water chemistry, water purifiers | Leave a CommentTags: chlorine generator, ionize, ozone, UV water treatment
Alternative Sanitizers
Ozone Generators
Ozone gas is basically an active form of oxygen that reacts with bacteria, viruses, algae, and other impurities in the water. At its low concentration levels in the water it has no effect on your skin and eyes. Many municipal water purification plants use ozone to treat drinking water. When the ozone gas dissolved in water comes in contact with impurities it oxidizes them as chlorine chemicals do. It also causes particles, body oils, and suntan oils, etc. to clump so the filter can remove them more effectively. Most ozone purifiers for pools and spas use only about 0.5 amperes when they are running. This is about the same amount of electricity a 60 watt light bulb uses. Since the ozone generator unit only runs when the filter pump is operating the total amount of electricity used is not great.
The ozone kit is installed in the existing pool or spa filtration plumbing. There are several basic designs of ozone generators but they all inject the ozone gas into the pool water through a small tube. The concentration of ozone gas is strongest at the point of entry for effective purification. An ozone system is not actually “no-chemicals” because you will still need to keep a very low residual level of chlorine in the pool water. This is generally only about 20 percent as much chlorine as when no ozone is used. The two basic types of ozone generators are ultraviolet (UV) and corona discharge (CD). UV systems use a fluorescent light to create ozone as the sun does above the earth. CD units use an electrical arc inside a generator to create ozone as lightning does (the fresh smell after a storm). Ozone is the most powerful oxidizer that can be used in a pool or spa, but in most cases you will need to supplement with chlorine.
Mineral Sanitation
Copper-silver ionization is brought about by electrolysis. An electric current is created through copper-silver, causing positively charged copper and silver ions to form. Copper-silver ionization brings us back to basic chemistry: an ion; an electrically charged atom, has a positive charge when it gives up an electron and a negative charge when it takes up an electron. A positively charged ion in called a cation and a negatively charged ion is called an anion. During ionization, atoms turn into cation or anions. When copper-silver ionization is applied, positively charged copper (Cu+ and Cu2+) and silver (Ag+) ions are formed.
The electrodes are placed close together and the water that is disinfected flows past the electrodes. An electric current is created thus causing the outer atoms of the electrodes to lose an electron and become positively charged. The larger part of the ions flows away through the water, before reaching the opposite electrode. Generally the amount of silver ions at a copper ion rate of 0,15 to 0,40 ppm lies between 5 and 50 ppb. The ion concentration is determined by the water flow. The number of ions that is released increases when electric charges are higher. When copper ions (Cu+) dissolve in water they are oxidized immediately to form Cu2+ ions. Copper can be found in the water in free form. It is commonly known to bond to water particles. Copper (Cu+) ions are unstable in water unless a stabilizing ligand is present. Again, you will need to maintain a modest chlorine residual.
Biguanides
Another alternative is biguanides. Mostly called by the brand Baquacil, it uses a hydrogen peroxide based oxidizer. It is important that you do not mix biguanides with chlorine.
More on alternative Sanitizers
August 24, 2009 at 10:12 am | In pool maintenance, water chemistry, water purifiers | Leave a CommentTags: UV water treatment
Catalytic Sanitation One of the newest marketers into the alternative sanitizer field, Zodiac pools is producing what they call the Claritec System. The engineers at Fountainhead Technologies originally set out to develop a non-electric ionizer. This would be accomplished with a metallic cartridge which would erode itself from the passage of water flow over it, thereby giving off its ions to the water. After years of testing, they had discovered something much more. In operation, the aluminum and silver cartridge causes dissolved oxygen in the water to separate into individual nascent oxygen atoms. These individual oxygen atoms are one of the world’s most powerful sanitizers, destroying anything in its path as it tries to re-combine. So, we have an ionizer that also brings a catalytic reaction to oxygen molecules. Sort of like an ionizer and ozonator all in one. The manufacturer is not marketing the Claritec System as a stand alone sanitizer. They suggest that it greatly reduces reliance on and enhances the effectiveness of traditional methods and/or other alternative methods such as ozone or sodium tetraborate. Its performance is enhanced with the use of enzymes. Fountainhead recommends the periodic use of a non-chlorine shock, and a polyquat algaecide, used in their Non-Chlorine Recipe. The Claritec can also be used with a small amount of chlorine (.4 – .6 ppm) quite effectively. This is outlined in their Low-Chlorine Recipe.
August 24, 2009 at 10:16 am | In pool maintenance, water chemistry, water purifiers | Leave a Comment
Tags: pool maintenance, UV water treatment
Chitin (pronounced kite-in) came into being in the 1970’s when the EPA ordered fishing companies to stop dumping the shells of crabs and lobsters back into the ocean. Researchers discovered that the chitin contained in the shells had properties that could be applicable in a variety of industrial uses. Similar to cellulose, chitin is a naturally occurring polymer. It is also the only naturally occurring polyelectrolyte.
For pool & spa use, chitin is produced in a patented formula by the Vanson company, marketed under the name Sea-Klear. The properties of chitin enable it to attach itself to a variety of organic contaminants, minerals, metals, and oils. The result is clearer, cleaner water with less staining and scaling. Vanson also notes a beneficial effect on the filtering medium, whether sand, D.E., or cartridge. The efficiency of your filtering improves with regular use as chitin’s natural coagulants help the filter to trap more dirt and debris.
Sea-Klear is added as a liquid directly to the pool. It’s touted as an all in one replacement for clarifiers, filter aids, stain & scale magnets, and enzymes. The pool janitor has used Sea-Klear with great result, and can recommend it. Sea-Klear is compatible with all types of pool chemicals, and is a great addition to any sanitizing program
Chloramines
August 25, 2009 at 10:00 am | In health benefits, pool maintenance, water chemistry, water purifiers | Leave a CommentTags: ozone, pool maintenance
When any type of chlorine is added to water, it usually forms hypochlorous acid (HOCl – the most powerful killing form of chlorine in water) and hypochlorite ion (OCl-), a relatively weak form of chlorine in water. The percentage of HOCl and OCl- is determined by the pH of the water. As the pH goes up, less of the chlorine is in the killing form and more of the chlorine is in the weaker form. The total of HOCl and OCl- is the free available chlorine.
Chlorine can combine with ammonia and nitrogen compounds in the water to form chloramines, sometimes called combined chlorine. By combining with ammonia and nitrogen, free chlorine in the water is disabled. Chloramines are 60 to 80 times less effective than free chlorine. Chloramines are formed any time ammonia and nitrogen are in the water. Some of the ammonia and nitrogen compounds are introduced into the water by swimmers and bathers in the form of perspiration, urine, saliva, sputum and fecal matter. An active swimmer sweats one pint per hour, while the average person sweats three pints per hour in a heated spa. Ammonia and nitrogen compounds are also introduced into the water by rain. Each drop of rain has some dissolved nitrogen from our atmosphere and from automobile emissions.
Chloramines smell bad. This is the smell most often associated with pools and spas in health clubs and YMCAs. Chloramines are eye and skin irritants, and they cloud the water.
Chloramines can be removed from the water by the following three methods:
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By adding a mega-dose of chlorine. Usually 3 to 6 times more chlorine than a normal dose is added to the water, or the level of chlorine is raised to 5 to 10 ppm and held there for 4 hours. This is called super-chlorination. To remove chloramines, the ratio of chlorine to ammonia must be at least 7.6 to 1. If this ratio is not obtained, then more chloramines will be produced. Swimmers and bathers should not enter the water until the level of chlorine has dropped to 3 ppm or less.
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By adding a non-chlorine shock to the water. The most common chemical used for this is potassium peroxymonosulfate. This “shocking” requires the addition of one pound of shock for each 10,000 gallons of pool water.
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By adding ozone to the water. If an ozone generator is installed on a pool or spa, then oxidation of the ammonia and nitrogen compounds will take place whenever the ozone system is operating. The longer the system operates, the more the ozone can destroy the ammonia and nitrogen. Although most ozone systems operate only when the pool or spa pump is operating, there are 24 -hour systems available which will continuously oxidize ammonia and nitrogen as they enter the water.
Ozone oxidizes soap, deodorant, hair spray, cologne, makeup, perfume, body lotion, hand cream, sun tan lotion, saliva and urine. In addition, ozone kills all pathogenic bacteria, germs and viruses. Ozone frees up the combined chlorine, thus leaving the chlorine free to provide a residue. It ultimately enhances the performance of chlorine and bromine.
Less chlorine or bromine will be needed to maintain a residual. Commonly, ozone reduces chlorine or bromine use by 60 – 90 percent. The quality of water will be dramatically better with the combination of ozone and chlorine or the combination of ozone and bromine than with chlorine and bromine alone.
taken from poolcenter
Information on Chlorine
August 25, 2009 at 10:05 am | In pool maintenance, water chemistry, water purifiers | 2 CommentsTags: chlorine generator, pool maintenance
What is the History of Chlorine?
Chlorine was first discovered in the sixteenth century, and today is one of the most produced chemicals in the US, finding its way into a multitude of products. Chlorine is so deeply inter-twined into industry that finding alternatives would indeed change our daily lives.
How Chlorine is Made?
Chlorine is produced the electrolysis of salt water. When electricity is passed through 2NaCl (salt) and 2H20 (water), the atoms dissociate into Cl2 (chlorine) + 2NaOH (sodium Hydroxide) + H2 (Hydrogen). Cl2 is isolated in its gaseous form, and used to create other chlorine compounds used for sanitizing, bleaching and production of plastics and related products.
How Does Chlorine Work to Sanitize?
When chlorine is added to water, another dissociation occurs. When we add Cl2 (chlorine) + H2O (water), we get a reaction which leaves us with HOCl (hypochlorous acid) + HCl (hydrochloric acid). Hypochlorous acid is the active, killing form of chlorine. This is what does the real sanitizing work. The chlorine molecule or ion kills microorganisms by slashing through the cell walls and destroying the inner enzymes, structures and processes. When this occurs, the cell has been deactivated, or oxidized. The hypochlorous molecule continues this slash & burn until it combines with a nitrogen or ammonia compound, becoming a chloramine, or it is broken down into its component atoms, becoming de-activated itself.
Is Chlorine Dangerous and Unhealthy?
No doubt about it, chlorine certainly is a hazardous product, with some forms of it being more dangerous for the handler and the environment than other forms. Chlorine in a solution of water at levels found in swimming pools pose no danger for swimmers. Allergic reactions to chlorine are rare, however some individuals may experience skin irritation. Chloramines, sometimes found in poorly balanced water, are the cause of occasional red eyes when swimming. Extremely high levels of chlorine in the water could possibly release enough gas off of the surface in certain conditions to render breathing difficulties. The main hazard is towards the person in charge of adding the chlorine to the pool. Use caution and always read the directions. Always use care when opening a container of chlorine. Breathing in chlorine gas can knock you right out, and could be fatal. Always wear protective handling gear such as eye protection and rubber gloves. If chlorine touches your skin, you should wash it off to prevent irritation. If chlorine splashes in the eye, irrigate with water and contact a physician right away. The label on the chlorine container will also tell you never, never, never mix chlorine with any other chemical. You could produce something of a bomb or even napalm. This includes mixing two different types of chlorine, or chlorine and bromine. KABOOM! Dirt, debris or any foreign substance (like algaecides, alkalis, acids, etc.) can cause spontaneous combustion when mixed with chlorine. FIRE! See our page on Chemical Safety for more info.
As for the environment; pools have a small impact. Being closed systems, pools just don’t contact nature very much. There could be some hazard involved with waste water from the pool that has either extremely high chlorine levels or extremely low pH levels. It is unlikely that the amount of water expelled during backwashing your filter could pose much harm, but large amounts of D.E. Powder can choke a stream if pumped directly into it. Impacts have been seen on drain and clean jobs, when acid water is pumped into nearby streams. Pool water is very similar in make up to the city water right out of the tap. Many people water their lawns with higher chlorine and lower pH than is found in their pool. There are certain industrial uses of chlorine chemistry which are detrimental to the environment, but in a swimming pool environment, the potential hazards are much lower, even non-existent. There has been much publicity and controversy over chlorine in recent years, with some organizations calling for bans on its use. You decide if chlorine chemistry is right for you and your pool.
What different types of Chlorine are there?
In its elemental state chlorine exists as a gas. Gas is available for swimming pool sanitation. It is very cheap, and is the purest form of chlorine with no binders or carriers. The percentage of available chlorine is 100%. It is also extremely dangerous and restricted in its use. It is rare to find a pool using gas as its sanitizer, and those that do are usually very old, very large public pools that have (we hope) enacted strict safety procedures. Gas is very acidic, with a pH close to muriatic acid, so these pools using it add a lot of base to counteract this.
Liquid chlorine is another type which is created by bubbling the chlorine gas through a solution of caustic soda. The yellow liquid (stronger, but chemically identical to bleach) has 10 – 15% available chlorine, and has a pH on the other end of the scale at 13. Liquid Chlorine is called Sodium Hypochlorite (NaOCl), and because it is already in solution, sodium-hypo produces hypochlorous acid instantly when it contacts water. The liquid can be poured directly into the pool but it is recommended to use a diaphragm or peristaltic pump. The use of liquid chlorine is more dominant in larger commercial pools which have it delivered into 55 gallon vats. For most residential pools, the lower cost seems to be outweighed by its difficulty in use and the amount of acid required to counteract its pH of 13. Use care when handling as this chemical is corrosive to just about everything.
Tri-chlor is a tablet form of chlorine and is short for Trichloro-s-triazinetrione, a stabilized form of chlorine that has achieved a great amount of use in the last ten years. ”Stabilized” means that it has cyanuric acid pressed into the tablet. Cyanuric, also called stabilizer or conditioner, is like sunscreen for the chlorine molecule; an extender. Tri-chlor is created by combining the salts of cyanuric acid and chlorine gas into a tablet or stick and is 90% available chlorine. The pH is somewhat low at 3, so the pH in your pool may gravitate downward. This form is slow dissolving so it works well in floaters or in-line erosion feeders. Using tablets in the skimmer is not recommended because of the corrosive nature of the chemical contacting metal pipes and equipment. This becomes more of a problem when the filter pump is operated on a timer. Tablets have been known to strip out the copper inside of a heater. They are an effective, yet expensive, means of controlling algae. Tablets should also not be thrown directly into the pool, they can stain and etch plaster and bleach and deteriorate vinyl.
Another member of the chlorinated iso-cyanurate family is Di-chlor; Sodium Dichloro-s-triazinetrione. Di-chlor is made in roughly the same manner as tri-chlor; however, the product is much different. The pH is a very acceptable 7, and it is manufactured in the form of granules, so it dissolves rapidly and goes right to work on contaminants. Di-chlor has less chlorine, pound per pound, at only 62% available chlorine. Because it contains cyanuric acid, it lasts longer than other un-stabilized forms of granular chlorine. It can be used as a shock treatment oxidizer or for normal sanitation. Di-chlor’s main drawback is its cost per pound of available chlorine. It is perhaps the most expensive form of chlorine available.
There are two other types of granular chlorine on the market – the hypo-chlorites. Lithium Hypochlorite, like di-chlor, is a very expensive product. At only 35% available, it takes almost 3 lbs of lithium to equal one lb of tri-chlor. Its pH of 11 will require additions of an acid to adjust the pool water. Its main advantages are that it is calcium free and so it won’t contribute to hardness levels; it is also dust free and non-flammable. It dissolves extremely fast, before it hits the floor of the pool, so its use is safe in vinyl liner pools. Lithium can be used for either shock treating or for regular chlorination.
Calcium Hypochlorite is commonly available in is granular form, but can also be purchased in tablet form. Cal-hypo is a commonly used shock treatment throughout the country. Although not stabilized with cyanuric acid, it has a quick kill rate against algae and chloramines and has 65% available chlorine per pound. Some other granular forms of chlorine are more powder like and thus dissolve more rapidly than the larger granules of cal-hypo. It is a good idea to pre-dissolve cal-hypo into a bucket of water prior to adding it to a pool. Its popularity is due mainly to its availability and low price, despite a high pH value of nearly 12, and the calcium binders used which contribute to higher hardness levels. Cal-hypo is more dangerous and unstable than other forms in that it is very dusty and becomes contaminated easily by foreign substances which can cause combustion. Mix this product with water only and don’t breathe the dust. Keep the lid tightly secured and clean.
Chlorine ( Salt) Generators
August 26, 2009 at 11:44 am | In pool maintenance, water chemistry, water purifiers | Leave a CommentTags: chlorine generator, pool maintenance, saltgenerator
Chlorine Generators
One of the first alternative sanitizers introduced to the pool and spa industry was the chlorine generator. Chlorine generators are attractive to pool owners simply because they eliminate the need to store, buy, transport and handle chlorine. They are not an alternative to chlorine, but actually make chlorine by producing chlorine from regular table salt. The pool water passes through a generator cell that introduces chlorine into the pool water.
How Does It Work?
Pool water passes through the chlorine generator cell, the salt in the water is turned into Hypochlorous acid. Hypochlorous acid is the exact same component that is produced when any chlorine is added to pool water, whether it is sticks, tablets, granular or liquid. As the water returns to the pool, it will introduce the newly produced chlorine to the body of water preventing algae, bacteria and killing micro-organisms, creating a safe and sanitary swimming environment for you and your family.
OK? How does it really work?
This mild, pleasant saline water is sanitized through the process of electrolysis, as mentioned above. This electrolytic cell, through the use of a small electric current, breaks down the water into its basic elements, Hydrogen and Oxygen. By adding small quantities of granulated salt (much like household table salt – NaCI), Hypochlorous Acid (common chlorine) is produced. During the process, the Hypochlorous Acid (Chlorine) is ultimately converted back to salt. Thus, the salt does not get “used up”. Salt only needs to be “topped off” once or twice a year and only to replace salt lost due to water splash-out and/or filter backwash.
Salt in My Pool?
The salt level required to maintain a safe, chlorinated pool is about 2500 to 4000 PPM (parts per million). The human body cannot taste salt until the PPM is around 5000. The amount of salt in the pool is not noticeable. Once the salt is added to the pool, there is no need to add salt on a yearly basis unless the pool is drained or a significant amount of water is removed. Also, the salt level is low enough so there is no danger of equipment corrosion. Chlorine generator users also report the water is softer, leaving a more refreshed feeling after swimming.
Is There Any Maintenance Required?
Chlorine generators require very little maintenance. We at Poolcenter.com recommend the generator cell be removed and cleaned on a yearly basis, usually at start up. Remove the cell from the pool plumbing and run a plastic brush through the cell. For calcium deposits, a mild solution of muriatic acid and water will do the job. The power supply requires no maintenance.
Frequently Asked Questions
What Type of salt do I add?
Avoid Rock Salt as it contains too many impurities! Acceptable salts include Food grade salt, Water softener pellets, Solar salt flakes, Water conditioner salt, or Brine blocks.
Where do I add the salt?
What is most important when adding salt is to brush it around until it is dissolved. This is accelerated by turning your pump on, opening the bottom drain and adding the salt over the drain, rather than walking around the perimeter while adding the salt. It is recommended that you continue to run the pump for 24 hours so the salt can spread evenly throughout the pool. With Granular salt, 60 – 70% will have dissolved before hitting bottom. The remaining salt can simply be brushed into the drain which will then complete dissolution. With all other forms of salt, it will take longer to dissolve but the same process will accelerate the dissolve rate. Simply brush the salt in a pyramid over the drain to increase dissolution.
How much salt do I add?
Enough for 4000 ppm (parts per million) as a starting point. So depending on the initial salt level of your water, you only add the amount needed to establish 4000 ppm. For new pools or freshly filled pools, the salt level will most likely be zero. In this case, 50lbs of salt per 2,000 gallons of water will establish 4000 ppm. For existing pools, the previous usage of chlorine bleach or tablets will have already introduced a level of salt into the water. Have the water tested first then add the appropriate amount to establish 4000 ppm.
What happens if I add too much salt?
Over-salting will not harm your chlorine generating system, but will lead to a salty tasting water. For some, this is not undesirable as it will more closely match our bodies natural salinity level, making it more comfortable to swim in. If it is too excessive (over 6000 ppm), you can sustain corrosion damage to metallic equipment such as stainless steel handrails, ladders and filters, light rings, or copper heat exchangers. To reduce the salt level, dilution is the solution. Drain some water and refill with fresh water.
How often will I need to add salt?
After the initial dosage of salt, you will only need to add salt when necessary. The most common ways salt is lost is through leaks, rainwater overflow, filter backwashing, and bather splash-out/carryout. Normal water evaporation does not lose salt, it increases the concentration. The make up water added to bring the water level back to normal will then reduce the salt concentration back to 4000 ppm. Most chlorine generator units have low salt indicators, with the Digital going further to provide the proper salt amount needed to reestablish 4000 ppm.
Do I eliminate the need to add chemicals?
Chlorine generators do one thing, generate chlorine. However, the purity of this chlorine has less effect on the overall water chemistry balance; therefore, FEWER chemicals are needed re-balance the water. Poolcenter.com recommends periodic (weekly or bi-weekly) testing of stabilizer levels (60 – 80 ppm), Free Chlorine (2 – 4 ppm for pools and 3 – 6 ppm for spas), pH (7.2 – 7.6), and salt levels (2500 – 4000 ppm). Since salt generating chlorine systems do not affect the Total…. (continued…..)
Alkalinity or Calcium Hardness, a monthly check is sufficient. In some cases, you might still need to add chlorine for shocking purposes due to extremely heavy bather loads, rainstorms, or accidents, (fertilizer, excessive organic debris or human waste) but will not affect your chlorine generator.
Will I have to run my equipment more?
Your chlorine generator does not rely upon a higher salt level AND extended pump run times in order to generate enough chlorine, provided the cell is properly sized to the pool. Most units allows for multiple configuration set-ups so that you can generate sufficient amounts of chlorine during your current pump circulation time. For regions that have short circulation times, you can increase the output power of the generator to compensate.
How long will the cell last?
The residential cell is rated for approximately 10,000 hours of operation. This typically translates to 3 – 5 years, depending on pool volume, cell size and the sanitizer demands of your pool. Water chemistry balance, salt levels and stabilizer levels are key factors in ensuring maximum cell life. Proper water chemistry is the key here.
from poolcenter
Delzone Ozonators
August 26, 2009 at 11:47 am | In pool maintenance, water chemistry, water purifiers | Leave a CommentTags: ozone
What Is Ozone?
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Ozone is “active oxygen,” nature’s element. Each ozone molecule consists of 3 oxygen atoms.
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Ozone is a natural purifier.
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Ozone is created in nature by the combination of oxygen in air and the ultraviolet rays of the sun or by the corona discharge during a lightning storm.
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Ozone has a clean, fresh scent noticed after a rainstorm.
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Ozone is the most powerful oxidizer that can be safely used.
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Ozone is the alternative water purifier to traditional chemicals such as chlorine and bromine.
What Does Ozone Do?
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The Ozone layer in the atmosphere protects the earth from deadly radiation from the sun.
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Ozone destroys bacteria, viruses, mold, and mildew.
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Ozone eliminates spores, cysts, yeast, and fungus.
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Ozone oxidizes iron, sulfur, manganese and hydrogen sulfate.
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It eliminates oils and other contaminants in water.
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Eliminates odors in air, such as smoke.
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Keeps water clean, sparkling clear, and fresh.
Ozone Is Healthy….
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Ozone leaves no chemical by-products in water.
Ozone leaves no chemical taste or smell.
Ozone will not burn eyes or make them red or irritated.
Ozone will not irritate or dry out skin, nose, or ears.
Ozone will not leave a chemical film on material or skin.
Ozone will not discolor or damage hair or clothing.
Ozone adds no contaminants or by-products to water.
Ozone rids water and air of unhealthy microorganisms.
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Ozone is NOT a carcinogen.
Where Is Ozone Used?
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In Nice, France in 1906, the first water purification plant to use ozone was built.
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Los Angeles, California has the largest ozone drinking water treatment plant in the world.
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Most bottled water is purified by ozone.
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Ozone is used to clean waste water and toxic waste.
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Ozone purifies water in well and home drinking water systems.
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Ozone systems have brought life back to “dead” contaminated lakes and pools.
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Ozone is used to purify air in hotel rooms, boats, RVs, cars, and smoke/fire damaged structures.
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Ozone is used in thousands of residential and commercial pools and spas all over the world.
Who Is Del Industries?
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Del Industries is widely considered the leader in U.S. Ozone equipment manufacturing. They are noted for having paved the way for acceptance across broad categories. Del recently installed their equipment in the World’s Largest water treatment Ozonator plant. Del has been ranked first in product safety and performance with Underwriters Laboratory (UL), Edison Testing Labs (ETL) and the National Sanitation Foundation (NSF) certifications.
How Is Ozone Made?
Ozone Is Safe for the Environment as well as Equipment
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Ozone will not explode.
Ozone is not a fire hazard.
In the dose required for excellent purification, ozone does not produce harmful fumes.
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Ozone will not damage plumbing fittings, pipes, or equipment.
Ozone Is Convenient in Pools and Spas
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Ozone does not have to be purchased or stored. Ozone is generated on site and is introduced into the water or air automatically.
Ozone does not affect the pH balance of water, thus minimizing pH adjustments.
Ozone helps reduce total dissolved solids in water so that the water does not have to be changed as often.
Ozone eliminates much of the routine maintenance because it does such an effective job keeping the water clean.
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Ozone is just Really Cool Stuff!
Enzyme water treatment
August 27, 2009 at 9:03 am | In pool maintenance, water chemistry, water purifiers | Leave a CommentTags: pool maintenance
Enzyme Water Treatment
The use of enzymes in pool and spa water treatment has come into its own in recent years. Having been around for ages, enzymes exist in every living (and dead) organism on the planet. They are used to break down organic matter, in fact, they actually consume organic matter in the pool or spa.
What they are most effective at is destroying oils, fats, detergents, dirt, pollen, and all other sorts of organic material. They do this by breaking down particles into their base components. Enzymes are used to clean up oil spills, so it should be able to handle the small scum line on your tiles. It’s also effective in preventing foaming in pools and spas. The liquid is added directly to the pool, once a week or so, and that’s it.
Enzymes are not needed in every pool, but can be a great time saver and chemical saver in pools that see high use or large organic contamination.
Baqua – chemicals
August 27, 2009 at 9:07 am | In water chemistry | Leave a Comment-
Stop adding your baqua-chemicals! duh! Allow levels to drop down very close to 0. You may want to run filter longer, and add an algaecide (not baqua-cide) when levels begin to get low. This process may take several weeks.
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Clean the filter. Biguanides can clog up filters, and leave chemical residue which may react with chlorine. If you have a Sand Filter, it is recommended that you change the sand in the tank. If this is not done, you must at least use a sand filter cleaning product made by your biguanide manufacturer (Baquacil, Soft Swim, etc.) The same applies to Cartridge Filters. You should replace the cartridge, or at least clean it and then soak the cartridge in a similar cleaning product, and rinse thoroughly. If you have a D.E. filter, backwash it and open the filter tank; following printed instructions on tank. Remove filter, hose off thoroughly, then soak it in the cleaning product mentioned above. Hose again thoroughly and reassemble.
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Balance the pool water chemistry. Then shock the pool with non-chlorine shock, Also called potassium peroxymonosulfate. Add it at a rate of 8 lbs. per 10,000 gallons of pool water. So, if your pool is 22,000 gallons, you’ll need 17 or 18 lbs. Add 1/2 the shock, wait 24 – 48 hrs and then add the remaining. Add the shock according to directions on package, with the filter pump running. Pool may turn cloudy for a few days if biguanide levels are not zero. Re-check and balance water chemistry. Run filter 24 hours a day, 7 days a week until water clears, backwashing as necessary.
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Finally, we begin to add chlorine, very slowly. Place one tablet in skimmer basket, floater or chlorinator. If your pool doesn’t react to it (by turning funny colors) keep it in until it dissolves. Then add 2 tablets, and so on, until you are able to get chlorine readings of 1.0 ppm with your test kit. Maintain this level with tablets. Refrain from using chlorine shock products for one season, substituting non-chlorine shock, as needed.
From poolcenter.com
Water Workout
August 27, 2009 at 9:21 am | In exercise pools, health benefits, swim spas, water exercise | 1 CommentTags: arthritis, exercise pools, injuries, spas/jacuzzis, stress, surgeries, swim spas, water exercise
Water Workout
By Scott Webb
February 2009
| Companies offer many ways to get the blood flowing | ||
Exercise in a pool. It used to mean swimming laps, but for the homeowner with a 20- or even a 30-foot pool, lap swimming is mostly turns. And while that can get tiring (which is, after all the point of a workout) it’s not very satisfying.
Manufacturers now offer a variety of ways to achieve the effect of a swimming workout in a small volume of water. All of these different options have their appeal; some are more convenient, less expensive or more like the real thing.
They all use water to resist and support the body, but the sensation of swimming against a spa jet, for instance, is wholly different than swimming against a resistance current generated by a propeller or a paddle wheel.
And the packaging is different, too. Some vessels can be used for multiple purposes; others are more specialized. You can purpose-build an 8-by-16-foot pool with its own dedicated water flow mechanism, or just wheel a current generator up to the side of an existing pool, stroke against the stream, and wheel it back into the equipment room when you’re done.
The products vary greatly, and for that reason, in this product category, it’s more important than ever for the consumer (or the dealer contemplating adding an exercise pool or spa to a lineup) to experience the activity firsthand.
As David Biles, COO, Endless Pools, Aston, Pa., says, “The point is that there are a lot of different ways to exercise in a pool, and they really are different. All you have to do is try it, and then you’ll know what works for you.”
Keeping Current
The most popular waterborne exercise has always been swimming, and the products in this category attempt to replicate that activity in a limited space, either a large spa or a small pool.
Some companies offer a spa, with all its inherent social and therapeutic applications, that doubles as an exercise pool. Others hang their hats on a small pool that is not as versatile in its application as the swim spa, but as a specialist, offers an experience that more closely mirrors a swimming lane in a lap pool.
A key difference between the two is that most swim spas generate current using spa jets, while exercise pools use current generators, which provide a smoother, broader flow of water. The varying characteristics of these products must be matched to the taste of the consumer.
A number of hot tub manufacturers have entered the swim spa market by altering their traditional products to enable a swimming experience. This redesigned acrylic spa includes space for a prone swimmer to exercise, while still accommodating spa bathers — not necessarily at the same time.
These products typically generate the swimming resistance using the same spa jet technology that is quite familiar to consumers. With enough horsepower supplied from the spa pump and valving to direct flow, a strong counter-current can be generated for the swimmer.
This can be engineered with separate, dedicated pumps, single or multiple nozzles and at varying flow rates up to 1,000 gallons per minute or more.
It’s a wide-open field of manufacturers, however, with considerable crossover. Diamond Spas, of Broomfield, Colo., for instance, makes a high-end swim spa that incorporates the type of smooth current generator often used in exercise pools; it is controlled using the same variable frequency drive technology recently introduced to the pool pump industry.
“It is a propeller-driven water flow that is fully programmable and adjustable,” notes Caleb Salazar, spa sales. “The swim system is a match up of Diamond Spas and Current Systems [of Camarillo, Calif.].”
Endless Pools also uses a propeller to create a smooth counter-current, focusing on the experience of the swimmer to differentiate its product.
“The way you create the swimming current is very important,” says Biles. “Doing it with high-pressure water, such as a spa jet, can kind of hold you in place but it feels like you have fire hoses aimed at you.
“You need a moving column of water, and we create it through a proprietary propeller-based system that also has turning vanes that give you something that is wider than your body and deeper than your stroke. It’s a large amount of water moving past your body at a relatively low pressure.”
SwimEx is another company that emphasizes current generation, but its exercise pools employ a mechanism that, like a paddlewheel on a riverboat, draws water from the main swim area near the floor of the pool and then pushes it through a 6-foot-wide opening.
“The water moves in a big, circular motion,” says Suzanne Marchetti, vice president of sales for the Fall River, Mass., company. “It’s an actual paddlewheel that’s as wide as the pool, and the way that we designed the grating system, there’s no air that enters into the system, so you’re moving just water, and it’s a very smooth, even flow. And because you’re not introducing air into the system, there’s no turbulence.”
Marchetti emphasizes the width of the current as an important aspect of replicating the swimming experience. “It’s even across the width of the pool,” she says, “you don’t have to worry about staying within the narrow confines of a resistance area.”
Drop-In Swimming
As the product has evolved, portable current generators have come on the market that allow the user to convert an existing body of water to an exercise pool. These come with varying degrees of permanence.
Endless Pools makes the Fastlane, a propeller-driven current unit that attaches to the deck like a pool ladder and is held in place by a deck plate bolted to the pool deck. “It’s a retrofit product,” says Biles, “so if you have an in-ground pool, you can bolt it to your deck and drop it into your pool and swim.”
Even more portable is the BaduStream Over-the-Wall Treadmill from Speck Pumps, Jacksonville, Fla. It hangs over the edge of the pool and creates a 5,000-gallons-per-minute counter-current from a single jet nozzle, and is installed with relatively little cost and effort.
These machines use a hydraulic pump to generate the water flow, keeping the dangerous electric power source away from the water.
And finally, for the ultimate in current generator portability, Master Spas, Fort Wayne, Ind., makes the ExerSwim, which is battery-powered and can be charged up using a standard 15-amp, 110-volt outlet, wheeled up to the pool’s edge and placed in the water to generate a counter-current.
A Practical Product
These products have resulted from a merging of the fitness and pool markets. A swim spa or an exercise pool is simply a waterborne fitness center that fits in a limited space.
The resistive current is the key, and each manufacturer is delivering that resistive current in a different way, looking to find favor with consumers looking for the practical benefit of exercise.
There is still a great deal of innovation in this product category as manufacturers try to find the right combination of unit price, versatility and quality of exercise experience.
“Is the industry honing in on something?” Biles says, “I don’t know. Companies are all trying to position products as an exercise apparatus that can do more than that.”
Senior Workout
Although swimming remains the predominant aquatic exercise, exercise pools and swim spas cater to those wishing to workout in other ways. The market depends on the consumer.
“When someone’s a swimmer,” says David Biles, COO, Endless Pools, Aston, Pa., “they know what they want. But when you’re talking to someone who’s had a hip replacement or needs cold water movement, now you’re getting into more nuanced ideas.”
Indeed, the market for machines that give an aging population a gentle form of exercise is growing, and will continue to grow for the next 20 years.
The first of the baby boomers turned 60 in 2006. The U.S. Census Bureau estimates this group (those born between 1946 and 1964) to be 78.2 million strong. This expanding group of seniors includes a significant number of individuals who are looking for a form of exercise that supports the body, takes the weight off joints and yet still offers a means of raising the heart rate — this describes water workout equipment perfectly.
“It’s a versatile piece of equipment,” says Suzanne Marchetti, vice president of sales, SwimEx, Fall River, Mass., “in that you can walk, swim, run and do aerobic exercise. We have a lot of people who have a disability, or, for rehabilitation purposes, are looking to put these units in their homes as well. A 12-by-20-foot area is about all you need.”
—S.W.
Ionization
August 28, 2009 at 9:40 am | In pool maintenance, water chemistry, water purifiers | Leave a CommentTags: ionize, pool maintenance
An ion is an atom, or group of atoms that possess an electrical charge. Ions exist everywhere and your pool is full of ions. It was discovered long ago that copper ions behave as an algaestat, that is, they inhibit algae growth, while silver ions behave as a bactericide, that is, they kill bacteria.
An ionizer is a device that uses electricity to produce these metal ions right in the plumbing, so they are dispersed into the water to do their work. Copper and/or silver electrodes are energized with a low voltage, DC current supplied from the equipment sub panel. The voltage is applied to two metallic electrodes placed in close proximity to each other within the plumbing pipe. The electrical current causes atoms of the copper or silver electrode to lose an electron and become cations. These cations are drawn towards the opposite electrode, but are swept away by the rushing water passing by. After this introduction in the water, these ions float dissolved in water until they encounter a microorganism.
Ionization is not a stand alone sanitizer. It cannot oxidize organic matter effectively, so additional chlorine or non-chlorine shock treatment is necessary. There also is the potential for staining of interior surfaces. Copper can deposit itself on these surfaces, giving a blue-green color, {which isn’t too bad to look at, some pool people like the color}. Silver can react with sunlight, similar to the way photographs are produced, and create black stains on the plaster.
Ionizers can reduce reliance on traditional chemicals, or provide additional power to your sanitation program.
Magnetic water treatment
August 28, 2009 at 9:42 am | In water chemistry, water purifiers | Leave a CommentTags: pool maintenance
There is probably no other alternative water treatment method which has so much heated debate and controversy as magnetic treatment. A magnetic device is very simply a magnet that is clamped onto a pipe on the above ground plumbing. There is no power hookup, nothing added directly to the water, just the magnet.
Proponents of magnet technology claim that the magnetic field changes the polarity of the water molecule. This, they say, restructures hydrogen bonds, giving water a greater ability to attach to mineral ions in the water, those that would stain and scale pool surfaces. After passing through magnetic fields, the saturation levels of water is reduced, which prevents lime scale, experts say. Some manufacturers of magnet units make other claims that their product stabilizes pH, dissolves scum lines, inhibits algae growth and clarifies the water.
Others do not share this view, citing the lack of empirical data to support such claims. Of course, a pool under magnetic treatment still needs sanitation and filtration. There seems to be more support for the claim towards scale control and removal than the other claims listed above. Whether they work or not is not decided here, but it’s for sure that they can’t hurt.
Wiring up your pool
August 28, 2009 at 9:47 am | In pool maintenance, time clocks | Leave a CommentTags: time clocks
Equipment Pad Wiring:
Most modern pools will have a “sub-panel” at the equipment pad that houses the breakers for the electrical equipment; i.e., the filter pump, air blower, underwater light/ electrical outlet (GFCI), timer clocks, landscape lighting, electronic heater, automatic cover, control systems, etc.. This sub-panel is tied into the main panel inside the house, which provides its power.
Older, simpler pools may simply have a switch to turn the filter pump on, and perhaps a switch for the underwater light. Remember that water, weather, and electricity have never been friends. Loose wiring and cover plates, broken conduit and connections can be hazardous. Exposed wiring, for example, behind the flimsy, usually broken, protective plastic in a timer clock, can easily throw 220 volts onto wet (or dry) fingertips. Use caution and use common sense when operating your equipment. If something looks negligent, call for service immediately.
Timer Clocks
Having your filter pump operate on a timer clock makes good sense. Most pools have efficiency in sanitizing, filtering and circulation such that they don’t need to operate 24 hours a day. Pools are designed to “turnover” the water in the pool in eight hours time. We commonly set time clocks to operate 10 – 14 hours per day, depending on the efficiency of the system, the ambient air temperature, amount of sunlight and debris and the usage the pool receives.
I commonly advise pool owners to operate the filter system during the day, so that processes are active while the sun is beating down and the pool is most likely to be in use. This would be something like 9 a.m. – 9 p.m. You may realize lower electrical consumption if you didn’t operate between 12 p.m. – 6 p.m…. peak sunlight hours…. You decide.
Setting a time clock is simple. Inside the box you’ll see a 24 hour dial. There are two “timer dogs” on the dial. One turns the timer switch on, allowing power to go to the filter pump, and the other turns the switch off, stopping power from going past the timer to the filter pump. Loosening the small screw on the timer dog allows you to slide the dog to any time on the dial. Reposition and retighten.
More than one set of timer dogs allows you to run the pump in the morning, and then late in the afternoon, to avoid peak usage times.
Timer clock not switching On?
Is the breaker on? The clock and the switch will only operate with the breaker on. There may also be loose wiring connections. (Check this only with the breaker off). There may be a visual inspection window to look at the timer mechanism and see if the gears are turning. If they are not turning, the mechanism may need to be replaced. This means that the clock motor is fried. If they are turning, check that the dial is not bent, which would prevent the dogs from contacting the switch as they come around. Also check that ants or other small insects have not shorted out the contacts.
Can’t turn the timer clock off?
If the clock is close to shutting off, the dog may prevent you from manually turning it off by flipping the tab switch. Pull the dial out and turn the dog past the switch. Remember to reset the time in this manner later.
Timer installation:
If you haven’t got a timer on your filter pump, you probably should have. Timers vary in price with the voltage, speed and switch requirement. They range from $110 – $150. They may also be some connection fittings needed. Usually one hour labor.
Timer replacement:
If the mechanism in your timer box has given up the ghost, a replacement pops in for under $100. Labor is definitely under one hour.
From poolcenter.com
Natural chemistry
August 29, 2009 at 10:53 am | In pool maintenance, water chemistry, water purifiers | Leave a CommentTags: pool maintenance
Natural Chemistry’s line of enzyme products provide the modern pool with a natural method for combating organic matter in your pool water. These enzymes act as catalysts in specific chemical reactions; feeding on oils, fats, detergents, wastes and vegetative cellular matter (like dead algae cells). Enzymes are present in every living thing, and though they are not themselves “alive”, they consume organic matter as if they were.
Sun-tan oils, cosmetics, body oils & wastes and decaying micro-vegetation are just some of the organics that contaminate water in pools and spas. These combine with air-borne soot and fumes, and with the sanitizer used to keep the pool bacteria free, to create:
Water line build-up or a “bathtub ring”
Chloramine build-up and other chemical odors.
Short cycling of filters and reduced filter life.
Cloudy water due to organic saturation.
Natural Chemistry’s Pool Perfect and Pool First Aid are natural enzyme based formulas coupled with natural botanical extracts that gently, but powerfully, biodegrade organics in your pool water. Everywhere in nature, natural enzymes are busy breaking down complex organics to their original chemical building blocks. That’s how your body’s digestion works, that’s how oil spills are cleaned up, and that’s how composting works. It’s all natural! Oils and organics are recycled back into their original building blocks. By eliminating organics continually in your pool, several benefits occur:
Chemical Shocking is reduced (often by 50%) or more.
Filter media soaking or cleaning with harsh, toxic chemicals is reduced or eliminated.
Scum line on the tile is eliminated, and prevented from coming back.
Fat caused Foaming is also eliminated.
Pool water is noticeably cleared, cleaner, and softer.
Proven under the toughest conditions, Natural Chemistry’s enzymes are used on a grand scale:
Walt Disney World’s Typhoon Lagoon and Resorts.
Universal Studios – “JAWS”.
Wet N’ Wild Water Parks.
The Pool Janitor’s Pool, as well as 2,000 other resorts, water parks and cities.
Natural Chemistry’s Pool Perfect is sold in 1 Liter bottles at $19.95/ea and Pool First Aid is sold in 2 Liter bottles at $26.95/ea.
Dosage: Just pour in four (4) ounces per week, per 10,000 gallons.
Nature 2 FAQ
August 29, 2009 at 10:57 am | In pool maintenance, water chemistry, water purifiers | Leave a Comment
…..the #1 Chlorine Alternative according to an independent pool industry survey.
…..installed in over 180,000 pools in the U.S.
…..carried by more than 5,000 pool dealers nationwide, and growing.
…..endorsed by the 3 largest pool builders.
…..using breakthrough technology protected by 17 worldwide patents and 20 patents pending.
How does Nature2 work?
The purifier precisely directs water flow through a six-month, replaceable cartridge. Inside, a non-electrical reaction “activates” oxygen by breaking the molecule into its nascent atoms, atomic oxygen – one of Earth’s most powerful sanitizers, to kill bacteria, viruses and algae. As if that weren’t enough, the Purifier also releases trace amounts of natural, algaestatic and bactericidal minerals into the pool to help prevent bacteria and algae growth. This is known as Catalytic Sanitation.
After installation, will pool maintenance change?
The most noticeable difference will be the dramatic reduction in chemicals used to keep the water balanced and healthy. You will also enjoy more time for yourself with less chemical maintenance, application and adjustments. The largest benefit to you will surely be the visual clarity and sparkle of the water….guaranteed. The water quality improves to be silky soft, with no chlorine or chemical odor. Nature2 treated water exceeds EPA drinking water standards, so if you choose to drink, it will taste like a mountain stream.
Is Nature2 compatible with other products?
Nature2 is compatible with every type of chemical treatment program available except – Biguanide products (Baquacil® or Soft Swim® bromine, bromides and copper based algaecides.)
Is Nature2 a filter?
No. A filter is designed to remove large particles and debris, while Nature2 disinfects pool water by killing 99 .96% of bacteria, algae and viruses, which are too small to be caught by a filter. You need a filter and Nature2.
When do I replace the cartridge?
The Nature2 cartridge is designed to provide up to 6 months of continuous water purification, depending on the model. Each model comes with a reminder system which tells you when, how and where (Poolcenter.com!) to get a cartridge.
How do I dispose of used cartridges?
The minerals inside of the cartridge are natural, so it is completely safe for disposal with other household trash.
What affects cartridge life?
