Spring Pool Maintenance Advice

Water Chemistry Reminder

Please remember that your water chemistry is important. Just because your water is clear doesn’t mean it is balanced. Un-Balanced water can lead to heater and equipment malfunctions and issues, as well as liner wrinkles, scaling, skin and eye irritation and more. If you need a copy of correct water chemistry guidelines call the office or visit the website to download a free pdf. If you need weekly or bi-weekly service to clean your pool and balance your water, just give us a call to schedule!

Safety Covers

Now is a great time to think about a safety cover to put on the pool in the fall when you close! – Quotes are always free! Rectangles are stock orders, all other free-form shapes are custom fit to your pool. You will love the difference of a safety cover – so much safer, cleaner, and better to look at that a plastic cover and water bags all winter! Let us know if you are interested!

Vinyl Liner Replacements

We specialize in vinyl liner replacements for in-ground swimming pools and offer free estimates. The price of a vinyl liner replacement for the typical inground swimming pool is going to vary depending on size, condition of the coping, and other factors.

Renovation

If you would like a quote for any renovation to your pool, including re-marcite or re-pebble, new tile or coping, installation of salt systems or energy efficient pumps, new heaters, filters or pumps, please let us know. We are happy to help! If it is not something that fits into our schedule or scope of work we are happy to recommend some fantastic local companies for you! During a major renovation, we also do complete patio tear out and replacement. Free estimates for all of these options are available – we book early, so let us know ASAP if you are considering work this year.

Weekly Maintenance

In addition to opening and closing your pool here in Michigan, you should also perform regular water testing and maintenance to your swimming pool. We do offer weekly or bi-weekly maintenance services if you prefer we take care of this for you.

 

Water testing should be done weekly with test strips to check chemical levels including fcl, cl, pH, alk, cal, sta (free chlorine, total chlorine, pH, alkalinity, calcium hardness, stabilizer). This can be tested with simple test strips (pay attention to expiration dates and keep out of sunlight/moist areas). If any chemicals are out of balance, they should be balanced by adding the proper amounts to adjust each to the pool.

 

If you use chlorine to sanitize your pool, the pool should be shocked once per week with either liquid chlorine or shock packets to give your pool the boost it needs. Shocking can also be done if the pool starts to turn green, cloudy, or if you know that there will be a high bather load. Often it is a good idea to shock the pool after a party or a large number of swimmers have been in the pool.

 

A maintenance dose of algaecide is also recommended to be added weekly to your pool. This helps to inhibit the growth or start of algae, which can turn your pool cloudy, green, or slippery, sometimes overnight.

 

Salt Generating Systems:

If your pool has a salt generating system, after the initial salt is added with your pool opening, you should monitor your salt system on a weekly basis to ensure your pool is operating with the correct amount of salt so the cell can produce the appropriate amount of chlorine. Remember that your system only produces chlorine when the pump is on, so in some cases it may need to run 24/7 to produce enough chlorine for your pool. We can help you adjust your run times if needed.

 

**With your spring opening check to be sure you have a zinc anode on your system. This is a small zinc disc that can either be in your skimmer, or hard plumbed in at your equipment pad. Operating your pool without a zinc anode can cause corrosion to your pool equipment (especially the inside of your heater), as well as your slide and light. It is CRITICAL that you have a zinc anode properly installed on your pool.***

 

The pool should be brushed regularly (weekly) to prevent algae build up. If you have an automatic pool cleaner such as a Polaris or Dolphin, you may want to run these once a week, even if the pool appears clean, to keep the surface of your pool from getting slippery or slimy, which would indicate the start of algae growth.

Pump/Skimmer and Sand Change Maintenance

Your swimming pool skimmer basket will need to be emptied as it fills with debris. This is often a weekly task, unless you have a high amount of trees or other yard waste that may find its way into your basket. The same goes for the pump. It should be emptied during your weekly service, unless you find that it needs to be done more frequently. Sand Changes are recommended every 3-5 years, or when the pool just doesn’t seem to stay sparkling clear like it used to, just give us a call to schedule).

Service Calls

Service calls can be performed anytime something is not going well with your pool. Our team will come out assess/troubleshoot and repair or suggest replacement of any of your pool equipment that may need it. Service calls start begin with a basic service call fee for the diagnose/assessment. Repairs are then quoted based on parts and labor needed to complete the repair.

Have a great summer – and let us know if there is anything we can do to keep your pool season running smoothly!

                                                                                                                             -Ask the Pool Guy (Al), Service Team Leader, Mark and our entire Team