Hot weather, water balance, or water temperature do not affect the Nature2 cartridge. 24 hour a day operation will reduce its life to about four months.
Do I still need to use chlorine?
As with any program, you’ll need to use a small amount of residual oxidizer. With Nature2, you can reduce this by up to 90%. You can use undetectable amounts of chlorine (0.4 – 0.6 ppm), or follow our chlorine free program.
How often should a shock be used?
Because of the efficiency of Nature2, super-oxidation is needed much less often, with non-chlorine shock, if desired.
Are minerals safe in a pool?
The minerals in Nature2 are completely safe for your swimmers. In fact, they are lower than the EPA limit for drinking water. Water treated by Nature2 actually exceeds EPA drinking water standards with respect to bacteria, silver and copper, so your pool water may actually be cleaner than the water you drink.
Can Nature2 stain pool surfaces?
No. Minerals released by Nature2 to provide residual cleaning remain well below levels that might cause staining. In fact, Nature2 offers the pool industry’s ONLY “no-stain” warranty.
Is Nature2 an “Ionizer?”
No. Ionizers require electricity to discharge copper (or metal alloy) ions into pool water. Conversely, Nature2’s non-electrical ceramic & mineral cartridge converts oxygen to little nascent atomic sanitizers, in addition to releasing micro-doses of bactericide and algaestat to keep a pool sanitary.
Click here to visit the Nature2 website
Salty paradigm
August 29, 2009 at 11:09 am | In pool maintenance, spas/jacuzzis, water chemistry, water purifiers | Leave a CommentTags: saltgenerator, chlorine generator, spas/jacuzzis, pool maintenance
Salty Paradigm
By Scott Webb
July 2009
| Could the idea of saltwater sanitization catch on in spas? | ||
Salt chlorine generators have taken the pool industry by storm because they make pool care easier. Could salt bromine generators have the same impact on the spa industry?
Time will tell, but two spa equipment manufacturers, Gecko Alliance and Pioneer H2O Technologies, are hoping the salt-based trend catches on in the spa industry the same way it has in the pool industry.
Pioneer has had a salt bromine generator on the market for several years, and thus far, according to Randy Hannum, vice president of the Lakewood, Colo.-based company, growth had been good up until the downturn hit the spa market last year.
“It’s been our main product and biggest seller by far,” he says, “with our biggest growth coming in ‘06 and ‘07.”
When the market picks up again — as it inevitably will — Hannum believes that the same convenience factor that is driving salt pool generators will drive salt bromine technology as well.
That belief is shared by Gecko, which has just entered the salt bromine generator market with in.clear, a product that uses sodium bromide to produce free bromine in spa water using a chemical reaction similar to that used in a saltwater chlorine generator. The technology used in the in.clear system comes to Gecko via an agreement with Bromitron, an international bromine generation company based in Englewood, Fla., according to Benoit Laflamme, vice president of research and development and marketing.
“It’s essentially the technology that Bromitron Co. used to use in pool applications. We took that technology and migrated it to the spa. The big difference is that the salt content in the water is much less than a salt chlorine generator. It’s around 1,400 ppm, compared to a salt chlorine generator system, which is over 2,000 ppm.”
The lowered salt level is an important benefit, Laflamme adds, because not only does that mean less expenditure for spa salt, but it reduces the potential for corrosion, which is a concern in saltwater environments under certain conditions.
“The technology that makes that possible,” he says, “is in the construction of the cell. The surface area of the plates used for electrolysis is much larger, and the flow around them is better.”
Both companies are counting on the consumer’s lust for convenience to build sales revenues in the future.
“The main advantage of salt bromine systems is the ability of the homeowner to leave the spa for long periods of time without doing anything to it,” Laflamme says. “When you come back to it, you can jump right in, because the water has been maintained with a normal bromine level, around 2 ppm. That’s a compelling benefit.
“Once it’s set up you can leave it alone, as opposed to using bromine tabs where you need to add something at least once a week. You don’t have to do that with this product, and it makes it a very low-maintenance spa.”
Retailer Reluctance
There is a major difference in the way pools and spas are delivered to the customer that may play a large role in the acceptance of salt bromine systems.
A large percentage of saltwater pool systems have been sold by builders who are unconcerned with ongoing chemical sales, whereas spas are generally sold by a retailer that sells bromine tabs, and who may be less enthusiastic about a system that will obviate their use.
Thus far, Hannum says, retailer reluctance has been an issue in the United States, “but in Canada the product has been welcomed. We’ve saturated Canada pretty well, and we’ve begun to get into other countries in Europe where water is a more precious resource, and the less often they have to do drain and fills [a benefit of salt bromine systems], the more appealing the system is.
“It’s catching on, but here in the States, we’re not where we would like to be — and where we could be.”
Nature 2 Installation
August 30, 2009 at 11:15 am | In water chemistry, water purifiers | Leave a Comment
It’s As Easy As 1 – 2 – 3!
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Quick Installation of Nature2
Complete installation instructions are shown on the box, in the box, and on the unit. If you have a hacksaw and some PVC glue, you’re halfway there! Simply cut the return pipe (after the filter and before any chemical dispenser), and glue the pipe ends in & out of the unit. Adapters allow for 1.5″ and 2″ pipe size.
That’s it! No electrical hookup, bypass, special knowledge or permit needed! You’ll find the same simplicity of installation in the start up and care of your Nature2 Purifier models A, G & M. Models AG, APC, VPG, CF and EXPRESS require no plumbing to be installed.
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Simple Start Up of Nature2
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Balance Pool Water before installing cartridge.
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Unscrew the lid, and drop in the cartridge. Replace lid.
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Shock the pool with chlorine. Use 1 lb. of granular or 1 gallon of liquid per 10,000 gallons of pool water to burn off contaminants and activate the cartridge.
NOTE: Initial shock treatment with chlorine is required even with Chlorine – Free Recipe.
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Run the filter pump either 24 hours a day for 4 days, or 6 hours a day for 14 days, making sure to maintain a chlorine residual of 1 – 2 PPM.
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Let pool chlorine level dissipate to 0.4 – 0.6 PPM once start up period is complete.
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Easy Care of Nature2
Use one of these simple recipes:
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Low-Chlorine Recipe
Ingredients:
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Chlorine Granules, tablets, liquid or a saltwater chlorine generator
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pH and total Alkalinity adjusting chemicals
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Standard water balance test kit
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Cyanuric Acid, AKA…Water conditioner or Stabilizer
What to do and when to do it:
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Every day……….Run pump and filter at least 6 hours per day.
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Once a week……….Balance pH & Total Alkalinity
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Twice a week……….Check chlorine residual; add chlorine to maintain 0.4 – 0.6 PPM.
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As needed……….If water is hazy or after rainstorms, shocking the pool is recommended. You may use chlorine or non-chlorine shock treatments.
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Chlorine-Free Recipe
Ingredients:
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Non-chlorine Shock {Potassium Peroxymonosulfate}
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pH & Total Alkalinity adjusting chemicals
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Standard water balance test kit
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Sodium Tetraborate {optional}
What to do and when to do it:
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Every day……….run pump and filter at least 12 hours every day.
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Once a week……….balance pH and total alkalinity; add 1 lb of non-chlorine shock per 10,000 gallons.
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As needed……….If water is hazy or after rainstorms, add non-chlorine shock, Sodium Tetraborate and/ or algaecides may help to eliminate persistent algae.
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from poolcenter.com
Ozone water treatment
August 30, 2009 at 11:19 am | In pool maintenance, water chemistry, water purifiers | Leave a CommentTags: ozone
Ozone has been around since the beginning of time. Also called tri-atomic oxygen, ozone is a molecule consisting of three atoms of oxygen, formed when oxygen molecules are broken apart and rejoined again. The ozone layer in the stratosphere that seems to have an ever widening hole over Antarctica is a 6 mile thick layer of tri-atomic oxygen.
The ozone molecule is a very powerful oxidizer and sanitizer. It destroys anything it comes in contact with, faster and more effectively than anything else available. And when the sanitation is complete, or if ozone finds nothing to oxidize, it returns to molecular oxygen (2 oxygen atoms).
Ozone is produced in the stratosphere by two methods. UV radiation from the sun will break apart molecular oxygen into individual nascent oxygen atoms. These atoms quickly attach themselves to the first molecule they encounter. When they join with an oxygen molecule, tri-atomic oxygen (ozone) is born. Another way in which ozone is created is through lightning, corona discharge, occurring in the stratosphere. The electricity breaks apart the molecules and rejoins them in the same manner as UV radiation.
Ozone is produced for swimming pool water in these two methods. In the UV method, air is passed over a UV bulb, and the radiation creates nascent oxygen and then ozone. The molecules are then introduced into the water where they can do their stuff. In the corona discharge method, a small lightning storm is created in an air filled chamber.
Ozone is indeed a powerful sanitizer, but it is a gas. It is not marketed as a stand alone technology simply because of the production required to have ozone molecules visit every square inch of your pool before it is changed into something other than ozone. In other words, we still have problems with the short life span of ozone, and the distribution of it. Ozone is also not very effective on algae, so a bottled algaecide or Potassium Tetraborate is necessary.
However, ozone will continue to grab market share for pools. It gives water a better smell, taste and clarity than chlorine alone, and because it produces no byproducts, it doesn’t contribute to TDS. Ozone removes certain dissolved metals and rids the pool of soaps, scum, oils and chloramines. It also has synergy with halogens, meaning that when combined, they work even better on certain micro contaminants.
Keeping your water balanced
August 31, 2009 at 8:19 am | In pool maintenance, water chemistry | Leave a CommentTags: pool maintenance
Water balancing is not such a complicated exercise. It is simply the relationship between different chemical parameters. Your water is constantly changing, year round. Everything from weather to oils, to dirt, and cosmetics affect you water balance. You will probably not change the water in your pool for many years. Continuous filtration and disinfection removes contaminants which keep the water enjoyable but this is does not balance your water. A pool that is “balanced” has proper levels of pH, Total Alkalinity, and Calcium Hardness. It may also be defined as water that is neither corrosive or scaling. This concept is derived from the fact that water will dissolve and hold minerals until it becomes saturated and cannot hold any more water in solution.
When water is considerably less than saturated it is said to be in a corrosive or aggressive condition. When water is over saturated and can no longer hold the minerals in solution it is in a scaling condition. So then, balanced water is that which is neither over or under-saturated. The cliché that “water seeks its own level” certainly applies here. Water which is under-saturated will attempt to saturate itself by dissolving everything in contact with it in order to build up its content. Water which is over-saturated will attempt to throw off some of its content by precipitating minerals out of solution in the form of scale. How do we know when our water is over or under saturated? We use a good test kit (with fresh testing reagents) to measure the chemical parameters of pH, alkalinity, and calcium hardness.
pH
pH is a measure of how acidic or basic the water is. pH is a logarithmic scale from 0-14, with 7 being neutral. Below 7 and a substance is defined as being acidic, while levels above 7 are said to be basic or alkaline. Everything that enters your pool has a pH value. Ever heard of acid rain? This is rainfall with a very low pH. The human eye at a pH value of 7.35, is just slightly basic. This is, coincidentally, in range with proper pH levels for your pool. To have pH in balance we adjust the water with additions of pH increasers (bases) or pH de-creasers (acids) to achieve the range of 7.2 – 7.8. If your testing (recommended daily) of the water shows a pH value below 7.2 the water is in a corrosive (acidic) condition and you will need to add a base to bring the pH into a more basic range to prevent corrosion. Conversely, if the pH is above 7.8, we are in a scaling (basic) condition and must add an acid to bring down the pH to prevent the formation of scale.
Total Alkalinity
A close cousin of pH, the level of alkalinity in the water is a measurement of all carbonates, bicarbonates, hydroxides, and other alkaline substances found in the pool water. pH is alkaline dependent; that is, alkalinity is defined as the ability of the water to resist changes in pH. Also known as the buffering capacity of the water, alkalinity keeps the pH from “bouncing” all over the place. Low alkalinity is raised by the addition of a base (similar to pH); sodium bicarbonate is commonly used. High levels of alkalinity are lowered by the addition of an acid (similar to pH). Experts recommend “pooling” the acid in a small area of low current for a greater effect on alkalinity. That is, adding an acid will lower both pH and alkalinity. Walking the acid around the pool in a highly distributed manner is said to have a greater effect lowering the pH than the alkalinity. Pooling the acid has the opposite effect. A very important component of water balance, alkalinity should be maintained in the 80-120ppm range for “gunite” and concrete pools and 125-170ppm for painted, vinyl, and fiberglass pools. Levels should be tested weekly.
Calcium Hardness
When we speak of scale, we are talking about calcium carbonate which has come out of solution and deposited itself on surfaces. It is a combination of carbonate ions, a part of total alkalinity and calcium, and a part of the Calcium Hardness level. The test for Calcium Hardness is a measure of how “hard” or “soft” the water is testing. “Hard” water can have high levels of calcium and magnesium. If these levels are too high the water becomes saturated and will throw off excess particles out of solution which then seeks to deposit themselves on almost any surface inside the pool. This is calcium carbonate scale; a “white-ish,” crystallized rough spot. If the levels are too low, the water is under-saturated. If under-saturated, the water will become aggressive as it attempts to obtain the calcium it needs. Such “soft-water” will actually corrode surfaces inside the pool which contain calcium and other minerals to maintain its hardness demand. If your Calcium Hardness levels are too high you can use TSP to lower the levels or a product called Hydroquest 100. It can also be accomplished by dilution (adding water to the pool which has a lower calcium hardness content). Levels which are too low require the addition of calcium chloride. Recommended range for calcium hardness is 200-400ppm. Calcium Hardness levels should be tested weekly.
The Saturation Index
Also called the Langelier Index, this chemical equation or formula is used to diagnose the water balance in the pool. The formula is “SI = pH + TF + CF + AF – 12.1.” To calculate the Saturation Index, test the water for pH, temperature, calcium hardness, and total alkalinity. Refer to a chart for assigned values for your temperature, hardness, and alkalinity readings then add these to your pH value. Subtract 12.1, which is the constant value assigned to Total Dissolved Solids and a resultant number will be produced. A result between -0.3 and +0.5 is said to indicate balanced water. Results outside of these parameters require adjustment to one or more chemical components to achieve balance. This formula is not guaranteed; however, some readings for pH, calcium, and alkalinity which, if taken individually would be considered to be well beyond recommendations, can combine within the formula to produce “balanced water.” The SI can be used to pinpoint potential water balance problems.
Water Testing FAQ
August 31, 2009 at 8:21 am | In pool maintenance, water chemistry | Leave a CommentTags: pool maintenance
What chemical levels do I need to test for regularly?
The four main tests to perform with a test kit are pH, chlorine (or other sanitizer residual), Total Alkalinity and Calcium Hardness. Cyanuric Acid levels, mineral content, Total Dissolved Solids and Acid or Base Demand tests may also be performed as needed.
How often do I need to test the water?
I should say everyday, but I realize that’s a bit much for most people. Commercial pools are required to check chlorine levels every hour and record their findings in a log, however the “backyard lifeguards” should check their pH and chlorine levels at least 2-3 times a week. Chlorine should be fed continuously through a feeder device to maintain a consistent level. Total Alkalinity and Calcium Hardness levels tend to fluctuate less, so weekly testing should be O.K.
What are the recommended levels?
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pH: 7.2 – 7.8
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Chlorine: 1.0 – 2.0 ppm
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Total Alkalinity: 80 – 120 ppm
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Calcium Hardness: 180 – 220 ppm, though some say 200 – 400.
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Cyanuric Acid: 25 – 50 ppm
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Total Dissolved Solids: 500 – 5000 ppm
How long do my reagents last?
Typically one season. Reagents lose their strength over time and can also be ruined by direct sunlight and temperature extremes. Replace your reagents annually.
Can I use reagents from other test kits with my test kit?
No; drop size, concentration and color variation will provide inaccurate results.
Can I use a chlorine test kit for bromine?
If you have a DPD test kit, you need simply multiply the test result by 2.25 to obtain the bromine equivalency. This works because bromine is over twice as dense as chlorine.
My test kit shows no Chlorine, even though I know it’s there…
If chlorine levels are excessively high, the content can bleach out DPD, a reagent commonly used for chlorine testing. Either dilute the sample with chlorine free water, or double the # of drops of DPD, and multiply or divide accordingly.
There has been evidence that excessively high levels of stabilizer, or cyanuric acid, can cause a phenomenon called chlorine lock. Levels above 100ppm of cyanuric acid (CYA) may prevent chlorine from registering and possibly sanitizing. Lower CYA levels by dilution.
If you smell chlorine in the water, you are very possibly aware of combined chlorine, known as chloramines. These will not register in a test for free chlorine. A good DPD test kit will allow you to test for total chlorine levels and free chlorine levels; the difference being the combined levels. If trace amounts of combined chlorine is above .3 ppm, you may need to shock the pool to break the bond of chloramines; this shock level is around 30 ppm.
When I test for pH, I get a purple color…
If your reagents are in good condition, a purple color in a pH test is an indication of chlorine levels being too high and interfering with the test. Add a drop of thiosulfate reagent to remove the chlorine from a new sample, and test again.
What type of test kit do I need?
There are many different types of test kits commercially available. If you are concerned about water balance, (and you should be) you will want to spend more for a nice kit. The basic “duo” test kits, available for about five bucks, are usually OTO chlorine and pH testers only. You may wish to spend more for a DPD chlorine kit, which measures free, combined and total chlorine levels (OTO measures only free levels). Also important is the ability to test total alkalinity and calcium hardness. Acid demand and base demand tests will allow you to perform a titration test on your pH sample. Simply count the # of drops to determine, with the help of a chart, exactly how much acid or base is needed to adjust the pH. A “four-way” test kit will test pH, chlorine, alkalinity and acid demand. Test strips are available now with “Litmus test” technology. These are “dip & read” strips of paper that turn colors indicating levels of pH, alkalinity and chlorine in the pool. Fairly simple to use, however, it seems that they may not be quite as accurate. Your pool professional can check the water for metal presence, cyanuric acid levels and TDS (total dissolved solids). If you have a biguanide water treatment system or a chlorine generator, you’ll obtain special test kits from these dealers.
Automatic pool cleaners
September 1, 2009 at 1:01 pm | In automatic pool cleaners | Leave a CommentTags: automatic pool cleaners
Automatic Cleaners
The automatic pool cleaner is a device that leapt right into the hearts of pool owners and service technicians alike. In a genesis similar to that of human air flight, engineers and inventors have produced gadgets of fancy in the hopes of finding one that will fly. Several have achieved wide-spread use and acceptance by consumers and the service industry. These are described below and are broken into three categories; suction side cleaners, pressure side cleaners and robots.
Suction Side Cleaners: All Pool Types
These are cleaners that attach to the suction side of your plumbing. The suction side refers to the pipes and fittings that bring water out of the pool to be filtered; that water which is being “sucked” out of the pool by the filter pump. These cleaners include the Hayward PoolVac Ultra, Navigator, Aquabug, Kreepy Krauly E-Z Vac, Kreepy Krauly, Baracuda Ranger, Zippy, Pacer, G3, Polaris 150, and ATV. Please visit our Swimming pool cleaners page for a complete list of suction side cleaners.
These cleaners attach to one of the suction ports at the pool. Usually, this port is the skimmer, or your pool may have a separate vacuum port where the cleaner’s hose can attach. With the hose attached and the filter pump running, suction is created on the underside of the cleaner. The cleaner moves randomly, or automatically around the pool with motion created by a device that gives a stop/start pulsing of water. As the unit travels, debris is sucked up through the neck and then the hose, past the suction port, through the pipe, and stops at the filter pump strainer basket, while smaller debris passes through to the filter. Adjustments on the hose, the unit itself, and flow volume will create different cleaning patterns, so as to maximize pool coverage.
Cleaner moving slow?
Start by checking the pump basket for debris and making sure the filter is clean and water is flowing properly. Then I would check out the throat of the cleaner for any obstructions. Obstructions can also be found where the hose attaches to the suction line. Check hose for splits, obstructions or holes. If your pool has lots of leaves (trees), you’ll want to have an in-line leaf trap to use with your suction cleaner.
Cleaner not cleaning the entire pool?
This can be caused by any number of reasons. The hoses could be too short. Another real common cause is the cleaner could be following the flow pattern of the water in the pool, in other words, strong flow from wall return jets will push the cleaner into a pattern. To fix this; adjust the return port wall fittings, or add wall fittings to the return ports. It helps to point the fittings down or at a downward angle. If you pool doesn’t have wall fittings at the return ports there are alternative wall fittings made by the manufactures to divert the flow.
Always rotate the wearable parts on the cleaners and replace those wearable parts when needed. These parts will prevent the need to replace more expensive components.
Personally, I don’t care much for the suction side cleaners. If you have only one skimmer, most skimming action is lost while your cleaner is hooked up. Secondly, unless the cleaner has an in-line strainer basket somewhere on its hose, the filter pump basket can get clogged up rather quickly. That, or if the strainer basket becomes full, reduces filtration and puts more front pressure on the system by restricting the flow into the filter. My opinion is that having a suction side cleaner would be much better than having none at all, but less than what is possible. On the bright side, suction side cleaners are available for half the cost of pressure side cleaners.
Kreepy Krauly Troubleshooting Guide
Pressure Side Cleaners: Inground Pools
These cleaners are those that attach to the pressure side (return) of your circulation system. The water that is being pumped or “pushed” back to the pool powers these units which have their own hydraulic power plant inside. Being on the pressure side, these units have distinct advantages. They are helpful in distributing clean, filtered water around the pool and having their own debris bag means that they don’t compromise the filter system. Even with the bag full, a pressure cleaner still operates, stirring debris up. It just won’t suck up any more debris until the bag is emptied.
These cleaners attach to one of the existing return ports and are powered by the pool pump (Polaris 360, Letro Legend II, Jandy Ray-Vac, etc.), or to a dedicated cleaner line and an additional Booster Pump (Polaris 180, 280, 380 and Letro Legend). For a complete list of swimming pool pressure cleaners, please visit our cleaners page. The water that flows into the unit splits into three directions; the sweeper tail, the thrust jet and the venturi.
The sweeper tail is a little stirrer-upper as I call it, which helps to get fine debris off the walls and floor and into the suspension where it can then head towards the filter. The thrust jet is a series of ports and gears which motor the unit around the pool in a random pattern. The venturi is the port where leaves are sucked up into a bag (that you empty when full) as the unit rolls over debris. An in-line back-up valve reverses the flow every few minutes to change its pattern and removes it from possible obstacles. And this is how it works.
The Polaris 180, 280, and 380 and the Letro Legend require a booster pump to power the unit. These cleaners need about 30 PSI to operate effectively, and most filter systems just don’t run that high of pressure. The return pipe is cut after the filter and feed water is directed to the booster pump which then pumps water through a dedicated line midway down the pool wall. This line can be run under the deck and through the pool wall, or over the deck for a cheaper installation. Without the booster pump, these units would crawl along slowly, picking up very little debris.
Polaris 360 model operates at only 15 – 17 PSI, and thus is not intended for use with a booster pump. Letro followed suit and introduced the LEGEND II. These two cleaners I call “low pressure side cleaners.” This has given these manufacturers a whole new market share by reducing the cost of installing one of their cleaners. The 360 & Letro operate in a very similar fashion to the booster pump cleaners and connects to one of the existing return ports. A test is made at that return port to determine if the circulation system can deliver the proper amount of pressure to operate the unit.
The 360 will not work well for pools with floor returns or “slit” returns of crushed….. (continued……..)
Automatic Cleaners (cont.)
copper pipe, or pools with small, slow circulation systems. The 360 and Legend II can be as effective in cleaning the pool as the booster pump driven models. The big advantage to the booster pump models is that they are usually run with a time clock, and can thusly turn itself on and off fully AUTOMATICALLY!
Robot Cleaners: All Pool Types
These are self contained electric cleaners which are put into the pool when there is a need for cleaning. Common brand names include Aquabot, Dolphin, and AquaVac. Please visit our swimming pool cleaners page for a complete list of robot cleaners. A transformer is plugged into a wall outlet and a long (around {cord length varies by cleaners} 50 ft ) cord from the unit plugs into the transformer receiving low voltage power to operate the cleaner. This power operates two motors; a pump motor which draws debris into the unit’s filter, and a drive motor which moves the unit around the pool.
The advantages to owning a robot cleaner include their self contained filter, which is easily cleaned. They also do quite well with their coverage. Some units are computer chip controlled, and some even have remote controls so you can steer the unit from a lounge chair! Being that they are the only cleaners not attached in any way to the pool’s circulation system, they produce no resistance or back pressure on the filtering. Their cost can be more than suction or pressure side cleaners.
Poolcenter.com is the Wash D.C. area service center for the Aquabot cleaner. Below are some common troubleshooting tips from our help file:
Unit does not move?
Is the indicator light glowing on the transformer? If not, be sure that transformer is turned on and that the 3 volt fuse is not blown (the indicator light can be glowing even though the fuse is blown). Check the electrical outlet with another electrical appliance to be sure that power is available. If the power is available, and the fuse is good, try wiggling the power cord plug from the unit to the transformer. Older units may begin to short out at the plug; a new plastic female plug is available.
Inspect the unit itself while it’s partially underwater. Is the pump motor receiving power? Is there water gushing out of the top of the unit? This would indicate that power is reaching the unit.
Is the pulley on the drive belt side turning? If the pulley is not moving, this could indicate a shorted motor, or a corroded drive T, which would also require motor replacement.
Are the drive belts tight and in good repair? Drive belts become stretched and weaken over time. If your belts are “skipping” and are not locked into the grooves of either the drive pulley or the wheel tubes, they may need to be replaced. Check that the wheel tubes are in proper position with bushings in place on either end. If the tubes are not straight, the drive belts will not be tight.
Do not pull the unit towards the side of the pool, or lift the unit out of the pool by the power cord. Try to reach into the pool and lift the unit only by the handle.
Unit does not pump?
If the unit moves, but does not pick up any debris, lift the unit up near the surface of the water. Does water gush out of the top? If not, the pump motor may be shorted. Unplug the unit and pull it out of the water. Remove the vent cap on top of the unit and check that the impeller does not have string wound around the base. Turn the impeller by hand to check spin. Plug in unit and check spin. If there is no spin, the pump is probably shorted.
Another indication that the pump motor is not working properly is if the unit won’t climb the walls very far before falling off. The pump motor provides the suction it needs for climbing.
September 1, 2009 at 1:05 pm | In Safety, automatic pool covers, pool maintenance | Leave a Comment
Tags: automatic pool covers, pool maintenance
The automatic pool cover has come a long way in recent years. From hand crank models to fully electronic, key-operated systems, today’s automatic covers are more reliable, durable, and safer than ever before.
A reinforced vinyl fabric runs between a track on either side of the pool’s length. An aluminum roller on one end houses the cover and the tension rope when the cover is open. One end of the roller is attached to an electric motor, which is wired to a two direction switch (open or closed). Automatic covers look and perform somewhat better when installed on a rectangle pool at the time of construction. They can, however, be retrofitted to almost any shape pool. No longer do we have to run track down both sides of the pool. The less expensive models pull out by hand and are locked down around the edge with tiny plastic anchors. Rolling the cover up is accomplished by hand crank, or is motorized.
Automatic cover manufacturers boast of water, chemical, electrical and heat savings. Even the Department of Energy has a home page devoted to the economic benefits of pool covers. Auto covers have also been attributed to drowning prevention (although the solid cover must have rain water pumped off to be considered safe). The auto cover will keep your pool free from leaves and wind blown debris, however, you’ll have to clean off the cover before opening it. This is usually easier than cleaning the pool. Below are some troubleshooting tips from our help file.
Dirty cover?
We recommend cleaning the cover by panel segments. Standing at the reel end, use a blower or a garden hose and a pool brush on a telescopic pole to push debris towards the opposite end. Roll the cover up one panel at a time, cleaning in this manner. When you get to the last panel, pump off the water and scoop out the leaves.
If the cover is inundated with leaves and/or water, use a leaf rake on the telescopic pole, scooping out as many leaves as possible before rolling the cover back. Similarly, use a cover pump to remove most of the water before rolling back the cover. It may be good medicine to treat the cover annually with a vinyl conditioner, like Armor All.
Broken shear pin?
If you attempt to roll back the cover with too much leaf or water weight on top, or if the cover is hanging up at some spot from maladjustment, you may hear a loud pop, which is likely the shear pin breaking. Most models have shear pins built in to prevent more costly damage to the motor and ropes. Your manufacturer should provide you with replacement shear pins and instructions on knocking out the old one and putting in a new pin. If you cannot find the location of the tension that is breaking the pin, call for service.
No power to cover motor?
If you turn the switch or key and get no response, check the breaker and make sure it is on. Check that GFCI outlets on the same circuit have not tripped. Check the motor to see if there is a reset button on the end. Make sure they key is making contact inside the key box. You can check the back of the motor to see if any power is reaching the motor. If this does you no good, or becomes a reoccurring problem, call for service.
Motor turns, but cover doesn’t move?
This situation could mean that the shear pin has broken. It could mean that the motor is out of alignment and the cams are not engaging each other. It could also mean that your rope or spring has broken. Most cover owners become familiar with replacing shear pins, which are meant to break when stress on the cover reaches high enough levels. Other wise, call for service.
Cover not rolling back straight?
If one side of your cover is coming back before the other side, you will need to have adjustments made. Some manufacturers make this a simple wing nut turning affair, while others are a much more complicated exercise of setting cams. Look inside the box for instructions, you may be able to fix it in a few seconds. If not, call for service.
Owners of covers that are retrofitted (that is, added after the pool is built) with tracks that run on top of the deck may have problems with the vinyl sticking to the concrete when the cover is closed. Placing a leaf blower or a shop vacuum (exhaust side) under the leading edge (opposite end of the roller) will inflate the cover somewhat, breaking the moist seal of concrete to vinyl. The cover can then be opened with less risk of broken shear pins.
Do not roll open the cover too far back. If the sliders (plastic piece where the rope begins) come out of the end of the track near the cover box, it’s sometimes a real pain in the you-know-what to push the slider back into the track.
Moisture in and around the motor is responsible for many problems with the cover. Hydraulic systems, although more expensive, have far fewer problems because there is no electric motor in an underground box. Ensure that the cover box is dry and that it drains properly. Likewise, it is important that cover boxes be cleaned annually to keep leaves and debris from clogging up the drains.
Automatic cover repair:
Standard technical service for diagnosis and repair labor is about $80/ hour. Rate is prorated after first hour. Parts additional.
Automatic cover installation:
The price for installing an automatic cover over the deck depends on it’s size and location, and the level of automatic-ness you desire. Advances in design now allow for retrofitting these covers on almost any size and shape pool. Installation prices range from $3,000 – $8,000.
Lo Pressure cleaners
September 2, 2009 at 1:43 pm | In Hayward, Polaris, Stay-Rite, automatic pool cleaners | Leave a CommentTags: automatic pool cleaners, Hayward, Polaris
Lo Pressure pool cleaners such as the Polaris 360 or the Letro Legend II operate at a lower pressure (17 – 19 psi) than does the Polaris 180 or Polaris 380, which require pressure above 30 lbs to work effectively. This is why the 180/ 380 require an additional booster pump to send higher pressure water to the unit. And of course, the booster 
pump requires hard-wired electric on it’s own circuit breaker, with its own timer clock as well as plumbing and trenching from the booster pump to the unit. The last four feet of this run can go under the pool deck and through the wall for best results, or the installer can use an over the deck mounting kit.
The Booster pump driven cleaners do have 3 main advantages over the 360. One, since it has its own booster pump, the speed and efficiency of the cleaner is not dependent on the filter/pump system. That is, if your filter, pump or skimmers are clogged, the 360 will slow down from lack of flow. Secondly, the 380 usually is installed with its own time clock, so that it turns itself on & off. This can save wear & tear on the unit, and has a convenience advantage, making it truly automatic. Third, the booster pump models are usually a bit faster because of the “boost” and also do not put any back pressure on the system.
Lo Pressure cleaners do not require a booster pump, or plumbing or electricity. The installation requires only to plug it into one of your existing returns on the wall, making adjustments to reduce the flow from other returns to achieve 17 – 19 psi of water flow to the unit. NOTE: A filter pump of at least 1 hp is needed to achieve proper pressure. Small duty pumps such as the MaxFlo, the Maxim, the PowerFlo or other above-ground or small inground pool pumps do not have enough power. A pressure tester is included. It is advised that you properly pressure test the unit before putting the cleaner into the pool.
The Polaris 360 comes with detailed instructions on how to connect it into your particular wall fitting. A G-9 wall adapter is needed if you are connecting it to a 3/4″ threaded wall fitting. The Polaris 360 has 25 feet of feed hose included. If your wall returns are on one end of the pool, you may need additional hose sections for complete pool coverage. The Polaris 360 or Letro Legend II are suitable for vinyl-lined pools and for gunite pools of any shape. A great replacement for the Jandy RayVac pool cleaner.
The water that is being pumped or “pushed” back to the pool powers these units which have their own hydraulic power plant inside. Being on the pressure side, these units have distinct advantages. They are helpful in distributing clean, filtered water around the pool and having their own debris bag means that they don’t compromise the filter system. Even with the bag full, a pressure cleaner still operates, stirring debris up, it just won’t suck up any more debris until the bag is emptied.
These cleaners attach to one of the existing return ports, or to a dedicated cleaner line. If you currently have a dedicated ’suction’ pool cleaner line, it can be converted to a ‘pressure’ pool cleaner line.
The water that flows into the unit splits into three directions; the sweeper tail, the thrust jet and the venturi. The sweeper tail is a little stirrer-upper as I call it, which helps to get fine debris off the walls and floor and into the suspension where it can then head towards the filter. The thrust jet is a series of ports and gears which motor the unit around the pool in a random pattern. The venturi is the port where leaves are sucked up into a bag (that you empty when full) as the unit rolls over debris. An internal back-up valve reverses the flow every few minutes to change its pattern and remove it from possible obstacles. And this is how it works!
Lo Pressure pool cleaners work best on a dedicated line, and with a pump and filter that can maintain decent pressure – otherwise, these cleaners can run very s-l-o-w. However, they can be a great, cost effective alternative to the more expensive, energy consuming booster pump driven pool cleaners.
Chemical Feeders
September 2, 2009 at 1:47 pm | In chemical feeders, pool maintenance, water chemistry, water purifiers | Leave a CommentTags: chemical feeders
Chemical Feeders
Chlorinators and chlorine feeders make sanitizing your pool a breeze. Just fill the chlorine feeder with chlorine, and choose your setting. The idea of not having to add chlorine to the pool for a couple of weeks is very appealing to many people. The type of chemical feeder you use depends on the type and size of pool you have. Below is a summary of the major types of chlorinators available for the residential market.
Erosion Chemical Feeders
One of the most common types of chlorine feeders is the erosion feeder. Solid, compressed chlorine or bromine, (In the stick or tablet form) are placed in the feeder . Water flows over the chlorine and dissolves it for a slow release. Chlorine or bromine is then infused into the water. These feeders can be adjusted to regulate the amount of sanitizer induced into the water. There are two common types of erosion chemical feeders. Floating chemical feeders are filled with bromine or chlorine tablets and placed in the pool or spa. They float on the surface allowing the water to come in contact with the chlorine, therefore dissolving the tablets slowly to continuously add a small amount of chlorine or bromine into the water. The floating feeder can usually be adjusted by turning the adjustment collar on the bottom of the floater. The floating chlorinator is perfect for above ground pools and spas.
Another type of erosion feeder is installed at the filter system. It looks like a canister that (unlike a floating chlorinator), requires a certain amount of pressure supplied by the circulation system to dissolve the chlorine or bromine tablets or sticks. The flow and amount of chlorine introduced into the water is regulated by a flow control dial. This type of feeder can plumbed directly in line on a horizontal pipe at the filter system, or installed off line. The off line models are supplied by a hose that feeds untreated water from the pump discharge, into the chlorinator.
The water is then “pushed” over the chlorine or bromine tablets, dissolving them slowly. The newly chlorinated water is then “pushed” out of the chlorinator, through another hose, and is injected into the return line. The freshly sanitized water is then returned to the pool through the return line. It is very important that granulated chlorine is NEVER added to an erosion feeder. This could cause injury or even death!!
Liquid Chlorine Feeders
Probably, the most commonly used type of chlorine in the world is liquid chlorine (Sodium Hypochlorite). This chlorine is used on commercial pools that require a large amount of chlorine to maintain a safe sanitation level. Liquid chlorinators are usually mounted over a vat filled with liquid chlorine, and have their own small electrical pump which pumps liquid chlorine from the vat into the pool’s plumbing by way of an injector. With an output control dial and a time clock incorporated into these chlorinators, it is easy to regulate the amount of chlorine injected into the water and the final chlorine reading on the test kit. These types of chlorinators are rarely used in the residential market.
Pressure side pool cleaners
September 3, 2009 at 12:01 pm | In automatic pool cleaners | Leave a CommentTags: automatic pool cleaners
Pressure Cleaners: In-Ground Pools
These cleaners are those that attach to the pressure side (return) of your circulation system. The water that is being pumped or “pushed” back to the pool powers these units which have their own hydraulic power plant inside. Being on the pressure side, these units have distinct advantages. They are helpful in distributing clean filtered water around the pool and having their own debris bag means that they don’t compromise the filter system. Even with the bag full, a pressure cleaner still operates, stirring debris up; it just won’t suck up any more debris until the bag is emptied.
These cleaners attach to one of the existing return ports and are powered by the pool pump (Polaris 360, Letro Legend II, Jandy Ray-Vac, etc.), or to a dedicated cleaner line and an additional Booster Pump (Polaris 180, 280, 380 and Letro Legend). For a complete list of swimming pool pressure cleaners, please visit our cleaners page. The water that flows into the unit splits into three directions; the sweeper tail, the thrust jet and the venturi.
The sweeper tail is a little “stirrer-upper” as I call it, which helps to get fine debris off the walls and floor and into the suspension where it can then head towards the filter. The thrust jet is a series of ports and gears which motor the unit around the pool in a random pattern. The venturi is the port where leaves are sucked up into a bag (that you empty when full) as the unit rolls over debris. An in-line back-up valve reverses the flow every few minutes to change its pattern and remove it from possible obstacles.
The Polaris 180, 280, 380, and the Letro Legend require a booster pump to power the unit. These cleaners need about 30 PSI to operate effectively. Most filter systems don’t run that high of pressure to run these cleaners effectively. The return pipe is cut after the filter and feed water is directed to the booster pump which then pumps water through a dedicated line midway down the pool wall. This line can be run under the deck and through the pool wall, or over the deck for a cheaper installation. Without the booster pump, these units would crawl along slowly, picking up very little debris.Polaris 360 model operates at only 15 – 17 PSI, and thus is not intended for use with a booster pump. Letro followed suit and introduced the LEGEND II. These two cleaners I call “low pressure side cleaners.” This has given these manufacturers a whole new “market share” by reducing the cost of installing one of their cleaners. The 360 & Letro operate in a very similar fashion to the booster pump cleaners and connects to one of the existing return ports. A test is made at that return port to determine if the circulation system can deliver the proper amount of pressure to operate the unit.
The 360 will not work well for pools with floor returns or “slit” returns of crushed copper pipe, or pools with small, slow circulation systems. The 360 and Legend II can be as effective in cleaning the pool as the booster pump driven models. The big advantage to the booster pump models is that they are usually run with a time-clock, and can thus turn themselves on and off automatically.
Chlorine (salt) generators
September 3, 2009 at 12:06 pm | In chlorine generators, pool maintenance, salt generators, water chemistry, water purifiers | Leave a CommentTags: chlorine generator, pool maintenance, saltgenerator
Chlorine Generators
One of the first alternative sanitizers introduced to the pool and spa industry was the chlorine generator. Chlorine generators are attractive to pool owners simply because they eliminate the need to store, buy, transport and handle chlorine. They are not an alternative to chlorine, but actually make chlorine by producing chlorine from regular table salt. The pool water passes through a generator cell that introduces chlorine into the pool water.
How Does It Work?
Pool water passes through the chlorine generator cell, the salt in the water is turned into Hypochlorous acid. Hypochlorous acid is the exact same component that is produced when any chlorine is added to pool water, whether it is sticks, tablets, granular or liquid. As the water returns to the pool, it will introduce the newly produced chlorine to the body of water preventing algae, bacteria and killing micro-organisms, creating a safe and sanitary swimming environment for you and your family.
OK? How does it really work?
This mild, pleasant saline water is sanitized through the process of electrolysis, as mentioned above. This electrolytic cell, through the use of a small electric current, breaks down the water into its basic elements, Hydrogen and Oxygen. By adding small quantities of granulated salt (much like household table salt – NaCI), Hypochlorous Acid (common chlorine) is produced. During the process, the Hypochlorous Acid (Chlorine) is ultimately converted back to salt. Thus, the salt does not get “used up”. Salt only needs to be “topped off” once or twice a year and only to replace salt lost due to water splash-out and/or filter backwash.
Salt in My Pool?
The salt level required to maintain a safe, chlorinated pool is about 2500 to 4000 PPM (parts per million). The human body cannot taste salt until the PPM is around 5000. The amount of salt in the pool is not noticeable. Once the salt is added to the pool, there is no need to add salt on a yearly basis unless the pool is drained or a significant amount of water is removed. Also, the salt level is low enough so there is no danger of equipment corrosion. Chlorine generator users also report the water is softer, leaving a more refreshed feeling after swimming.
Is There Any Maintenance Required?
Chlorine generators require very little maintenance. We at Poolcenter.com recommend the generator cell be removed and cleaned on a yearly basis, usually at start up. Remove the cell from the pool plumbing and run a plastic brush through the cell. For calcium deposits, a mild solution of muriatic acid and water will do the job. The power supply requires no maintenance.
Frequently Asked Questions
What Type of salt do I add?
Avoid Rock Salt as it contains too many impurities! Acceptable salts include Food grade salt, Water softener pellets, Solar salt flakes, Water conditioner salt, or Brine blocks.
Where do I add the salt?
What is most important when adding salt is to brush it around until it is dissolved. This is accelerated by turning your pump on, opening the bottom drain and adding the salt over the drain, rather than walking around the perimeter while adding the salt. It is recommended that you continue to run the pump for 24 hours so the salt can spread evenly throughout the pool. With Granular salt, 60 – 70% will have dissolved before hitting bottom. The remaining salt can simply be brushed into the drain which will then complete dissolution. With all other forms of salt, it will take longer to dissolve but the same process will accelerate the dissolve rate. Simply brush the salt in a pyramid over the drain to increase dissolution.
How much salt do I add?
Enough for 4000 ppm (parts per million) as a starting point. So depending on the initial salt level of your water, you only add the amount needed to establish 4000 ppm. For new pools or freshly filled pools, the salt level will most likely be zero. In this case, 50lbs of salt per 2,000 gallons of water will establish 4000 ppm. For existing pools, the previous usage of chlorine bleach or tablets will have already introduced a level of salt into the water. Have the water tested first then add the appropriate amount to establish 4000 ppm.
What happens if I add too much salt?
Over-salting will not harm your chlorine generating system, but will lead to a salty tasting water. For some, this is not undesirable as it will more closely match our bodies natural salinity level, making it more comfortable to swim in. If it is too excessive (over 6000 ppm), you can sustain corrosion damage to metallic equipment such as stainless steel handrails, ladders and filters, light rings, or copper heat exchangers. To reduce the salt level, dilution is the solution. Drain some water and refill with fresh water.
How often will I need to add salt?
After the initial dosage of salt, you will only need to add salt when necessary. The most common ways salt is lost is through leaks, rainwater overflow, filter backwashing, and bather splash-out/carryout. Normal water evaporation does not lose salt, it increases the concentration. The make up water added to bring the water level back to normal will then reduce the salt concentration back to 4000 ppm. Most chlorine generator units have low salt indicators, with the Digital going further to provide the proper salt amount needed to reestablish 4000 ppm.
Do I eliminate the need to add chemicals?
Chlorine generators do one thing, generate chlorine. However, the purity of this chlorine has less effect on the overall water chemistry balance; therefore, FEWER chemicals are needed re-balance the water. Poolcenter.com recommends periodic (weekly or bi-weekly) testing of stabilizer levels (60 – 80 ppm), Free Chlorine (2 – 4 ppm for pools and 3 – 6 ppm for spas), pH (7.2 – 7.6), and salt levels (2500 – 4000 ppm). Since salt generating chlorine systems do not affect the Total…. (continued…..)
Alkalinity or Calcium Hardness, a monthly check is sufficient. In some cases, you might still need to add chlorine for shocking purposes due to extremely heavy bather loads, rainstorms, or accidents, (fertilizer, excessive organic debris or human waste) but will not affect your chlorine generator.
Will I have to run my equipment more?
Your chlorine generator does not rely upon a higher salt level AND extended pump run times in order to generate enough chlorine, provided the cell is properly sized to the pool. Most units allows for multiple configuration set-ups so that you can generate sufficient amounts of chlorine during your current pump circulation time. For regions that have short circulation times, you can increase the output power of the generator to compensate.
How long will the cell last?
The residential cell is rated for approximately 10,000 hours of operation. This typically translates to 3 – 5 years, depending on pool volume, cell size and the sanitizer demands of your pool. Water chemistry balance, salt levels and stabilizer levels are key factors in ensuring maximum cell life. Proper water chemistry is the key here.
Saltwater Chlorine Generator Equipment
Saltwater Chlorine Generator Parts
Automation can save you money
September 4, 2009 at 9:18 am | In Hayward, pool maintenance, time clocks | Leave a CommentTags: pool maintenance, time clocks
Automating pool and spa functions can save you up to 75% on your pool’s energy costs, while lowering chemical use and maintenance time.
Ever turn your pool equipment on and forget about it? Running it 24 hours-a-day, while your meter was cranking away? Or have you forgotten to turn it on at all, then suddenly discovered your pool turned green?
Controlling your pool with a time clock can do the trick, but upgrading to automation gives you customizable control that suits your lifestyle.
Automating pool and spa functions can also save you big time! It reduces energy and chemical costs and the time it takes to manage your pool. You can custom design your control and schedule to match your lifestyle. Take filtration, for example – you can run your equipment on a set schedule all week, increasing it during busy weekends when activity is at its highest.
Control your cleaning, filtration, sanitization, temperature, lighting and more!
Interested? Ask for these products at your dealer:
Save money
September 4, 2009 at 9:24 am | In Uncategorized | Leave a CommentTags: pool maintenance
Retrofitting your pool with a Hayward TriStar® Energy Solutions™ variable or 2-speed pump can mean huge savings.
Did you know that your pool pump is often the second or third largest energy consumer after your home’s air conditioner? Replacing it with a multi-speed, energy efficient pump can save up to 75% on your pool operating costs, when combining it with Hayward® controls. And that can put as much as $1,200 back in your pocket every year. Go to our online energy calculator to see how much you can save. You may also be eligible for an energy efficiency rebate from your local electrical utility, for even more savings!
With a TriStar® Energy Solution™ (ES) variable-speed pump, up to 8 programmable speeds assure it uses the minimum amount of energy required for every action. Each action’s time, speed and duration can be set to minimize energy consumption. You can even set it to take advantage of off-peak hours, further reducing your costs.
When connected to one of Hayward’s controls, TriStar ES gives you advanced remote operation features. For example, people love the adjustability our variable speed pump provides for their spa jets. Adjusting the speed helps owners and their guests apply just the right amount of pressure against aching muscles and joints.
Interested? Ask for these products at your dealer:
- TriStar Energy Solution variable speed pump
- E-Command® 4 entry-level controller
- Pro Logic® customizable Total Pool Management® controls
Robotic cleaners
September 5, 2009 at 11:13 am | In automatic pool cleaners | Leave a CommentTags: automatic pool cleaners
Robot Cleaners
Robot Cleaners: All Pool Types
These are self contained electric cleaners which are put into the pool when there is a need for cleaning. Common brand names include Aquabot, Dolphin, and AquaVac. Please visit our swimming pool cleaners page for a complete list of robot cleaners. A transformer is plugged into a wall outlet and a long (around {cord length varies by cleaners} 50 ft ) cord from the unit plugs into the transformer receiving low voltage power to operate the cleaner. This power operates two motors; a pump motor which draws debris into the unit’s filter, and a drive motor which moves the unit around the pool.
The advantage of owning a robot cleaner include their self contained filter, which is easily cleaned. They also do quite well with their coverage. Some units are computer chip controlled and some even have remote controls so you can steer the unit from a lounge chair! Being that they are the only cleaners not attached in any way to the pool’s circulation system, they produce no resistance or back pressure on the filtering. Their cost can be more than suction or pressure side cleaners.
Poolcenter.com is the Washington D.C. area service center for the Aquabot cleaners. Listed below are some common troubleshooting tips from our help file.
Unit does not move?
Is the indicator light glowing on the transformer? If not, be sure that transformer is turned on and that the 3 volt fuse is not blown (the indicator light can be glowing even though the fuse is blown). Check the electrical outlet with another electrical appliance to be sure that power is available. If the power is available, and the fuse is good try wiggling the power cord plug from the unit to the transformer. Older units may begin to short out at the plug; a new plastic female plug is available. Inspect the unit itself while it’s partially underwater. Is the pump motor receiving power? Is there water gushing out of the top of the unit? This would indicate that power is reaching the unit. Is the pulley on the drive belt side turning? If the pulley is not moving this could indicate a shorted motor or a corroded drive T, which would also require motor replacement. Are the drive belts tight and in good repair? Drive belts become stretched and weaken over time. If your belts are “skipping” and are not locked into the grooves of either the drive pulley or the wheel tubes they may need to be replaced. Check that the wheel tubes are in proper position with bushings in place on either end. If the tubes are not straight the drive belts will not be tight. Do not pull the unit towards the side of the pool, or lift the unit out of the pool by the power cord. Try to reach into the pool and lift the unit only by the handle.
Unit does not pump?
If the unit moves, but does not pick up any debris, lift the unit up near the surface of the water. Does water gush out of the top? If not, the pump motor may be shorted. Unplug the unit and pull it out of the water. Remove the vent cap on top of the unit and check that the impeller does not have string wound around the base. Turn the impeller by hand to check spin. Plug in the unit and check spin. If there is no spin the pump is probably shorted. Another indication that the pump motor is not working properly is if the unit won’t climb the walls very far before falling off. The pump motor provides the suction it needs for climbing.
Cleaning equipoment for your pool
September 5, 2009 at 11:16 am | In Uncategorized | Leave a CommentCleaning Equipment
Along with the joy, excitement and long lost relatives that come with pool ownership there are also the maintenance challenges. There are many tools and items available to make your pool owning experience less troublesome. Even if you have an automatic cleaner, you will need the basic equipment. Telescopic pole, skim nets, pool brushes and a test kit are a must for any pool owner. The following is a glossary with descriptions of swimming pool and spa cleaning equipment.
Telescoping Pole
The first thing you need. Tele poles, as they are called, come in a variety of lengths and quality. The best ones are made from fiberglass, but most are aluminum. They usually extend and then twist lock in place. Most tele-poles have 2 holes at the end that are designed to accept a wide range of accessories that we will discuss below.
Vacuum Heads
The easiest way to make a dirty pool look good is a good vacuuming. All pools need to be vacuumed on a regular basis. The vacuum head attaches to the pole, and then a vacuum hose is attached to the vacuum head. The pole and vacuum head are then lowered into the pool. Click onto “How to Vacuum My Pool” for more information. There are two different types of vacuum heads. One has wheels and is weighted for concrete pools (left). The other is designed for vinyl lined pools, and has brushes instead of wheels (right).
Vacuum Hose
In order to vacuum debris from the pool walls and floor, you will need a vacuum hose. The vacuum hose connects to the vacuum head and telescoping pole (both above). Then, lowered into the pool. You then need to fill the vacuum hose with water, and then plug the end into the skimmer suction hole or a dedicated vacuum line. The water and debris are pulled into the filter pump basket via the swimming pool vacuum hose. After you vacuum, you will need to clean the basket and backwash the filter. For more information, Click Here.
Leaf Traps
The leaf trap is a canister that is placed at the end of the vacuum hose just before the pool skimmer. Inside the canister is a large basket that will trap the leaves and debris before the “pool trash” gets to the pump. Great for leaves, acorns, pebbles and palm tree debris.
Skimmer Nets
The most popular pieces of equipment around the pool are the skim net (left) and leaf rake (right). The skim net is a flat mesh net that attaches to the tele pole. It should be used on a daily basis to remove debris floating on the pool surface before it can sink to the floor. The leaf rake is also a mesh net, but is much deeper. Great for scooping debris from the pool floor for a quick cleaning before guests arrive for instance.
Pool Brushes
One of the most overlooked maintenance steps of pool care is brushing. Swimming pools should be brushed at least once per week. Brushing removes algae and other films and dirt on pool walls and pool floors that can’t be removed by vacuuming. A weekly brushing will avoid “slimy” walls and slick film that is common with pools and spas. There are several types of pool brushes. Stainless steel is perfect for plaster or concrete pools. Stainless brushes should not be used on vinyl pools. Plastic bristle brushes can be used on any type of pools, and are ideal for above ground and vinyl pools. There are also brushes designed for getting into pool corners and steps. Don’t forget to brush your pool weekly!!
Leaf Bagger
One of the best inventions for swimming pool cleaning since the telescopic pole is the Leaf Bagger. Sometimes called the Leaf Master, The Leaf Bagger is a jet style vacuum that uses water pressure from your garden hose to create a Venturi affect. The high pressure water pushes the debris into a large bag. The leaf bagger is ideal for a quick spot clean or cleaning a pool floor full of leaves. Available with a leaf bag, or a very fine mesh bag.
Stain Master
The Stain Master is a siphon driven device that can siphon muriatic acid from a bottle on the pool deck to a stain on the pool surface. Sometimes called the Acid Wand. Perfect for small localized stains. Rust stains, leaf stains, acorn stains. Read directions, and follow all safety guidelines.
Pumice Stone
Another method for removing localized stains on concrete pools is the pumice stone. Pumice is a light porous glassy lava stone that can be rubbed over a pool stain to remove it. You can get a pumice stone that can attach to your tele-pole or a pumice stone that has a handle you can swim with. Works great on cement stains, berry stains and paint.
Tile Brushes
A clean tile band is a very important part of the way your pool looks. As part of your weekly maintenance schedule, you need to scrub the tile band with tile cleaner and a non abrasive brush. Tile brushes come in a variety of and shapes, or you can just use a plastic bristle brush.
Hayward LED lighting
September 5, 2009 at 11:21 am | In LED lighting, pool lighting | Leave a CommentTags: LED lighting
Imagine vibrant, color LED lighting that pays for itself.
A combination of LED Lighting and controls provides color and movement that can match your every mood. Adding it to your pool and spa is simply brilliant on many levels.
For starters, LED lights require 79% less energy than standard incandescent pool and spa lighting. And LEDs last 20 times longer, minimizing replacement costs.
“I love having the ability to assign shows to virtual buttons, in order to have more shows available immediately without having to reprogram.”
— Jackie, pool owner
With 101 adjustable colors, 9 pre-set and 2 custom shows, you’re ready for any occasion, from a formal dinner party on the deck, to a full-scale neighborhood blowout.
Interested? Ask for these products at your dealer:
Suction side cleaners for your pool
September 6, 2009 at 10:08 am | In automatic pool cleaners | Leave a CommentTags: automatic pool cleaners
Suction Cleaners
Suction Side Cleaners: All Pool Types
The automatic pool cleaner is a device that leapt right into the hearts of pool owners and service technicians alike. In a genesis similar to that of human air flight, engineers and inventors have produced gadgets of fancy in the hopes of finding one that will fly. Several have achieved wide-spread use and acceptance by consumers and the service industry. These are described below and are broken into three categories; suction side cleaners, pressure side cleaners and robots.
These are cleaners that attach to the suction side of your plumbing. The suction side refers to the pipes and fittings that bring water out of the pool to be filtered; that water which is being “sucked” out of the pool by the filter pump. These cleaners include the Hayward PoolVac Ultra, Navigator, Aquabug, Kreepy Krauly, E-Z Vac, Baracuda Ranger, Zippy, Pacer, G3, Polaris 150, and ATV. Please visit our Swimming pool cleaners page for a complete list of suction side cleaners.
These cleaners attach to one of the suction ports at the pool. Usually, this port is the skimmer, or your pool may have a separate vacuum port where the cleaner’s hose can attach. With the hose attached and the filter pump running, suction is created on the underside of the cleaner. The cleaner moves randomly, or automatically around the pool with motion created by a device that gives a stop/ start pulsing of water. As the unit travels, debris is sucked up through the neck and then the hose, past the suction port, through the pipe, and stops at the filter pump strainer basket, while smaller debris passes through to the filter. Adjustments on the hose, the unit itself, and flow volume will create different cleaning patterns, so as to maximize pool coverage.
Cleaner moving slowly?
Start by checking the pump basket for debris and making sure the filter is clean and water is flowing properly. Then I would check out the throat of the cleaner for any obstructions. Obstructions can also be found where the hose attaches to the suction line. Check hose for splits, obstructions or holes. If your pool has lots of leaves (trees), you’ll want to have an in-line leaf trap to use with your suction cleaner.
Cleaner not cleaning the entire pool?
This can be caused by any number of reasons. The hoses could be too short. Another real common cause is the cleaner could be following the flow pattern of the water in the pool, in other words, strong flow from wall return jets will push the cleaner into a pattern. To fix this; adjust the return port wall fittings, or add wall fittings to the return ports. It helps to point the fittings down or at a downward angle. If you pool doesn’t have wall fittings at the return ports there are alternative wall fittings made by the manufactures to divert the flow.
Always rotate the wearable parts on the cleaners and replace those wearable parts when needed. These parts will prevent the need to replace more expensive components. If you have only one skimmer, most skimming action is lost while your cleaner is hooked up. Secondly, unless the cleaner has an in-line strainer basket somewhere on its hose, the filter pump basket can get clogged up rather quickly. That, or if the strainer basket becomes full, reduces filtration and puts more front pressure on the system by restricting the flow into the filter. My opinion is that having a suction side cleaner would be much better than having none at all, but less than what is possible. On the bright side, suction side cleaners are available for half the cost of pressure side cleaners.
Controls and Automation
September 6, 2009 at 10:11 am | In Uncategorized | Leave a CommentControls and Automation
Many swimming pools have some type of automation, whether it is a timer, or a computerized, fully automated control that can allow you to call your swimming pool or spa from your cell phone or office phone. You can also tell it to turn up the heat, turn on the spa then turn on the driveway lights, dock lights, yard lights. All without you being home. You can set the swimming pool automation system to do a number of tasks itself. Want the Polaris or other cleaner to come on at 10:00 a.m. and turn off at 1:00 p.m. ? No problem. Do you want your swimming pool light on at 8:00 in the evening and turn off at midnight ? No problem. How about turning the pool or spa heat on Friday afternoon, and disabling it Sunday night. Without even going near the heater? No problem. Need to know your pool or spa water temperature at home from your office? No problem. With pool automation these days, the sky is the limit. Automatic valves can change the water flow from pool to spa, turn on waterfalls and pool cleaners. Lets talk about the different types of things available to make your pool experience not only automatic, but fun!
Filter Pump Timers
One of the most common and simplest ways to automate your pool. Swimming pool filter timers are easy to install, save $$$ on electricity, and can be set to turn the filter or cleaner pump on and off when ever you want. You can set your filter pump to run from 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. and the Polaris pump to run from 10:00 a.m. till 12:00 p.m. Or select the pool operating times you want. Very easy to operate and not expensive.
Computer Operated Controls
The most advanced controllers are computer driven. With remote controls, pool side key pads and in home wall mounted panels, these units, like the Aqualink, Aqua Logic and the Polaris SOL. These will make it fun. If you don’t want to have to turn on anything, and want full automation, these are for you, you can get attachments that will allow you to contact your pool by phone or personal computer to raise the pool or spa water temperature, turn on the pool or yard lights, turn on or off the pool cleaner, water feature, whatever you want! The power center mounts by the pool equipment pad, and receives a signal from the indoor controller, the spa side remote, or the regular remote control. You can program the pool filter system to operate three times per day, three hours per cycle. Remote controls can be used to operate all of the pool and spa equipment from your lawn chair! Motorized valves are a huge part of automation. They can redirect the water from pool to spa. They can also activate a waterfall or other water feature you may have. The motorized valves, called actuators, are a huge part of swimming pool and spa automation. The biggest complaint of pool owners is having to go to the filter system to turn on the heater, change valve positions, turn on the pool light or activate the cleaner. Swimming and spa automation will eliminate all of the trips to the filter area. Just push a button on the remote, or set the timers for complete, hands off operation. No problem!
Rectangular Reflections
September 6, 2009 at 2:30 pm | In exercise pools, lap pools, pool design | Leave a CommentTags: pool design
The oldest, most classic shape is the rectangular pool.Rectangular swimming pools quietly reflect their surroundings without the distraction of extraneous flourishes. Their clean, straight lines can repeat the architectural planes of a house, and their elongated shapes direct the view outward.
Simple to build, rectangular pools are well suited for swimming and versatile in mood. They can be flanked by broad steps or rounded at both ends – a design called Roman or Grecian – to create a focal point for a formal garden. Or they can look more contemporary with a surrounding design of Zenlike raked gravel and planar walls. By curving one of the pool’s ends, the symmetrical shape can be softened and made more playful. The boundaries can easily be enlarged and extended to create an L or T shaped pool with shallower areas for play or seating.
Rectangular pools are extremely practical in colder climates. Of all the pool syles, they can be protected most easily and economically during winter with ready-made covers. Irregular, curved, and more complicated shpaes, on the other hand, require covers to be customized.
Establishing the boundaries of the pool and spa is an imortant first step in building your dream pool. Keep in mind that the same shape assumes a different character depending on the materials used, the color, and the surroundings. A rectangle , for example, may be detailed in marble with mosaic tilework to emulate an ancient Roman bath. Or it may be set into a stone terrace framed by stark stucco walls. Whether you are looking for something classic or contemporary in tone, design possibilities abound. Indeed, today’s pool offerings include a wider choice of shapes and styles than ever before.
from Dream Pools, Deborah Dietsch
DelZone Ozonators
September 7, 2009 at 4:50 pm | In ozone | Leave a CommentTags: ozone
What Is Ozone?
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Ozone is “active oxygen,” nature’s element. Each ozone molecule consists of 3 oxygen atoms.
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Ozone is a natural purifier.
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Ozone is created in nature by the combination of oxygen in air and the ultraviolet rays of the sun or by the corona discharge during a lightning storm.
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Ozone has a clean, fresh scent noticed after a rainstorm.
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Ozone is the most powerful oxidizer that can be safely used.
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Ozone is the alternative water purifier to traditional chemicals such as chlorine and bromine.
What Does Ozone Do?
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The Ozone layer in the atmosphere protects the earth from deadly radiation from the sun.
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Ozone destroys bacteria, viruses, mold, and mildew.
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Ozone eliminates spores, cysts, yeast, and fungus.
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Ozone oxidizes iron, sulfur, manganese and hydrogen sulfate.
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It eliminates oils and other contaminants in water.
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Eliminates odors in air, such as smoke.
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Keeps water clean, sparkling clear, and fresh.
Ozone Is Healthy….
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Ozone leaves no chemical by-products in water.
Ozone leaves no chemical taste or smell.
Ozone will not burn eyes or make them red or irritated.
Ozone will not irritate or dry out skin, nose, or ears.
Ozone will not leave a chemical film on material or skin.
Ozone will not discolor or damage hair or clothing.
Ozone adds no contaminants or by-products to water.
Ozone rids water and air of unhealthy microorganisms.
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Ozone is NOT a carcinogen.
Where Is Ozone Used?
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In Nice, France in 1906, the first water purification plant to use ozone was built.
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Los Angeles, California has the largest ozone drinking water treatment plant in the world.
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Most bottled water is purified by ozone.
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Ozone is used to clean waste water and toxic waste.
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Ozone purifies water in well and home drinking water systems.
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Ozone systems have brought life back to “dead” contaminated lakes and pools.
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Ozone is used to purify air in hotel rooms, boats, RVs, cars, and smoke/fire damaged structures.
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Ozone is used in thousands of residential and commercial pools and spas all over the world.
Who Is Del Industries?
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Del Industries is widely considered the leader in U.S. Ozone equipment manufacturing. They are noted for having paved the way for acceptance across broad categories. Del recently installed their equipment in the World’s Largest water treatment Ozonator plant. Del has been ranked first in product safety and performance with Underwriters Laboratory (UL), Edison Testing Labs (ETL) and the National Sanitation Foundation (NSF) certifications.
How Is Ozone Made?
Ozone Is Safe for the Environment as well as Equipment
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Ozone will not explode.
Ozone is not a fire hazard.
In the dose required for excellent purification, ozone does not produce harmful fumes.
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Ozone will not damage plumbing fittings, pipes, or equipment.
Ozone Is Convenient in Pools and Spas
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Ozone does not have to be purchased or stored. Ozone is generated on site and is introduced into the water or air automatically.
Ozone does not affect the pH balance of water, thus minimizing pH adjustments.
Ozone helps reduce total dissolved solids in water so that the water does not have to be changed as often.
Ozone eliminates much of the routine maintenance because it does such an effective job keeping the water clean.
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Ozone is just Really Cool Stuff!
DelZone Ozone FAQ
September 7, 2009 at 4:54 pm | In ozone, pool maintenance, water chemistry, water purifiers | Leave a CommentTags: ozone
Frequently Asked Questions About Ozone
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What is Ozone?
Ozone is active oxygen, O3. It occurs naturally in the earth’s atmosphere to protect us from the sun’s harmful rays.
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What are some uses of ozone?
Some common uses are: pool and spa water purification, drinking water purification, waste water purification, and air freshening.
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How long has ozone been used to purify water?
Since the late 1800’s.
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How long has ozone been used to purify pool and spa water and remove odors from the air?
Over 50 years.
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How does the ozone used for water purification affect the air we breathe?
The amount of ozone produced by an ozone generator is insignificant to the normal atmosphere we live in. When dissolved in water, ozone is extremely safe. Excess ozone quickly converts back to oxygen. Note: Do not breathe concentrated ozone gas.
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Is ozone the same as “SMOG”?
No! “Smog” is air pollution created by combustion polluters. While smog contains small amounts of ozone, it is largely composed of harmful chemicals such as carbon monoxide. In fact, smog and other pollutants may contribute to the damage of the ozone layer.
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If I use ozone in my pool or spa, will I help replenish the ozone layer?
No. Because ozone reacts so quickly with contaminants in water and air, it converts back to oxygen within minutes or even seconds. Any ozone molecules that break free from the pool or spa water will convert to oxygen and never reach the atmosphere.
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Will ozone hurt me?
No! In the quantities necessary to be effective, ozone is very gentle to humans and equipment in the water. However, you should never breathe concentrated ozone gas.
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Does ozone have an odor?
Yes. Depending on the concentration, the odor ranges from slightly sweet to moderately antiseptic.
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Will ozone kill bacteria?
Yes. It is one of the most effective, complete bactericides of all earth’s measurable elements.
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Will ozone kill viruses?
Yes. Ozone kills virtually all known forms of viruses in water and air.
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How is ozone different from chlorine?
In the quantities needed for water purification, it has no noticeable odor, taste or color. It is not irritating to humans or equipment. Ozone purifies water and air very quickly and efficiently, 3,000 times faster than chlorine. Ozone leaves no by-products except pure oxygen. In contrast, chlorine leaves a chemical by-product called hypochloric acid and additional salts in water applications.
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Will Ozone reduce scum lines and foaming in spas?
Yes. With proper filtration it should completely eliminate them.
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How is ozone produced?
Ozone can be produced by ultraviolet (UV) light or by corona discharge (CD).
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How does ultraviolet light ozone generation work?
A special lamp gives off a specific wavelength of ultraviolet light which converts oxygen (O2) molecules into ozone (O3) molecules by splitting the oxygen molecules into individual oxygen atoms (O1) which then recombine with oxygen molecules to form ozone. This all occurs instantly inside the ozone chamber in the ozone generator.
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How does Corona Discharge Ozone Generation work?
Ozone is produced by passing air through a high voltage electrical discharge, or corona. A minimum of 5,000 volts of electricity is necessary to create the corona. Air or concentrated oxygen dried to a minimum of -60°C dew-point passes through the corona which causes the O2 bond to split, freeing two O1 atoms which then collide with other O2 molecules to create ozone. The ozone/gas mixture discharged from the CD ozone generator normally contains from 1% to 3% ozone when using dry air, and from 3% to 6% ozone when using high purity oxygen as the feed gas.
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Can ozone damage my pool or spa equipment?
No. In fact, it is very gentle to spas, pools, and equipment. Applied properly, ozone is more gentle than any other water purifier in existence.
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Can the ozone in my pool irritate skin or eyes like chlorine in pools?
No! Ozone is very gentle to skin and eyes.
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How long will ozone last in my pool or spa water?
Scientific theory states that Ozone has a half life of about 22 minutes in water. In residential applications, ozone reverts back to oxygen in minutes (ozone breaks down faster in warmer water)
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Will water temperature affect ozone?
Wide variations in pool water temperature will affect how well ozone works. An ozone generator should be designed and sized for maximum water temperatures and bather load.
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Will ozone affect my pH?
Ozone is pH neutral. It will not adversely affect the pH.
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Do I still have to filter the water as often?
Yes. Because impurities are constantly being introduced into the water and the ozone is constantly destroying them, the microscopic remains will need to be filtered out of the water.
Pool Filter choices
September 8, 2009 at 10:13 am | In DE filter, cartridge filter, sand filter | 1 CommentTags: cartridge filter, DE filter, pool maintenance, sand filter
Trying to decide on which type of filter to buy?
There are three main types of swimming pool filters, D.E. (which stands for Diatomaceous Earth) {first filter}, Sand {middle filter} and Cartridge {last filter}. Different regions of the country seem to have different preferences; personally my order would have D.E. first, then Sand, then cartridge filters. However, the suitability of a filter to a pool can have more to do with size, than with type. Always go at least one size larger than you think you need. Buy the largest filter you can afford, it’s money well spent.
Even though I have just stated a preference of D.E. filters over Sand over Cartridge filters, I would rather have a large cartridge filter than a small D.E. filter. So remember, in pool filters, size matters! Many filters installed in the 70’s and 80’s were much too small for the size of pool they filter, and with the deterioration of age are just barely operating. All filters at Poolcenter.com are good, solid technology. Major manufacturers try really hard to produce no “junk.” So once again, filter size is more important than brand, name, type, color, etc.
Diatomaceous Earth (D.E.)
The D.E. filter is the most efficient type of pool filter on the market. It can trap particles down to 3 – 5 microns; well below what the naked eye can see. As with sand filters, the pressure gauge indicates a need for backwashing when it reads 8 – 10 lbs. higher than its clean reading. After backwashing a D.E. filter, a new application of D.E. filter powder is added to the filter by pouring into the skimmer. An annual breakdown of the filter is necessary to thoroughly clean D.E. filter grids.
A D.E. filter requires that the operator (you) add D.E. powder to coat the filter grids inside of the filter tank. This widely available, inexpensive powder is actually the microscopic…..
skeletons of Diatoms, an ancient, sub aquatic creature. Under the microscope, these skeletons appear to be tiny sponges. This is where the dirt gets trapped in your filter. The powder, which is added at your skimmer, dissolves in the pipe on its way to the filter tank. When it reaches the grids, which are covered with a nylon type of fabric, the powder stops, coating the grid. Grids are also called Elements or Septums. The water continues to pass through, first through the powder, then the fabric covered grid. As the water passes through the D.E. and enters the grid it leaves the dirt, trapped in the D.E. powder “cake” or coating.
The D.E. powder is what filters your pool water in a D.E. filter. Do not operate your pump without having the D.E. powder coating the grids, or you will see your pressure rise very quickly, and if left in this manner the grids could become damaged. As the pressure gauge on a D.E. filter increases, flow rate decreases. Eventually the flow rate will allow the water quality to suffer. You will need to backwash the filter to remove the D.E. that is clogged up with the dirt. After backwashing thoroughly, add new D.E. powder to the filter through the skimmer. If using biguanides (Soft Swim or Baquacil) you will need twice annual, very thorough cleaning to prevent it from gumming up. All D.E. filters should have this done at least once per year. Thorough cleaning is accomplished by turning the pump off and draining the filter. Remove the tank top half, and remove the grid assembly. Hose the grid assembly thoroughly. If you want to do an extra good job, after hosing, soak the assembly in a trash can filled with water and a filter cleaner product. (or use TSP {trisodium-phosphate} from the hardware store). Rinse thoroughly before reinstalling grids into tank.
When backwashing a D.E. filter, do the “process” several times. That is, backwash until water runs clear, move the multiport valve to FILTER and run it on filter for a 5 – 10 seconds, and backwash again until it runs clear, etc…do this 2 – 4 times. Remember to always shut off the pump before turning your multiport valve or your push-pull valve. Each time you go through the cycle of filter/ backwash/ filter, you will get more dirt/ D.E. out of the filter, giving you a better, more thorough backwash.
Also important in ensuring an effective backwashing is to make sure skimmer baskets and pump baskets are clean to allow for full flow entering the filter
How do I Backwash my DE Filter?
When the pressure gauge is reading 8 – 10 lbs above the clean, starting pressure (after backwashing), it is time to backwash the filter. This process involves turning a valve so that the water will flow through the filter backwards, flushing out the dirt. Hence the name “back-washing.” Sand filters can have either a push-pull valve (also known as slide valves) or a multiport valve. The multiport valve has multi-ports on the valve, usually 6 positions:
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FILTER: Keep it here 99%, except when backwashing, rinsing or wasting
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RINSE: Use this setting for 20 seconds after backwashing to rinse tank
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RECIRCULATE: Use this if the filter’s broken; at least you’re circulating.
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BACKWASH: Use this setting to reverse the flow in the filter and send water out of the waste line. Make sure valves are open or hoses rolled out
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CLOSED: Put here to close off flow from the pool, usually to work on the equipment. Do not operate pump with valve in closed position
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WASTE/ DRAIN: Another filter bypass setting, but this one sends the water out of the waste pipe (hose), instead of returning it to the pool. Used to lower pool water level or to vacuum to waste
So, to backwash a D.E. filter with a multiport valve;
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Shut off pump motor
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Press down on valve handle, rotate valve from FILTER to BACKWASH position
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Roll out any backwash hose or open any waste line valves
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Open air bleeder assembly on filter, and turn pump on.
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Watch pressure gauge for backpressure and hose for kinks. Be prepared to shut off pump quickly
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After hose fills with water, run for 2 – 3 minutes or until water runs clear
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Shut off pump motor and move multiport valve handle to RINSE position. Run on rinse for 5 – 10 seconds. Shut off pump again, and move handle back to BACKWASH. Turn on pump again until water runs clear. Continue in this fashion 3 – 4 times, alternating between Backwash & Rinse, to ensure a thorough backwash.
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Shut off pump motor and move multiport valve handle to FILTER position
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Turn pump back on and note lower pressure. Roll up backwash hose
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Add 1 lb D.E. powder per 10 sq ft of filter area. Look on filter tank
To Backwash a DE filter with a slide valve:
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Shut off pump motor, roll out backwash hose (if you have it)
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Twist to unlock plunger T-handle, pull/ twist plunger upwards 2 – 3″
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Open air bleeder assembly on filter, and turn pump on
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Watch pressure gauge for backpressure (+ 40 PSI) and hose for kinks. Be prepared to shut off pump quickly.
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After hose fills with water, run for 1 – 2 minutes or until water runs clear. Shut off and push handle back down. Turn pump on and run in filter position for 15 seconds and then shut pump off and backwash again for 1 min. Filter again for 15 seconds and another 30 second backwash.
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Shut off pump motor and push T-handle back down into locked position
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Turn pump back on and note lower pressure. Roll up backwash hose
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Add 1 lb D.E. powder per 10 sq ft of filter area. Look on filter tank.
A properly sized D.E. filter should, in most cases, be able to operate continuously for a period of 4 weeks between backwashings. A “Filter Run” of less than 4 weeks may indicate grid problems (or sizing problems). Filter grid fabric can become clogged with Calcium deposits or oils. After removing the grids from the assembly, you can soak in TSP (trisodium-phosphate) and warm water to remove oily deposits. If you use Baquacil or SoftSwim, and you can soak the grids in a 10% muriatic acid solution for a few minutes followed by a full rinse. TSP soak and Rinse will remove mineral deposits such as Calcium.
D.E. powder in the pool?
You either have holes in the fabric of the grids, or a crack in the manifold that the grids attach to. It can also mean a broken air bleeder tube or assembly. Finally, D.E. in the pool can mean that the multiport or push-pull valve is allowing powder to bypass the filter. You will notice this most……
when adding new D.E. powder after backwashing, but you can test this at any time. The best method to determine the cause is to remove the grids and clean/ inspect thoroughly.
Filter Grid replacement:
Grids and manifolds vary by manufacturer, and can be expensive. $25 per grid; up to $100 for a manifold. Labor is usually under one hour.
If handy with an awl, torn grids can be sewn instead of replaced.
Poor water Quality?
It could be a problem with your multiport or push-pull valve. The valve could be allowing water to bypass the filter and return to the pool unfiltered. Perhaps you are not running the filter long enough. Perhaps there is not enough D.E. powder in the filter, or too much. You may also need to backwash the filter or remove the grids and clean them manually. Poor sanitation, poor water balance, and pool circulation could be another cause, and it could have nothing to do with the filtering at all. Remember: filtration + sanitation + circulation = 
How long should I run my filter each day?
Well, just as much as you need. Careful experimentation will show you when the water quality begins to suffer. Many people with smaller, older equipment (filter/ pump) run their systems 24 hours per day. The average (I would guess) would be about 16 hours. BUT! It depends on your system. Undersized? Old? High pool Use? Large Debris Load? Heavy Sunlight? Any of these factors call for extra filtering. If you’re too frugal with the electricity, you may have to pay more in chemical costs.
| Remember: filtration + sanitation + circulation = |  |
They all work together. |
Leaking filter?
Most D.E. filters have a belly band clamp with a large O-ring between tank halves. The o-ring can become distended or flattened and may need to be replaced if water is dripping from the center clamp. Caution: Do Not remove the center clamp while the pump is running, and without first releasing pressure inside the tank. You may notice your multiport valve leaking in one or more areas. See sand filter info on previous page. If your push-pull valve is leaking out of the backwash port (where the hose attaches), the plunger either needs replacement, or a new set of o-rings.
Plunger replacement:
Varies by manufacturer. Around $90, plus 1 hour labor.
Filter replacement:
D.E. filters are more expensive than sand filters. You may want to replace if your filter is old and tired, or you may decide to upgrade efficiency from a sand or cartridge filter. Price varies by manufacturer; however, as an example, we sell the Pentair FNSP 48 for $479.97.
Cartridge filters:
Filter of choice for most spas, and many smaller above ground pools, the cartridge filter is enjoying a resurgence in popularity. The cartridge filter element, an aquatic version of the pleated air cleaner in your car, traps dirt and particles of 25 – 100 microns in size. The cartridge is removed from the tank and hosed thoroughly, top to bottom, with a high pressure hose to remove dirt when the pressure gauge rises 8 – 10 lbs. above its clean reading. I know some people that take their cartridges to the local self serve car wash place for cleaning. Each time the filter is cleaned, some of its filtering ability is reduced. The cartridge should be replaced every 2 – 5 yrs, depending on the work it was asked to do. If the filter was a bit undersized, and had some algae every year and lots of tree debris, etc. then it may last only 1 – 2 years. Nicely sized cartridge filters can operate for 6 months between cleanings.
“How do I Backwash my Cartridge Filter?
A trick question. There is no backwash valve on a cartridge filter because today’s pool filter cartridges aren’t built for backwards flow. Instead, the pump is shut off, air bleeder opened, lid removed, cartridge removed, hosed thoroughly top to bottom, and replaced. It’s a bit of a pain to do, but hopefully the filter is sized so that it’s a 1 – 2 x per year job. Another advantage is that cartridge cleaning doesn’t waste as much water as backwashing.
Soaking the cartridge in a TSP (trisodium-phosphate) or similar solution prior to hosing will improve your cleaning. Do not use TSP if you utilize Baquacil or Soft Swim for sanitation.
Use of a clarifier or Chitin product like Sea-Klear is a great help to a cartridge filter. Some people also increase the filter efficacy by adding a small amount of synthetic filter aid powder (1 – 2 cups) through skimmer. D.E. powder is not recommended by most manufacturers, as it can clog the pores of the cartridge.
Disposal/replacement of the cartridge, its difficulty in maintenance (no backwashing), and its low efficiency are the reasons I don’t recommend these filters for use in most larger swimming pools. But for pools under 30,000 gals., there are some nice filters like the Hayward C-4000 that can really be a great filter.
Filter Cartridge Replacement:
Right off the shelf for $40 – $100, depending on its size. No professional labor needed.
Pool heaters FAQ
September 8, 2009 at 10:20 am | In Hayward | 1 CommentTags: pool heaters
Swimming pool heaters can be the more complicated of pool equipment on you pool equipment pad. Making repairs to pool heaters should be performed by qualified personnel. Gas pool heaters using natural gas or LP (Propane) gas can be hazardous with combustion or exhaust of the pool heater. Hayward pool equipment has created the Pool heater FAQ below to help the pool owner with pool heater repairs and pool heater troubleshooting. Poolcenter.com has all of your swimming pool heater parts for your Anthony, Purex, Coates, Hayward, Comfortzone, Jandy, Pentair, Raypak, Teledyne Laars/ Jandy, or Sta-Rite heater.
My heater will not ignite
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Is the system switch on?
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Is the thermostat up to temperature?
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Is the pump running with a clean filter less than or equal to 16 psi on pressure gauge?
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Is the gas valve in the on position?
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Is the pilot lit?
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Is the gas supply valve open?
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Are all plumbing and filter valves open?
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If a bypass is installed, is it properly adjusted?
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Contact a qualified technician if you still cannot find the problem.
The pilot won’t light?
This could be due to low gas pressure, inadequate air supply, or improper venting. Make sure gas is turned on; with propane, make sure the tank has fuel. Also check for water run-off from roof or sprinklers. Check to make sure the heater pilot tubing is intact and not clogged.
Heater won’t reach the desired temperature?
The thermostat may be set too low. If the heat loss is greater than the heater input – the heater may be too small, outside air temperature is too low, or your heater may have inadequate gas supply. You may want to install a solar cover to slow heat loss. All heaters have high limit switches to prevent overheating. A faulty high limit switch could shut off the heater, or the problem could be that the heater is truly overheating, perhaps from improper exhaust.
The heater cycles on and off before it reaches the desired temperature?
Your heater may have inadequate water flow due to a dirty filter, closed valve, external bypass, reversed water connections, or pressure switch out of adjustment. It is also possible that your thermostat is out of calibration or needs replacing.
Why do I need to frequently relight my pilot?
I hear “clicking” or “sparking,” but my heater will not ignite…..
The heater is leaking water…..
The heater appears to leak only when the burner is lit…..
Heater top blackened and/or emitting dark exhaust?
The heater has damage due to excessive heat. Why?
I have rust returned into my pool?
copyrighted information provided courtesy of haywardnet.com
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Heaters (cont.)
My heater whistles…..
Do Hayward heaters need heat sinks or a fireman’s switch?
No. Hayward heaters cool down immediately after shut down.
What should my heater be set on?
Can Hayward heaters be installed indoors?
Yes, specific conditions apply. Please consult your owner’s manual for complete details. They must be vented to the outside in a very specific manner, and have enough influent air to combust properly. Improperly installed pool heaters have the potential to cause fatalities from carbon monoxide emissions, or gas explosions.
How much fuel does my heater use?
Propane heaters use one gallon of fuel per hour for each 91,000 BTU’s of heater input.
Example: A 250,000 BTU heater uses: 250,000/91,000 = 2.75 gallon per hour
Natural gas heaters use one therm (100,000) BTU per 100,000 BTU’s heater size. Your gas is usually billed by therms.
How can I save on my heating costs?
Other Tips to Economize on Pool Heating – from Teledyne Laars/ Jandy:
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copyrighted information provided courtesy of haywardnet.com |
Pool Lights
September 9, 2009 at 11:11 am | In Hayward, LED lighting, pool lighting | Leave a CommentTags: LED lighting, pool lighting, Pool Safety
1968 was the year that the National Electrical Code (NEC) finally decided to include swimming pools in their standards and regulations (article 680). If your pool was built prior to 1968, there likely exists some sub-standard electrical design for your underwater lighting and filter pump. You may wish to update this at some point for safety reasons.
Most local electrical codes require that electrical work be performed by a licensed electrician. The electrician wires it up to the breaker box or sub-panel, and then take it from there to the load.
Remember that water and electricity don’t mix. If you notice anything that “looks” questionable or possibly hazardous, have it checked out immediately.
Underwater Lighting
UW lights have become a common, standard item in all pools. There are many manufacturers of light fixtures on the market, including Pac-Fab (now owned be Pentair), Hayward, American Products and Sta-rite (now owned by Pentair). Smaller, halogen lamps are now being installed, as well as fiber optic decorative lighting that can run above or below water.
Your UW lighting should give you few problems. Most bulbs will burn for 1,000 hours before re-lamping is necessary. The light fixture itself can last several decades, however, corrosive pool chemistry can weaken the fixture and the screws which hold it together, and this may necessitate replacement.
The light fixture is gasket sealed to prevent water from reaching the bulb behind the lens, however water surrounds the entire fixture, keeping it cool. Do not operate the light for more than one second without it being fully submerged. The light requires submersion to prevent overheating.
The fixture sits inside of a “bucket” turned on its side, towards the pool, called the light niche. The niche is larger than the fixture itself to allow room for several feet of cord to be coiled up behind the fixture. The excess cord makes it possible to bring the fixture up on deck for service and repair. The light niche also provides the threaded hole that accepts the screw which holds the light into place. In the back of the niche is where the wiring conduit connects from the fixture to the junction box, located at least 3 ft back and 18″ above water level. The junction box is where the wires from the light (load) connect with the wires from the breaker panel (line). This box should be water and child proof.
Light doesn’t turn on?
Check all breakers, fuses, switches and Ground Fault Circuit Interrupter (GFCI) outlets. Frequently, a GFCI outlet is wired into the UW light circuit. If the GFCI ‘red button’ has popped out, the power will not continue on towards the light. Ensure all of these switches are in the ON position. If you find that a breaker or fuse or GFCI continues to trip, and the light will not come on, you should call for service at this point to determine where this irregularity is originating. If all switches are on, but we have no light, we’d want to remove the fixture from the niche and inspect the bulb for continuity (Of course, we have turned all switches / breakers OFF at this point). Burnt bulbs are replaced with identical voltage bulbs of either 12 volts or 120 volts. 12 volt bulbs are 300 watts, while 120 volt bulbs are available in either 300 or 500 watts. These are medium based, reflective flood lamps of special design. Do not use your garden variety flood lamp bulb.
Water behind the lens?
This is a startling observation for many to see. Many times the lamp continues to burn even with water surrounding the bulb. If you notice a line of water in the lens, the fixture should be removed. Allow the lamp to dry out and replace the gasket.
You may notice one hot summer evening that the pool light has attracted bugs all the way to the deep end!
To change an underwater light bulb, here’s the process:
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Shut off power at the breaker, and also at any other switches.
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It is not necessary to lower the water level. Most all light fixtures have enough cord coiled up inside of the light niche to allow the fixture to be brought up onto the coping stone for repair. Remove the single stainless steel screw at the top of the light (at 12 o’clock). Once this is removed, use a flathead screwdriver to pry the fixture out of the niche. Most fixtures have a tab at the bottom (at 6 o’clock). You may need to pry and wiggle in the direction of the tab to remove the fixture. Once removed, lift it up onto the coping stone.
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Now we will go inside of the fixture. Use quality tools of proper size, so as not to strip any of the soft metal screws, bolts, etc. On very old fixtures, screws may break easily, or be corroded from years of water and chemical exposure. Old model lights have 8 brass screws around the fixture, which tighten down on tabs. Newer models have a clamp band with only one screw or bolt/nut. Remove the screws or clamp and gently pry the glass lens out of the front of the fixture.
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After the lens is removed, remove the bulb. Most will twist out counter-clockwise. Some spa lamps or small halogen lamps for pools have small bulbs that you need to push in and then twist to remove. Whatever it’s type, be careful in removing the bulb, old bulbs may break at the base during removal. It’s good practice to cover the bulb with a soft cloth before turning it (counter-clockwise to remove). After removing the bulb, use the cloth to wipe clean and dry all interior surfaces. Thread in a new bulb, specifically made for the fixture. Don’t use something other than the real thing.
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Before reassembly, turn on power Very Briefly (for 1 – 2 seconds) to check that the bulb/lamp is working.
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Reassemble the lens onto the fixture, using a NEW lens gasket. This is the rubber gasket around the lens, approx 8″ diameter. Complete the reassembly of the fixture. Make sure screws are very tight. Follow any printed instructions on the lens for proper alignment of lens to fixture.
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Place light under water and check for air leaks (a few bubbles may come off of the fixture ring). If you have no bubbles streaming out of your gasket, you have a good seal.
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Replace the fixture into the niche. First coil the cord around the back of the fixture, then locate the bottom tab (on the fixture) and tab receiver (on the niche). Line them up and insert the tab into position, and push the fixture flush into the niche. Then it’s just the “not always simple” task of getting the top screw back in through the light bezel ring and into the threaded hole in the niche. Tighten screw down just snug (not too tight). Test your light again.
If you change the bulb but the light still doesn’t work, use a test meter to check power at the breaker, switches and junction box. (The junction box is usually located off the deck, about a foot high {except on very old pools} near the light. A small box, about 4″ x 3″, with conduit pipes running up into the bottom. Many times they are behind or under the diving board.)
Some would say, however, that before you change the bulb, you should make sure there is power all the way to the bulb. Because you may not have a bad bulb at all.
Re-lamping the fixture:
Bulbs used in this application are not cheap. They average $25 each! A gasket is around five bucks. Re-lamping is usually done in under an hour.
Replacing the fixture:
If corrosive water has eaten away at the fixture, or the cord and connections have become damaged, or if the junction box is being moved, a new fixture is in order. New fixtures cost about $195. Labor is usually one hour.
Skimmers
September 9, 2009 at 11:17 am | In automatic pool cleaners, pool maintenance | Leave a CommentTags: automatic pool cleaners, pool maintenance
The interface of the plastic skimmer to the concrete pool, plaster, tile and coping creates many opportunities for problems to occur. Common skimmer problems include: separation from the pool wall (beam), freeze damage, leaking or collapsed/ separated pipes (especially if flexible or black poly pipe was used).
Skimmer replacement involves removing the coping stone over the skimmer, cutting the concrete deck on top of the skimmer and the concrete that surrounds it. The skimmer is pulled off the wall and cut from the pipe(s) beneath. The new skimmer (the same or a larger one may be preferred) is plumbed and secured in place. Concrete and coping is put back.
Skimmer replacement?
Skimmer replacement is usually done at the time of a renovation, or by itself if necessary. Cost comes out to about $1,200 for inground pool. Old pools sometimes used flex piping from the skimmer to the pump, underground. These pipes can crimp, usually where the pipe was bent, especially right at the skimmer. Using chlorine tablets in skimmers for many years can lead to this problem.
If your plastic skimmer has pulled away from the concrete pool and is leaking, use an underwater pool putty to patch it up temporarily and stop the leak. This is a very common pool leak source. You may want to use a dye test to determine if your skimmers are leaking. Small debris stuck in a small crack is also a clue of a leak. Skimmers can also get cracks in the plastic from concrete expansion/heave. Again pool putty is used to repair this.
If your skimmer weir (the flapper gate) has come out or broken, replace it with new. The weir creates a small waterfall into the basket which speeds up water flow, drawing more debris in. The weir also helps to keep debris in the skimmer neck when the pump shuts off. Similarly, replace a broken skimmer lid, before someone steps in it.
If you suspect that your skimmer line may be clogged, here are some useful tricks. Use a plumber’s snake to try and break up the leaves & sticks (or whatever), or better yet, try a “drain king” which attaches to the garden hose and puts high pressure in the line. Try it in both directions, that is, from skimmer towards pump, and from pump towards skimmer. I usually use a plug at the skimmer end to build up pressure in the line for 5-10 seconds. Repeatedly doing this quickly is the best way to clear a pipe that I’ve used.
from poolcenter.com
Pool Hardware and Accessories
September 9, 2009 at 12:28 pm | In diving boards, hand rails, ladders | Leave a CommentTags: diving boards, handrails, ladders
Maneuvering from land to water has long involved such pool paraphernalia as ladders, railings, and diving boards. Typically made of metal and embedded into concrete, these devices fell out of fashion not too long ago as unsightly – and, in the case of diving boards, dangerous – intrusions into the pool.
Some designers, however, have returned to these accessories, seizing upon them as an opportunity to inject a sculptural element into the setting. A pool designer incorporated a sleekly curved chrome railing in the shallow end of a pool to add some sparkle. In keeping with its surroundings, the elegant arc echoes the Art Deco style of the house. For a rustic swimming pool, a diving platform sculted of stone was created to match the deck.
Few residential pools, however, are deep enough for diving boards. Without a correctly designed shell, these launching pads pose the threat of serious injury. Shorter jump boards anchored to the deck are safer than traditional springboards, but still require the proper pool depth in order to prevent injury. Before installing a diving board, be sure to consult local and national safety standards.
Slides – popular with children – also require a pool of the proper depth and size. Typically designed in fiberglass, these fun-filled accoutrements are also available in imitation stone for naturalistic pools.
from Dream Pools, Deborah Dietsch
Solar Heating and Solar Blankets
September 10, 2009 at 10:02 am | In pool heaters, solar heating | Leave a CommentTags: heat pumps, pool heaters, solar blankets, solar heating
Solar Heating & Blankets
Solar heating is a very desirable way to heat your pool and spa for one simple reason; It’s free heat. After the initial investment, the heat that raises the water temperature in your pool or spa is free. The sun provides the energy to generate the heat through the solar panels or solar blanket. Solar blankets also prevent massive heat loss. When a pool or spa is covered with a solar blanket, the heating cost can drop by 70%.
Use and Care of Your Solar Blanket
Solar blankets serve a very useful role. Retaining heat is the most important one. A solar blanket will also help raise the water temperature a certain amount, but if you are expecting a solar blanket to heat your pool to 90 degrees in March or September, you will be disappointed. You can, however, expect a modest temperature increase with your solar blanket. The following are tips and ideas that will prolong the life of your solar blanket and make the most of your solar blanket experience.
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Getting Your Solar Blanket
When you measure your pool for your new solar cover, measure from the longest and widest points of the pool. Include steps and loveseats. When you get your solar blanket, it will be a large triangle. Lay it over the pool, bubble side down and leave it for a day or two before trimming it. This will allow the blanket to “open” a bit before trimming, giving a better fit.
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Trimming Your Solar Blanket
After your solar blanket has sat out of the box, and over the pool for a day or two, it is time to trim it. Use a sharp pair if scissors or a razor knife. The idea is to have the blanket fit edge to edge, end to end. Cut the solar blanket all the way around the pool; be sure to cut the corners to the proper radius.
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Storing Your Solar Blanket
The best way to store your solar blanket is with a roller, or a solar blanket reel. The solar blanket is attached to the roller with straps, and is rolled up when the blanket is not in use. Most rollers have wheels that can be used to store the cover and reel when it’s party time or when you just don’t want it around. However, you do not need a solar blanket reel. Most solar covers come with a large white bag for storage. You can just pull the solar blanket off of the pool, fold it and put it in the shed or garage. When storing your solar cover for the winter, use a swimming pool cover cleaner and deodorizer. Do not leave the solar cover out in the weather during the winter unless it is on the pool, in use.
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Cleaning Your Solar Blanket
The best way to clean your solar blanket is to use a solar cover cleaner and disinfectant.
Wet the solar blanket and use your telescoping pole and your pool brush. Squirt the solar blanket cleaner on the cover and scrub. You can do this with the cover right on the pool if you want to. When you are done, get a hose and hose the dirty water into the skimmer opening. It may be easier to remove the solar cover from the pool and spread it out on the lawn. If you have a slope you can spread it on, this will make rinsing easier. For a quick cleaning, you can just hose off the solar cover while it is on the pool. Hose the debris right into the skimmer opening or into the corner and use your leaf net to remove the debris.
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Getting the Most Out Of Your Solar Blanket
You can increase the life of your solar blanket by following a few simple rules. Never leave your solar blanket outside when the pool is winterized. Make sure you keep a chemically balanced swimming pool. Remove the solar cover when you shock the pool, and leave it off for 2-3 hours after any chemical treatment. Use a cover cleaner and deodorizer on a regular basis.
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When Is It Time to Replace My Solar Blanket?
Your solar cover will not last forever. The plastic will begin to deteriorate after time. When the solar blanket begins to flake and get brittle, throw it away. The first sign of the end of your solar blanket is when the bubbles on the underside begin to fall off. Then you can use it to cover the firewood pile.
More on Solar Heating
September 10, 2009 at 10:07 am | In solar heating | Leave a CommentTags: solar heating
Solar Pool Heating Systems
Why Solar Heating?
As mentioned before, the best thing about solar heating is that it is free heat. After the initial investment, there will be not additional cost for your heat. You can’t beat it. You will not get the response you will get from a gas heater, but solar pool heaters will raise the water temperature comfortable for swimming and more. The response you get from your pool solar heating system will depend on your geographical area, the weather, the location of the panels, whether the pool is covered and the system you choose. According to the United States Dept. of Energy, solar pool heating is the most cost effective use of solar energy. Also, there are no expensive parts to replace, no pilots to light, no electronic components. And best of all, no expensive fuel to burn away. (continued……..)
Solar pool heating systems usually have four basic components. The pump, the filter, solar collectors and a control valve. The pump takes the filtered water from the swimming pool or spa and sends it through the filter. The water goes from the filter to a flow control valve. The valve regulates how much water goes to the collector panels. If there is too much water flow going through the solar panels, the water will not heat as fast as it could. If the water travels slowly through the solar panels it will get really hot, then the hot water is mixed with pool or spa water, raising the water temperature. There are reports of “runaway” solar systems that have heated a pool over 100 degrees, so depending on the weather, your geographical location and the position of the swimming pool solar panels, you can get and keep your pool at your desired temperature. Solar heaters can also be used in conjunction with a conventional swimming pool heater, lowering heating costs by 60%-70%. The use of a solar blanket will double the efficiency of your solar pool heating system. Solar heating systems can also be used to COOL the pool or spa in certain geographical areas. If the pool is too warm, the solar system can be set to run during the night hours, and off during the daylight hours. This will lower the water temperature.
Care and Maintenance of Your Solar Pool Heating System
Solar heating systems require very little maintenance. It is important to keep your water chemistry balanced and your filter in good operating condition. Since the water that goes into the solar collector comes straight from the filter, if there is anything that bypasses the filter, it can potentially clog the solar collector. Water chemistry is just as important. Improper pH and calcium hardness can cause mineral build up in the solar collectors, and can also cause the plastic to become brittle. It is a good idea to use scale inhibitor on a regular basis to prevent build up in the solar collector.
Winterizing Your Solar Heating System
Most solar heating systems have drain plugs to remove the water. It is also a good idea to blow air through the collector to remove any trapped water. This is also the best opportunity to inspect the collector panel for damage and inspect the mounting. Make sure the solar panels are secure and ready for the winter. If you have any questions, please contact our technical support professionals for assistance.
Liquid Solar Blanket
Tropical Fish Liquid Solar Blanket
A chemical with high molecular adhesion, Liquid Solar Blanket forms an invisible layer on top of the pool water surface. When the water is calm, the molecules form a barrier to heat loss. Although it doesn’t heat the pool, it does retain the heat from the day, or heat put into the water from a gas or solar pool heater. For more
Virginia Graeme Baker Pool and Spa Safety Act of 2007
September 10, 2009 at 10:31 am | In Drain covers, Safety, Safety vacuum release systems, Virginia Graeme Baker act, pool maintenance | Leave a CommentTags: Pool Safety, Safety
This new federal law was enacted to help prevent suction entrapment injuries and becomes effective December 19, 2008. The requirements for public swimming pools, spas, and wading pools are summarized below and must be met before these facilities can be operated after that date.
Drain Cover Requirements – New drain covers certified to ASME/ANSI A112.19.8 – 2007 must be installed.
Backup System Requirements – Suction pipping for each pump must be inspected and will be considered in compliance with the federal law if: 1) no submerged drains connect to the pump, or 2) there are two drains at least 3 feet apart, or 3) there is a single “unblockable” drain. An unblockable drain includes a sump under the cover that is larger than 18 inches by 23 inches, or a channel type drain with a diagonal open area of at least 29 inches.
Single and two-drain systems less than 3 feet apart that fail to meet one of the above requirements must be updated by adding, 1) Safety Vacuum Release System (SVRS), 2) Suction-Limiting Vent System, 3) Gravity Drainage System, 4) Automatic Pump Shut-Off System, 5) Drain Disablement, or 6) Other Systems determined by Consumer Product Safety Commission to be equally effective. Another option is to split the single drain into a dual-drain systtem with at least 3 feet of separation.
For more information about the Virginia Graeme Baker Pool and Spa Safety Act and how to compy, review the U.S. Cconsumer Product Safety Commission’s interpretation posted at: www.cpsc.gov/phth/vgpsa.pdf.
offered for information purposes only
Algae FAQ
September 11, 2009 at 2:23 pm | In algae, automatic pool cleaners, pool maintenance, water chemistry, water purifiers | Leave a CommentTags: algae, automatic pool cleaners, pool maintenance
Algae
What causes Algae problems?
Every pool owner has, at one time or another, done battle with the occasional algae bloom. Algae spores constantly enter the pool, brought in by wind, rain or even contaminated swimsuits or equipment. When conditions are right, an algae bloom can occur seemingly overnight. These conditions include out of balance water, warm temperatures, sunlight and presence of nitrates and/or carbon dioxide. Of course, a lack of proper circulation, filtration and sanitation may be the primary cause of the algae. The best process is one of elimination.
Algae is a living aquatic creature that multiplies rapidly on warm, sunny days. Containing chlorophyll, algae utilizes photosynthesis to grow. That is, they take in carbon dioxide and expend oxygen as a byproduct.
What problems can Algae cause?
The first noticeable problem is that no one seems to want to go swimming. The second problem is that it requires work and effort and money to rid the water completely of algae. It is therefore best to use preventative chemicals and techniques, described later. Algae can cloud and color the water, making rescue attempts difficult and reducing depth perception of a diver. Algae itself is not harmful to swimmers, but pools with algae may also be harbor to pathogens like E-coli bacteria.
In addition to clogging up sanitation pathways in the water, algae also clogs up the pores in a filter, decreasing filter effectiveness and requiring more backwashing or medium replacement. Algae creates a chlorine demand in the water for itself, actually consuming chlorine that should be working on other contaminants. Algae are kind of like weeds in your garden. Unsightly, unwanted space takers that create more work for the gardener, and sap up nutrients and resources from the flora we wish to grow.
What types of Algae are there?
There are over 21,000 known varieties of algae! In the pool business we avoid all of the complication by referring to algae by the color they exhibit.
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Green Algae:
An extremely common variety, green algae will usually rear its ugly head immediately following a hazy condition in the water from a lack of proper filtration and/or sanitation. It is frequently found free floating in the water, although it also will cling to the walls. It reduces water clarity and is thereby distinguished from severe copper precipitation, which will impart a clear, green color to the water. Varieties of green algae also appear as “spots” on surfaces, particularly rough areas, or places where circulation is low. They also show up as “sheets”, where large wall sections, or even the entire pool, is coated in green slime…UGH!
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Yellow Algae:
A wall clinging variety, also called mustard algae, is usually found on the shady side of the pool. It is sheet forming, and can be difficult to eradicate completely. Once begun, a pool owner could spend the entire season fighting yellow algae; re-infection is common. This variety is resistant to normal chlorine levels and must be dealt with firmly. Hit it hard!
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Black Algae:
Perhaps the most aggravating strain of algae, it has been compared to herpes; “once you’ve got it, it’s there for life.” This is not entirely accurate, but the difficulty in eradication is due to the strong roots and protective layers over top of the black algae plant. Black algae will appear as dark black or blue/green spots, usually the size of a pencil eraser tip. Their roots extend into the plaster or tile grout, and unless the roots are destroyed completely, a new head will grow back in the same place. The heads also contain protective layers to keep cell destroying chemicals from entering the organism. Like yellow algae, black strains can bloom even in the presence of normal sanitizing levels and proper filtration. I was once told that this form of algae commonly enters a pool inside the swimsuit of a person who’s recently been to the ocean.
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Pink Algae:
Not really an algae at all, but a form of bacteria. Appears as spots or streaks in corners and crevices. It is slow to spread and rare that it will bloom over an entire pool.
How is algae prevented?
Proper chemical balance and sanitizer residuals will prevent many opportunities for algae to bloom. high pH and low chlorine (or other sanitizer) can give algae a great start to genesis. General cleanliness of the pool is also important. Organic material and bacteria can contribute to algae growth. Regular brushing of seemingly clean pools is not only good exercise for you, but prevents dirt from harboring in the pores of the plaster, which is a good start for an algae colony.
The use of specialty chemicals or algaecides is recommended to provide a back up to normal sanitation and filtration processes and is completely necessary for many pools. These chemicals are described below:
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Potassium Tetraborate:
This chemical, when added to the pool water in proper dosage, prevents algae from converting carbon dioxide into the fuel it needs for growth. Manufactured under the trade name Proteam Supreme. An extraordinary product.
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Chitin:
Not an algaecide (meaning to kill algae) per se, but its properties might be called…. (continued….)
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…..algaestatic (that is, to prevent algae growth). Chitin has the ability to coagulate and remove a wide variety of suspended materials and impurities from the water. This allows the sanitizer to more effectively kill contaminants unobstructed. It also improves the effectiveness of the filtration equipment. Sold under the trade name Sea-Klear, chitin can be a valuable weapon in your algae arsenal.
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Algaecides and Algaestats:
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Quaternary Ammonium Compounds:
A low grade type of algaecide, Quats, as they are called, will usually have “10″ somewhere on the bottle, representing 10% active ingredient. Although available at a lower cost, quats tend to produce a small amount of surface foaming. They are most effective as an algaestat, that is, as a prevention, not a cure.
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Polymers:
Polymers are long, complicated chemical chains that behave in water both as an algaestat and an algaecide. They are available in percentage strength of 30 – 60%, are non foaming, and work well as general, all around algae treatments. Poly-Quats are a blended compound of polymer and quats.
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Copper Based:
Copper is a proven algaecide and algaestat. Available in varying non foaming strength of 3 – 10%. It works very well on all types of algae, but it has the drawback of staining white plaster surfaces a light blue/green color if it precipitates out of solution. Most copper based algaecides are chelated, which means that agents have been added to prevent this, such as Lo-Chlor Algaecide.
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Silver Based:
Silver has been shown to be an effective bacteriostat, which means that it works to prevent bacteria from reproducing. Non foaming and effective with pink algae. In high doses, reactions with sunlight can cause colloidal silver to deposit as black stains on white plaster. When using copper or silver algaecides, the use of a sequestering agent is recommended.
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Chlorine Enhancers:
These are not algaecides, but work to provide a synergistic boost to hypochlorites when added separately, but at the same time. Sold under trade names like Mustard Buster, Yellow-Out or Yellow Treat, it is most effective on, you guessed it, yellow algae. Since it is not an algaecide, the makers are not required to tell what it is made of, but we do know that it works quite well, in conjunction with a little brushing and vacuuming on your part.
Too late to prevent it…How do I kill algae?
First off, balance your water, paying particular attention to pH. Secondly, check your filter system and clean if necessary. Adjust valving for optimum circulation and allow it to run 24 hours a day until the pool clears. Turn on automatic cleaners to help stir things up. Backwash as necessary.
For suspended green algae, shock the pool…hard. Put in as much hypochlorite as it takes to turn the pool a cloudy, bluish/gray color. Brush the walls and floors towards the main drain. Backwash the filter when the pressure gauge indicates the need (8 – 10 lbs. above clean reading, after backwashing.) Using a flocculent may be a good choice if the pool is extremely “swampy”. If you cannot see the bottom of the pool, and it is filled with leaves and debris, it may be wise to drain the pool, acid wash and refill it.
After the chlorine level has come down below 5 ppm, add an algaecide and brush the pool again. When it all settles, vacuum the pool (to waste, if possible). Check and re-balance the pool water if necessary.
For algae which is not suspended, but only clinging to the walls, follow the same advice above, first shock with brushing, then add an algaecide, brush again, vacuum to waste (preferred) or vacuum and then backwash the filter. Use of a steel bristled brush is recommended for algae on plaster pools (use nylon brush on vinyl). Filter, Filter, Filter!
For black algae, the brushing part is very important. You must tear through the protective layers so the chemicals can destroy the plant from the inside out. Pumice stones work well to knock off the heads of black algae. (Don’t forget to vacuum them up later, and backwash them out of the filter ASAP). Also effective on the black algae nodules is sprinkling granular trichlor over the spots (of course if they’re on the wall this is next to impossible). Rubbing the spots on the walls with a trichlor tablet or stick can also be effective to knock off the heads and get trichlor directly to the roots. Follow up with a dose of copper algaecide, or high strength polymers. Simazine, an herbicide, was a very effective black algae treatment, but is no longer available in America.
If algae has been an ongoing problem in your pool for several years, you may do well to drain the pool. Many years of algae builds up dead algae cells and lots of other solids in the water that contribute to its rejuvenation. Acid washing and/or pressure washing is preferable once drained, to kill the roots of the algae embedded in the plaster. NEXT: Change the sand if you have a sand filter or change the cartridge if it is a cartridge type. Sand should be changed every 5 – 7 yrs (or every 2 if you use Baquacil), and cartridge filters should have new elements every 1 – 2 years. If you have a D.E. filter (good for you!), you should remove the elements, spray clean, soak in a 10 : 1 water/ bleach solution, rinse and replace. A well functioning filter will prevent algae.
Another item to look at is the method of sanitation and the type of filtering you have. Far too many pools out there were sold with marginal filter systems, meant to run 24 hrs per day. Well, these systems get old and tired, or the new owners only run it 12 hrs per day (or less). For good algae prevention, we need a combination of good filtration, sanitation and circulation. It may be time to consider changing the old pump and filter. It’s cheaper and easier to pay a little up front for more chemicals, electricity or better equipment than all the money and aggravation spent on fighting algae blooms.
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Cloudy, Hazy pool water
September 11, 2009 at 2:26 pm | In pool maintenance, water chemistry | Leave a CommentTags: pool maintenance
Suspended micro particulate matter, interfering with the passage of light is known as turbidity. It can range from an almost imperceptible haziness to a pure, milky white color. Besides being unattractive, cloudy water can prevent the rescue of swimmers in trouble and may provide no depth perception for those who would dive into the water. This particulate matter also interferes with the ability of the filter and chemicals to properly sanitize the water.
This particulate matter can be carbonates and sulfates forced out of solution by imbalanced water, perhaps worsened by the introduction of high temperatures. The situation could also be the result of poor filtration and sanitation programs. It can indicate a problem with the effectiveness of the filter or the amount of time its allowed to run each day or it may point to sanitizer residuals being too low or inconsistently applied. Finally, cloudy water may result from pool water which has reached saturation. High TDS levels may not permit any more solids from being dissolved or saturated into solution.
Use of clarifiers, or chitin products such as Sea-Klear work to coagulate smaller particles into larger, filterable clumps. Use of these products are a helpful boost to your sanitation and filtration program, and are especially necessary in pools with undersized or inefficient circulation/filtration systems.
For extremely cloudy pools, shocking with lithium or sodium hypochlorite, followed by constant filtration with the use of clarifiers may be the best solution to the problem. If not, you may want to drain some of the water and dilute with less saturated fill water and / or use a flocculent to settle suspended material to the bottom for vacuuming.
Dealing with Stains and Scale
September 11, 2009 at 2:39 pm | In pool maintenance, water chemistry | Leave a CommentTags: pool maintenance, scale, stains
Ah, the many hues of swimming pool water. A bit disconcerting when it happens, but at least there’s a visual indication of a problem. Unless your friends are real practical jokers, we’ll find the source of colored water to be either mineral or algae contamination.
Organic problems such as algae and bacteria can discolor the water and deposit themselves on pool surfaces in a rainbow of greens, blacks, yellows, pinks. Algae deposits are distinguished from stains in that they are on the surface and not impregnated into the plaster. A more detailed discussion of their genesis and eventual destruction is covered in the algae page. Other organic materials such as leaves, worms, or other vegetable matter can also stain pool plaster. An organic stain can usually be removed by sprinkling granular chlorine over it. If it doesn’t, its probably some other type of stain.
Inorganic materials like copper, iron, magnesium, calcium or aluminum can also cloud or discolor the pool water and stain or scale the pool surfaces, especially the plaster and tile grout. When a precipitated metallic salt such as calcium or magnesium remains in suspension, it can cause turbidity or cloudiness of the water. When heavy metal minerals are in suspension, they’ll color the water. When these minerals quit floating around and decide to attach themselves or deposit on interior pool surfaces, the mineral salts such as carbonates of magnesium and calcium form a whitish crystallized deposit known as scale. If the precipitated minerals have color, as heavy metals often do, they will deposit themselves in the form of a stain.
So, in summary, precipitated (which means to come out of solution) carbonates of metallic salts will cloud the water and/or form crystal deposits on surfaces, while heavy metals will discolor the water and/or deposit themselves as stains.
Metal |
Sources |
Colors |
|---|---|---|
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Calcium |
Plaster, grout, mortar, cal-hypo chlorine shock |
white crystals or precipitate |
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Cobalt |
Fiberglass Shells |
red, blue, gray, or black |
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Copper |
Copper algaecides, ionizers, corrosion of copper and brass pipes, fittings and heaters |
blue, green and blue/green, black, dark red, or teal |
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Iron |
Well water, corrosion of iron pipe and fittings |
dark, red, brown, black, gray or green |
|
Manganese |
Well water |
pink, red, black or red |
Minerals like iron, calcium and copper exist naturally in trace amounts in your pool water. They may originate from the source water, that is, the water used to fill the pool. Well water is notoriously high in mineral content. Not much we can do about minerals entering in this manner. Other means of entry are more controllable.
Iron and copper pipes, fittings and equipment found in older pools are subject to corrosion by harsh chemical conditions, such as high chlorine and low pH. They also erode slowly with the everyday force of water rushing through. This corrosion and erosion releases heavy metal ions into the pool, which may be forced out of solution (precipitated), creating dramatic color schemes when free floating and stains when they deposit themselves.
Another source of metal ions occurs when two dissimilar metals are placed in close proximity to each other. For example, iron pipe connected to copper pipe, or a brass valve connected to aluminum equipment. These metals will attempt to exchange ions; water rushing in between them prevents the exchange, carrying off bits of their essence to the pool. This is the principle behind ionization systems.
A frequent source of copper discoloration and staining is the heat exchanger in the heater. Water rushing through the 8 or 10 tube, copper finned heat exchanger, at possibly higher than normal flow because of an oversized pump or faulty bypass valve, or containing corrosive water with high chlorine levels and/or low pH, will strip the copper right out. Corrosion and scaling conditions are dramatically increased by the high temperature found in heaters. As heat exchangers erode, the pool becomes stained and the exchanger tube walls become thin and begin to leak. ($$$)
Finally, staining can occur with the less than proper use of ionization systems and metal based algaecides. Copper is a known algaestat, while silver ions are a good bactericide. Copper and silver ionizers inject these metals into the water for contaminant control, however, if the water balance is out of control, or mineral levels are too high, staining can occur. The same is true for the algaecides, although some are chelated, which means they have agents contained in them to prevent minerals from coming out of solution.
Preventing Mineral Problems
Balanced pool water is such that it has neither a tendency towards corrosion or scaling. At the most basic level, pool water must be balanced to control stains and scale. pH or alkalinity that is allowed to drift and/or high calcium hardness levels can promote mineral precipitation.
The use of a sequestering agent (also called chelators) is recommended for pools which have metal plumbing, fittings, heaters, ionizers or use metal algaecides or fill their pool with well water. These agents keep minerals tied up in solution like molecular glue.
Correcting Mineral Problems
For pools that are discolored or cloudy due to precipitated minerals, the path back to blue may be accomplished by:
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Shock treatment with sodium or lithium hypochlorite, accompanied by constant filtration and use of a clarifier.
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Use of a flocculent to drop suspended particles to the floor for vacuuming.
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Partial drainage and dilution of the pool water, especially in cases where the pool is at or near saturation. When TDS levels are too high, the water can accommodate no more dissolved material and must throw off some of it in the form of precipitation. (This is similar to the Jr. High science experiment where sugar or salt is continuously added to a glass of water until saturation is reached and it won’t dissolve any more).
Chlorine Odor / Irritation
September 11, 2009 at 2:43 pm | In pool maintenance, water chemistry | Leave a CommentTags: pool maintenance
It is a common misconception that red eyes and a strong chlorine smell to the water is the result of too much chlorine. Actually, the cause is not enough chlorine! The combined chlorine compound, called a chloramine, is produced when a free chlorine molecule combines with a nitrogen or ammonia molecule. These compounds smell bad, irritate the eyes and skin, and get in the way of free chlorine trying to do its job.
Shocking or super chlorinating is necessary to oxidize, or break apart these compounds. So then, when the eyes burn, and the pool smells over chlorinated, the pool doctor’s prescription is to raise the chlorine level ten times the normal amount to achieve “breakpoint chlorination” thresholds which will break apart the chloramine bonds…(follow instructions on the product).
Experts Advice on Safety Products
September 12, 2009 at 11:59 am | In Safety, automatic pool covers | Leave a CommentTags: automatic pool covers, Pool Safety, swimming pool alarms
A swimming pool should be a sanctuary, a place to relax and relieve stress. But if you don’t adequately address some basic safety issues, your wellspring of well-being can become a pool of worry. Creating a safe pool environment for family, friends and pets is not that difficult. Short of hiring a lifeguard, it takes just a little forethought and a small financial investment to obtain peace of mind and better ensure an incident-free pool environment. Unfortunately, there is no single safety device to prevent all backyard pool and spa accidents. That’s why most experts, including the Association of Pool & Spa Professionals, recommend several layers of protection. This is especially important if your household includes the most vulnerable to pool mishaps—small children and pets. “Watching kids is a challenge,” says Bob Lyons, Ph.D., president of Terrapin Communications, Inc., of Ottawa, Ontario. “The smaller ones can escape supervision in a blink.” Sounds for Security That’s why Lyons invented the Safety Turtle, an alarm system with a wireless base station and a watch-like band that goes around a child’s wrist or can be adapted to fit around a dog’s neck, like a collar. The wristband is an immersion alarm that activates the moment it hits the water, sounding at the base station, which can be poolside, inside the home or even attached to a home’s alarm system. “When people first take young children into the water you have a gauntlet to run until the kids become swimmers and respect the water,” says Lyons. That gauntlet is where the Safety Turtle comes into play. It is like a seatbelt: you put it on a child or pet and they can’t take it off. It completes the fortification of the pool.” Lyons, a former satellite and communications engineer, recently introduced the Safety Turtle Gate Alarm, which can support several wristband alarms and can also be taken on vacation and used at a lake or river. Other types of poolside alarms include: Gate alarms, which are typically mounted on a gate door with magnetic switches; they activate when the door is opened, causing a break in the electrical field on the latch. Most have a pass button that allows adults to enter without sounding the alarm; the alarms then automatically reset. Even with gate alarms, it’s still important to have self-latching gates, with the latch positioned well above the reach of children. In-pool alarms can be freefloating or attached to pool walls. Some activate by detecting wave motion on the surface or movement in the water; others provide electronic surveillance and sound when an intruder enters the pool area. Door and window alarms, installed to protect a home from intruders, work when a small child tries to open a door or low-lying window leading to the pool area. Fencing Finesse A fence surrounding the pool area is the most basic form of accident prevention—and typically required by most municipal governments. In some areas, the fence must surround an entire property with a backyard pool; in others, only the pool itself must be enclosed. Either way, a fence should completely surround the pool—meaning the house itself should not be considered as one “wall.” To be considered a safety fence, it must be at least 48 inches high and cannot have openings wider than 4 inches. Vertical slats are best to prevent climbing, but plastic inserts can be installed on chain-link and other “climbable” fences to prevent children and others from scaling them. A 5-foot fence is even better, says Tom Griffiths, Ed.D., a noted pool safety expert who directs the Aquatic Facility and Safety Office for Athletics at Pennsylvania State University. “The fence should have a properly maintained, self-closing, self-latching gate that is difficult for a child to manipulate,” he says. “A lot of safety problems go away when you have those. If you have the money to install a pool, you owe it to yourself to buy those items.” Barrier fencing differs from fencing used to enclose a backyard. This type is usually made of mesh or other finely transparent materials for strength, but allows for an unimpeded visual of the pool from inside the home. Unlike other fencing materials, it prevents children from being able to get a foot-hold for climbing. Invisible fencing, best known for corralling pets on a property, can also be used to safeguard a pool area. These battery-operated fences feature both movement and heat-sensitive sensors that activate when a boundary is crossed. Cover Those Concerns A safety cover is another important layer of protection. These impenetrable barriers are made of thick vinyl and secured to the pool by tracks that run along the side. In order to qualify as a bona fide safety cover, it must meet specific standards by the ASTM International (American Society for Testing and Materials) and be able to support 485 pounds within a 3-foot diameter. Safety covers, like every other type, should be removed completely when the pool is used. Automatic units are powered by a motor, operated with a key or electronic control, whereas less-expensive manual units must be physically pulled across the pool and retracted with a wrenching device. Spa covers are equally important. They, too, can be manually secured and removed. For easier maneuverability, consider a cover lift device that makes the spa cover easier to handle. That’s because even though a new spa cover weighs only about 25 pounds, over time the foam core can absorb water, making it weigh nearly 100 pounds. Still, there is no pool safety product—or even a combination of several types that can replace the need for careful supervision. “Water is attractive to everybody, whether they are six months old or 60 years,” says Griffith. “On dry land, you have minutes to catch up with your kid. With a pool, you have only a few seconds. Active and aggressive supervision is required around water. Aquatic and water safety is always a case of miscommunication. The husband thinks the wife is watching, the wife thinks the husband is watching, and the parents think the grandparents are watching. Nobody stops and says, `Who is the designated watcher?’” Article originally written by Bob Calandra for Pool & Spa Living magazine. Advertise About Us | Contact Us | Privacy | Advertising | Site Map | Bookstore
Teaching Kids to Swim
September 12, 2009 at 12:03 pm | In Safety | Leave a CommentTags: Pool Safety
The best way to prevent childhood drowning is to teach kids to swim. But when?
The National Safety Council suggests enrolling children in swimming lessons as early as age three, and the American Red Cross says most children are ready by age four, although it offers foundation-laying classes for babies as young as 6 months old in its Parent and Child Aquatics Program. It is important to note, however, that each child’s readiness for swimming lessons is influenced by physical development, previous experiences, home environment, parental attitudes and individual preferences.
Swimming classes should be taught by a qualified instructor, typically certified by the American Red Cross or YMCA. For some preschoolers — especially those who have not had water experiences or who show fear — having parents with them may be helpful, at least for the first several lessons. For these children, consider enrolling in a parent and child aquatics course, as opposed to child-only lessons.
Inflatables such as water wings, swim rings and other flotation devices, should not be used while children are learning to swim. Non-swimmers may go beyond their ability and fall off the inflatable, and materials can deteriorate when exposed to sunlight and rough pool surfaces. Instead, outfit non-swimmers with a U.S. Coast Guard-approved life jacket or life vest and always provide adult supervision.
Lessons are great, but year-round practice, regular exposure to water and positive encouragement are essential for developing a child’s comfort and skill level in water.
Safety Savvy
September 12, 2009 at 12:07 pm | In Safety, automatic pool covers, backyard decorating, swimming pool alarms | Leave a CommentTags: backyard decorating, Pool Safety, safety covers, swimming pool alarms
Unfortunately, there is no single safety device that will prevent all backyard pool and hot tub accidents. That’s why many experts, including the Association of Pool & Spa Professionals, advocate layers of protection to safeguard your backyard pool or hot tub from accidents. Check out this suggested line-up for a safe poolscape.
Fencing
Barrier fencing around a pool — specifically designed to prevent access by small children and pets — differs from fencing used to enclose a backyard. This barrier fencing is often made of mesh or other finely woven transparent materials for strength, yet it allows an unimpeded visual of the pool area from inside the home. Unlike chain link and some other fencing materials that provide a place for young children to brace their small feet and hands into for climbing, it is impossible to grasp the mesh material used in safety fences.
Transparent fences are also flexible and easy to remove, roll up and store, and just as convenient to put back into place. Small holes are often installed around the pool to secure the fencing.
Invisible fences are wall-mounted and operate through infrared motion detectors. These are usually installed close to the pool patio, garage or other nearby location, and most protect at least an eight-yard semicircle. Battery-operated, they feature both movement and heat sensitive sensors that are activated only when a small child or animal moves and emits body heat within the patrol range.
More permanent styles — typically along property boundaries but required around the pool itself in some municipalities — can be as decorative as they are functional. Ornamental wrought iron or aluminum are popular because they add elegance and are maintenance-free. PVC fencing, often displayed at home improvement centers, is less luxurious but also requires no upkeep. Wooden picket or lattice styles are classic choices, but repainting or staining is recommended every few years.
Whatever you choose to prevent enticement (and trespassing) of outsiders, consider a fence that blocks the view of the pool from outside your property; it is a better deterrent — visually and physically — than a fence that allows a view. Even with ornamental fencing, a surround of thorny shrubs, such as roses or other plantings, add to your landscape punch while stopping unwanted wanderlust into your pool area. Of course, never leave objects like chairs or tables near the fence that children could use to help them climb into the pool area. Also, fences that are surrounded by thorny shrubs and flowerbeds are less likely to be climbed than those that offer a clear path.
Safety Covers
In order to qualify as a safety cover, it must meet strict standards set by ASTM (American Society for Testing and Materials) International, a voluntary standards development organization. These standards decree that the cover must support the weight of two adults and one child — approximately 485 pounds — within a 3-foot diameter.
Safety covers should be removed completely when the pool is being used so that swimmers do not become trapped beneath it. A tapered cover allows rainwater to drain off; one with a mesh panel permits water to drain through the cover. With a solid cover, use an automatic pump with an electronic sensor to drain pooled rainwater.
Spa covers are equally important. In addition to reducing evaporation, lowering heating costs and keeping water clean, they are the best means to prevent accidents. Spa covers can be manually secured and removed, but seriously consider a cover removal device — often referred to as a “cover lift.” Reason: Even though a new cover might weigh only 20 to 30 pounds, over time the foam core can absorb water and weigh more than 100 pounds. When this happens, the cover can be too heavy to handle easily. (In addition to making the cover easier to maneuver, lifting devices — which come in different styles and choices — properly store the cover off the ground, where it can become warped under its own weight or punctured by sharp rocks, twigs or even raised deck nails.)
Alarms
• In-pool systems can be freefloating or attached on pool walls. Some activate when detecting wave motion on the surface or in the water; others provide electronic surveillance and sound when an intruder enters the pool area.
• Wrist alarms are worn and activated through a base station. They are set off when immersed in water or if the child wanders beyond a certain distance from the base station. The base units and wrist alarms are sold separately, so more than one child can be outfitted at the same time.
• Door and window alarms, usually installed for home and occupant security, provide an additional level of safety if a young child opens a door or attempts to scoot out a low-lying window to gain access to an outdoor pool. They are also a good option when a pool configuration is so unusual (a rock mound on one side, for example) that using a safety fence is not feasible.
• Perimeter alarms utilize laser or infrared light to form an unbroken beam of protection around a pool’s perimeter. Sensors are positioned above the ground between 12 and 24 inches apart, and are adjustable in relation to a child’s height.
Added Protection
Rescue equipment is a must. An on-deck cordless poolside phone is important when you need to summon help, as is a list of emergency contacts and phone numbers. In addition to learning CPR, a first-aid kit should be kept near the pool for quick treatment of bumps, bruises and insect bites.
Incorporating all these layers of protection sounds like a safe bet, but nothing replaces the need for responsible adult supervision. After all, fences can be left unlocked, door alarms can be switched off, and automatic pool covers can be left open. Nevertheless, safety products can help prevent many accidents from occurring, giving you peace of mind and your loved ones and guests plenty of uninterrupted fun.
Thwart Uninvited Guests
Other trespasser thwarting recommendations:
• Surround the pool area with a tall barrier, such as a wall, fence or thicket
• Install locks on all doors and gates leading to the pool area
• Use light motion detectors that activate when someone steps on your property
• Ask neighbors to keep a watchful eye when you’re away
• Consider a home security service to alert police of anyone trying to pilfer a plunge.
Fencing Finesse
Article originally written by Alan E. Sanderfoot for Pool & Spa Living magazine.
The Push for Pool and Spa Safety
September 12, 2009 at 12:14 pm | In Safety, Safety fence, automatic pool covers, swimming pool alarms | 1 CommentTags: automatic pool covers, Pool Safety, swimming pool alarms
The Push for Pool and Spa Safety
The most important “layer” pool owners should provide is caretaker caution. Many water accidents occur because one parent “thinks” the other parent is watching the child, and vice versa. Always appoint a designated poolside caretaker.
Swim classes are available across the country. National groups, local community pools and private swim instructors help people of all ages learn to swim. A surprising number of adults can’t swim, yet they enjoy their backyard pools in many other ways. Make sure you and your family members know how to swim. You don’t have to swim laps or compete with anyone; just make sure you can swim to safety.
Teaching children to swim early in life adds another layer of protection. Benefits of swimming lessons extend far beyond reducing accident risk: An early swimmer has more confidence throughout life, and the physical benefits of working young muscles in a pool are beyond comparison.
Florida’s Palm Beach County is home to some of the world’s innovators in swim instruction for infants and children. Rob McKay, president of the Lifestyle Swim School in Boca Raton, Fla., and heralded as an expert with young children, offers swimming lectures across the globe. He says several key points can determine a child’s acceptance of swimming.
“Make it fun,” he says. “Infants and toddlers have a natural love of water and water-play. Forcing can be traumatic. Fears must be overcome before children accept water as a comfortable habitat. Parents should be in the pool with their children during lessons,” he advises. “They know the child’s moods better than anyone, and it provides added security, making children relaxed and willing to participate.”
Rob begins by working on above-water skills, including kicking, blowing bubbles, shimmying along the gutter and getting the face wet in playful activity. He suggests lessons be short. “Learning and physical activity at these ages is tiring – 15- to 30-minute lessons is ample.”
Once you know how to swim, never do it alone. A bump on the head, a mouthful of water, and other seemingly trivial events have been known to cause devastating accidents.
Carefully build your layers of protection with this advice, and with products that can help insure the safety of those you love.
Please, Fence Me In
Removable mesh fencing is also valuable, especially when children are very young and crawling or just beginning to walk. This type of fencing works well as a barrier between a pool deck or play area and the pool. Most can be removed in minutes-easily and quickly-for pool access when protection is not desired. The sections roll up for compact storage, and color-keyed caps cover the small postholes in the patio surface. Mesh fencing is difficult to see from a distance, so it won’t create an eyesore in your backyard.
Mesh safety barriers come with safety latches to ensure that little hands won’t open them. Look for latches that close automatically after use, providing added peace of mind.
Of course, having a gate won’t do you much good unless it’s locked. You may want to consider an automatic closure and safety latch or lock that can be installed into your existing fence gate.
Products today include magnetically-triggered closures that resist tugging and pulling from even the strongest child. Others offer torsion springs with locks that, once closed, require a key to open them.
For the tech-savvy homeowner, automatic gate openers and closures operate from a control unit. Viol� – simply push a button to open the pool area!
Sound the (Pool) Alarm!
In-pool and in-spa alarms provide even further layers of protection. These small units turn on and off with a remote receiver. The units float on the water’s surface and sound when children or animals enter the water.
Barrier fencing alarms might be another consideration. If your fence can be opened by someone over a particular height, it might be a wise investment to install a fence alarm that sounds when the gate opens.
Beam Me in the Pool, Please
Among the more innovative products are laser pool guards with alarms. This invisible fence surrounds the pool area, emitting a sound loud enough to wake anyone from a slumber if the area is disturbed. This type of fence comes with remote controllers, and the only “fence” wrapped around your pool and spa area will be a transceiver and a few reflectors and mirrors. This type of system sounds an alarm before anyone is in the water, not after. This Alarming Device Is Worn on the Wrist Some alarms attach to your child, instead of the pool. Simply lock a novelty wristband around your child’s wrist; if he or she falls into the water, a loud alarm will sound at the base station inside the house. Any number of wristbands can be used with one base station, and children remain protected even while the pool is in use or being cleaned.
Keep It Covered
Covering your spa is equally important. Shallow water depth is dangerous to those who can’t swim or aren’t mature enough to recognize harmful situations. It is equally important that spa covers be locked securely when not in use. Spa lids are not heavy, and often even very young children can maneuver them.
Look for covers with a UL (Underwriters Laboratories) or ASTM (American Society for Testing and Materials) listing to ensure its strength and ability to keep children and pets out of the water.
Other Ideas for Protection
Turn Your Spa into a Minipool
Worry no more about keeping the spa drain covered or keeping children away from its powerful suction. Durable and strong plastic covers can be installed on top of the seat sections of spas, separating drains and kids, while creating a shallow wading pool. The covers are easy to insert, remove and store. They even come with designs to give the little ones a decorated, private pool all their own.
Swim Trainers and Safety Accessories
Products such as arm floats, swim trainers and body lifejackets can help keep young swimmers from tiring in the pool. Many are inflatable and they deflate for easy storage. Even the best toddler swimmers tire easily, and young muscles aren’t as strong as they will be in years to come. While these are not a substitute for professionally taught swim instructions, they can increase the amount of time your children can enjoy the water safely. Make sure you choose flotation devices approved by the U.S. Coast Guard, to offer kids appropriate protection.
Chemicals: Locked Up and Out of Reach
Pool houses and other storage structures can house your pool and spa chemicals safely and conveniently. The pool houses come in various sizes and sport attractive designs to provide an ample amount of space for storage of all those little extras. Plus, there will be no more clutter around the pool. Most units, if not all, have locks with keys that add more protection.
Rob McKay’s Tips for Teaching Kids to Swim:
- Practice four or more times per week for the firsteight weeks.
- Teach children in a group format. It’s fun, takes the pressure off the child and encourages classmate imitation.
- Teach in warm, preferably 90� water.
- Quality child-sized, leakproof goggles greatly benefit hesitant children.
- Bloating stomach or irritability may be an indication that the child is swallowing water. Revert to abovewater activities for the remainder of the lesson.
- To prevent injury, use hands-on spotting when children are jumping out and away from the wall.
- The slower you go, the faster the child learns. Don’t force and always be patient.
Article originally written by Joanne Pollino for Pool & Spa Living magazine.
Keeping your pool running
September 13, 2009 at 12:15 pm | In algae, automatic pool cleaners, chlorine generators, pool maintenance, salt generators, water chemistry, water purifiers | Leave a CommentTags: chlorine generator, interior finishes, Pebble tec, pool maintenance
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In order to keep the pool water free of contaminants, it is necessary to add a chemical, which is capable of killing algae before it becomes visible, or a health hazard. As a rule, the presence of algae in water does not pose a significant risk to health, but it can enter open cuts or sores and cause infection. Once the concentration of algae in the water become great, it is visible to the naked eye as discolored water or blemishes on the pool surface. The concentration of chlorine in water is measured in parts per million (ppm), that is, parts of chlorine per one million parts of water. A standard test kit is graduated on one side from zero ppm to 3.0 ppm. Most test kits are labeled with an “ideal” level for chlorine, usually between 1.0 and 1.5 ppm. While this level is adequate for most pools, it is recommended to maintain a higher chlorine concentration than this during the hot summer months often experienced in Florida. It has been found that a concentration of 1.5 ppm dissipates too quickly during days with temperatures above 95-100 degrees. Superchlorination refers to a process in which the chlorine level in the swimming pool is raised to abnormally high levels over a very short period of time, usually a few hours. Another common name for superchlorination is “shocking”. Over time and with extended use, organic wastes build up in the pool water. These wastes include body oils, sweat and other body fluids, and suntan lotions. Generally, 1 gallon of liquid chlorine is needed for every 10,000 gallons of pool water. It is recommended that superchlorination take place in the evening, after the sun has set, since this is when the pool is not being used and treatment will not be removed by UV rays from the sun before it has the opportunity to perform its function. Conditioner is a name given to a chemical that inhibits the degradation of chlorine by UV light. Other commonly used names for conditioner include: stabilizer, sun-shield or the chemical name cyanuric acid. The recommended ideal level for conditioner in a swimming pool is between 40 and 100 ppm. Total alkalinity is a measure of the total amount of dissolved particles in the water whose pH is higher than 7.0. Examples of particles include dirt, sand, and baking soda. Alkaline particles in the pool water, at certain levels, act as a buffer to prevent rapid changes in the pool’s pH. Thus, when the total alkalinity of the pool water is within the ideal levels, the pH of the water will tend to stay balanced for longer periods of time. For all pool surfaces, the recommended level falls between 120 and 140 ppm. On a standard test kit, the pH scale is graduated from 6.8 to 8.2. The numbers refer to the concentration of hydrogen (acid) in the water but the scale is somewhat reverse. The ideal level for pH is generally the same for all swimming pools regardless of climate, amount of use, temperature, or pool surface. This ideal level falls between 7.4 and 7.6 for all pool surfaces. The type of surface on a swimming pool can also affect the pH of the pool water. Plaster or plaster based pool surfaces such as quartz, are porous, alkaline materials. They can absorb and neutralize acid in pool water, thereby raising its pH. In this case, small amounts of acid are generally needed to maintain a proper pH balance. Fiberglass, vinyl, and painted plaster pools, on the other hand, do not have porous surfaces, and thus do not absorb or neutralize acid in the water. Here, small amounts of soda ash or baking soda may be needed to keep the pH at a proper level after acid is added in the form of rain, citrus leaves, etc. The pump is essentially the heart of the swimming pool’s circulation system. It pulls water from the pool through the skimmer and main drain, pushes it through the filter and returns it to the pool through the main returns. The entire operation of the swimming pool is dictated by the operation of the pump. The cleaning system cannot, in general, operate without the main pump, and the pool water cannot be filtered without the main pump operating. It is crucial, therefore, to be aware with the proper schedule for the operation of the main pump. It is recommended that the pump run 12 hours per day during the hottest summer months, and 4-5 hours per day during, the winter months, and to varying degrees during the spring and fall. The daily cycle can be divided up into multiple cycles, but each cycle should be no shorter than 4 hours since this is the minimum time it takes for all of the water in the pool to pass through the filter at least once, and it is also the recommended time between the addition of chemicals and the next water test/or pool use. There is no substitute for a thorough brushing of the walls and bottom of the pool. Most automatic cleaners can’t scrub the floor to remove small debris and algae spores from the pores in the pool surface, and this must be done to ensure a stain and algae free pool surface. Be sure to brush the pool while the pump is operating, and to cover the entire pool from the tile line to the main drain. Sweep slowly and push the brush toward the main drain sp that the debris will be pulled into the drain and then into the filter, where it will be removed from the water. If large amounts of debris were removed during the process, it is advisable to clean the filter afterward. If the amount of debris in the pool is too great to be removed by either the automatic cleaning system or by brushing, the pool should be vacuumed to remove the debris before it becomes attached to the pool surface and requires special methods to remove. While vacuuming and brushing the remove dirt and debris from the bottom of the pool, they do not remove the debris such as grass, leaves, and bugs which float on the water surface. The skimmer built into the pool deck usually removes this debris, but it can accumulate in large amounts, and it may take the built-in skimmer an appreciable time to remove it. By using a hand skimmer, the debris can be quickly removed before it has the opportunity to become saturated with water and sink to the bottom. |
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Let the Sun heat up your pool
September 13, 2009 at 12:32 pm | In pool heaters, solar heating | Leave a CommentTags: pool heaters, solar heating
While the tax credits and government rebates won’t have as big an impact on the cost of luxury items like solar pool heaters, they still offer a good return on the investment.
Heating pools has been a major part of the solar energy industry for several decades, and it’s still popular.
Pool solar heaters can go on the south, east or west side of the house and use the existing pool pump to route the water up to the roof. The system also can be used to cool the pool at night during hot months.
There are other ways to heat a pool. However, while gas heaters or heat pumps may cost less up front, the operation cost can be high. The lifespan of a solar system also tends to be much longer than that of heat pumps or gas heaters.
Gas heaters are cheap at first, but can cost hundreds of dollars to run. A heat pump is more efficient, but the cost is like running an air conditioner and also may not do as well in the colder months.
A solar system just takes the heat off the roof of your house and puts it into the pool. So once it is installed, there is no cost to run.
When pools are screened, they can lose about 20 % of their heat.
Heating the pool makes it usable 10 months of the year. So it makes sense to spend that little bit of money it costs to get more use from your pool.
Over the Edge
September 13, 2009 at 1:10 pm | In negative edge, vanishing edge | Leave a CommentTags: infinity edge, negative edge, vanishing edge
In this design, the rim of the pool is dropped to allow the water to flow over it. As a result, the coping disappears and the water’s surface blends into the view beyond. The effect is particularly spectacular when the pool is positioned at the top of a hillside or beach dune and the vanishing edge is placed along the drop. Without a reference point behind it, the surface of the water stretches outward to meet the horizon, where it appears to merge with sky or ocean.
According to some experts, the earliest American pool with a negative edge was created in the late 1950s by architect John Lautner for Silvertop, a house in the Silver Lake district of Los Angeles. Elliptically shaped to echo Lautner’s curved architecture, the pool is built into a terrace on the side of a hill. Its rounded edge along the outward face of the terrace completely disappears to connect the water to the view of a reservoir beyond.
The secret of the vanishing edge is a retaining wall on the hidden side of the edge with a basin for catching the falling water and recycling it into the pool. While it may not be seen from the house, this wall is a prominent element of the pool enclosure and may be exposed to the neighbors. Much like a building facade, its design requires careful consideration of materials, color and details.
Patterned in stone, ornamented in tile, or sculpted with recesses, the retaining wall offers another opportunity to make a statement or to relate the pool to its environs. It can also be turned into an exciting water feautre. A wall embedded with pebbles and rocks, or one that is stepped, will break the fall of the rushing water to create rythmic sounds. At the bottom of the wall, the catch basin used for recirculation may double as a fountain or wading pool.
Vanishing edges not only give the illusion of distance, but also soften even the most angular shapes by making the rim disappear. The effect can be designed for flat as well as sloping sites. Vanishing edges don’t have to overhang the ocean to have a visual impact. Some of the prettiest effects are on level lots with views of flowering gardens. The benefit of the vanishing edge is to blur the distinction between the water, the deck and the landscaping.
For people in the pool, the lack of a visible barrier affords views over the top of the water, allowing swimmers to feel more in touch with their surroundings. And without obstructions above the waterline, the pool captures more reflections than an ordinary basin, truly becoming a mirror in the landscape.
A pool of any shape can accommodate a vanishing edge or two.Sometimes an infinity edge is placed around the entire perimeter of the pool or spa.
Of paramount importance to the success of any negative edge design is the transfer of water. Not only must the pool structure be precisely detailed, but surge tanks, pumps and plumbing must be correctly sized and placed to recycle the water efficiently.
Algae types and how to treat
September 14, 2009 at 9:04 am | In algae, pool maintenance, water chemistry | Leave a CommentTags: pool maintenance
SAFETY:
Be safe and have fun
Without proper chemical care, algae spores that enter the pool water from the air will multiply and become visible colonies. These colonies can take several forms and are identifies by their colors. Of the many species of algae, only four are common in household swimming pools: green, yellow, pink, and black.
| Green Algae | Yellow Algae |
| Pink Algae | Black Algae |
Green algae are by far the most common type of fresh water algae. It can grow both on the pool surface, resembling a green, slimy stain, and also suspended in the pool water, causing the water to appear to have a green tint. In severe cases, the algae is concentrated enough so that it is impossible to see the pool bottom, or even the steps. This can occur without significant warning during the summer months and may even happen within a 24-hour period. For this reason, it is always advisable to make certain that the chlorine concentration is well within the ideal range.
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Yellow algae (also called mustard algae) is actually a type of green algae, but has a different appearance and somewhat more difficult removal procedure. Yellow algae almost always form on the pool surface, usually in shaded areas. It is, yellow-brown in color, has a slimy texture, and can most often be brushed away with a few vigorous strokes of a standard pool brush.
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Pink algae are a relatively uncommon type of algae that is ink or red in color, and usually from around pipe- fittings and light fixtures on the pool surface.
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Black algae is a very common type of algae, and is the most difficult to remove once it has formed. A colony of black algae always forms on the pool surface, and usually is first visible when it is about the size of a small fingernail, but can grow rapidly and eventually become larger than a dinner plate. The spores settle in a porous surfaces, such as Tough plaster (mostly caused by Calcium buildup), and begins to anchor itself to the surface. It is able to dig a root into the porous surface and from there can develop an extensive root network beneath the pool surface, usually between the plaster and the concrete. Once the root has been formed, the algae become visible, but at this time it is already too late. Destruction of the visible portion is by no means a guarantee that the entire colony is destroyed.
Warming to Saunas
September 14, 2009 at 9:11 am | In health benefits, saunas | Leave a CommentTags: arthritis, commercial pools/spa, injuries, insomnia, saunas, stress, surgeries
Amid the economic hardship of the last year, sauna sales in the United States have remained steadfast, and that promises an even brighter future when the economy eventually picks up.
The chief impetus is the buying public’s perception of the product. The evidence is anecdotal, but there’s reason to believe that the longstanding assertion of a broad range of sauna health benefits is finding new traction.
That’s how Mark Raisanen, national sales manager, Finnleo Sauna & Steam, Cokato, Minn., sees it. “The health part — we believe that’s why the sauna industry is growing right now, because the word is finally getting out about the health benefits. People want to look better, feel better, sleep better, and saunas do that. And the population has finally tuned into it.
“There’s been lots of positive press and exposure and the message is really getting out there. That’s what’s driving sauna sales.”
Even with these gains, widespread consumer ignorance and misapprehensions of the product remain, and these are obstacles to potential growth. The key to boosting sauna sales in the years to come lies in mitigating negative impressions, while promoting opportunities for consumers to understand and enjoy the sauna experience.
Experience Needed
For many sauna industry professionals, the product’s greatest handicap has been the relative difficulty in experiencing a sauna under salutary circumstances.
This fact stands in stark contrast to most other products. If someone gets a ride in a neighbor’s Chevy Tahoe, or just borrows their mitre saw, that person is left with a fairly good understanding of what using the product is like. But saunas are different.
Most people have their first sauna experience at a hotel or health club, which is a far cry from what it’s like in the home, notes Kalevi Ruuska, president of the American Sauna Society, Fishkill, N.Y., a group that promotes the traditional sauna experience to its full cultural extent. Ruuska believes that many public saunas may do more harm than good in promoting the sauna lifestyle.
In visiting these public setups, Ruuska observes that the sauna is usually an afterthought of another, larger facility, and management lacks a good understanding of how to create a great sauna experience. In addition, he adds, “often they don’t maintain or clean these saunas, and for a person who goes there, it does not leave a good impression.
Raisanen agrees. “It’s a big challenge,” he says. “In fact, one of our goals used to be to get the best commercial saunas out there because once people used those saunas and enjoyed it there, they’d want one in their home.
“And while that’s true, it’s really hard to do, because we can’t control how a club or hotel maintains its sauna. They could put in the best sauna on the market, and if they don’t get in there and maintain it or mop it, it will smell like old sweat socks in a few months.”
Some of the things Ruuska looks for in a good public sauna include heated rocks in the sauna and the ability to pour water on them to control humidity, good ventilation throughout the area, and a cool-down area, drinking water and a shower immediately adjacent to the sauna.
Market Confusion
Another source of dissonance in the sauna marketplace has been public confusion between traditional and infrared saunas.
The advent of the infrared sauna has been a source of enormous growth in the industry, offering a product similar to the traditional sauna, but different in its cost, operation and effect. At the same time, however, this same contrast has provided a pretext for competing dealers to cast doubt on rival technology.
The press has played its part, too, Raisanen says: “A lot of writers that have talked to us in the past like to play heavily on this ‘difference between infrareds and traditional saunas.’ And it’s primarily because most of the dealers either do one or the other. And they’re going to bash the other to bring the point home.
“Our attitude is we’d rather not even make it a story. They’re both great, and great for you, so why struggle over the difference or which one’s better? Just fit consumers in the one that fits them better.”
Although both products heat the body, on close inspection they are quite disparate. “The infrared is much more quick,” notes Raisanen. “Since you’re not heating the air, you can enter the infrared sauna in maybe 15 minutes and start to get the effect of the infrared wavelengths.”
This rapid availability of heat lends the infrared to use as part of a workout, where the user can switch it on, warm up muscles in the sauna, and upon emerging from the unit, be ready to exercise.
On the other hand, the main advantage of the traditional sauna, says Raisanen, “is the ability to have steam, which is good for your sinuses, good for your skin and lungs.”
Ruuska believes the traditional sauna is more of a lifestyle product. “It’s more of a relaxation ritual,” he says, “with heating up and cooling down, and perhaps eating and drinking something. But both have a place in the market, and people should try to test both types so they can choose for themselves.”
Reaching The Market
The basis for existence of saunas in the United States has always been health and relaxation; they’ve never had the same social connotations as they do in other cultures.
But health and relaxation keep rising ever higher in importance to consumers, and that’s what’s really putting up the numbers in sauna sales, according to Raisanen. “The reason why saunas are growing so fast right now is because they are healthy for you, and the health industry and the aging baby boomers are driving it.”
Depending on the brochure or Web site, saunas are purported to relax muscles, soothe aches and pains, relieve stress and induce a deeper sleep. They are especially noted for their ability to flush toxins, cleanse skin, improve cardiovascular performance, burn calories, and to promote the immune system and an overall sense of well-being.
A list like that is hard to digest in one sitting. And consumers don’t want to be served a disordered heap of benefits; they are looking for straightforward, specific reasons why they should invite this expensive space-eating product into their homes.
Alice Cunningham, co-owner, Olympic Hot Tub Company, Seattle, a renowned retailer that added both infrared and traditional saunas to its product lineup in February, breaks down the broad marketing category.
“Here are some of the niches that I think we need to go after,” she says. First of all, there are the athletes warming up or recovering from a workout. “What do the Seahawks do on Monday after a tough game on Sunday? Well, three or four of them [including record-breaking running back Shaun Alexander] use a far-infrared sauna, because it speeds up the blood flow and helps the healing process.”
Another group to be considered, she notes, is people with chronic health conditions. “People who have fibromyalgia or arthritis, these are people who need heat just for mobility.”
Beyond these types of treatments, Cunningham believes there could be a future for saunas in alternative medicine. She doesn’t have any definitive studies in hand, but there’s a fair amount of anecdotal evidence to suggest a “sauna effect” could figure into the overall wellness movement.
“If you look at the amount of money spent on ‘alternative medicine’ every year, it’s like, 50 to 60 billion. People are taking their health in their own hands, and they’re willing to try a lot of different things. Their experiences are passed around and passed around, and finally the NIH (National Institute of Health) studies it. And that’s how it starts.”
A retailer has to identify and reach all these groups and others, she says, increasingly through non-traditional means. “I think that viral marketing, through word of mouth and blogs, is going to be huge in the future. Some of these blogs are read by a million people. They’re just people telling their stories on the Internet, but they’re seen as far more trustworthy sources than something like an ad.”
Beyond the marketing opportunity that saunas pose for her stores, Cunningham feels that saunas complement Olympic’s spas due to their common overall theme. A customer comes to the store looking for an in-home relaxation product, but she believes the final selection can be based on events deep in their past.
“When it comes to the choice of saunas or hot tubs, it really comes down to this question: When you were young, did your family vacation at the beach, or a lake or a river? Because if it did, you are going to want to own a hot tub or a pool.
“Or did you go to the mountains or the desert? Was it a non-water vacation? In that case, you’re going to want a sauna.” Looking at the matter this way, putting saunas alongside her spas makes perfect sense. “If you’re going to relax (and as you know, we are in the relaxation business) we want to have relaxation for the water people and the desert people. So we just raised the umbrella slightly and let another product in,” she says.
Becoming Mainstream
As Cunningham’s ideas illustrate, there’s currently a lot of brainstorming and optimism in the sauna industry. Raisanen clearly believes the industry has turned the corner. “I don’t really think we need to do more to educate the public about saunas,” he says, “I think it’s happening right now.”
He sees a continuation of the trends of the last few years in the traditional sauna market, with more customized saunas at the high end, and at the lower end, the small but fast-growing portable segment — plug-and-play saunas for people on the go.
On the infrared side, he says, “There’s a glut of manufacturers that have helped raise awareness, which is good. A lot of the best Web sites out there now from a commercial standpoint are infrared, and infrared is going to keep growing at a fast rate.”
With consumers catching on to the sauna lifestyle, Raisanen thinks the industry has turned the corner in North America. “We just want to keep the momentum going,” he says. “It’s becoming mainstream. It’s a product people want.”
Fitness and Fun fuel growth of Swimspas
September 14, 2009 at 9:19 am | In exercise pools, health benefits, spas/jacuzzis, swim spas | Leave a CommentTags: arthritis, diabetes, exercise pools, injuries, insomnia, pool design, spas/jacuzzis, stress, surgeries, swim spas, water exercise
| Fitness and fun fuel growth of swimspas. | ||
The pages of AQUA are filled with beautiful images of high-end swimming pools, commonly surrounded by casual dining sets, outdoor kitchens, cabanas and the like. Often these pools fulfill more of an aesthetic function than a practical one, serving as backdrops to poolside parties and as places to stage light shows rather than places to, you know, go swimming.
“I think that swimming and exercise and fitness are not things that have been thought of in the past by the industry,” says David Biles, COO of Endless Pools, a swim spa manufacturer in Aston, Pa. “It’s just not something that’s discussed.”
But there’s a large and growing segment of the buying public that’s ready for that discussion. They view the industry’s products as vessels for fitness, injury rehabilitation and even athletic training. They aren’t necessarily interested in backyard bling, and they represent a good target audience for swim spas, a term used here to refer to a range of products, including multi-use systems and current generators in pools.
Like Biles, Steven Heinkel, owner of Precision Pools & Spas in Menifee, Calif., thinks it’s high time the industry started talking about fitness. He does it, and it’s helped him carve out a niche installing small fiberglass shells and rigging them up to customer specifications. About one in four of his clients wants him to add jets and make it a swim spa.
“One of the reasons I started doing this is for marketing and to get more business,” Heinkel says. “There’s nobody doing it in my area and nobody is promoting it.”
Getting The Word Out
Dimension One Spas is among a growing number of old-line hot tub companies that have been promoting a line of swim spas recently, recognizing the growing number of people looking for backyard fitness products. First introduced in 2002 and relaunched on a larger scale and with greater emphasis last year, Dimension One’s Aquatic Fitness System allows users to not only swim against a current, but also to engage in a variety of non-swimming exercises, including rowing, strength training, stretching and walking in place with tensor cords. A separate hot tub at the other end is completely self-contained and can be kept warmer for traditional spa soaking.
“It enables you to more than just swim in the unit,” says Anders von Kantzow, AFS product manager. “It allows people to exercise 24/7, 365 days a year without the hassle of going to the gym.
“We’ve found that 20 percent of the time people are just going to swim in the unit against the strong current, and 80 percent of the time they’re going to be doing horizontal exercise.” But who are these exercise buffs and how do they differ from typical spa and pool shoppers? That depends on whom you ask, and on the type of product.
“The typical profile of people that purchase the product fall within three categories,” says von Kantzow. “Usually it’s the baby boomers, people who are well established and have disposable income. They have the money.”
Some of these boomers don’t have the backyard space for a full-sized pool, others may be planning to retire and sell their houses soon, he explains. For them, the AFS is a good fit.
Athletic-minded people represent another large portion of the system’s customers, and people with health issues or injuries that require low-impact rehabilitation round out the group.
“People with back problems, arthritis, can’t run on the ground,” von Kantzow adds. “But when you run in the water it tremendously reduces the amount of impact on your body.” Heinkel’s swim spa customers skew older too. Often heading toward retirement age, they’re looking for low-impact workouts and are also attracted to his fiberglass shell-based product because of the price and the size, both of which run a fraction of that of full-blown gunite pools.
“Out here in California, as you know, they just build the houses right next to each other,” he says. “It’s not like in Wisconsin where you’ve got a quarter acre. But people wanted pools. That’s when I started to promote the swim spa and show it to all my customers as an option, and they started biting on it.
“I also noticed in ’05 people were spending 100 grand for a pool. ‘Give me everything.’ Today, they’re like, ‘Nah, I’ve got to keep it at 50 grand.’ Then it’s, ‘What have you got for 40 grand? What about 30? OK, what have you got for 20 grand?’ Money is harder and harder to get.”
Heinkel also points out that his swim spas can be used for more than just swimming, citing the number of aftermarket products available to provide resistance for walking in place or strength training.
Wave Of Change
Endless Pools’ customer base has traditionally been very focused on fitness and training, and includes triathletes and other serious swimmers. This, and the company’s direct- marketing focus, have set Endless apart from other participants in the swim spa category, according to Biles.
But the company recently introduced a current generator, called Fastlane, for new pools and retrofits, and it’s changing the way it sells its products.
“We’ve always been a factory-direct seller, and it had always been a oneproduct company with the Endless Pool,” Biles explains. “But we now have a machine that can create a good current in the backyard pool. By nature that product is one that makes sense to have the builders offer, so we’ve kind of ramped up a division to focus on the pool builders’ needs. Fastlane comes in both a wallmount version for new construction and a retrofit version that bolts to the deck and is suspended into the pool.
“The wall-mount is harder to put into an existing pool,” Biles explains. “We have some people do it, but you have to drill through the bond beam, etc., so it’s a little technical. You’d really have to be renovating to put that on an existing pool.”
Show And Tell
While the potential market for standalone swim spas and current generators of all types is tremendous, manufacturers, dealers and builders still need to get the word out to a public that’s receptive to the message but isn’t always hearing it.
“We have a lot of dealers who just advertise from time to time and expect to sell it,” says von Kantzow. “The key to sell this product is to advertise, be consistent, and follow up on your leads. You have to do this over and over to make it work.” And just like hot tubs, it’s important for retailers to show the product if they’re going to be successful selling it.
“We require our dealers to carry our product on their floor. It’s really important for the customer to be able to come in and try the product,” says von Kantzow. “Like when you buy a car. You don’t want to just buy one online. You want to take it out for a test drive. For the swim spa, you need to wet test it, to see it and feel it.”
Builders selling swim spas and current
generators don’t always have the ability to show the product the way retailers do, so understanding and stressing the benefits is key. In addition to health and rehab, a smaller footprint and the ability to swim for extended periods without constantly turning around, swim spas can be heated up quickly and run throughout the year in a large part of the United States. These benefits are attractive, but customers need to be educated about them consistently for the category to fulfill its potential.
“One of the things that we try to tell pool builders to do when they’re out selling their pools and signing contracts is if you don’t ask, you’re not going to get an answer,” says Biles. “And typically, when you ask someone if they’d like to use this product for exercise and fitness, the answer will be ‘yes.’ Very few people say ‘no.’ But you have to ask the question.” Heinkel agrees, adding that as more people get swim spas in their backyard, selling them will only get easier.
“As more neighbors see it and become more aware of it, I think it will grow,” he says. “Especially considering how small backyards are on new homes.
“Also, I think people have been leaning more toward spas than pools because they feel they’ll get more use out of them. Swim spas give them an option to have that spa plus a decentsized body of water for them and the kids to swim in.”
Water Access for Everyone
September 14, 2009 at 9:35 am | In health benefits, swimming pool lifts, water exercise | Leave a CommentTags: water exercise
| For people whose well-being depends on being in the water, getting there can be half the battle. | ||
Everyone knows about the benefits of water recreation and exercise. A brisk breaststroke before breakfast, swimming laps after lunch and even a pool party with friends and neighbors are all great ways to raise the spirits and get one’s blood pumping. Most of us give little or no thought to getting into and out of the water for these activities. If the water’s cool, we may opt for the steps to allow our bodies time to get used to the water. If it’s not, we may choose to dive into the deep end. But what about those for whom it’s difficult or even impossible to get into and out of the pool so easily?
“Water exercise is just excellent for everybody, whether they have a disability or not. And a swimming pool lift is just a little bit of an equalizer,” says Don Krebs, owner of Access To Recreation, a lift distributor in Newbury Park, Calif. “It allows people to get into and out of the pool without the help of too many other people.”
According to Krebs, who is a quadriplegic himself (see sidebar on page 62), these lifts weren’t even available until around 1980, the year the Nolan Pool Lift made its debut at the International Pool & Spa Expo.
“Basically, we introduced it at the Expo and we got a terrible reception,” says Linda Nolan, president of Aquatic Access, Louisville, Ky., and daughter of the product’s inventor, John Nolan. “People just ignored it or looked at it and made a face and said, ‘Well, I don’t know anybody who needs that.’ So, times have changed. It’s taken a lot longer than we thought it would, though.”
Today, thanks in large part to the 1990 passage of the Americans With Disabilities Act, people of all degrees of physical ability are able to participate in the recreation, rehabilitation and relaxation pools can provide.
“The ADA is really a driver of our business,” says Bruce Giffin, national sales manager for Aqua Creek Products, Missoula, Mont. “Unfortunately, if it wasn’t for the ADA, I don’t think anyone would really be bothering with them.”
The Act
All the manufacturers and distributors we spoke with singled out the ADA as the catalyst for the growth of the pool lift industry. Its enactment meant that all public pools were compelled to install pool lifts to help the disabled get into and out of the pool. As people became more familiar with the product through exposure at YMCAs, municipal pools and the like, a significant residential marketplace developed. Giffin estimates that a healthy 20 percent of his company’s sales are for residential pools, but for others the percentage is even greater.
“We probably sell about half and half, commercial and residential,” Nolan says. “A lot of times, though, people will use the commercial models in their backyards.”
The difference between commercial and residential models, she explains, is that the models mandated for commercial pools must be selfoperable, while models for backyard pools have no such requirements.
“Basically, the self-operability requirement eliminates our EZ and Power EZ lifts [ from compliance in public pools], only because the operator cannot rotate the lift to get himself over the pool,” Giffin explains.
Aqua Creek’s EZ lift features a pump-type handle that requires an assistant to raise and lower the user, who sits in a sling. The company’s Power EZ is a little easier in that the bather can raise and lower the sling, but he or she still needs help to rotate it over the surface of the pool. The company also makes a Spa Lift, which likewise requires assistance to rotate the user over the water and is therefore suitable only for residential use.
“The ADA guidelines are designed to cover as many handicapped individuals as possible,” Giffin explains. “They want to allow most of them the greatest independence. Obviously, a quad can’t operate it by themselves anyway; they’re going to need an attendant.”
Product Placement
Another ADA guideline specifies where on the pool the lift can be installed. “They are not to be installed in water that’s over 48 inches deep, and typically you want them to be between 36 and 48 inches,” Giffin says.
“Residential pools aren’t bound by these same guidelines, but I like to tell the installers to use that guideline, only because it was developed by the ADA as the proper depth at which someone can become buoyant and float away from the seat.”
Aquatic Access’s Nolan agrees, adding that residential installation does allow for a little more flexibility.
“Most people who have some disability on land would like to be able to stand up in the pool, and so while you can put it in as little as 3 feet, 4 is better,” she says. “But when it’s a person at home, of course everything is going to be built specifically to that person’s needs. For instance, a 6foot-tall man might like to have it at 4 1/2 or 5 feet. When he stands and holds onto the side, he’d need more buoyancy to support him in the water. So the regulations are trying to find what’s best for the most people, whereas in a backyard you can put in exactly what you need.”
For builders and dealers who might be hesitant to take on projects like this because they’re unsure of how to accommodate a disabled client, Krebs offers some reassurance.
“Most of the manufacturers require a worksheet to be filled out about the particular pool, and that might include some information about the person that’s going to use it,” he says. “You don’t want the chair to go down so low in the water that the person’s face will be underwater, especially if they’re strapped in. Those things are all considerations.”
Nolan also points out that installation itself is well within the abilities of the average builder, aftermarket installer or service person. Retrofits simply require you to drill a 2-inchdiameter hole and to cement in a socket, much the way you’d do to install a ladder or handrail.
“And then, since our lifts are powered by water pressure from the hose to a faucet, you’re just running a hose across the deck and to the lift,” she says. “On new construction, though, you’ll often plumb that line in so you won’t have a hose going across the deck.”
Whichever type of lift you and your clients choose — and the options range from battery-powered automatic to water-assisted semi-automatic to entirely manual — the important thing is that your clients are getting something that will help them immeasurably.
“Just imagine if you had a hard time moving on land and were in a wheelchair,” Nolan says. “Think of the therapy it would be to be free in the water.
You could stretch and move your arms and legs and your entire trunk in ways you can’t when you’re sitting in a wheelchair. It’s a lot more than recreation for a disabled person.”
Safety Tips for using your pool or spa
September 15, 2009 at 9:56 am | In Safety, Safety fence, Virginia Graeme Baker act, pool maintenance, rescue equipment, swimming pool alarms | Leave a CommentTags: Pool Safety
Your pool and/or spa will no doubt be a source of fun and relaxation for you, your family and friends. To help everyone further enjoy your pool and spa, the following is a list of Safety Tips to remind you and the users of your pool or spa of some common safety practices when using the pool or spa.
Install a safety enclosure around the pool with self locking gates. Protect the pool from access by small children and animals.
Supervise children at all times when they are in the pool enclosure. It only takes a second for a child to slip into the water unnoticed.
Have rescue equipment available ( throw rings, life hooks and a first aid kit). If an accident happens, there may not be time to look for needed materials.
Learn CPR and have CPR signs up to remind you of the procedures. Learning and keeping up on CPR procedures can save lives.
Teach children to SWIM. Teaching your children to swim is the best thing to do for them if you own a pool. It will be a lifelong benefit.
Never swim alone. There is no guarantee that you will not need help. Even good swimmers need help occasionally.
Do not swim in an inadequately lighted pool at night. You should be able to see all pool walls and the bottom clearly when swimming to prevent an accident or to see someone in trouble.
Protect children against access to pool or spa equipment. Chemicals, electrical circuits and moving equipment can cause serious injury or death to any child exposed to these threats. Children are naturally curious and like to play with moving equipment and interesting containers.
from Swim Safely, by the Association of Pool and Spa Professionals
Electrical Safety for your pool/spa
September 15, 2009 at 10:27 am | In Safety, electrical safety, pool maintenance, pool service technicians | Leave a CommentTags: electrical safety, pool maintenance, Pool Safety
Turn off all electrical equipment to pool or spa before servicing equipment. Timers and automatic controls can unexpectedly turn equipment on while servicing equipment. This can cause serious personal injury or damage to the equipment.
Follow all instructions supplied with your equipment for safe servicing and repairs. Manufacturers are constantly updating their recommendations for performing the safest and easiest repair procedures for their equipment.
Have your pool area tested for electrical safety. Electrical and pool professionals have equipment to test your pool and adjoining area for electrical safety.
Do not swim when there is a possibility of lightning. A pool is a natural ground for lightning to strike. Lightning need not strike you or the pool to injure someone in the pool.
Do not allow electrical appliances within 10 feet of the pool or spa, ( radios, lamps, etc). Electrical appliances can cause serious electrical shock if they come in contact with water.
Do not install any electrical switches in a location that would require you to reach over pool equipment to turn them on or off. Serious injury can be incurred if the filter separates or contact is made with moving parts of a pump when reaching for an electrical switch.
If a tingling sensation is felt in or near the pool, shut off all electrical power to pool equipment. Call a pool professional or electrician to check the pool for electrical safety before allowing anyone to use the pool. Electrical leakage in a pool area could come from any electrical source. If a tingling sensation is felt, electrical leakage is probably present. Even with the power off, electrical current could be present. Any electrical leakage in the pool can be very dangerous.
When having your pool professional or electrician check your pool system, the following list will be helpful in determining if your pool/spa electrical system meets basic electrical safety requirements. Be certain that:
Pool lighting circuit and all electrical outlets within 20 feet of the pool are protected by a Ground Fault Circuit Interrupter. ( GFIC).
Pool lighting circuit has a dedicated circuit breaker properly sized for the application.
Pool light junction boxes are at least 48 inches from the edge of the pool and raised at least 8 inches above water level or 4 inches above the deck, whichever is higher.
All electrical equipment is properly grounded.
All electrical equipment and metal objects within 5 feet of the pool are properly bonded.
An electical shut-off for pool lighting and equipment is accessible in case of emergency.
These are a few of the ways in which to ensure safe use and operation of the pool/spa. There is no substitution for common sense and being informed when it comes to safety.
from Swim Safely, Association of Pool and Spa Professionals
Maintenance, Repair and Service Tips
September 15, 2009 at 11:10 am | In DE filter, Hayward, LED lighting, automatic pool cleaners, cartridge filter, chemical feeders, chlorine generators, electrical safety, ladders, pool maintenance, time clocks | Leave a CommentTags: pool maintenance
Always turn off electrical circuits at the panel before repairing or servicing any pool equipment. Avoid any possibility of equipment coming on when you are working on the equipment and eliminate the possibility of electrical shock to the repair person.
Never over-tighten any clamp to stop leaks. Over-tightening will seldom stop leaking and can cause serious damage to the equipment. Excess stress on a clamp or the distortion of a tank could cause a serious accident when the system is placed under pressure.
Do not start pump with return line valves closed. Circulating systems require an open path for the water to flow, and closed valves cause unnecessary pressure on the entire system.
Always reinstall the filter clamp as instructed by the manufacturer. An improperly installed clamp could cause the filter to separate under pressure and cause serious injury or property damage.
Always open the manual air relief valve on the filter before starting pump. Service and repairs normally cause air to accumulate in the system which could cause serious injury or damage if not relieved properly.
Use a qualified, licensed electrician for major electrical repairs or installations relating to your pool/spa equipment. Electrical requirements and regulation are constantly changing regarding pool and spa equipment. An electrical professional follows the proper installation procedure to meet the latest safety standards.
Maintain your pool equipment in good working order. Replace worn or damaged parts immediately ( i.e., pressure gauges, skimmer lids, filter clamps, electrical accessories, drain lids, etc.).
Check your pool equipment for air leaks. Air bubbles being discharged through the return fittings is a sign of air leaking into the system. Air accumulating in the filter system couuld cause serious injury or damage if not relieved properly.
Always stand clear of the filter during system start up. Pump pressure causes tank expansion and trapped air in the sytem is potentially dangerous if the clamp is not installed or tightened correctly.
Position pressure gauges and equipment instruction so they are visible during system operation and maintenance. Tank instruction lables and gauges should be positioned so that any repair person can read them easily without coming in contact with the equipment.
Periodically check with your original equipment manufacturer for updates to products. Always use genuine original manufacturers replacement parts to service equipment. Never interchange parts from different manufacturers.
If you have a question about the way your equipment operates, contact a licensed pool professional or the original equipment manufacturer.
from Swim Safely by the Association of Pool and Spa Professionals
More than just swimming
September 16, 2009 at 9:20 am | In exercise pools, health benefits, swim spas | Leave a CommentTags: arthritis, diabetes, exercise pools, injuries, insomnia, pool design, stress, surgeries, swim spas, water exercise
Once most people learn about everything a swim spa has to offer, they want one. That’s unless they already have a pool and spa in their backyard. For those who don’t, especially the millions of aging Baby Boomers, a swim spa could be the perfect fit. They can easily be used year-round, they take up much less space, and are more efficient to heat and operate than a 20-by-40-foot pool and adjoining spa. And while they’re not inexpensive, they’re no more costly than a basic pool and spa, and a swim spa can be installed in one day.
Perhaps the biggest benefit to consumers is the many ways a swim spa can be used. As the name suggests, people often swim in the spas, but they can also be a space for other aquatic exercise, family fun and therapy. And the more uses your clients can visualize for the swim spa they’re thinking of buying, the more sales you’ll close.
Choices
Recognizing that customers would like a swim spa with a variety of exercise options, Dimension One Spas designed its Aquatic Fitness Systems with not only jets to provide a current, but also equipment to facilitate an upper-body rowing workout and an underwater treadmill. “So you could swim for a while, you can jog, you can do aerobics and you can weight train in it,” says Dimension One CEO Bob Hallam. “The concept here is you’ve got a choice.
“We brought this out for the Baby Boomers,” adds Hallam. Since many Baby Boomers suffer from aches and pains that make exercising on land either painful or out of the question, exercising in water is a great alternative because it’s easier on joints.
Plus, muscles get a better workout in the water because Illuminate the many uses of a swim spa and watch sales light up it provides seven times more resistance than air, says Rebecca “Boo” Pfeiffer, a Miami-based certified personal trainer.
“So if you’re running in water, you’re actually getting more resistance and more work on your muscles than you would running on land, and you have less stress on your joints.”
This is evidenced in feedback Dimension One has received. “The first person we sold an Aquatic Fitness System to lost about 25 pounds in the first year just because they had a device they enjoyed and it wasn’t killing them,” says Hallam. “They didn’t get up every morning thinking about how their knee or back or hips hurt, which is something a lot of people have problems with.”
Dimension One has heard from other Aquatic Fitness System owners, as well. In fact, representatives from Dimension One even visit clients in their homes and observe them as they use their spas. “We spend a lot of time watching customers use their spa because when you talk to a customer about their spa, you’ll get some basic feedback,” says Hallam. “But we send people to sit there and watch people use their hot tubs. We want to see how they get in, how they get out, which seat they use, how they use it, is it comfortable. And if you ask them questions as they use it, you get much more specific feedback.”
For instance, Dimension One learned from this research that customers would prefer easier access to the filter on the Aquatic Fitness System. “We had a lot of complaints: I don’t want to go underneath and change the filter. I want to make this as easy as possible,” says Hallam. “So that’s where we got the idea of putting the filters on top.”
Relief And Rigor
In developing its new swim spa, the H2X, Master Spas also incorporated quite a bit of research. “We spent a year in planning and development,” says Bob Lauter, president of Master Spas. “We had a test tank where we tested the propulsion system in it to see what length we needed so there were no hidden obstructions like benches or steps, so that a person could swim, even a tall person, without worrying about whacking their toes on something.
“And we tried to figure out how we could construct the spa so that we would keep the current all going one direction, rather than having it come up the side walls.
“We also talked to certified trainers and to the ‘Poolates’ people about what we would need in the swim spa as far as space for them to do exercises and what bars we might need to hook up the apparatus to.” (Poolates is a new exercise form explained in greater detail below).
In the end, Master Spas incorporated a large swim area, the patented Exerswim propulsion system, grab swim rails to facilitate various exercises, and a jetted seat and cove for therapy into the design of the H2X.
“The propeller system is a lot more efficient at creating a current,” says Lauter, “and it gives a much broader, deeper current that makes it a lot easier to swim against because you’ve got current underneath you that’s lifting as well. So it’s a lot easier to find a sweet spot and stay in it because the sweet spot is a lot bigger. With jets creating a current, you’ve got this powerful blast of water mixed with air that is a narrow current, and it’s tough to swim against.”
The therapy seat and cove were included, says Lauter, because “we’ve tried to come up with a way to provide therapy for every part of the body for someone that just wants to have some pain relief.” The therapy seat, which looks much like a traditional hot tub seat, has an X-pattern of jets to provide relief to the back, hips, thighs, calves, arms, wrists and hands. The therapy cove has a grab rail and jets are positioned to offer relief to the lower back, hips, legs and knees. “It’s the kind of place you can get therapy that would be tough to get any other way, particularly on the front part of your body,” says Lauter.
Beyond Swimming
Most people can figure out that standing next to or sitting by jets provides tremendous relief, but aquatic exercise, aside from swimming, is not always as intuitive. Because Master Spas wanted to offer its clients some direction, the company has teamed up with Pfeiffer, creator of the Poolates program, which she says “blends the principals of Pilates — including control, concentration, centering, breathing, precision, awareness and flow — with the benefits of aquatic exercise.”
Says Lauter, “We wanted to partner up with her because we felt we needed to offer a specific program that could be done in our swim spa for people at all different levels of fitness for strengthening their lower backs and their stomachs and gaining flexibility.”
Pfeiffer, who was already a huge fan of aquatic exercise before trying out the H2X, believes the swim spa is ideal because it’s “one-stop shopping.”
“Say for example you have lowerback problems,” says Pfeiffer, “and you need to soak in warm water to loosen up your back. The H2X has that wonderful seat with all those jets, so you can sit in the jet seat in the warm water, just relax there for a few minutes, and let the water do its great work loosening you up. Then you can stand up, turn off the jets and do some stomach and back exercises in the water, go for a walk or run in the water, and then do some cardio that’s not going to have you pounding on that back. Then when you’re done, you can stretch and sit again in the jetted seat.
“The other really nice thing about having the swim spa current,” continues Pfeiffer, “is when you do something like Poolates or weight training where you’re using the resistance of the water, you can make the water more resistant by doing the weight training against the jets. So if you submerge one of the big aqua dumbbells, and say it normally has the resistance of 8 pounds on land, and then you try to control it against the jet, I can tell you it feels a lot heavier than 8 pounds and you’re working a lot harder to control it.”
Pfeiffer stresses that aquatic exercise is not just for those who find it difficult to work out on land. “For the world-class athlete, there’s still a tremendous challenge,” she says. “It might be that running in a regular pool isn’t so challenging for the worldclass athlete, but have him run against the swim spa jet and all of a sudden he’s getting a great training session.”
Poolates, which improves posture, strength, balance and flexibility through a series of exercises, is also for people at all different fitness levels, says Pfeiffer. Howard Cohen, a former competitive swimmer and now a writer for The Miami Herald, tried Poolates and had this to say: “After an hour of walking across the floor of the pool while lifting the knees above the waist, leg circles, pushing a pull-buoy under water with the back of a leg and doing double knee lifts on the pool steps, I felt like I had a real workout.”
Wider Is Better
Yet another option in the swim spa category is the Aquatrainer from Hydropool, which, says company president David Jackson, can be installed indoors, in the ground, in a deck or above the ground, like a hot tub. “We have lots of flexibility,” he says.
The Aquatrainer’s current is generated with jets, but Jackson explains how it’s still a smooth current: “Most swim spas use a round nozzle, which gives a fairly direct pressure and is a little more turbulent and a little more difficult to stay in the current. What we have is a wide-stream jet, so instead of a round, 2-inch nozzle, our jet is just over 1 by 6 inches, and what it delivers is a much more level, even and wider current. This wider current is easier to stay in, and it’s less turbulent and less direct. In addition, it’s designed so the stream curls in the hydrotherapy seats, so that there’s not a lot of backwash and you get a very smooth, comfortable swim.”
The Aquatrainer also has a variedflow current. “You can control the jets so there’s between 450 and 700 gpm coming out of the jets,” says Jackson, “And the homeowner can do that themselves using valves and make either a much stronger swim or a much lighter swim.”
The Hydropool swim spa, like other suppliers’ models, can also serve as a soaking pool or a place for kids and families to play, “just like a pool, but smaller,” says Jackson. And as lots get smaller and smaller across the country, the versatility of swim spas should not be overlooked. Lauter sums up the capabilities of the units well: “A swim spa should really be called the swim, aquatic exercise, family fun, rehabilitation spa, because it can do all those things.”
Eliminating Barriers
It’s well known that Baby Boomers are the target market for makers and sellers of hot tubs and swim spas. But another group that can reap the benefits of these therapeutic vessels are children with disabilities. “There are a lot of parents who choose to put in some sort of spa for their kids with disabilities because of two reasons,” says Andrea Salzman, a physical therapist and owner of the Aquatic Resources Network in Plymouth, Minn. “One, often the total number of therapy visits runs out early in the year if you’ve got a disabled child, so it might be June or July and you don’t have any more visits [per insurance] for the rest of the year. So they’ll show them things to do and then they’ll do them in their own home.
“And the buoyancy makes it easier for an adult to handle a child, as they get to be 11, 12, 13 years old and they can’t stand or walk. It’s just a free environment for parents with children with disabilities to work with their own child.”
Salzman notes other benefits of aquatic therapy: “What they’ve found is that people who can’t stand on land can often stand in pools. And people who don’t speak and socialize on land get very vocal when you put them in an aquatic environment. In fact, a lot of speech therapists are starting to use the pool.”
Rebecca Pfeiffer, a certified personal trainer based in Miami, has witnessed similar scenarios with adults. Her older clients are often afraid to do balance exercises on land, fearing they’ll fall, but they’re comfortable doing them in the water. “I find that once they have that fear factor eliminated, it’s so easy to do the balance training.”
— K.E.
Kids of all ages love toys
September 16, 2009 at 9:25 am | In pool toys | Leave a Comment| Kids of all ages love toys. | ||
In case you haven’t noticed, toys are not just for kids these days. More and more, adults are spending money on fun — for themselves and for the whole family. Add to that an increased interest in fitness and exercise, plus the growing trend toward folks spending more time at home (and more money on their homes), and you get a pretty good environment for selling pool toys and games. Although many of the pool toys and games on the market these days practically sell themselves, with a little more effort you can put them to work for you.
Toys For Big Girls And Boys
The availability of sports-equipment-style games for the pool has more grownups taking off their court shoes and jumping in the water. Manufacturers like Huffy Sports make basketball goals and volleyball sets that look like the durable equipment at the neighborhood park, and can take just about as much abuse as the playground hoops and nets.
These days Keith Zars of Keith Zars Pools in San Antonio, Texas, sells net games on the majority of the pools he builds. “We’re selling to a dad and his son, they want something everyone can use,” says Zars. “When they play, they play ‘gorilla rules’ — you can hang on the hoop, you can do whatever you want. They don’t want equipment that’s fragile.”
Zars’ clients want games that look and perform like authentic sports equipment. “They want to show off and dunk the basketball, they want to hang on the net and spike the volleyball. They just want to have fun; they don’t want to worry about breaking it. They want it to look like sports equipment, not a child’s toy.”
Hoops and nets haven’t always been “must-haves” for Zars’ clients. It took a little coaxing and some neighborly peer pressure. “When we started, we didn’t sell as many as we sell today,” he says. “Then people started seeing them at their friends’ and neighbors’ homes. Once they tried them and liked them, we started building up a bit of a reputation.” Some clients ask for the game equipment right from the start, but there are also folks who don’t know they want it until they see it. That’s why Zars introduces the games at the start of the sales process: “We always show a photo of the equipment, and that helps bring it up in the conversation.”
Something For Everyone
Pro-style games are just the ticket for adults and teens, but they’re overkill for little kids. Remember when you were 5 and you tried to take a regular sized basketball to a regular sized hoop. Pretty discouraging. Dale Quezada, sales manager for San Diego’s Hallmark Pools, says it’s important to match the game with the player.
“It’s way too much for kids under 8 or so,” he says of the sports-equipment-style games. “But they will last 10 to 15 years, and they will take the abuse of teenagers and adults. Now, the two-in-one basketball/ volleyball game, that’s a good allages game. But I don’t recommend that for teenagers, because they aren’t going to want to play on the ‘little-kid games,’ so it depends on the age group.”
He carries three different levels of games, grouped around the age-appropriateness for the participants. “It’s more just helping the customer with selection: We talk about the age group of the kids who are going to be using them, and whether this model going to make sense for what the family wants.” Most of the toys on Hallmark’s shelves sell themselves; it’s at the higher price points that customers can use some guidance from knowledgeable salespeople. “The only time we really have to get involved with selling is with the basketball games, because they run from $60 anywhere up to $239,” says Quezada.
Ball games aren’t the only toys that cross the generations. The lifelike, colorful, battery-operated tropical fish, koi, frogs and other creatures that everyone has seen at industry trade shows can spark both a child’s imagination and a conversation at a cocktail party. “All ages can use them and enjoy them. When the water’s too cold to swim in, but you’re having an outdoor gathering, throw a couple of those in the pool. It’s a great accessory for a party,” says Quezada. The creatures also add life to a spa. When it’s not being used for therapy or relaxation, colorful battery-operated aquatic life can turn it into a water feature.
Swim spas endless options
September 16, 2009 at 9:36 am | In exercise pools, health benefits, swim spas | Leave a CommentTags: arthritis, diabetes, exercise pools, injuries, insomnia, pool design, stress, surgeries, swim spas, water exercise
| Swim spas’ endless options. | ||
Ask most industry experts about the appeal of those perpeptual swimming machines known as swim spas or counter-current pools, and their answers seem pretty broad. They say swim spas are for everyone; young, old, fit or not. They point out the many possible uses and installations. It seems that the swim spa is a good answer to nearly any residential/recreational water question.
Ask typical consumers about a swim spa, and their responses, too, are fairly vague. Many consumers haven’t seen a swim spa, let alone used one, and aren’t really sure what they are. And most people are hesitant to spend a lot of money on something they haven’t quite figured out.
So while versatility may be the beauty of the swim spa, it can also confuse consumers who, increasingly, rely on branding and categories in order to make sense of the cacophony of marketing messages to which they are subjected. Focusing in on those swim-spa features that are most salient to the individual customer is the way to clear the clutter.
“Part of the swim spa approach is that you have to educate people,” says Audrey Markiton, director of marketing for Sunbelt Spas. “People aren’t familiar with what it is. There are people who will walk in and know what it is, but most will walk in and say, ‘What’s that giant box?’” Markiton says over the last several years major manufacturers have helped place articles in magazines that target healthy-living people, people who have arthritis and other people who could benefit from the therapy.
“We and a lot of other companies have been doing a lot of national advertising, and the Web has certainly helped, as well, to bring up public awareness,” says Graeme Thomson, general manager of Hydropool’s Aquatrainer brand.
“Knowledge of the product is essential,” says Markiton. “Be able to tell a customer about the product and answer all the questions they have. Go to a homeowner and talk about things they maybe didn’t think about. You as a retailer will know things that they don’t know or don’t remember. ‘You could put steps here. How about a Cover Butler?’ It allows you to bring in your knowledge of the product and the industry.”
Who Are They For?
Some manufacturers say that there’s not an exclusive, specific demographic group that buys swim spas. They are for everyone; young people, old people, families, people who are maintaining a high level of fitness and people who are addressing an injury or medical condition. But there are some specific groups for which swim spas fill a specific need.
“There isn’t really one defined consumer. It’s pretty much open to everybody,” says Thomson. “But you definitely have a specific market in serious swimmers, whether they’re swimming for fitness or competition.” These swimmers have a different set of criteria than the more casual user. They are more likely to be concerned with the nuts and bolts of getting a realistic swimming workout. For them, details about the propulsion system may be of top importance and retailers will score points if they can discuss their products on these terms.
“We specially designed our swim jets for in-place swimming, says Thomson. “We get a better .ow and current. The jets produce resistance that’s equal to a swimming speed of about 5 miles per hour.”
At Markiton’s company, they use a jet with an established brand name to impress consumers. “BaduJets are a really big selling point, people know what they are before they even go into the store,” says Markiton.
“It’s a specific kind of jetting system that’s used for swimming and resistive exercises.”
But having a realistic approximation of the Olympic Aquatic Centre pool isn’t a priority for most consumers.
“You also have the market of older consumers who may just want to do fitness to have a better quality of life. They can’t go out and jog, but they can swim and do bouyant exercises,” says Thomson. These consumers will be interested in therapeutic jets as well as those that create a swimming plume. And they won’t have a need for a current that reaches 5 miles per hour. They will likely be concerned with ease of maintenance. And talking about options and add-ons that will make their swim spa into an allin-one aquatic gym will impress, too.
Markiton says that therapy and medical needs drive a lot of the marketing at her company.
“We have doctors and physical therapists who recommend swim spas to their patients,” she says. “A lot of the marketing right now is aimed at facilities where people are going to become familiar with the product.”
“But,” says Thomson, “the market is far from limited to just those areas.”
Says Markiton: “We have a lot of familes that buy them. People who don’t want to go to the expense of $50,000 in their backyard, but they’ll spend $20,000.”
Thomson notes that changes in residential planning have made the swim spa an excellent choice for many. “With the trends in building — the postage stamp-sized lots — people are limited to their space, and they don’t necessarily want a pool that will take up their whole backyard and not leave room for a patio or a garden.”
And for the small yard, a swim spa compares favorably to a small pool. “You can’t put the slides or the diving boards in a 30-foot pool, anyway,” says Thomson. “If you really want to use the 30-foot pool for swimming, you take three or four strokes and you have to turn around already. What do most people do in a pool. Hop in, relax in the sun and float around in a chair with your beverage of choice. And you can do that whether it’s a 30foot pool or a 14-foot swim spa.”
Athletic Aesthetics
It’s a serious piece of exercise equipment, but unlike the gangly bulky eliptical machine or treadmill that inelegantly squats on precious floor space in many homes, a swim spa is an aesthetic benefit. Markiton recommends taking a designer approach and visiting the home.
“By going to the customer’s home, you can actually work in a color scheme. You can talk about, ‘Wow, you have a really great verdigris fence back here. Why don’t we match the colors.’ Then it becomes a project, not just a spa purchase. And people really like that. They like the idea that somebody came there and learned about their style and found a versatile way to put that into the backyard,” she says. And making the installation into a project means adding value — casual furniture, decking, landscaping — to the ticket.
Consumers who know about swim spas are big fans. Retailers who successfully highlight the pertinent features of this versatile product will have happy (and healthy!) customers.
Safety – layers of protection
September 17, 2009 at 9:25 am | In Safety, Safety fence, swimming pool alarms | Leave a CommentTags: Pool Safety, swimming pool alarms
Although drowning has always been an issue pool and spa professionals must face, for far too long the subject was swept under the rug. Today, more and more industry professionals are working together to form and join organizations that aim to to reduce drownings and educate homeowners on the importance of drowning safety by providing low-cost or free safety brochures, Web sites that include links to additional safety information and programs that can be integrated into local events.
Retailers and other aquatic professionals can help these organizations spread the word by recommending that homeowners use various layers of protection around their pools and hot tubs, and provide constant and strict adult supervision. Educating homeowners about how to recognize a victim in distress as well as how to prepare for an emergency can also help to reduce the number of people drowning each year.
Following is a list of national organizations that might be helpful for dealers interested in promoting safety in and around pools and spas.
American Red Cross (ARC)
025 E Street NW • Washington, D.C.
Phone: 202/303-4498 • Web site: redcross.org
MISSION: The American Red Cross provides relief to victims of disasters and helps people prevent, prepare for and respond to emergencies.
The American Red Cross is an advocate for water safety and lifeguard training, and stresses that it is essential for people everywhere to learn how to be safe in and around water. To help promote its vision, the American Red Cross has organized and maintained nearly 900 national chapters, and has developed water safety materials, including its low-cost Water Safety Handbook , which provides homeowners with general water-safety tips, information on the risk of drowning, and emergency-action plans. The organization also provides various programs through community facilities, including its new Swimming and Water Safety program, which provides information about the importance of water safety training and being safe in and around water. More than 3.7 million people enrolled in American Red Cross aquatic programs in 2004.
Association of Pool & Spa Professionals (APSP)
2111 Eisenhower Ave. • Alexandria, Va.
Contact: Suzanne Barrows • Phone: 703/838-0083
Web site: theapsp.org
MISSION: The Association of Pool & Spa Professionals is an international trade association representing companies and individuals in the swimming pool, hot tub and recreational water industries. APSP members adhere to a code of ethics in business and technical practices and share a strong commitment to the safe, healthful and enjoyable use of industry products.
The Association of Pool & Spa Professionals represents aquatics professionals through various Web sites, annual awards and educational and technical seminars. APSP also says that with the help of its members, it is able to fund an extensive public service campaign that educates people on safe behavior in recreational water settings. The yearly campaign reaches more than 32 million households.
U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC)
4330 East-West Highway • Bethesda, Md.
Phone: 800/638-2772 • Web site: cpsc.gov
MISSION: CPSC is an independent federal regulatory agency. CPSC works to save lives and keep families safe by reducing the risk of injuries and deaths associated with consumer products.
The CPSC says it is working to reduce the number of children 5 years of age and younger that drown in residential swimming pools. To help achieve this goal, the CPSC recently held public hearings in Tampa, Fla., and Phoenix to explore strategies on preventing these deaths. Additionally, CPSC conducts nationwide education campaigns to promote pool safety, and this year is focusing its efforts on entrapment hazards in pools and spas. CPSC says it recommends pool and spa owners consider installing a safety vacuum-release system to prevent entrapment. The organization also recently updated its Guidelines for Entrapment Hazards: Making Pools and Spas Safer , which provides information for pool owners and aquatics professionals about how to reduce entrapment dangers.
Previously, the CPSC has conducted studies on the effectiveness of pool alarms. During 1999 and early 2000, it evaluated four water disturbance alarms and a wristband, two of which used surface wave detection circuitry, while the other two detected subsurface disturbances. The wristband is supposed to alarm when exposed to water.
The CPSC says its test results showed that the subsurface pool alarms were more consistent in alarming and less likely to false alarm than the surface alarms. One surface alarm performed almost as well as the subsurface alarms, and the wristband alarmed when submerged in pool water. Because of this research, CPSC recommends homeowners who choose to use pool alarms use those that meet ASTM standards.
But because no alarm is foolproof, the CPSP also recommends homeowners use layers of protection to protect children from drowning, including close supervision, barriers around bodies of water and specific plans in the event of an emergency situation.
Free publications, including Safety Barrier Guidelines for Pools and How to Plan for the Unexpected , are available at cpsc.gov. In addition, a new swimming pool safety alert link is available, which provides additional and up-to-date swimming pool and entrapment information.
Independent Pool and Spa Service Association (IPSSA)
P.O. Box 15828 • Long Beach, Calif.
Contact: John Silcox • Phone: 858/467-0507
e-mail: pooldood@aol.com • Web site: ipssa.com
MISSION: The Independent Pool and Spa Service Association exists for the mutual professional benefit and growth of its members and for the continued improvement of the pool and spa industry’s image.
Although IPSSA believes there are more safety discussions taking place today among professionals in the pool and spa industry, it says there is still a “bury your head in the sand” mentality among some. To combat this problem, IPSSA provides retailers, service professionals and homeowners with safety materials that are easy to read and understand, such as free safety brochures and pool safety checklists. The organization also distributes “water watch” tags free of charge to IPSSA members, provides “Close The Pool Gate. Save A Child’s Life,” bumper stickers to its members and has recently formed a Water Safety Committee with a purpose of establishing a drowning prevention and water safety program for IPSSA.
IPSSA says its vision for the future is to see all service companies, builders, manufacturers and retailers promote safety.
International Aquatic Foundation
P.O. Box 4038, Alexandria, VA 22303
Phone: 703/838-0083 • Fax: 703-549-0493
Web site: www.iafh2o.org
MISSION: To make recreational water environments healthy, safe and enjoyable, and to advance safe use and best practices in the design and construction of aquatic facilities, including pools, spas and recreational water parks, through science, standards and education for aquatic professionals, consumers and government officials.
IAF is a nonprofit international organization with an objective to educate aquatic professionals, public health officials, consumers and academia in making recreational water environments healthy and safe. Maureen Williams, a board member and executive director of the National Drowning Prevention Alliance, says the IAF will collaborate with industry organizations to promote educational programs and materials, advance technical education and increase consumer safety awareness.
IAF also strives to develop industry standards, to provide a forum to address industry issues and to foster scientifically sound technical information. The organization’s programs and services include guidelines for the design, construction and operation of aquatic industry facilities; research; educational programs for public health officials and aquatic professionals; and public safety awareness and educational campaigns.
The IAF says each year it will measure the effectiveness of its programs by tracking the number of drownings, near drowning and major injuries, such as spinal cord injuries, that occur.
National Drowning Prevention Alliance (NDPA)
Contact: Maureen Williams • Phone: 800/716-0888, ext. 192
e-mail: mwilliams@ddtechusa.com
Web site: drowningpreventioninfo.com
MISSION: The National Drowning Prevention Alliance was formed in 2004 to maximize efforts to prevent drowning through the development and implementation of strategies to facilitate and improve education, public awareness, effective barrier codes and greater utilization of layers of protection.
NDPA comprises individuals, organizations, government agencies, policymakers and corporations, focuses on educating consumers about the importance of layers of protection around pools and eye-to-eye contact as the only effective supervision when children are in swimming pools. In addition, the organization hosts an annual National Drowning Prevention Symposium to teach health educators, pool industry representatives, homeowners, legislators and the media about up-to-date programs, strategies and products designed to help prevent drowning. The organization also provides consumers and pool professionals with pool safety information and links to additional pool-safety-related Web sites at drowningpreventioninfo.com.
National Swimming Pool Foundation (NSPF)
224 East Cheyenne Mountain Blvd. • Colorado Springs, Colo.
Contact: Margaret Smith • Phone: 719/540-9119
e-mail: margaret.smith@nspf.org • Web site: nspf.org
MISSION: The National Swimming Pool Foundation is a nonprofit organization encouraging healthier living through aquatic education and research.
The National Swimming Pool Foundation says its vision of aquatic safety involves freedom from aquatic danger, risk and injury by reducing drowning, recreational water illness, diving injuries and suction entrapment injuries.
For decades, NSPF has funded research to help understand and prevent suction entrapment and diving injuries. In 2005, the foundation budgeted $500,000 for research grants and fellowships that will aid in preventing recreational water diseases and injuries, and will help to identify, understand and communicate health benefits of water. The research will be presented at the World Aquatic Health Conference, Sept. 19-21, 2005, and in scientific journals. The foundation says this research will help guide public policy and new product development to serve homeowners. In addition, NSPF has published educational materials, including the Aquatic Safety Compendium CD, which provides scientific information about catastrophic injuries that are related to swimming pools and hot tubs. The NSPF Web site also contains various articles and brochures that provide safety information to dealers and homeowners.
Pool Safety Alliance
P.O. Box 2421 • Seal Beach, Calif.
Contact: Corinne Zemla • Phone: 949/872-9064
e-mail: cmzemla@aol.com • Web site: poolsafetyalliance.com
MISSION: The Pool Safety Alliance aims to improve swimming pool safety by bringing together, on a national basis, pool designers and builders, children’s health providers and safety advocates, manufacturers and related agencies or professionals in a focused, education-based effort.
This nonprofit organization, whose members include the Children’s Hospital of Orange County and the Genesis 3 Design Group, says it strives to educate builders on how to address safety without fear of discouraging sales. To promote this goal, Pool Safety Alliance supplies a brochure called Beauty of Safety and offers support to groups, dealers and services who request information. Its Web site also includes information and price ranges on several pieces of safety equipment, such as isolation and mesh fencing, alarms, safety covers and nets. Visitors can also link to additional safety Web sites.
The latest trends in pool building
September 17, 2009 at 9:39 am | In LED lighting, backyard decorating, landscape lighting, negative edge, pebble tec / interior finishes, pool design, pool lighting, tile/glass tile/ tile mosaics | Leave a CommentTags: landscape lighting, firepits, water features, backyard decorating, interior finishes, Pebble tec, water exercise, automatic pool covers, pool design, LED lighting
| The latest trends in building | ||
If you’re looking for a quick list of the building techniques and concepts that are currently driving the industry, look no further than the presentations and demos at this year’s trade shows.
Glass tile, new decking materials, fountains and the green building movement are among the topics drawing intense interest this year, according to Bob Baron, MAR BAR Family Pools, Ramsey, N.J.
The new concepts on display offer a dazzling contrast to the conventional building methods of only a decade ago. This particular point in the industry’s evolution has brought together both the means and the skilled artisans to create art in the backyard, and the result has been a fundamental change in the approach to the backyard pool project, from the production of a functional swimming pool to a comprehensive aquatic environment.
It’s a natural extension of the basic swimming pool project, says Brian Van Bower, co-founder of Genesis 3 and president of Aquatic Consultants in Miami. “If I’m in the business of creating vessels that hold water with some type of movement and treatment, then does it matter very much if I’m doing ponds or fountains or swimming pools? The answer is no.
“We’re artists working in water. We’re using different water-related applications to paint a backyard picture — visual water, functional water, water that makes sound, water that pounds on you and gives you therapy. All of these applications are just moving, treated water in vessels, done artistically.”
Hottest Techniques
Here are some of the most exciting new pool building techniques and trends:
1. Fire
“Six years ago,” Bower says, “if we did a fire element on a project once in a while, it was a big thing. And now on about 30 percent of our projects we have fire, and we have three different suppliers of fire elements.
“We use it to highlight or frame vanishing edges, and we do torches on the backside of a vanishing-edge wall. We do fire pits, fire bowls, fireplaces with water cascading in front of them. We just do a lot with fire, using electronic ignition.”
2. Jumping Jets
Systems of choreographed and sequenced lights, with or without music, in combination with flows from a fountain, are increasingly attractive to homeowners. This is something like the fountain display at the Bellagio Hotel in Las Vegas, only on a much smaller scale. Such systems may include tubular laminar flows, in which water has the appearance of a glass rod suspended in mid-air.
3. Splash Pad Play Surfaces
A commercial waterpark element that’s gaining popularity in residential markets is the splash pad. Safe, relatively affordable and exciting to kids, these play areas delight with vertical and unpredictable sprays of water, and as the water is not contained within a vessel, the safety factor is a big plus.
4. Tile
Tile as a building material that enhances the look of a pool is reaching critical mass as more builders and customers are exposed to its possibilities. There are now more varieties available, in a wider range of prices than ever before.
The natural play of light off glass tile has caught the attention of homeowners across the country. These tiles have a completely different appeal than traditional ones, Baron notes. “This is my 47th year building pools, and when I started we had 6-inch tiles in white, blue and green. That was it.
“Now there so many different materials — tiles, glass, mosaics, Pebble Tec and Diamond Brite — the interior finishes are much different today than they were.
“There are so many different variations on decks now, too,” Baron adds. “Especially in the Southwest where they don’t have a frost condition to deal with. The decking is starting to become a lot more exotic, especially in the areas where climate isn’t such a big factor.”
5. Water In Transit
As for the vessel itself, Bower says water in transit is still strong in the pool market. “At the lower end that means infinity-edge pools (which you can even get in fiberglass pools now) at the higher end, perimeter overflow.” In particular, raised perimeter overflow is popular with his clients.
6. Learn To Be Green
The conservation movement that has swept the nation is a major impetus for new products and building techniques. Perhaps the biggest example is the emphasis on hydraulics in the pool industry due to the enormous amount of energy that can be saved through efficient hydraulic design. In California alone, according to Scott Clay, PG&E, San Francisco, the output of seven coal-fired power plants is required to drive the state’s pool pumps. At least three of these could be shut down or diverted to other purposes through the use of better pool plumbing techniques and variable speed pumps.
It’s an enormous educational effort, and the major trade shows will feature classes stressing the importance of reducing head in a pool circulation system. “We’ve been doing it wrong for so long (with small pipes and big pumps) that many people still think it’s right,” Bower says. “It’s taking a long time to turn that around.”
Other products seeing a boost from the green movement are heat pumps and salt chlorine generators, according to Baron. As a product that heats pools using less energy than a traditional heater, heat pumps have gained attention from energy conscious consumers, he says, while salt generators conserve energy because they produce chlorine at the pool instead of requiring it to be transported.
Of course, he adds, these products continue to show tremendous sales strength due to their convenience. “There continues to be a lot of interest in salt chlorine generators, so we’ve got a number of different saltwater people coming in.”
7. Safety Sells
With federal safety legislation about to be enforced, safety issues and products are of intense interest to pool and spa builders alike.
As a safety product that helps builders meet new safety codes and also conserves energy and water, automatic pool covers are enjoying a bright spotlight these days. Cover-Pools will be demonstrating installation techniques at the Vegas show, says Baron. “We have two pools set up so that we have water flowing all the time. And [presenters] would either put their cover on our pool, to demonstrate the technique, or they would bring their own mock-up of a pool cover,” he says.
Swimming Pool Evaporation/Leak Test
September 18, 2009 at 6:39 pm | In pool maintenance | Leave a CommentTags: pool maintenance
1. Bring pool water to normal level.
2. Fill bucket (preferably 5 gallon) with pool water to 2 inches from top.
3. Place bucket on 1st or 2nd step of the pool.
4. Mark water level on inside of bucket. ( a piece of tape or bandaid works best.)
5. Shut off pump and mark pool water level on outside of bucket.
6. Resume normal pump operation.
7. After 48 hours, compare the 2 water levels.
If pool water (outside mark) goes down more than inside water level, there is probably a leak.
In case of rain, repeat the test.
How safe is your child??
September 18, 2009 at 6:46 pm | In Safety, swimming lessons | Leave a CommentTags: Pool Safety
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Environmental awareness leads to new heat pump standards
September 19, 2009 at 5:45 pm | In heat pumps, pool heaters | Leave a CommentTags: heat pumps, pool heaters
| Environmental awareness leads to new heat pump standards | ||
On the cusp of major industry change, thanks to legislation like California’s Title 20, some new standards affecting pool heat pumps are coming down the pike.
On Jan. 1, 2010, heat pump manufacturers will be required to make the move to non-ozone-depleting refrigerants, eliminating the use of R-22 refrigerants on all new heat pumps. And, while the Air-Conditioning, Heating and Refrigeration Institute Standard 1160 doesn’t have an implementation date, nor does it mandate compliance, it encourages manufacturers to participate in a uniform testing standard to ensure homeowners are getting heat pumps that operate efficiently.
Standard 1160 and the replacement of R-22 play a vital role in improving the environment, an act that was once considered trendy but has become a matter-of-fact way of life.
A Global Crisis
When the Montreal Protocol was signed into effect in 1987, so began an international treaty to phase out ozone-depleting chlorofluorocarbons (CFC) in an effort to prevent further damage to the ozone layer. An amendment was made to the treaty in 1992, adding hydrochlorofluorocarbons (HCFC) to the worldwide phase out. While HCFCs are less damaging to the ozone layer than CFCs, they still contain ozone-depleting chlorine.
The HCFC R-22 has been the refrigerant used in pool heat pumps on the market. However, according to the Environmental Protection Agency, the release of R-22 into the atmosphere, due to leaks, contributes to ozone depletion, and because it’s a greenhouse gas, it is also a significant contributor to global warming.
Under the terms of the Montreal Protocol, the United States has agreed to meet a Jan. 1 deadline to phase out the use of R-22 in any new heat pumps. While some heat pump manufacturers have already been using a popular replacement, R-410A, others are making the change to become compliant.
Even though R-410A is relatively new to the swimming pool industry, it’s not new to the refrigeration industry.
“R-410A has been around for many years,” says Bruce Aubrey, heater product manager for Hayward Pool Products, Elizabeth, N.J. “It’s been thoroughly tested by many original manufacturers. So from a service perspective, from an availability perspective, R-410A is out there. It’s reliable, tried and true.”
So what does this mean for existing heat pumps, as well as new heat pumps?
According to Aubrey, heat pumps requiring R-22 refrigerant can still be sold, as long as they are manufactured before 2010. However, come the Jan. 1 deadline, R-22 will only be available to service existing equipment and will not be used in any new pumps. By Jan. 1, 2020, chemical manufacturers must cease production of R-22, leaving any kind of unit that requires the refrigerant to use recovered and recycled R-22 instead.
Many manufacturers have already made the change to the R-410A alternative, promoting the pumps as using EPA-recognized R-410A, an environmentally safe and non-ozone-depleting refrigerant.
“The benefit of the R-410A, aside from not depleting the ozone, is that it’s slightly more efficient in the refrigeration system. There have been improvements from 5 percent to 8 percent,” says Aubrey.
Jeff Tawney, vice president of AquaCal in St. Petersburg, Fla., notes that while R-410A may be the most popular choice, it’s not the only one.
“R-410A is the most common choice, but there are other alternatives out there that some manufacturers are looking at and may choose to utilize. A refrigerant with no chlorine molecules in it is what’s mandatory.”
Demand Only The Best
When the time comes to select a heat pump for a homeowner, paying attention to the type of refrigerant used isn’t the only thing you should be aware of. Manufacturers in the heat pump category have teamed up with the AHRI to establish a standard performance rating of pool heat pumps.
“Where we are at right now is an effort that’s been ongoing for 15 years to organize the industry in such a way where the consumer, or end user, has some tool to determine the quality or actual performance of the heat pump pool heaters they are interested in purchasing,” says Tawney.
“What we have tried to do is establish a method of testing and promoting the test results that establish the actual performance, both in capacity and efficiency, for heat pumps.”
Nearly two years ago, Florida passed a building code requirement that put a minimum efficiency, or COP (coefficient of performance) on heat pumps. The code required a 4.0 COP at a low-temperature condition. Florida’s heat pump standard inspired manufacturers to institute an industry-wide standard with test results backed by uniform testing protocols.
“Since Florida enacted the law to increase the minimum efficiency to 4.0 COP, the heat pump manufacturers are trying, as a group, to get all states to adopt the same standard,” says John Vasarhelyi, Pentair Water Pool and Spa’s heat pumps product manager.
The joint effort has resulted in the AHRI Standard 1160-2008. The purpose of the standard is to establish definitions, classifications, test requirements, rating requirements, minimum data requirements for published ratings, operating requirements, marking and nameplate data, and conformance conditions for pool heat pumps.
“Under the AHRI, eight of the 12 manufacturers have gotten back together and said we want to level the playing field,” says Tawney. “We want to be able to tell a customer that if we tell you our heat pump is 100,000 Btu with a 5.2 COP, that the customer can be assured that is truly what the performance of the product is.”
While conforming to the standard is voluntary, the group is working to get all heat pump manufacturers to comply.
“Most appliances are regulated by the Department of Energy,” says Aubrey. “If you buy an air conditioner for your home, it’s got a Federal Trade Commission yellow label on it that says it’s been tested and is in compliance with a certain standard. That’s what we are really doing, but we’re going at it without government involvement.”
The Nuts And Bolts
At this stage, consumers should look to see if their heat pumps are AHRI Performance Certified. Tawney stresses that any manufacturer can test its heat pump to the standard, but unless it’s located on the AHRI directory, found at www.ahridirectory.org, it has not been tested under the certification program.
“Anybody can test the unit to the AHRI 1160 Standard,” says Tawney. “However, under the certification program, the manufacturer does not get to supply what some might call the ‘golden sample,’ one they’ve made sure is perfect.
“The certified program operates on a random product selection basis where the testing lab, which is an independent third-party organization, will go into the marketplace and obtain a sample of your product, test it and then that becomes the basis for the performance results that are published.”
According to Tawney, as part of the certification program the unit is tested as received from the neutral site, and if a manufacturer does not agree with the initial result, they are allowed to challenge it once. However, if the second test fails, those are the results that will be published in the directory.
“Part of being a manufacturer is not just doing the design and being able to come up with a unit that performs well, it’s also coming up with quality-control standards,” says Tawney. “So when you produce literally thousands of these units, each one performs the same way.”
The directory serves as a real-time, online database for every unit tested by participating manufacturers. It allows retailers and homeowners to make fair and accurate comparisons of the heat pumps available on the market.
“From the consumer point of view, and even from the builder’s point of view, if he goes out and buys a 115,000-Btu heat pump, he knows he’s getting a 115,000-Btu heat pump if he buys one from the manufacturers who are participating in the AHRI Directory,” says Aubrey. “If he goes and buys from somebody outside that directory, he’s taking a risk.”
Getting The Word Out
One thing that always proves to be a struggle when introducing new information in the industry is getting the word out.
“What I’m seeing as a general rule is that the industry is pretty poor on proactively getting information,” says Jeff Farlow, program manager for energy initiatives at Pentair Water Pool and Spa. “I think a lot of [changes like this] would happen without anyone knowing about it, and the industry ends up getting blindsided.
Once builders, retailers and service professionals get a hold of the information, they become hungry for more, notes Farlow.
“Virginia Graeme Baker is an example. That’s new legislation that impacts the industry. And if you go anywhere that offers a VGB class, that class is full.”
Even though the AHRI Standard 1160 has yet to be mandated by the government, manufacturers are hopeful that the day will come and when it does, that they’ll be ready.
“I would imagine that the government will eventually include heat pumps in some of their standards,” says Aubrey. “What we are looking at is if we do it as an industry on our own, when the government does get involoved, they can probably just align with what we are already doing rather than setting standards or goals that can be unrealistic.”
Tawney says the AHRI does have representatives working at the state and federal levels trying to get standards implemented into law so there can be a uniform requirement throughout the United States.
“Florida has adopted a minimum efficiency for heat pumps, and California has, as well,” he says. “And they’re different, which is kind of the frustrating part of doing it state by state. That’s why we’re working at these levels so we don’t have varied requirements state by state.”
Energy standards continue to be a hot topic in the industry. But while pool pump efficiencies have been the main focus, heat pump efficiency is gaining momentum.
“Our biggest pressing issue is to make the industry aware when there are standards out there,” says Tawney. “It doesn’t do any good to have a minimum if there isn’t some kind of test and certification program to enforce compliance. We have the process set. We just want to make sure everyone operates on the same page.”
Good reasons to replace your old pool heater
September 19, 2009 at 5:50 pm | In pool heaters | Leave a CommentTags: pool heaters
| Advances in technology have given customers good reason to replace their old pool heaters. | ||
Most pool owners wait for a catastrophic failure before deciding to replace their old heaters, figuring a new one is a waste of money if the old one still heats the pool. But often that’s too late — the old heater has already wasted many hundreds, perhaps thousands of dollars through inefficient fuel consumption.
While the savings are compelling, there are a number of practical considerations that should be presented to pool owners as they decide whether to spring for a new heater.
The 85 Percent Solution
The first and most convincing argument for a new heater is direct payback for the investment through lowered utility bills. The new heaters have raised the efficiency bar compared to the older units. How high? Precisely to 85 percent.
The problem is condensation — that familiar phenomenon of tiny water droplets forming on the side of a water glass on a humid summer’s day. Any heater more than 85 percent efficient is inevitably going to condensate, says John Watt, technical training product specialist, Pentair Water Pool and Spa, Sanford, N.C.
This condensation is ordinary water and perfectly harmless when it forms, he explains, but it soon combines with the byproducts of combustion and becomes very acidic.
From that point on, the news is all bad. This acid attacks the outside of the heat exchanger causing corrosion, and that corrosion causes restriction, and the exhaust gases can’t get out causing a rich mixture, and you’re on your way to a Three-Mile-Island heater meltdown.
In light of this 85 percent barrier, Watt says, “We’ve designed our heater to perform right at the edge [of the 85 percent limit] so that it’s a non-condensating heater, and we won’t have to deal with those issues as long as it’s installed properly and proper flow is maintained.”
Manufacturers are capable of producing heaters with over 90 percent efficiency, but these are more complex and expensive in order to deal with the acidic condensation.
“The higher-efficiency heaters,” says Bruce Aubrey, product manager for heaters and heat pumps, Hayward Pool Products, Elizabethtown, N.J., “have two heat exchangers, and one has to be stainless-steel construction because of the acidic exhaust gases. And these are just so much more expensive, the payback just isn’t there.”
Better Management
The new heaters don’t just save energy within the heater itself; improvements in flow management through the heater make it less restrictive to water being circulated by the pump, and therefore save on that component’s large electric bill, as well.
“We are talking about a 20 to 30 percent savings on a customer’s electric bill,” says Aubrey, “through the hydraulic efficiency of the heater. It’s more efficient because only about 20 to 25 percent of the circulating water goes through the heater. The rest is bypassed, which is a more efficient way of getting the water that’s not going through the heat exchanger back to the pool.
“When you look at a gas heater, most of them have some kind of bypass mechanism inside a large plastic header. Some are efficient and some are very inefficient. We have one header, for example, that is so efficient that you can drop down one pump size on your equipment pad. So instead of using a 1.5-horsepower pump, you can use a 1-horsepower pump with that heater because you don’t have that pressure drop across the heater.
“So you get a savings on your pump cost [by buying a lower horsepower pump] and pump energy cost in addition to savings from a more efficient heater.”
Get The Turbo
“With a new heater you are not only going to see improvements in efficiency and reliability,” says Watt, “but you’ll help the environment, as well. And not just in terms of fuel efficiency, but by lowering NOx emissions.”
A key advancement in improving all these things — efficiency, reliability and NOx emissions — has been the incorporation of an inlet air assist fan. It’s a device that is something like a supercharger on a car engine.
Much like cars advanced from naturally aspirated engines to turbocharged engines when they added a compressor fan to cram more air into the combustion chamber, pool heaters have added a fan which forces air into the combustion chamber for a more controlled, efficient burn.
“The fan gives you a very precise air/fuel mixture for combustion,” says Aubrey, “and by giving you a more precise mixture, you get more efficient combustion, and therefore heating. And that’s what reduces your pollutants and NOx.”
The other nice thing about fan-assisted combustion or “power venting,” is that it eliminates downdraft issues. Downdraft occurs when you get a strong gust of wind over the top of the heater or down over a wall behind a heater, which overpowers the heat’s natural movement up and out of the heater. It forces the heat and flame down toward the burner tray and out the front of the heater, causing it to “roll out,” which is a serious problem for pool heaters.
The fan-assisted combustion chamber is essentially impervious to atmospheric conditions — wind and rain do not affect it.
Currently, such fan-assisted, low-NOx heaters are the only kind you can buy in California, Texas and Pennsylvania — these states mandated them half a decade ago. Both Aubrey and Watt have been surprised that other states did not immediately follow suit, but believe the general drift of regulation in that direction has not changed overall.
“I think part of it [the slow national uptake of low-NOx regulation] is that the states of California and Texas have so many pools,” Aubrey says. “In other states the proportion of pool heaters to cars and other sources is lower, so there’s less concern about the emissions of pool heaters.
“Now with the greater environmental focus of the last year or two, you may see more of it. More people are talking about smog and so forth, and you can reduce that with low-NOx emission heaters.
“The technology is there to do it. But there’s so much focus on reducing electricity usage with the multi-speed pumps that the heater is still receiving less attention than the circulation pumps.”
Cascading Failure
Beyond efficiency, reliability and ecological compatibility, new heaters offer pool owners an even more cherished imperative — convenience. Or rather, they eliminate the annoying inconvenience of a dying heater and its cascade of failures.
Older heaters are prone to requiring service calls in series, where root problems manifest symptoms that are addressed one-at-a-time, at $100 or so a pop.
Such root problems can be difficult for a tech to spot, and without addressing the cause, Watt says, you go into a long drawn out process of spending more money than you need to.
“The No. 1 example of that situation is a sooted heater,” he says, “which is a result of a combustion process that is out of the appropriate range.”
Once a heat exchanger begins to soot, it will continue to soot even after repeated visits from a technician to clean and open the exhaust gas passageways. “If you are getting sooting on an older heater,” he says, “it’s probably time to replace it. On a newer heater — anything less than 5 years old — I would recommend that you perform the necessary action to make the repair. But you must be very thorough. Don’t look at the failure, look at what caused the failure.”
Out Of Stock
In replacing failed parts on older heaters, a secondary challenge often presents itself, says Tony Napolitano, owner, Professor H2O, Los Angeles, a pool service entrepreneur with years of field-related experience at Pentair.
“It’s almost impossible to find parts to make repairs on some of the older models. The basic stuff, the water pressure sensor, the pilot assembly, the thermostats, the gas valves, that stuff is all fairly readily available, but you get into the bigger components, the water jacket assemblies and so forth, that’s getting almost impossible to find.”
Unfortunately for the pool owner, once the problem has been identified and the obsolescence of the part has been discovered, the unit has usually been out of operation for some time.
Napolitano has a service-oriented perspective on the technological advancement of pool heaters. “Although they have advanced technologically with the onslaught of low-NOx, draft induction and digital LED boards, a heater is still essentially what it’s always been — water goes in and out, gets heated by burners through a heat exchanger.
“The difference is that now they have both a heart and a brain,” he says, “the heart of the heater being the gas portion — the gas valve, the burner assembly. The brains are the electronic component, the digital display boards, and ignition module.
“Some guys are afraid of the new technology, but they’ve really got to just break it down into its simplest form and realize that other than a few components that have been added for convenience, the heart of the heater has not changed.
“It’s just like a car. Car engines have gotten fancier and higher tech, there are computers onboard, diagnostics, this and that, but if you really break it down, it’s still just an internal combustion engine.”
Before the Storm
September 20, 2009 at 11:15 am | In storm preparedness | Leave a CommentTags: Hurricane Preparedness
Take time to trim dead limbs and branches that may become airborne and cause damage to your house, pool equipment or screen enclosure.
Patio furniture, toys, canvas awnings, patio umbrellas, grills, telescopic poles, and sometimes even your pool equipment can become dangerous projectiles and cause severe damage to surrounding property in heavy winds. Remove al possible unsecure items and store them indoors until threat passes. Do not throw these items into the pool. Chemicals may damage these items.
Solar blankets should be removed and stored indoors during periods of heavy wind.
Lock the safety straps on portable spa covers or remove and store indoors along with any portable steps or benches.
If you decide to remove any child safety fencing, do not allow children near the pool after the fence is removed.
If there is a chance the pool motor or other permanently plumbed electrical equipment could be submerged, shut down power at the breaker panel. Sandbag the area around the equipment if possible. Wrap the exposed equipment in waterproof covering and tie is securely.
Do not drain the pool completely. An empty pool is subject to “floating” or “popping” out of the ground due to “lift” pressure from excessive ground water. If you decide to lower the water level to help prevent the pool from overflowing, do not drain past the bottom of the skimmer, as running the pump dry can cause serious damage.
Add extra liquid chlorine and circulate the pool as much as possible before the storm or add a 4 lb. floating chlorinator to the pool to provide some sanitization in case you loose power and cannot run your pump.
Add an extra dose of All in One Algaecide to further prevent a possible algae bloom.
After the Storm
September 20, 2009 at 11:28 am | In pool maintenance, storm preparedness | Leave a CommentTags: Hurricane Preparedness, pool maintenance
Remove branches, mulch and other foreign matter from the pool before you run the pump to prevent clogging the suction lines. If you have to enter your pool to clear debris, make sure you wear shoes to avoid injury to your feet.
If you lost power during the storm, remember to reset your circuit breakers and pump timer(s) when electricity is restored.
Remove any covering from the motor or other equipment to allow for airflow. If the pump motor has been submerged, it should be removed for professional cleaning and drying.
Return the pool water to its proper level. Empty the pump and skimmer baskets and open the appropriate valves to allow water to circulate properly when the pump is turned back on.
Super-chlorinate (shock) the pool and circulate continuously until clarity returns. Clean or backwash filters often; and recharge with new D.E. if applicable. There will be a higher volume of debris and particulate in the water than normal and your f ilter will need more attention for a few days.
Bring your pool water to be analyzed and re-balanced as quickly as possible. After any rain, circulate the pool for at least a couple of hours prior to collecting a sample. This will combine the chemically treated water with the rainwater to ensure an accurate sample.
When your pool is clean and clear, resume your normal operation.
Just a little salt
November 27, 2009 at 11:41 am | In chlorine generators, health benefits, pool maintenance, salt generators, water chemistry | Leave a CommentTags: chlorine generator, pool maintenance
No more mixing, measuring and messing around with liquid or tablet chlorine again. Now you can automatically turn ordinary salt into a self-regenerating supply of pure chlorine for both pool and spa water that’s clean, clear and luxuriously soft. Electronic chlorination has become the simple, safe and affordable alternative to using harsh, chemically-produced chlorine to sanitize pools and spas.
Unlike traditional chlorine treatments that require a regular routine of monitoring and replacing chlorine, electronic chlorination produces chlorine from common table salt. The key is our patented Turbo Cell™, a specially designed converter connected to the control unit. As water passes through the Turbo Cell, an extremely safe electrical charge turns the salt previously added to the water into fresh sanitizing chlorine which is then dispensed evenly throughout the pool. Just a teaspoon of salt per gallon is all it takes. Installation is quick, easy and suitable for any new or existing pool.
No chlorine odor, low operating costs, pays for itself, and is virtually maintenance free—electronic chlorination is the ideal alternative to traditional factory produced chlorine for soft, silky-smooth water.
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Aqua Logic® Controls with Optional Chlorinator |
Layers of Protection
September 21, 2009 at 10:31 am | In Safety, Safety fence, swimming pool alarms | Leave a CommentTags: Pool Safety, swimming pool alarms
| Home pools are becoming more common every day. They provide an excellent means of recreation for your entire family and friends a large part of the year.
But beware: They are dangerous if not monitored properly. You must be aware of the potentially hazardous properties of a pool. An accessible pool is more dangerous for your toddler than a loaded gun laying out on your coffee table. In a child’s hands eventually it will go off! But unlike the gun going off and where the bullet will strike, the outcome with a toddler falling into a pool undetected is almost certain. Just how serious is the problem? Drowning is the number one cause of death for children under five in Florida, Arizona, and California with a ranking of number two for over a dozen other states. For every drowning there are eleven near drowning incidents, according to government statistics; many of which result in totally disabling brain damage. The majority of the parents involved were responsible people who thought it could never happen to their family. They were careful and had close supervision over their children. Many were in good income brackets, educated, and could afford nice homes with pools in family oriented communities. So we are literally talking about people who could live next door to you. If drowning were a disease it truly would be referred to as an epidemic with all the public attention and awareness possible focused on an epidemic of such proportion. A study conducted by the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission to find out how child drowning incidents occur indicates that SUPERVISION CAN AND DOES FAIL. The investigation by the Commission was directed at children under age five in Arizona, California, and Florida who had drown in home swimming pools. The results might help you to better understand why drowning is still the number one killer for three states and stands at number two for the nation: Who was in charge of supervision at the time of drowning?
What was the location of the pool drowning?
Drowning happens quickly and without warning. There is no cry for help. 77 percent of the children had been seen 5 minutes or less before being missed and subsequently discovered in the pool. Where were they last seen?
What activity was the person responsible for supervision involved in at the time of drowning?
The suddenness of this type of accident and the results it yields is devastating to anyone it touches. When you think pool, think hard core. Even if this is not your personality, you must be an absolute dictator. Let your children know without any doubts, that is your way or none at all. LAYERS OF PROTECTION Supervision is always your primary layer of protection, but as the study shows, 69 percent of the drowning incidents occurred when parental supervision failed and there were not other “backup layers” in use.
The goal, with instituted layers of protection, is to come as close to a “fail safe” system of preventing drowning incidents as possible. Meaning that if there is a momentary lapse of supervision for whatever reason, we have several backup systems in place. All must fail before a drowning can take place. A door has been left unlocked or open, the alarm system or device for the door has been turned off, the pool safety barrier has been left open, your child does enter the water, panics and does not attempt to utilize survival swim training, CPR is administered too late to save the child. THERE CAN BE NO COMPROMISE ON POOL SAFETY. YOU ARE DEALING, LITERALLY, WITH A LIFE AND DEATH SITUATION. Set down definite pool rules covering its use and more importantly, when it is not in use. We all have a tendency to give a little leeway on this or that with our children, but not when it comes to the pool. Any door leading to the pool area should be kept locked. Even if your home is equipped with an alarm system that will beep when perimeter doors are opened, install simple contact alarms on the more often used doors as a further safeguard. Pool Guard makes an excellent alarm designed strictly for access doors to the pool area. This type of alarm must have the button pushed whenever the door is opened and has a delay feature to keep if from sounding off for seven seconds for entering from the inside. It is particularly useful if you have older children who open doors to the pool area. Sliding glass doors should be locked at the top in addition to other locks. In two thirds of the drowning cases studied where children were thought to be in the home, sliding glass doors were either left open or opened by the toddler. If you own a pool this is a must! Install a protective safety barrier or pool fence that will eliminate access to the pool for young children and pets. Floating pool alarm devices with remote alarms sounding in the home can alert you to a child falling into the pool. The pool surface, however, must be disturbed enough by the fall so as to set off the alarm. Since these alarms do work off a disturbance to the surface of the pool; your child could quietly walk down the steps, go under, drown, and never disturb the alarm or set it off!!! They are quite inexpensive (around $100) and better than nothing at all since they do detect some accidental falls if adjusted and placed properly. Alarm batteries and function should be checked often to increase the safety margin and effectiveness of this type of device. If this is your choice of protection; be sure the model you purchase has a remote alarm that will sound in the house and a local alarm that will also alert someone near the pool area. Another type of alarm on the market is designed to detect motion in the pool area with an infrared beam. These alarms are independent of your burglar alarm systems and are designed to be easily mounted outside without doing electrical work and have a remote alarm in the home that can be plugged into any electrical outlet. Optek is one manufacturer of this type of alarm. Have your toddler trained for pool survival when he is able to crawl or walk to your pool. This is introductory training to the water that is not intended to actually teach him to swim, but more to provide the toddler with the necessary skills to help survive an accidental fall into the pool. He should be taught to negotiate to a wall or steps and know how to get out. His final lesson might include his being knocked unexpectedly into the pool fully clothed. Do not be alarmed, the child’s reaction is being monitored to help determine if the lessons have been effective by using this simulated “panic situation”. This type of survival training can usually be very effective after just a week of daily lessons. From our own experience with both methods and other parents we have spoken with, this method is considerably less traumatic than other methods. Another method of water survival training is to teach the child to roll over and float on his back. It also is effective and has been taught successfully for many years. Be certain that he is also taught how to get to the side of the pool and hang on or get out in addition to learning to roll over and float. You can determine which method will best suit your needs and the situation. All types of survival swim instruction must be reintroduced to the toddler after a period of not being in the pool; as in over the winter months. Whichever way you go, do not be lulled into thinking that your child can have open access to the pool area. Remember, this is just one layer of protection. Every layer of protection possible must be in force at all times or the system is compromised. If you have read or been told that your child cannot be taught water survival until age three because he is incapable of learning at an earlier age, might get ear infections, that it “leads to a false sense of security for the parent”, or that such training is ineffective “because 55 percent of toddlers who drown had received survival swim training,” please think for yourself! Your child can be taught survival swimming and will retain it during water active months with practice. If you do not have your child in the water over the winter months, particularly a child under age 3 years, he will require a refresher to “remember” what was learned the summer before. This will usually take only a few days to accomplish and then you can proceed on to have him learn additional techniques or start actual swimming lessons. Yes, a large percentage of children who have drown did have survival swim training, what the statistics cannot show you is how many have survived a fall into the pool because of this training (many adults who drown could also swim). As to the “false sense of security”, most parents will not even leave a toddler alone in a bathtub much less knowingly let their child near the pool unsupervised. U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission’s study revealed that 75 percent of the victims of drowning were among 12 and 35 months of age. For these children, 3 years old will never come. Take the time to learn CPR and accident procedures. If not your own child, you may be able to save someone else’s. Many local hospitals have programs for this type of training. Do not leave a toddler or young children in the pool or pool area without adult supervision. Older children are not always as sensitive to the dangers of drowning when it applies to others. A mother told us that she was scolding an older brother (6 years old), as she snatched her coughing 18 months old out of the pool where he had walked off the steps while she was away for a moment. His answer was innocent “But I could see his eyes were open and he wasn’t crying.” Hope the point has been made. Never go into the house to answer the telephone and leave a child unattended in the pool area. Numerous drowning incidents are associated with the answering of a telephone in the house while the pool was in use by children. A telephone installed at the pool area or the presence of a remote unit, on the other hand, could prove to be an invaluable aid in the event of an accident. Do not leave objects in the pool that could attract your child. Children who would not normally go near a pool because of fear may not even think about the water if they are in pursuit of a favorite toy in the pool. “Staging platforms”, such as tables and chairs, should not be kept near the pool fence. Allowing the pool area to be used as a play area is as bad as letting young children play in a busy street or with poisonous chemicals. Isolating the pool area to be used for swimming only is the most essential concept of drowning prevention. If you miss your child always check the pool first, even if access is thought to be restricted, then look elsewhere. In a drowning accident seconds can make the difference between death, recovery, or just survival. KEEP THEM SAFE AND PLAY BY THE RULES SWIMMING POOL FENCINGRemovable safety fencing has proven, over the past thirty years, to be the most practical and effective barrier against pool drowning short of putting up a permanent rail fence. The concept is simple. Isolate the pool from your home and eliminate all access to the water by a toddler. For the pool to be truly isolated and the barriers serve effectively, there must not be a reason to open the pool fence other than to use or service the pool itself. That means not having to open the pool fence to go out a screen enclosure door or into your backyard. These areas should be accessible to you without opening the swimming pool fence. The more times a fence is opened, for a reason other than to use the pool, the greater the possibility that it will be left open for whatever reason. Pool fence is constructed of see through, polyester mesh mounted on aluminum or fiberglass support poles. The fence is placed into aluminum or plastic sleeves installed into your deck surface. The bottom border of the fence material should be flush to your deck so as to prevent a child from pushing under. The basic principal that keeps pool fence in place is bilateral tension and the fence should be checked periodically to insure that you have benefit of its full function. A standard pool fence is removable in approximately twelve foot sections. Each section can easily be rolled up and weighs only eleven pounds. The average one hundred foot fence can be removed in less than fifteen minutes and be put back up in approximately the same amount of time. Most fences, however, are never taken down until children in the home are old enough not to require this safe guard any longer. Having a party with young children present? Think twice about removing the fence. Family gatherings and social affairs contribute to distraction and drowning accidents involving young children. So that the pool fence does not have to be removed for day to day use of the pool, a “gate” section is provided at the steps or another convenient location. A pool fence “gate” is formed by two connecting sections that can be opened by an adult. Extra sleeves are placed into the deck at this point to act as pole holders when the “gate” is open. SELF-CLOSING, SELF-LOCKING GATES: Self-closing, self-latching gates are automatic and provide better protection if there are folks in the house that can’t remember to close a gate behind them. Because it does not have to be physically closed or locked by the user it is a more practical option when there are older children in the home who have unsupervised access to the swimming pool . A self-closing gate and its lock are mechanical devices located outside and subject to corrosion, wear from use, misalignment, and mechanical failure. Extra care must be taken to insure that the gate is functioning properly. Be sure that your gate is always installed to swing out or away from the pool or water. How high should your pool fence be? Pool fence ranges from 3 1/2 feet to 5 feet high. For an average toddler we recommend you look at the 4 foot height. A child capable of climbing a 4 foot high fence will most likely also be able to go over 5 feet. It’s just a longer fall down the other side. A child with this kind of capability should already be well into a swimming program. We talk to parents moving into a home with a pool for the first time who are nervous about a six year old around the pool accidentally falling in. Since a six year old can go over any height fence and the fence is being installed to basically keep them from just falling into the pool by accident, we would recommend a shorter height like 3 1/2 feet as long as this is the only child in the household. How far apart should the fence support poles be? Support poles provide both tension and strength for the fence, so the less distance apart the better. We normally recommend 30 inches as a standard if you are making any turns with the fence at all. For straight runs, like across a patio, 36 inch pole spacing should be adequate. What mesh material is best? The majority of pool fence manufacturers today use polyester mesh with vinyl coating. It is a continuous basket weave construction and is the strongest method today for manufacturing pool fence. The smooth vinyl coatings are mildew resistant and allow easy cleaning of the finished product, unlike the grainy finishes of older style dipped interlocking nylon products that had a tendency to trap both growths and dirt. The newer polyester meshes are also much more resistant to punctures and are virtually impossible for even an adult to rip. Should the mesh be bordered? To be a finished product your pool fence mesh should also be bordered on all four sides with vinyl border. Not only does this provide a finished look to your fence but also prevents unraveling of the mesh itself. Check the border material to insure that it has visible reinforcing built into the vinyl to provide additional strength to the fence and eliminate sagging over time. Remember, the fence should block off all access from the home to the pool. Half way measures here are like playing “Russian Roulette”. The only time the fence should be opened is when you are using the pool. Children learn quickly to operate door locks and open doors that have not been locked. Your last layer of protection to the pool should be your pool fence. Do not forget your “fail safe” minimum of five layers of protection against drowning. Adult supervision, locked doors, perimeter door alarms, the pool fence, and swimming lessons. All five must fail before your child can drown in your pool. from Life Saver Pool Fence Learn even more about your primary layer of protection, removable mesh pool fence, by clicking here. |
Recommended Books Feed Me, I’m Yours – Vicki Lansky I’ll Tell You a Story, I’ll Sing You a Song – Christine Allison Dr. Mom’s Parenting Guide – Marianne Neifert, MD Practical Parenting Tips – Vicki Lansky Baby, Let’s Eat! – Reva Coyle Dr. Mom: A Guide to Infant and Baby Care – Marianne Neifert, MD What to Expect for the First Year – Arlene Eisenberg, Heidi Murkoff, Sandee Hathaway Favorite Links BabyZone Keep Kids Healthy! ParentsDataBase HUGS Home Safety Foundation for Aquatic Injury Prevention FleetKids.com – Great Games www.shoobkids.com
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Use your pool to exercise
September 21, 2009 at 10:40 am | In exercise pools, health benefits, water exercise | Leave a CommentTags: arthritis, diabetes, injuries, insomnia, stress, water exercise
So it’s too hot to walk or run outside, you say? Don’t feel like riding a bike or playing tennis in the brutal heat? Do you want to enjoy your outdoor summer exercise without that sweaty, sticky feeling? How about hopping in the pool and doing your workout the luxurious way? The pool just might be the only place where you can do cardiovascular work, toning and stretching without even feeling like you’ve broken a sweat!
Cardiovascular: The Warm-Up
Swimming laps is one of the best things you can do to strengthen your heart and lungs. If you’re a decent swimmer and enjoy lap swims, spend a few minutes a day at it to warm up for toning and stretching.
Otherwise, walking or running in the pool is just as effective. It may sound easy, but just try it! If you go in up to your shoulders and run, you’ll get your heart rate up with no problem. It may be very difficult to sustain at first, but try to build up your time to at least twenty minutes. One very important thing to remember is to keep your feet as fully planted as possible while you do your pool exercises, especially when walking and running. If you tiptoe (which people tend to do without realizing it), your calves will be killing you the next day. Keep those heels down!
Toning: Eight Great Moves You Can Do In The Pool
The wonderful thing about water is that it gives you natural resistance with absolutely no impact to the joints. For those with severe arthritis or other joint problems, it offers the perfect alternative to lifting weights. You really can tone up in the pool. Just like weight training, your muscles are contracting against resistance, becoming stronger with each session.
There are exercises you can do for every muscle group, and your risk of injury is extremely low. Think about exercises you do with free weights. The beauty of resistance training is that it is very easily modified. Anything that you do with dumbbells can be translated into a water exercise. If you already have a routine with free weights, you have a license to create your own water move that does the same thing.
Be creative, but also be mindful at all times of your body position (which can be thrown off in the water). Keep your weight distributed evenly and check your posture often. Keep your abdominals tucked in to support your back throughout every exercise. Don’t bend, stretch or reach any further than you do on land. It takes time to grow accustomed to the gravitational difference in water, but as your experience grows, your body will become more in-tune with the water. Here are a few examples of modified free weight exercises:
Modified Free Weight Exercises For The Water:
- Quadriceps – Learn More
For the quadriceps (front of the thighs), hamstrings and glutes: Stand with your feet hip-width apart in shallow water with your arms bent at your sides, hands out flat with fingers together and palms up. Slowly bend your knees into a squat position, sticking your derriere out behind you (don’t worry about looking silly – you’re under water!). Do not allow your knees to extend beyond your toes, but try to simulate a sitting-in-a-chair position. Cupping your hands, keeping your back neutral (not arched) and abs tucked in, exhale and stand up straight. Turn your hands to return to the starting position. Be very careful to maintain perfect form throughout this exercise.Hips & Glutes – Learn More
For hips and glutes: Facing the edge of the pool, hold on with both hands and slowly bring one leg out to your side, keeping your back straight. Exhale while you bring it up as high as you comfortably can without turning at the ankle (this probably won’t be as high as you could if you did turn your ankle). Bring it back down and repeat, doing a full set for each leg. For glutes: KICK! You can breeze around on a kickboard or hold onto the side of the pool, but the scissoring motion is great for the buttocks and hamstrings, and it indirectly tones the abdominals. What could be more fun than this?
Back & Shoulders – Learn More
For the back, shoulders and arms: Do pull-ups. Grasp the side of the pool and lower your body as far as your arms will allow. Keeping your knees bent, exhale and pull yourself up as high as you can (the range of motion for this will vary greatly from one person to another). For the chest: Standing in water up to your neck, reach your hands out to each side, with your elbows unbent and your palms forward. Slowly bring them together, clapping your hands, and then turn your hands to return to the starting position.
Triceps – Learn More
For triceps: Stand straight, with your open hands palms-down on the surface of the water. Keeping your elbows locked at your sides (pretend they’re glued to your ribcage), exhale and push down until your hands are beside your hips. Turn your hands and bring them back to the starting position.
Biceps – Learn More
For biceps: Bring your open hands to the side of each hip, palms forward, with your fingers close together. Exhale as you slowly bend at the elbow to bring your hands toward your shoulders.
Biceps – Learn More
For abs, you can simulate crunches, or here’s a toughie: stand with your back to the side of the pool, holding onto the rim with your elbows. Keeping your knees unbent, slowly bring both legs up to a sitting position and hold it for ten seconds. Do not hold your breath, though. Breath slowly throughout this exercise. Then bend at the knee to bring them down, repeating this as many times as you’d like to. Be careful to keep your back straight throughout this exercise.
There are lots of gadgets available for toning; you can get these at most department stores or athletic supply stores. They make the work a little more challenging and possibly give you speedier results, but it’s better to begin water exercise without them. Once you feel like you need to push yourself a little harder, go ahead and use them. They’ll add a new flavor to your old workout, keeping you motivated and interested.
Stretching: The Dessert
Just about any of the stretches you do on land can also be done in the water. When you’re finished with your toning, hold the side of the pool with one hand, stand on one foot, bend the other knee and grasp your ankle with your free hand to stretch your quadriceps and hip flexors. Hold the side of the pool with one hand and turn your body by pointing your toes away from the wall to stretch your biceps and pectorals.
There are many, many stretches that you can do. Just make sure that you’re properly warmed up (this takes a little longer in the pool) and keep your feet flat on the floor at all times.
Finito! You’re done. Remember that your perceived exertion is a little off in the pool – you may feel like you didn’t work that hard, but you did. You also may be a little sore the next day, so don’t push yourself too hard until you know how much you can handle.
IMPORTANT NOTE: YOU ARE NOT A FISH! You don’t have gills to keep your body hydrated, and it is possible to become dehydrated in the pool, so make sure you drink water before and after your workout. Once working out in the pool becomes a part of your summer lifestyle, you may begin to think you’re a fish, but that’s only because pool exercise is so fun, it has you hooked!
Thanks,
Maia Appleby
maia@inch-aweigh.com
How green is my filter?
September 22, 2009 at 9:58 am | In DE filter, Hayward, cartridge filter, pool maintenance | Leave a CommentTags: pool maintenance
| The case for each medium | ||
The various filter media can be compared in terms of performance and cost, but which of them is nature’s favorite?
It takes a moment of reflection to realize that these three selection considerations — price, performance and environmental impact — are becoming virtual coequals in the minds of consumers.
This is driven in part by a rise in the prices of energy and resources, but also due to the increasing sense of planet stewardship among buyers of pool products. Extrapolating this general shift in priorities through the decades to come, a filter’s green credential is likely to become its chief selling point.
Selling Points
Thus far, the green movement in filters has focused on energy and water conservation — energy being perhaps the chief concern as it involves not only the direct cost to the consumer, but a host of environmental issues, as well. For every kilowatt-hour of energy saved, air pollution is reduced along with the need to build new power plants and import fuel from foreign countries.
Filters “consume” energy by restricting flow and raising total head for the system. The greater the total head, the larger the pump needed — and the pool pump is by far the biggest energy hog in the backyard, second only to the air conditioner for the entire residence.
As a general rule, cartridge filters have been winning the energy battle so far. They’re less restrictive because they are plumbed directly into the circulation line, and do not require the energy-sapping backwash or multiport valves that sand and DE filters must have.
These valves require extra turns and convolutions in the flowpath, and every time flowing water is forced to change directions, especially at sharp, 90-degree angles, system head rises and more pump pressure is required.
However, manufacturers are focused on making more-efficient backwash valves to close that energy gap. Zodiac Pool Systems has a backwash valve that it claims only loses 1 pound of pressure across the unit, and other manufacturers are said to be poised to follow suit.
Valve losses notwithstanding, there is some concern that sand and DE do not filter as well at low flow rates, according to Scott Clay, senior program manager at Pacific Gas & Electric in San Francisco.
Good performance at low flow is crucial, as slowing flow rates in pool circulation is another important factor in reducing head in the system.
“The efficiency of the cartridge filter goes up quite a bit when you slow the water down,” Clay says. “There’s a minimum flow that you need to maintain, but anything above that, you are wasting more and more energy. We like the cartridge filters best because of the large filter surface area they have, and they work better at low flow.
“In addition, if you operate at low speed, a cartridge filter is very easy to clean because the debris isn’t packed into the pores. You just wash it off and put it right back in.”
The cleaning process is central to another argument for cartridge filtration. Sand and DE filters must be backwashed periodically in order to flush the debris, and this action uses a tremendous amount of water. With cartridge filters, the user simply removes the filter elements and hoses them off.
“By our estimates,” says Bruce Aubrey, product manager, heating and filtration products, Hayward Pool Products, Elizabeth, N.J., “you can save up to 92 percent of the water used for backwashing when you are just rinsing off a cartridge filter.
“That’s thousands of gallons of water saved per season when you are rinsing off cartridge filter elements as opposed to backwashing either sand or DE.”
Water conservation is a huge issue in some areas of the country and less important in others, but in either case, wherever water is lost, expensive heat (if the pool is heated) and chemicals are lost right along with it.
That’s Two
That makes two green demerits for sand and DE — valves and backwashing. You can add a third for DE, the fact that the material itself is hazardous to health if not handled properly. And it is banned on new pools in some municipalities for its effect on the water system.
The problem is that the DE material is often flushed down a drain or into a sewer in the backwashing process, and “if DE gets into a local sewage treatment plant, it causes havoc with their processes,” says Clay.
The DE cleaning procedure can be done using a separation tank, where the DE material settles to the bottom, the dirty water is poured off and the DE is reclaimed, but, as Aubrey says, “you don’t see too many separation tanks on pool pads. A service company might have one, but most residents don’t.”
It’s not all bad press for sand and DE, however.
DE and sand are naturally occurring substances. DE is the fossilized remains of diatoms, a type of hard-shelled algae, and can be collected from the earth; and sand is just sand. No manufacturing process is employed in the production of these basic materials, unlike the elements in a cartridge filter, which must be manufactured for the original equipment and periodic replacement.
As for frequency of replacement, Aubrey says, it depends on the size of the pool and usage. “It can vary, but a lot of the cartridge filters are sized to go through a full season without cleaning the elements, and then you should get two or three seasons before replacing them. Conservatively, you should get at least two years.”
Over the life of a pool, that adds up to at least half a dozen manufactured and discarded filter elements, as opposed to sand, which can be scooped up on a beach and safely sprinkled in the backyard.
Further improving the green prospects for sand-type filters is the development of alternative media to replace the sand in filters.
In a sand filter, water from the pool runs through the line and is sprayed into the top of the filter, where it sinks down through the sand and then goes back to the pool. Various granular media substitutes, such as perlite, zeolite and pulverized glass, can be used in the bottom of the filter to strain debris from the water, and according to their proponents, these improve a sand filter’s performance and environmental report card.
Josh Peterson, technical sales and logistics, ECOsmarte, Minneapolis, ex-plains the green attraction of glass.
“It’s a post-consumer, recycled product that is machined down so it’s safe to handle. It’s the same kind of glass most people have in their recycling bin — green and brown glass from empty beer bottles and things like that.”
As one of the few products in the pool circulation system made entirely from waste materials, recycled glass as a filter medium qualifies as fully and legitimately green. Peterson says it is even easier to maintain than sand due to a virtually indefinite product life.
“After about three years you have to replace your sand because of the clumping and the bacteria that grows in it. As for glass, we put a nine-year life on our glass media, but that’s just because that’s how long we’ve had the product. It could be 15 years, we don’t know. But if you do need to replace it, you can recycle this glass all over again.”
Volcanic In Nature
Another medium that can improve a sand filter’s green image is zeolite, which sounds like a trade name but is in fact a type of extremely porous volcanic ash.
Not only does zeolite effectively strain debris mechanically like a normal filter, but it works chemically to remove impurities from pool and spa water, according to Brandon Friesen, vice president of sales, MicroPure, Nisku, Alberta, Canada.
“It filters everything, all metals, all minerals, ammonia, nitrates, phosphates, through a natural process of cation exchange. When an ammonia particle is going by, it will capture it and it will be locked into its core.”
The process is very similar to that which occurs in a water softener, where minerals in drinking water are exchanged for sodium ions in a brine solution. By reversing that process, used-up zeolite can be recharged. “You can soak the zeolite in a salt solution,” Friesen says, “and the sodium ions will replace the ions you’ve filtered out, and you just dispose of the water and you’re ready to go.”
Like sand and recycled glass, and unlike cartridge filter elements, disposal of zeolite is easy and earth friendly. “When you’re done with it,” Friesen says, “you can dispose of it like sand. Just throw it in your garden or in your backyard. It helps your grass grow.”
Filter Deeper
Perhaps the biggest payoff for all the sand alternatives is the lessening of the need to waste water in a backwash.
In the case of zeolite, Friesen says, the material contains an extraordinary amount of carrying space because of the intricate shape of the particle. “One cubic foot of zeolite has the same surface area as a football field. There’s so much filtration area that it can absorb more and you can go longer between backwashes.”
Glass media works a little bit differently, according to Peterson.
“One of the biggest problems we have with sand filters is that over time, and especially during the winterization process, junk will ball up inside the filter and clump together and it screws up the way that it filters,” he says.
Because the glass media does not clump, he adds, it uses more of the entire volume of the media to filter, and can therefore go longer without backwashing.
“The glass media allows the water to spread evenly throughout the filter and filter particles down to the 6- to 8-micron level, which is in the same range as DE, on a platform that is significantly less expensive and requires half the backwash. The glass media requires that you backwash, at the most, once every two weeks. And you use less water during the backwashing process because the media is less sticky, and it releases the dirt and debris to the backwash more easily.”
And The Winner Is…
With such gains in the fight against backwash waste, and improvements in the design of backwash valves, which promise to cut head loss, the green credentials for sand-type and, to a lesser extent, DE filters, have improved.
And while the green gap between sand and DE on one side, and cartridge filtration on the other, still exists, it is narrowing. In making a filter medium selection, this comparative advantage is weighed along with other criteria, such as performance, maintenance and cost.
As in all other aspects of the industry, the consumer has the deciding vote, but a strong knowledge of the green selling points of each media not only allows consumers to make an informed choice, but reflects well on the professionalism of the builder.
Opening The Core
One key to reducing the enormous amount of energy pools consume is reducing head in the circulation system. If total system head can be reduced, lower-horsepower pumps, which consume much less energy, can be employed without any loss of effectiveness.
A fair amount of flow restriction takes place at the filter, and for that reason, Pleatco, a filter cartridge manufacturer based in Glen Cove, N.Y., has attacked the problem by redesigning the filter core to give it a much greater flow area. The new Free Flow core offers less restriction for water passing through the filter, according to John Antretter, COO of Pleatco and an expert in manufacturing and product development with a background in a number of high-tech industries.
Antretter notes that traditional cartridge cores are made by extruding PVC pipe to a certain length and drilling holes in it. The amount of area available for flow in such cores can be easily calculated by counting the holes and subtracting their area, r2, from the total area of the pipe.
“It’s usually around 20 percent,” he says. “And we thought, ‘That can’t be good for flow.’ So we decided to invent an injection-molded core designed to maximize flow. Meaning it has as much open space as possible while retaining enough structure to keep the core solid. Our goal was to make the core 50 percent open for flow.
“What we found was that by opening up the core, it allows for more complete flow throughout the filter. That also means more of the filter is used, which means that you get better overall life from the media.”
Antretter believes that the Free Flow cores will improve the already strong green credentials of cartridge filters by reducing their energy usage.
“There are a lot of things that affect psi drop across a cartridge,” he says, “and we don’t have data yet on exactly what the improvement is, but we had a customer recently that changed the filter from a traditional core to a Pleatco core and went from a 12-psi pressure drop to an 8-psi pressure drop.”
—S.W.
Indoor pools, special considerations
September 22, 2009 at 10:03 am | In Uncategorized | 1 CommentTags: automatic pool cleaners, automatic pool covers, chlorine generator, commercial pools/spa, exercise pools, heat pumps, ionize, ozone, pool design, saltgenerator, solar heating, swimming pool alarms, UV water treatment, water exercise
| Proper dehumidification of indoor pools requires a systematic approach | ||
Indoor pool environments are humid places by design, but, in the opinion of Dectron’s James Hogan, far too many suffer from excessive humidity, which manifests itself in the form of foggy windows, premature degradation or outright rotting of building materials, and just plain stinky and steamy air.
Homeowners who’ve built these indoor pools tend to get a little steamed themselves when their natatoriums (just a fancy word for indoor pools) get this way, and it’s usually the builder that bears the brunt of that frustration.
“Pool builders typically aren’t the reason for dysfunctional indoor residential pools, but they’re usually the ones that get blamed,” says Hogan, a product development engineer and CPO in Dectron International’s Roswell, Ga., office.
Builders without a lot of familiarity with indoor pools might deserve part of the blame, but there’s usually blame enough to share with the architects, mechanical contractors and the homeowners themselves when projects go awry.
“These excessive-humidity problems usually stem from pool construction material choices, building design techniques and/or design/build and installation mistakes,” says Hogan. “Therefore it’s in the pool builder’s best interest to understand the four basic indoor pool principles — architecture, air distribution, mechanical equipment and water chemistry.
“These principles work synergistically in an indoor pool environment. A deficiency in one part affects all the other parts and thus the entire project. The pool builders should keep a watchful eye on each indoor pool project, from the design and construction phase through culmination.”
Architecture And Construction
Tim O’Neil is the operations manager and construction engineer for Downes Swimming Pool Co., in the Chicago suburb of Arlington Heights. He and his crew do an average of two indoor pools per year, always residential and always elaborate. And while his projects don’t end up like so many others, he does see problems in many hotel pools he’s called in to troubleshoot.
“When I get a call from a hotel or something like that, they just call me out of exasperation,” he explains. “I come out and I look, and the amount of mis-engineering and installation errors and cutting of corners for these indoor installations just astounds me.
“The pool is usually a toxic, humid, molded, rotted mess. That’s because rules weren’t followed when it was built and corners were cut because they were worried about putting a $100,000 gold baluster in front of the building instead of spending the extra 10 grand in the pool room.”
These problems arise from mechanical engineers and architects who aren’t familiar with building indoor pools as often as they do from willful negligence, according to Keith Coursin, president of Desert Aire, a manufacturer of dehumidification systems in Germantown, Wis.
“One of the things that I’ve seen is that so many of these architects and mechanical engineers design for regular living spaces,” he explains. “Everybody thinks about normal environments, and they forget that the aquatic environment is year-round at a nominal 85 degrees and in the 60 degree dew points.
“I always try to paint the picture for most people that an indoor pool is like your worst dog days of August. It’s hot and humid. So when you think about it in those terms, that’s your inside condition, what are you going to do differently about your choice of materials?”
Vapor barriers are an area where poor choices are often made. Sometimes they’re installed incorrectly; sometimes they’re not installed at all. The vapor barrier, which can be a plastic sheet, foil-backed or extruded plastic sheet, or a vapor-retardant paint coating, should envelop the entire pool room and is critical in preventing condensation which can rot wood, corrode metal and result in concrete spalling and mold and mildew problems.
“You want a very heavy polyethylene sheeting. You want the heaviest mil you can get in a plastic,” says O’Neil. “And the application of that vapor barrier is also very important. If you’re just hitting it with a staple gun, you’re putting all kinds of little holes in it. What you want to use is something like a hand-applied roofing nail so you’re not punching the staples right through the plastic.
“Good, thick polyethylene sheeting isn’t inexpensive, but in hindsight, it sure becomes that way, doesn’t it?”
As for the material that covers the vapor barrier, O’Neil is partial to cedar, which is resistant to water to begin with, and, when applied over a good vapor barrier, eliminates a lot of issues with degradation caused by humidity. Not all projects are specified this way, however.
“We’ve seen people using standard drywall,” Coursin says. “You’ve got to use greenboard, which contains an oil-based additive, if you’re going to use drywall. It’s got to withstand that moisture-laden environment.”
Windows
Most pool rooms will have some windows, and it’s important to choose ones that will hold up to the severe environment of a natatorium, according to Coursin.
“I wish I had a buck for every single-paned window I’ve seen used on an indoor pool,” he says. “Your dew point is going to be reached, and you are going to have condensation. I’ve been to job sites where the condensation has gotten to the wood frames, which weren’t sealed by the way, and they’ve literally pushed the glass together and shattered it.”
Windows should be dual or triple paned to cut down on condensation. Choose a less-expensive window, and you’ll need to pay closer attention to air distribution in the room.
Moving Air
The second critical factor in a well-designed and properly built indoor pool environment is air distribution, a job handled by large dehumidification systems. These systems work a lot like super-charged air conditioners, except that they discharge warm, dry air instead of chilled air and are designed to handle much larger humidity loads.
But these systems in themselves aren’t going to eliminate poor air quality and damage to the physical environment surrounding the pool if the dehumidified air isn’t directed where it should be.
“That, to me, is really the key,” says Coursin. “Now, the first and most obvious place that needs warm, dry air, which is what comes off the dehumidifier, is the windows. It is, by far, the weakest link of any construction material that you can put in a pool room.
“So you have to design your distribution network to flush the outside windows. Now, if you’re talking about a building that’s all glass, well, that’s a difficult job. If you talk about only one wall, OK, you can design the duct work pretty readily to flush that one wall of windows.”
Getting the air where it needs to be is especially important in colder climates, where the exterior temperature can bring windows and exterior walls down below the dew point in the room, usually between 60 and 70 degrees Fahrenheit, unless warm dry air is spread evenly across them. Rooms with high humidity have high dew points, making the moisture in the air condense into water. Keeping surfaces warm helps prevent this from happening, according to Hogan.
“Diffusers should be arranged to direct air at a sharp angle to the surfaces, and you need them close to the surfaces,” he explains. “If you shoot the dehumidified air directly against the walls or windows, it just bounces back and doesn’t work. If the fluid flow is at a sharp angle, it’ll kind of stick to the surface.
“The air distribution should produce 10 to 50 feet per minute of airflow across the pool surface, but should not blow air directly onto the pool surface. That’s counter-productive and causes evaporation.”
The other side of the airflow equation is the return air, and there are a number of different ways to situate the ductwork.
“For many years, the standard practice said, ‘Hot, humid air rises, therefore I want my return air up at the ceiling level,’” Coursin explains. “But there’s a new discussion going on within the engineering community that says a portion of the return air should be done down lower by the pool itself to help bring the air over the pool to remove the off-gassed chemicals.”
As is the case with other aspects of indoor construction, ductwork is often given too little thought. And sometimes, this thoughtlessness leads to major problems.
O’Neil says he’s seen return ducts located near the floor (away from the humid air) and even diffusers located near the ceilings, blowing air directly at the surface of the pool instead of at the exterior walls.
“That’s pretty stupid,” he says. “So they’re taking dehumidified air, which is dry, and blowing it at the surface of the pool. What do you think is going to happen? It evaporates the water really, really well.”
The best airflow designs are planned before construction even begins, Hogan says, using computational fluid dynamics (CFD), a computer modeling system that checks for proper air distribution long before groundbreaking.
Equipment
All the careful work builders, mechanical engineers and architects do on material selection, fluid dynamic evaluation and careful duct placement isn’t going to head off potential problems if the right dehumidification system isn’t chosen.
According to Hogan, you’ve got to consider the size of the room, the outdoor temperature, the materials in the room. But that’s not enough. You’ve also got to know how the homeowners plan to use the room. Where will they keep the air temperature? What about the water? These two factors are critical in calculating the size and strength of the dehumidifier that’s needed, Hogan says, and once those decisions are made, there’s little room for making changes.
“Dehumidifier sizing is very dependent on the homeowners’ projected use of the pool,” Hogan says. “A common design includes a two-degree temperature differential between the air and water — 84-degree air, 82-degree water. Homeowner preferences that deviate from this standard — 75-degree air and 90-degree water, for example — will significantly affect evaporation rates and dehumidifier sizing calculations. But they’re easily accommodated at the design stage.
“But the homeowner should know that air and pool water temperature set point are locked together after the equipment is ordered.”
This tight correlation between equipment size, customer use and material selection underscores the need to get manufacturers and local reps involved in the early planning stages.
Chemistry Matters
The final piece of the indoor pool puzzle is pool water chemistry. It’s the simplest piece of the puzzle, but like all the other elements, neglect to pay it proper attention and the entire project will suffer.
Hogan stresses the importance of keeping pool chemicals out of the mechanical room (a common sin) or in an unventilated closet to prevent damage to equipment.
“Whether the builder, the owner or others perform aftermarket pool water testing, a DPD or FAS-DPD pool water test kit should be used in order to determine the combined chlorine levels,” Hogan says. “The pool builder should set up a maintenance schedule that includes water chemistry as well as a check for the mechanical system’s vital signs such as filters, belts and airflow.
“Not everyone is a CPO. It’s not hard, but you do need to pay attention to the chemistry. So compliance with national standards and the CPO books is the best way to get long life out of the mechanicals in the building.
“An indoor pool’s building envelope, mechanical equipment, water chemistry and air distribution all work together to provide a properly functioning and healthy environment for the user.”
The synergistic relationship among these elements requires strict attention to detail, careful planning at the initial stages and the expert advice of a professional dehumidification equipment manufacturer. There are, of course, easier, faster and cheaper ways of putting in an indoor pool, but builders like O’Neil recommend against them.
“Don’t be cheap when you’re putting an indoor pool in. If you’re going to cut corners, don’t put it in,” he says. “A cheap pool is a bad pool. It really is. And the cost between doing things right and doing them wrong is probably 10 percent.
“It’s more important to pay attention to what you’re doing than it is to spend an exorbitant amount of cash.”
Technology weary consumers want less
September 23, 2009 at 11:08 am | In Hayward, LED lighting, heat pumps, landscape lighting, pool heaters, pool lighting, wireless pool controls | Leave a CommentTags: wireless pool controls
| Technology-weary consumers want less. | ||
It’s hard to say exactly when it happened, but sometime during the past 10 years, most of us involuntarily surrendered a big chunk of our lives to computers and to other networking devices that contain computer chips. Laptops, desk tops, cell phones, BlackBerrys, PDAs and remote controls — anything that needs to be programmed, requires technical support and can crash, die or merely freeze.
“So began a segment on a recent broadcast of CBS’s 60 Minutes titled “Get Me The Geeks.” To that list, we might add remote controls for lights, spa jets, water-feature controls and console pads for chlorine generators, heaters and automatic covers.
“We are becoming slaves to our own technology — addicted to and dependent upon all sorts of beeping, flashing gadgetry that is supposed to make our lives easier,” the narrator continued. The story looked at the rise of those increasingly complex devices that are sold as ways to simplify one’s life and the service industry that has grown up around the ever more sophisticated array of “intelligent” devices.
Like practically any other industry, the pool and spa sector has benefitted from advances in electronics and automation. It’s made pool care easier and more efficient, it’s made pools and spas cleaner and safer and more enjoyable. And it’s opened up a world of aesthetics and design once reserved only for the highest price points. But is the pool and spa world also — along with everyone else — suffering from too much of a good thing. We asked two industry heavy hitters — one a veteran, the other with a wealth of business experience in consumer products but relatively new to the industry — if they thought the recreational water world was following the larger trend.”
I think everybody is battling with the same thing,” says Stuart Baker, vice president and general manager for Hayward’s Goldline Controls. “Whether it’s the remote control for the TV and the home entertainment system and the DVD player and the satellite, you end up with four or five remote controls. We do see it and we spend a lot of time looking at how do we make these things easy to use. ‘There’s a lot of equipment on the pool pad, and it’s pretty sophisticated equipment these days. It does become very complex.
“Art Blumenthal, president of PresAir, has been in the industry about a year, but he’s no stranger to business, having marketed consumer packaged products for General Mills. He’s also been president of four electronics companies and has been involved in several successful entrepreneurial ventures and company build-outs.
“One of the things that I see, in my brief tenure here, is some of these electronic controls, while they do a myriad of things, they are really quite sophisticated and complicated,” says Blumenthal. “Probably only half of all consumers actually know how to use their VCR to record something at the time they’d like to.”
And I think that appears to be true in the pool and spa world, too. Because the electronics offer great capability, people have put in a lot of options and a lot of control features, but I think it’s harder to operate — we seem to hear that from consumers. We also hear that some service people have had difficulty maintaining these things. They are so complicated it’s often difficult to diagnose what exactly has gone wrong.
“Like Baker, Blumenthal thinks it’s worth developing easier user interfaces for controls.”
One of the things that we’re trying to do is get to a simpler, more basic approach to the controls. Still electronic, but much simpler and much more basic. And make the maintenance and the service much easier.” And a collateral benefit is pricing.
“In fact, we really want to go more toward the mid- and entry-level of the market rather than the super luxury side,” says Blumenthal.
Baker thinks it’s important to offer all the sophistication but in a userfriendly interface. “Clearly, you have to use software, and you’ve got to design intuitive menus, and I guess we’ve looked toward things like cell phone interfaces, because you try to find something – some software architecture – that people already feel familiar with,”he says.
“I think Steve Jobs just said the other day that Apple just shipped their 100 millionth iPod. You’ve got to look at people like that and think,’Well, they’ve cracked it in terms of user interface. ‘Because they’re taking large amounts of data and enabling people to search through pictures, movies, music in a multitude of different ways. “But the interface has to be easy,” Baker insists. “The control has to be as simple as up, down, left, right and select. If it becomes a lot more complicated than that, you lose about 60 to 70 percent of the people who are trying to use your equipment, and they just don’t like it. They’ll throw it down or get the kids to set something up for them.”
Saving Green
If you’ve been paying attention, you know the cost of energy is going up. Not just gasoline, but electricity and natural gas, too. It’s the perfect environment for controllers that make better use of energy. Manufacturers are making more-energy-efficient appliances, but controllers can wring even more efficiency out of many devices.
“People are more cognizant of the cost of running the pool, “says Baker. “So they’re more interested in timers, how long the heat pump is running, how long the gas heat is running, because it’s extremely expensive now to own a pool, in terms of operating.
“Regulators are starting to look at how every device uses energy.” “There are now a lot of grants being given in California for energy-efficient pumps, variable speed, that sort of thing,” says Baker. “I think in 2007, a lot of states are going to start adopting incentives for people to become more energy efficient. And that’s where I think controls come in to play, because controls can alter the way pool pad products like a pump behave. So we’re looking into how we can incorporate that sort of control over individual items to optimize their energy efficiency.”
The amount of time devices run, the time of day they draw energy and the amount of energy they draw are all variables that controls can monitor and regulate. “In the United Kingdom we have something called Economy 7,” says the British-born Baker. “It’s a signal that’s sent down a power line from the energy company, and that triggers the devices to come on. You buy products with this type of technology. So at night when electrical demand is lower and power is less expensive, things like washers and dryers and dishwashers go through their cycles.”
Baker thinks this type of system could inform decisions being made in the United States. “I think there are already some states that have differential rates where you can buy electricity at different times. Running heaters at night is an efficient and more cost-effective way. So we’re looking at using timers and devices where people could take advantage of those sorts of features.”
Blumenthal looks to Europe for trends, as well. “I think the Europeans are more energy-conscious and I think that’s coming to the U.S., also.”
Another way to control consumption is to have options for how to accomplish a task. Heating water is a good example.
“Much of the heritage of Goldline is in solar, so we have a very big business on solar controls,” says Baker. “Where you’ve got multiple heat sources, there’re things we can do that look at some intelligence: ‘What’s the best way of heating the pool.’ And have the control start making some decisions. Maybe it should automatically select solar heating. Maybe you’ve got a set-up that’s running a gas heater, but it’s a particularly sunny day, maybe you want the software to choose solar heating.
“I think the ideas we have will play nicely into the ideas of environment and cost savings as we go forward.”
Energy efficiency is self-financing, whereas something like remote interface is sometimes perceived as a ‘nice to have,’ not a cost-saving measure. It’s the sort of thing that sales managers love to talk about, because it’s sexy, it’s new, but whether a homeowner will pay the extra money to have it, that’s the difficult thing. You start appealing to a much smaller percentage of the customer base.
“But very obviously right now are energy costs. So if somebody’s spending $1,000 and the payback is three or four months, then that’s something they are probably going to consider.”
Manufacturers, too, need to look at expenses. “As the market has receded somewhat, I think manufacturers are thinking, ‘Oh wow, I just can’t put everything in here, and I can’t do this, now I have to really look at my bill of materials and what’s it going to cost me to put this thing together, and I have to start saving some money so I can lower prices a little bit. ‘I think you’re going to see that a bit more in the United States,” Baker says.
Smart Gadgets
It’s not just consumers’ desires for convenience that moves the control/automation market. There are some things that intelligent devices can do better than a human being who has only a few minutes each day to spend on the task. Sure, a reasonably intelligent person could monitor the pool chemistry, temperature and filtration several times an hour and make adjustments accordingly. But that’s not a very efficient use of time.
So preserving the ability to do complex sets of tasks while presenting a simple, uncluttered face to the consumer is the holy grail for control designers. “For people who have very complex setups, where they do want to use waterfalls and lights to do light shows as well as control their pool pads, we have the ability for macros and groups to be assigned to a single button,” says Baker. Think of a function key on your computer that you can assign to a macro you’ve recorded.
“What that allows you to do is press one button to change the whole mood of the pool.” Through the magic of software and computer chips, the control can be programed so that one button sets the lights to a certain cycle, turns on the laminar-flow jets, fires up the hot tub and tunes in the Cocktail Channel on satellite radio.
“You can do it yourself, but what typically happens is, we have preset light shows already coded into the software and when the builders install the pools, they can group macros together, so they can associate a light show with a particular set of water features with a spa setting, with a music player,” says Baker. “Then you can save that group, and pressing one button will make that all happen.
And equally, you can press another button and it will all stop. So when the parents come home and the kids have been playing around, they can hit the button and it all stops and everybody goes to bed.”
Macros are a very elegant way of having quite a complex pool/spa configuration saved in a simple setup. I think any remote where you start having 10, 12, 15 buttons that you have to use, it’s very difficult, you can get a little lost in the software. So we’ve tried to get away from that. You can do it if you want to, when you’re doing setup, but for those people that aren’t interested in that, then simplicity is key.
“It seems that everyone — from TV manufacturers to reporters to average consumers — is aware of the remote-control fatigue that’s blooming in the U.S. Most people have learned as much as they care to learn about programming another household appliance or electronic device.
And it seems that manufacturers are working hard to address the problem. For the retailer, that means he or she can confidently assure customers that “it’s easy — you’ll pick it up in no time.”
Bright Ideas for pool lighting
September 23, 2009 at 11:20 am | In LED lighting, backyard decorating, landscape lighting, pool lighting | Leave a CommentTags: landscape lighting, Safety, backyard decorating, LED lighting
| An illuminating look at today’s pool lighting technologies. | ||
Swimming pool lighting can be as simple as a single white bulb in the deep-end wall, or a Vegas-style multicolor show choreographed to light up grottos, spas, fountains, trees, patio areas and more in sweeping swaths of changing colors.
Something in between those extremes describes the lighting in and around most backyard pools today. And the effects may be rendered with incandescent bulbs, quartzhalogen lights, fiber-optic systems, and/or the latest technology to grab the industry’s fancy: light-emitting diode, or LED. (See “Finding Your Niche,” page 102.)
As new lighting products continue to be developed, one indisputable trend emerges: color-changeable underwater lighting is no longer a fancy add-on for only a few select pools. Today, more than half of all new pools have colored underwater lighting, says Paul Canavan, lighting product manager at Hayward Pool Products.
“Prior to 2000, fewer than 15 percent of new pools were built with color-changing lights,” notes Kevin Potucek, Hayward’s vice president of marketing, adding that only fiber-optic perimeter lighting systems were widely available at that time.
In 2000, SAm (Spectrum Amerlite) and SAL (Spectrum AquaLight), now available from Pentair Water Pool and Spa, hit the scene. These halogen lights were the first to offer underwater color-changing pool lights, and the concept has taken off. They use a rotating color wheel to offer combinations of seven different colors, explains David MacCallum, Pentair’s lights and automation product manager.
LED: A Shining Star
While quartz-halogen color-changing systems like SAm lights are still dominant, the industry is abuzz about LEDs. In the past few years, several pool industry manufacturers have introduced LED systems with color-changing capabilities that rival and in some ways improve upon what lights like SAm can do. LEDs have some compelling selling points: they last tens of thousands of hours, do not generBRIG H T IDEAS An illuminating look at today’s pool lighting technologies ate heat, and can produce fasterchanging light shows than other forms of colored lighting.
Another advantage of LEDs, according to Richard Heiner, director of marketing for Super Vision International, is that for the same cost as one old-fashioned headlight-style lamp in the deep end, you can put three LEDs in a larger pool. Plus, he notes, the technology is well suited for lighting uniquely shaped pools with compound curves.
LEDs also can yield as great as 90 percent savings in energy costs compared with halogen and incandescent products, says CJ Haney, sales and marketing manager at O’Ryan Industries, which began offering a colorchanging LED spa light in 1998.
Perhaps the biggest difference with LED is that all of your energy is going to generating the color, explains Canavan. “LED doesn’t start with white and subtract, like the color-wheel system does. LED produces a color, so it’s richer. You get higher color saturation than with subtractive color technologies.”
Because of these and other advantages, it won’t be long before LED is the industry mainstay, say most experts.
“We’re at the infancy level of where LED technology is going,” Canavan continues, comparing LEDs to the growth trend of some consumer electronics. “Four years ago, plasma TVs cost $10,000. Already they cost 70 percent less and are getting better all the time. That’s where LEDs are. The brightness is going up, and the cost is coming down.”
The availability of new, exciting lighting products is not the only factor in the growth of colored lighting. Consumer demand is also in play.
“Homeowners have gotten more sophisticated about their backyards, and one of the things they’re expressing more interest in is lighting,” says Brian Cullingworth, a high-end builder in Temecula, Calif.
And it’s not just pool and landscape lighting, but also accent lighting. “We’re definitely seeing more interest in all kinds of backyard lighting,” says Mitch Smith, national sales manager for GAME, which has recently introduced several accent-lighting products, including one that floats in a pool and makes disco-like effects dance on the walls and floor.
Such products bring colorful lighting to customers with lower budgets. Meanwhile, permanently installed colored lighting is the kind of upgrade that customers with bigger budgets tend to request and appreciate.
“The Internet has helped,” notes Cullingworth. “People go online and see magnificent pools, which they then want to replicate.”
Still, many builders continue to offer white quartz-halogen lights as their basic lighting package, with color options as an upgrade.
“If a client is on a budget, they get two quartz-halogen lights,” says Ron Gibbons, owner of Gibbons Pools, Islandia, N.Y. Then again, Gibbons notes, in a traditional, Roman-end pool, which he’s building a lot of lately, a pair of halogen lamps does the job.
Many respected builders caution against overdoing lighting. In fact, a very bright pool with relatively dark surroundings can be a safety hazard. “Pool lights are sometimes so bright, that without good landscape lights, people outside the pool can’t see where they’re walking,” says Gibbons. For that reason, Gibbons often selects incandescent lights because they can be dimmed. “We like to make it look like the pool is just barely glowing,” he says, adding that Jandy’s AquaLink controls make this effect easy to accomplish.
Light Shows
Gibbons has also been known to put more than 2,000 fiber-optic spots in a pool floor and call the effect “starry night.” The first time he did it, he used pencil-sized stainless-steel light niches with tiny lenses on each one. Three years later, his supplier had developed an acrylic niche, which simplified the job.
Builders have also used fiber-optic technology to create starry night effects in grotto roofs. “That’s an incredible environment,” says Cullingworth, adding that when customers want thousands of tiny color-changing lights in a cave, one-third of the pool’s cost can be in lighting.
Whether the pool is lit with one lamp, thousands, or some number in between, one important aspect of lighting design is to avoid shadows. Therefore, the farther the pool shape is from a basic rectangle, the more thought needs to go into lighting. “Lagoons and geometric shapes need more lights because light doesn’t bend around corners,” Gibbons explains.
Barry Greenwald, president of Fiberstars’ pool and spa division, notes that fiber systems work well for tricky shapes because the cost to add a few small lights, say in steps, benches or alcoves, is relatively insignificant once the project has a light source.
The pool’s surface also plays a role. For example, a multicolored surface, like a quartz aggregate or vinyl-liner pattern, can create interesting lighting effects, as the light bounces differently off the different parts of the pattern. But multiple lights will probably be required.
“Colored lighting isn’t as bright as white,” Potucek explains. So pools with colored lighting that also have dark, textured surfaces will typically require more than one light.
White incandescent or halogen lights can also be used to supplement colored lighting to add brightness.
Jeff Smart, owner of Holiday Pools in Fresno, Calif., routinely uses white lights in tanning shelves in concert with colored light in the main body of the pool. The color blends, so the whole body of water takes on the color, he says.
The lights he’s using in the tanning shelves are modified Fiberstars dual bubbler fixtures (which combine fiber and LED technologies to produce illuminated fountains). Meanwhile, the colored light(s) in the main pool may be quartz-halogen or LED.
Combining different lighting technologies can produce some wonderful effects. For example, it’s possible to synchronize SAm’s slow, seductive light shows with changing fiber-optic colors, says MacCallum.
“The rate at which we’re all introducing new lighting products, as well as the controls to automate backyard light shows, makes this a very exciting time,” MacCallum concludes.
Finding Your Niche
Not sure when to use what kind of light? Consult this quick guide.
FIBER OPTICS
Unlike quartz-halogen or incandescent lights, fiber-optic lighting fixtures can be located in hard-to-wire places, as well as in shallow water or no water, because light travels from a source through plastic fibers. The electricity and heat stay at the source. Also, once the investment is made in the light source, it is relatively inexpensive to add multiple fixtures. Each fixture is a spot at the end of almost any number of fibers. Thousands of single strands may become a starry sky motif, or 75 strands can form a more standard-looking pool light. Light may also glow through the sides of a single fiber installed in a track around the perimeter of a pool or spa. A color wheel at the source can be set on one color, or put in motion to generate many colors in sequence. Fiberoptic underwater, perimeter and landscape lighting can be color-coordinated. Fiber optics are well suited for installation in sheeting waterfalls, water arcs, and other applications where the water itself takes on the glow.
BEST FOR multiple points of illumination, accents, waterfalls, perimeter lighting, adding color.
FOUNTAIN LIGHTING
Fixtures that shine on fountains are most akin to landscape lights. In addition, several suppliers now offer fountain fixtures that set the water itself aglow from within the fountain. These can be fiber optic, LED or quartzhalogen.
BEST FOR illuminating moving water.
HALOGEN – SEE QUARTZ-HALOGEN INCANDESCENT
While the term “incandescent” is usually used to describe traditional 12-volt lights, it technically is any lamp with a filament, including halogens. The only way to add color to an incandescent lamp is with a filter over the light source. Code requires installation at least 18 inches below the water surface.
BEST FOR basic installations, where only one light is required and/or the lighting budget is relatively low.
LANDSCAPE LIGHTING
Landscape fixtures can be fiber optic, LED, halogen or incandescent. A wide variety exists. Some are more compatible with pool lighting and control systems than others. Check with your controls supplier if you want to synchronize landscape and pool lights.
BEST FOR pathways and patios, uplighting trees and plantings, fountains.
LED
Short for light-emitting diodes, LEDs are programmable devices that convert electronic energy directly into light. LEDs produce “cold” light, which is very efficient and therefore less expensive per lumen (a measure of brightness) than incandescent or halogen products. LEDs also offer a broader, brighter and richer color pallet because they use the additive propert y of light (as opposed to filtering out, or subtracting, color from white). Color mixing is achieved by varying the voltages to each of the RGB (red, green, blue) color arrays. The controller for this color mixing may be either an external unit or it may be part of the lighting unit itself. LED fixtures can be as small as a pencil tip (one diode), so they can be installed in tight spaces. An LED with about 200 diodes would be as bright as a typical quartz-halogen pool light; an LED with 72 diodes would be comparable to a standard (incandescent) pool light. Many LED pool lights can be retrofited. Also, LEDs may soon replace fiber as the technology of choice for adding light to water features, particularly if a job has only a few lit water features. (For multiple features, fiber may be more cost-effective.) LED also allows for fast, exciting color-change patterns.
BEST FOR a wide variety of applications, including jobs requiring only a few lights.
PERIMETER LIGHTING
Purely decorative in nature, perimeter lighting is accomplished with fiber optics. It enhances aesthetics but does not provide a level of illumination that makes night swimming safe.
BEST FOR adding a vibrant, colorful glow to a body of water.
QUARTZ-HALOGEN
A lamp with a tungsten filament, halogen gas and quartz glass that is typically brighter than “s tandard” incandescent products. Although all quartz-halogen lights are not colored, this is the technology inside colorchanging SAm and SAL lights. Code requires installation at least 18 inches below the water surface because that much water is needed to cool the bulb.
BEST FOR relaxing underwater color-changing effects.
Sources: Paul Canavan, Hayward Pool Products; Barry Greenwald, Fiberstars; CJ Haney, O’Ryan Industries; Richard Heiner, Super Vision International; Paul L’Heureux, Crystal Fountains; and David MacCallum, Pentair Water Pool and Spa.
A daily dip in the pool could add years to your life.
September 24, 2009 at 10:50 am | In exercise pools, health benefits | Leave a CommentTags: arthritis, exercise pools, insomnia, stress, water exercise
 As if you needed another excuse to hit the pool this summer, new research shows that swimmers live longer than walkers and runners. And not just a little bit longer, either. In a study of more than 40,000 men ages 20 to 90 who were followed for 32 years, swimmers were 50 percent less likely to die during the study period than were walkers or runners. The results were so unexpected that the lead researcher, Steven Blair, a professor of exercise science at the University of South Carolina, is hesitant to draw any broad conclusions. “I was expecting to see swimmers and runners have a lower risk of dying,” he says. “I was a little surprised that the swimmers had a statistically significant lower death rate than the runners, but they did.” As a lifelong swimmer, I’ve been touting the health benefits of my sport for ages. Swimming is highly aerobic (an earlier study with this same cohort found that swimmers’ cardiorespiratory fitness was about equal to that of runners); it can be done year-round; and it’s low impact, meaning it doesn’t strain your lower joints as intensely as running and walking. “One might speculate that swimmers are less prone to lower-extremity injuries,” Blair says. Learn to Swim In my role as the fitness editor of this magazine, I would be the last person to say you need to give up walking or running in favor of swimming. There’s a huge body of evidence proving the health benefits of all three sports. Besides, if all my running pals descended on my neighborhood pool, I would never get in a decent workout. But if you like to swim, this is just one more reason to dive in. “People who can’t walk or run because of physical limitations—arthritis, for instance—can reap all the health benefits of an exercise program by swimming,” Blair says. Quick Tips Body position is everything. The back of your head, your hips, and your feet should regularly break the surface during freestyle swimming. A strong kick wins. Some coaches recommend spending 50 percent of your time at first on kicking. To maintain proper body position, kick without a kickboard. The best swimmers roll into each stroke. Try it yourself by following each arm movement with a gentle hip roll. For more tips visit usaswimming.org. |
Photo by Fancy/Veer/Corbis
A daily dip in the deep end could add years to your life
Making a Spash with Water Workouts
September 24, 2009 at 11:41 am | In exercise pools, health benefits, pool toys, water exercise | Leave a CommentTags: arthritis, diabetes, exercise pools, injuries, insomnia, stress, surgeries, water exercise
Making a Splash with Water Workouts
Pools aren’t just for swimming and diving anymore. In fact, more land activities are starting to make a splash in the water—walking, running, aerobics, kickboxing, ballet, even yoga and Tai Chi.
Water workouts or aquatics are appealing to Baby Boomers in growing numbers. In fact, more than 10 million people are taking some kind of aquatics class and that number is growing.
Several factors make pool workouts a good alternative for older adults. “When the body is submerged in water, there is less weight to support. This allows for more intense workouts without incurring the usual wear and tear associated with ground based workouts,” says Jason Riddell MS, CSCS, USAW. “Water is also more resistant than air, so a 30 minute pool workout is similar to a longer lasting ground based workout, without the usual impact forces.”
Benefits Abound
For this reason, water workouts are great if you have a sports injury, a bad back, arthritis or joint problems, or other physical limitations. Plus an hour of brisk water walking can burn as many as 500 calories, about the same as running or walking a 10 to 11-minute mile.
Other potential benefits of water workouts include:
- Improving your posture, balance, and flexibility
- Increasing your strength and muscle tone since water provides natural resistance during your workout
- Reducing your risk of overheating during exercise
- Minimizing pain and increasing how freely you move
- Preventing you from falling
- Having fun
- Reducing risk of injury
Grab Some Pool Toys
Whether you sign up for a class at a community center, or create your own program, there are lots of props you can use to make workouts more fun and effective. A group aerobics class might include music and a platform or step. Depending on your workout, you also can include:
- Kickboards
- Styrofoam dumbbells
- Hand paddles
- Beach balls
- Buoyancy belts
- “Noodles” (long, thin styrofoam tubes that keep you afloat)
Safety First
Water workouts generally are safe for most people. But since water pressure on your body can initially spike your blood pressure, you should start in shallow water if your blood pressure is high.
Because water adds resistance to your movements, you also should be careful not to move too quickly or forcefully. This could overtax your bones and muscles.
Wearing aquatic shoes will improve your footing in and around the water and help prevent scrapes on your feet.
Following basic rules for physical activity will also keep your water workouts safe:
- Warm up your muscles before you work out, and cool them down afterward.
- Take it slowly and increase activity gradually – don’t do too much too soon.
- Maintain proper posture and body alignment (your instructor can help with this).
- Monitor your exertion level (you should be able to carry on a conversation easily throughout your workout).
- Drink enough fluids. You still need to stay hydrated even in the water.
- Protect yourself if you’re exercising in the sun. Wear sunscreen, tinted goggles or sunglasses, and a hat when you’re not going under water.
Scoping Out Classes
If you decide to take a class, consider the following:
- What are the teacher’s qualifications? Is the instructor trained to work with individuals who have health conditions? Does he or she have proper first aid training and experience teaching older adults?
- Is the pool well-maintained and lit? Is it clean? Are there objects around the pool that can cause you to trip? Are ladders and grab bars for entering and leaving the pool secure? Is there a lifeguard on duty? (You needn’t know how to swim to take an aquatics class in shallower water.)
- Is the pool a comfortable temperature for you? People with joint problems should work out in warm water – between 85 and 90 degrees.
Whether you’re looking for a change in your workout routine, giving overstressed or injured muscles a break, looking to burn calories or just looking to have fun and beat the heat, water workouts fit the bill year-round. So what are you waiting for? Grab your swimsuit!
Painted Pools
September 26, 2009 at 10:50 am | In pool maintenance | Leave a CommentTags: pool maintenance
Painted Pools
One of the most common pool surfaces is paint. Pool paint comes in many different colors, and is an inexpensive coating compared to other surfaces. There are three types of pool paint. Epoxy paint, for new construction, and pools painted previously with epoxy paint. It is long lasting, durable and will stand up to UV rays, automatic pool cleaners and chemical treatments. Epoxy paint will last about 7 – 10 years.
Another type of pool paint is chlorinated rubber base. Rubber base is not as durable or expensive as epoxy paint, but is a dependable, easy to use, inexpensive pool paint. It is easy to apply, comes in many colors and will last about 3 – 5 years.
Last but not least, is water based acrylic pool paint. This paint can be used on any type of surface, is easy to apply, and cleans up with water. This type of pool paint is ideal for commercial applications that are repainted on a regular basis. It should last about 2 – 3 years.
Whatever paint you use, it is important to follow manufacture’s instructions, follow recommended safety guidelines and make sure you prepare the pool properly. Preparation is the most important step in pool painting. Without the proper preparation the paint will not bond with the wall or existing surface.
Common Problems with Painted Pools
My Pool Paint is Fading
Painted pools will begin to fade over time. Nothing will stop this, but you can “brighten-up” the paint with a light acid wash. Acid will remove any dirt and chalking that can dull a paint job. After cleaning the pool with a light solution of muriatic acid and water, rinse well and refill the pool.
My Pool Paint is Chalking
Some painted surfaces will begin to break down over time. The results can be dull, hazy water, as well as a white powdery residue that can rub off on hands, feet and bathing suits. To avoid this, water chemistry and maintenance are the key. The total alkalinity must be in the correct range.
At least 150 PPM to 200 PPM. 175 PPM is ideal. If the alkalinity is too low the pool paint will rub off. Harsh shock treatments will also cause the pool paint to chalk. Use lithium or a di-chloro base shock for maintenance. Harsh shock treatments like calcium hypochlorite will contribute to the deterioration of the pool paint job.
My Pool Paint has Blisters and Bubbles
Blistering is almost always caused by improper preparation. The pool paint must be applied to a clean dry surface. If the paint is applied too thick, or if the surface is too hot or warm, or if the pool is not cleaned properly, it will blister. Application temperature will also affect the final result. The only thing to do is repaint the pool or the spots that have blistered.
How to Paint Your Swimming Pool
As mentioned earlier, the most important part of a paint job is the preparation. There are no shortcuts! The following is a step by step guide to a successful paint job using epoxy paint. Acrylic pool paints can be used on a damp surface, and don’t require as long of a dry time before painting. Consult the label of the paint for application directions.
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Determine the type of pool paint that is on the pool. You cannot paint a pool that has epoxy paint with rubber base paint or visa versa. You can use acrylic paint on any surface.
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Drain any water from the swimming pool and remove all debris. Be sure to remove any hydrostatic relief plugs.
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Scrape all old, loose pool paint off of pool surface. A high pressure power washer will help.
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If there are any cracks in the swimming pool shell, they must be cut out with a diamond blade saw or grinder. Cut the cracks 1/4” deep.
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Chip out any divots or loose cement. Caulk the cracks, and patch any large chips or divots with hydraulic cement.
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Acid Wash the swimming pool with a 50% water, 50% muriatic acid solution. Be sure to scrub the walls and floor and to use the proper safety equipment and procedures.
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Rinse the entire swimming pool, skimmers, fittings, lights, and stairs completely.
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Now it is time to re-clean the swimming pool with TSP (trisodium-phosphate). TSP is a detergent available at all paint stores and most hardware stores. Follow the directions on the TSP container. This step will neutralize the acid, and remove the glaze from the existing paint. It will remove any grease, oil or any dirt that the acid did not remove. Rinse with fresh water completely. When you think you have rinsed the entire swimming pool, rinse it again good!!
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Pump out all of the water and remove any left over debris. Remove any water from skimmer, and sponge any standing water from low spots around steps and fittings. Allow the swimming pool to dry for 3 – 5 days. (Acrylic paint can be applied on damp or recently wet surfaces) Tape off the tile band and fittings with masking tape to prevent getting any paint on the threads, tile or fittings.
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Time to paint your swimming pool! Just before painting the pool, scrape any last minute flakes from the pool surface, Sweep the pool out and sweep or blow any leaves or dirt from the pool deck Check the weather for rain or high winds in the forecast. If there is a chance of rain, wait. Open the swimming pool paint and mix it well. You will want to use an electric drill with a paddle mixer. Mix for about 5 – 7 minutes.
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Apply paint with a 3/8” nap roller. Start in the deep end of the swimming pool, work your way to the shallow end. Use an extension pole on your roller for the deep end walls. Mid morning is the best time to paint, after the dew has lifted. Do not apply paint if the temperature is below 40 degrees Fahrenheit or above 90 degrees. Extremely humid weather can be bad. If you do, the paint will not adhere. If you are applying a second coat of paint, wait 2 – 4 hours before re-painting.
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The last step is very important. You must wait 5 days before filling the swimming pool so your new paint job can cure completely. (3 days with Acrylic paint) If there is rain during that time, remove any standing water after the rain has stopped. Use a sponge and leaf blower to dry the pool. If the rain lasts more than an hour or two, add a day to the cure time. After the cure time, fill the pool without stopping until the pool is full.
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When the pool is full, restart the swimming pool filter system and adjust the total alkalinity and calcium hardness levels to a minimum of 150 PPM. Resume your normal chemical maintenance.
Don’t forget to consult your particular paint mfg instructions for application instructions.
Seasonal Check Ups for your Pool
September 26, 2009 at 10:56 am | In DE filter, Drain covers, LED lighting, Polaris, Safety fence, Virginia Graeme Baker act, automatic pool cleaners, automatic pool covers, cartridge filter, chemical feeders, chlorine generators, diving boards, hand rails, heat pumps, ladders, pool heaters, pool lighting, salt generators, sand filter, swimming pool alarms, water purifiers | Leave a CommentTags: automatic pool cleaners, automatic pool covers, diving boards, heat pumps, interior finishes, ladders, LED lighting, pool heaters, pool maintenance, saltgenerator, solar heating, swimming pool alarms
O-Rings…
There are many items worth checking through out the season. Simple checks are as common as making sure the pump lid o-ring is properly lubricated. Products like Jack’s Lube, Liberty Lube and Magic Lube can give the proper lubrication to o-rings to help maintain longer life of the o-rings.
Pump Baskets…
Another thing that should be checked is your pump basket for cracks, and splits. A cracked pump basket can allow debris to clog your impeller. This can cause loss of flow, that can lead to poor filtration, and other water clarity problems.
D.E. Filters…
For D.E. filter owners, it is a good practice for you to clean the filter grids thoroughly mid season. Opening the filter and removing the entire grid assembly and hosing off all the D.E. from the grids is a wise move. During regular backwashing you get about 80% of the D.E. out, so if 20% is left that can add up to a lot of extra D.E. in your filter. With too much D.E. in the filter, the grids can bridge together and cause high filter pressure and poor filtration.
Ladders and Diving Boards…
It is VERY important to check your ladder, handrail, and diving board bolts and hardware. When the bolts are not tightened properly it can be dangerous, and cause injuries. If you have a diving board, always check it for cracks and rusty bolts. Also check your ladder and handrail bolts. It is important that they are tight. Make sure the ladder or handrail do not rock. If this happens, it is wise to replace the hardware to prevent injury.
Equipment Area…
You may want to check your equipment area for leaves, grass and mulch. It may look nice, but heavily landscaped equipment areas cause problems. If equipment is covered with various types of debris it can cause the pump to over heat and wear out or burn up.
Electric…
Check to make sure all wire connections and conduits are intact. If it is split or cracked, electrical tape is not the proper repair, have them replaced. Unsafe electrical conditions can cause injury, or even death. Almost all electrical work should be done by a licensed professional.
Skimmer Baskets…
Another area you will want to check is the skimmer baskets. Check for cracks and splits. This can cause unwanted debris in the pump basket. Also check the skimmer housing for cracks. Most small cracks can be repaired before they crack completely and need to be replaced. This is a VERY costly repair.
Safety Covers…
For those of you that have safety covers, such as Loop-Loc safety covers, you should check your anchors to make sure they thread out, or pop-up properly. Also check to see if they are still secure in the concrete or wood deck. If the anchors are not anchored properly have them re-secured as soon as possible.
In-Floor Cleaning Systems…
On in-floor cleaning systems, at the distribution system, there is an in-line filter. It is located at the union going to the unit. This filter should be checked and cleaned regularly. If it is clogged, it can cause the in-floor system to not work properly.
Heaters…
Pool owners with heaters should test the heater from time to time if it is not being used. Not only to make sure it is working, but to prevent rodent infestation. These pesky critters can do a lot of damage to heaters. Some desert regions even go as far as doing rodent proofing around the pool area.
Auto Fills…
It is wise to check your auto fills from time to time. Make sure the float operates properly, and shuts off at the appropriate level. When these floats malfunction they will over flow your pool, and raise your water bill. Better safe than sorry!
Weekly maintenance for your Pool
September 26, 2009 at 11:02 am | In pool maintenance | Leave a CommentTags: pool maintenance
Thoroughly cleaning your pool on a weekly basis during the swimming season will ensure clean and safe swimming water.
Skim Off Leaves and Debris
Use a long-handled leaf skimmer to gather up leaves, insects, and any other debris floating on the surface of the pool. Try to remove debris before it sinks to the bottom of your pool where it becomes difficult to remove and may create stains.
Brush
Use a brush to remove dirt that has collected on the sides and bottom of your pool. Brush sediment toward the main drain so it can be easily vacuumed.
Vacuum
Submerge your vacuum head and hose, before hooking up the vacuum to the filter.
Clean Skimmer(s)
You should also clean out your skimmer(s) weekly or more often if necessary. Removing debris allows the skimmer to operate at maximum efficiency.
Check Water Circulation
Your pool’s circulation system includes the skimmer, pump, pump strainer, drains, and filter. The system helps chemicals work effectively and ensures that water is properly filtered. Run your pump long enough each day to make sure the water is properly filtered and keep each item clean and in good condition.
Check Filter
The three most popular types of filters – sand, cartridge, and vertical grid DE – screen out debris and particles from your pool water. You should clean and maintain your filter according to the manufacturer’s directions.
Shock
Test your pool water frequently (daily or weekly depending on use) and add chemicals if necessary, following manufacturers’ directions. A regular shock treatment cleanses the water of algae, bacteria, dirt, and any other organic matter that may have entered the pool. Follow manufacturer’s directions for shock treatments.
Blanket coverage
September 27, 2009 at 11:46 am | In pool heaters | Leave a CommentTags: pool heaters, solar blankets, solar heating
| Solar blankets save heat, water and chemicals. | ||
The sun’s ability to warm the earth’s surface (and brighten everyone’s spirits) is well known. When the planet’s orbit takes, say, Massachusetts, nearer the sun in the spring, ice melts, snowsuits get mothballed and winter covers are removed from pools. Each day between then and the summer solstice gets longer, allowing the sun more time to warm the water.
Of course, the earth’s rotation plunges the pools in Plymouth and parts beyond into darkness each night, and much of the free warmth the sun provided or the heat gas-fired appliances and solar collectors added is lost through evaporation. Fortunately, pool people figured this out a long time ago and developed products to keep that heat from escaping. Among the first was the solar blanket, which was introduced to the pool market more than a generation ago, according to John Starr, vice president, Covertech, a solar blanket manufacturer in Etobicoke, Ontario. Since that time, Covertech and others in the industry have developed other products to retain heat in the pool, while at the same time inhibiting evaporation and keeping chemicals in the water. Standard solar covers have been joined by liquid blankets, introduced several years ago, and more recently by a new modular solar cover designed for thermal conservation and added safety. Even the commoditized solar blanket has Solar blankets save heat, water and chemicals undergone some improvements as manufacturers have worked on increasing their heat-drawing capacity and making them easier for consumers to handle.
Manufacturers of the different types of solar or thermal blankets may tout their products as the best way to retain heat, retard evaporation and conserve chemicals, but they’ll all agree that a pool owner without any type of blanket or cover at all is foolish and wasteful.
“The Department of Energy states that evaporation accounts for about 70 to 80 percent of heat loss in a pool, and so when you can slow down that evaporation, you’re essentially keeping the heat in the pool,” says Grant Moonie, Heatsavr division manager for Flexible Solutions International Ltd., Victoria, British Columbia.
Basic Coverage
Traditional solar blankets mays have attracted lots of competition in the 30odd years they’ve been around, but they’re still hard to beat at retaining heat, manufacturers say, and they’re also pretty good at adding heat, as well.
“We make the bubble solar blankets, and their main purpose is a couple of things,” says Brian Frost, director of marketing, GLI Pool Products, Youngstown, Ohio. “First, you want the blanket to be as clear as you can possibly get it so that the sunlight will be able to pass through it and actually heat the pool water during the day.
“Then, when you go out to a swimming pool at night you see all this steam rising, and so what the blanket does is act as a barrier to stop all of that evaporation of the water and all of that heat from escaping. It also stops the chemicals from evaporating out of the pool. So not only does it save you money on your heating bill, but it saves you water and chemicals that you would lose through evaporation.”
Just how much heat the solar blanket adds to water during the day and save at night is a matter of some dispute, with estimates ranging from just under 10 degrees Fahrenheit to nearly 20 degrees.
“It’s really tough to tell exactly what it’s going to do, it depends on the weather,” says Frost. “But typically you can get 10 to 15 degrees warmer by having a solar blanket on the swimming pool. We’ve done all kinds of testing on swimming pools, and how much heat gain you get and how much heat you save over an average day, an average evening. You lose a lot of heat at night if you don’t have the pool cover. And if you have your pool heater going, not only are you losing heat but you’re wasting energy, too.”
Starr’s estimates are a little lower. “I think if you can get 8 to 10 degrees you’re doing extremely well,” he says.
In an attempt to increase the amount of heat its blankets can add to pool water, Covertech added a twist to its standard blue bubble blankets about eight years ago.
“Thermal-Shield is a cover with a black color on the top part, and the bottom part is still blue,” Starr explains. “We did some testing of the blue-black over the blue and found we can increase the water temperature quicker. The black is not completely black — it’s opaque so the sun will
still go through it, but with the black pigmentations in it, the sun’s attracted to it, and that’s what allows the water to warm up a little quicker. So we’ve had great success with that product.”
Customers are generally familiar with the concept that darker colors absorb more heat, Starr says, so dealers who carry the newer blankets will find few barriers to making sales. In fact, since the Thermal-Shield was introduced, sales have increased steadily to the point where they outsell Covertech’s blue covers by a more than 2-to-1 ratio nationwide.
“A lot of dealers will carry both products and have a ‘better-best’ program, if you’d like to call it that,” Starr explains, “where they have a pricepoint that they can go into the marketplace at, and then as the consumer walks in they have an opportunity to upgrade them to a better product.”
GLI has also tweaked its bubble-type covers by incorporating an additive called Thermatex, which, Frost explains, is designed to intensify the sun’s rays.
“It acts like a magnifying glass,” he says. “You know, when you hold a magnifying glass over a leaf, for example, you can actually burn the leaf. Thermatex works much the same way. So a blanket with Thermatex definitely heats a pool better than one without it.”
Fishing For Sales
The effectiveness of bubble-type solar blankets is undeniable, but of course they’re only effective when they’re covering the pool. But what about those times when the cover’s off. About 15 years ago, Flexible Solutions introduced the liquid solar blanket. Originally named the Tropical Fish but now rebranded as Ecosavr, it was designed to conserve heat, water and chemicals by changing the water’s evaporative properties, and to remain on the water day and night. Dispensed through a plastic fish that sinks to the bottom of a pool and slowly drips the product over the period of a month, the product has gained wide acceptance in a relatively short time. But how does it work?
“The molecules of the active ingredient are lighter than water, so they’ll always want to float on the surface area,” says Flexible Solutions’ Moonie. “They’re not attracted to each other so they don’t want to stand on top of each other, so they don’t stack up, but they always want to be holding on to each other, so they’ll always connect and form a layer, if you will. So the product won’t really build up in the corner of the pool, it’ll always automatically want to spread out and form and create that layer by reaching out across the whole surface area.
“The molecular layer is transparent; you don’t notice it when it’s in the pool, and it allows solar gain to enter the pool. Solar gain from the sun will heat the pool water, but what we do is stop that energy gain from leaving. We can slow down evaporation by 30 to 40 percent, sometimes up to 50 percent, depending on variables like weather, temperature and that kind of thing. If you don’t heat your pool, your main benefit is going to be reduced heat loss overnight, because a lot of people who don’t heat their pools experience a drop in heat overnight when the air temperature goes down. So we can reduce that heat loss by around 50 percent, so if you’re losing 10 degrees overnight, that can be reduced to 5 degrees. Moonie grants that liquid solar blankets are a little more difficult for consumers to conceptualize than their more-visible counterparts. After all, if you can’t see them…
“There is a definite learning curve with the product,” Moonie says. “The person selling it needs to understand how the product works. Often the people selling it off the shelf don’t know — they’re not chemists — so they do need to have the product explained to them, and there are some simple explanations that I give to people that let them wrap their heads around how it works. I’ll tell them that similar to how a car may leak oil and leave a thin film on a puddle, you can see that over the surface of the water. This product works very similarly only the layer that it’s creating is biodegradable, transparent and totally safe for human interaction. It won’t affect your pool chemicals, it’s pH neutral and it’s biodegradable.”
Once customers understand a little of the chemistry behind the product, dealers can emphasize the fact that, unlike a bubble-type blanket, it’s always on the pool, says Stephen Shulman, creative director for SmartPool, a Lakewood, N.J., manufacturer that makes a liquid blanket called SolarPill that’s placed in a pool’s skimmer.
“Basically there’s always a hassle involved with having to put the regular solar blanket on top of the pool, then taking it off anytime you want to go swimming, then putting in back on,” he says. “There’s none of that. Plus, the cost is minimal with the SolarPill. It lasts up to two months, depending on the size of the pool, so those are a couple of advantages. SolarPill is available in two sizes: one for a 12,000-gallon pool and one for a 30,000-gallon pool, basically for your typical above-ground pool and your typical in-ground pool. If you buy the 30,000-gallon pool version and your pool is 15,000 gallons, it’ll just last longer.”
Shulman explains that the SolarPill’s design keeps it out of the way of robotic cleaners, which he says can interfere with the liquid blankets that sit on the pool’s floor. And, he adds, the liquid evaporation barrier it provides is most effective when the surface of the pool is calm.
“It works best when there’s no disturbance in the pool, so when people are swimming in it it’s not really working to optimum effect,” he says. “But when people get out and it calms down, then it’s working again and will continue to inhibit evaporation and heat loss.”
In addition to the bubble-type blankets and the newer liquid blankets, there’s another new player in the thermal-retention game. Solar Sun Rings, a Temecula, Calif.-based manufacturer, introduced it namesake product at the AQUA Show in 2004.
The cover is actually a series of 5-footdiameter rings linked magnetically to form a thermal barrier and to allow thermal gain through the spaces between the rings. An added benefit the company touts is that it won’t entangle someone who accidentally falls on it.
“It was the idea of Richard Rosene, who’d been a pool man for approximately 20 years working running a large number of residential and commercial pools,” says David Bartoli, business manager. “He and I realized that there was a point at which if the blanket was in small enough pieces, it was incapable of entrapping swimmers.
“Just about everybody with small children is looking at it primarily as a safety product. Most other people are buying it for the performance and for the ease of taking in on and off the pool. With the magnets, they’re just strong enough to where if you pull slowly you can take every one off the pool from one spot with one person.”
Something’s Better Than Nothing
No matter what type of cover customers choose, manufacturers reiterate that it’s important to have at least some barrier between the air and water. A combination of liquid and solid covers may even be the best way to go, according to Starr.
“My opinion is that they go hand in hand,” he says. “There was a belief that solar blanket sales would drop off because of the fish (and other liquid blankets) coming into the marketplace, but in fact it hasn’t. It’s actually increased. If there’s any breakage of the water plane, the liquid is dispersed. So I think people are using both. But again, any concept that retains the heat is going to be looked at favorably, and anything that gives them options to sell to the consumer is a good thing. Let the consumer decide what’s best at the end of the day. We’re all trying to make a product that will do the consumer some good.”
Aquatic Exercise
September 27, 2009 at 12:04 pm | In exercise pools, golf/putting greens, health benefits, water exercise | 2 CommentsTags: arthritis, diabetes, exercise pools, injuries, insomnia, stress, surgeries, water exercise
Swimming is a great aerobic activity that improves cardiovascular fitness and tones the muscles. Exercises done in the swimming pool (also called aquatics) are non-impact, regardless of age or health condition. Aerobic water exercise promotes thorough circulation, since the pressure of water on a nonmoving body stimulates the heart to pump blood throughout the body. Water exercise is rhythmic. Continuous rhythmic exercises are one of the best defenses against circulatory ailments. People with paraplegia, asthma, rheumatic heart, polio or stroke patients, amputees, and arthritics can exercise in water and enjoy weightless movement. Some physicians use hydrocalisthenics for their cardiac patients.
Pool Exercise
Since water is buoyant, it reduces body weight about 90%. So the stress on the weight bearing joints is reduced. A workout in water would not leave you feeling sore and stiff. Instead, it relieves pain and sickness. Swimming exercise helps you maintain joint flexibility, strengthen and tone muscles, and increases endurance. Sometimes, swimming skills are not needed for water or pool exercises. That is because the exercises are done in water up to chest level. The resistance of water coupled with its buoyant nature provides an ideal workout. Water and pool exercises combine every element of fitness, cardio respiratory endurance, muscular strength, muscular endurance and flexibility.
While doing exercises in water, follow the interval training principle. Workout until you become a little breathless, slow down, then work again. Such an exercise routine builds up the body without tiring it.
Given below is a selection of some popular water exercises designed by C. Carson Conrad, executive director of the California Bureau of Health.
Toning Exercises (arms and shoulder)
Stand in water at shoulder level. Extend your arms on each side below the water level. Make small vigorous circles with your arms, ten each, forward and backward.
Stand in water at chest level. Extend one arm forward, one back, imitating a swimmer doing a crawl stroke. Keep doing this until you are slightly tired.
Flexibility Exercises
Stand in water at shoulder level. Lean sideways or backwards against the side of the pool. Balance on one foot, while raising the opposite knee towards your chest. Grasp with both your hands and gently pull it into the upper body, stretching muscles of the hip, thigh and back. Release and repeat with the other leg.
Hip/Leg Exercise
This exercise will strengthen the hip and leg muscles. Hold on to the pool’s edge with both hands and float both legs out behind you. Move legs alternately, without bending the knees, in a flutter kick in which each foot travels only about 12 to 18 inches. Kick for a minute. Rest, and then repeat. Next, do the complete sequence while on your back, then on each side.
Breathing Exercise and Muscle Tone Exercise
The following exercises improve breathing and the muscle tone.
Bobbing. Stand in chest-deep water. Do the following in sequence:take a breath and submerge; straighten legs and regain standing position. Repeat until breathing is easy.
Advanced bobbing: Stand vertical in water above your head, arms on the sides, palms down, below the surface, legs ready to kick. In a single movement: pull both your hands sharply towards the thighs while doing a scissors or frog kick. When your head bobs up above the surface, take a deep breath and hold it. As your body settles in the water again, raise both arms and begin to exhale slowly. When expiration is done, stroke downward with both hands and give another kick, to bob your head above water for another breath. You must be completely relaxed to put the breathing and stroking together. Once you’ve learnt it, you can keep afloat almost indefinitely.
High bobbing: Try bobbing in water that is 2 or 3 feet above your head. When you do this, your feet hit the bottom of the pool when you sink. On the bottom, bend your knees into a semi-squatting position. Then, having exhaled, spring upward, stroking the arms downward, so that you almost “explode” out of the water. Repeat at will. This is a fun exercise and is one of the best for general conditioning.
Golf Exercises
Golf is a game that requires a lot of skill, strength and stamina. The muscles of the legs and upper torso in particular must be strong and flexible. A balanced fitness program includes all the four components of fitness: cardio respiratory endurance, muscular strength, muscular endurance, and flexibility. Each of these components plays a part in a golfer’s fitness and ability to play.
- Muscular strength and endurance is essential for generating club head speed. The club head speed determines how far you can hit the all.
- If you need to develop a full, fluid golf swing, you need to have flexibility. Flexibility exercises must be done everyday.
- Cardio respiratory endurance is vital to keep your energy up, especially when you are under pressure. Aerobic activity for twenty minutes must be done at least three times a week.
- A fitness regime that incorporates these components increases your chances of playing a good game of golf and also offers significant health benefits.
- The American Council on Exercise (ACE) recommends the fo