The Spa Guy

Your swimming pool is a central part of your family’s relaxation and recreational activities, so you want to keep it a clean and inviting place season after season. One of the important parts of pool ownership is learning how to drain swimming properly.

A part of your regular swimming pool care and maintenance, you are already following proper chemical guidelines to keep the water safe and clean. However, it is still generally recommended that you drain your swimming pool every three years. Over time the chemicals lose their effectiveness in working with your pool water, so it is a good idea to start with a clean slate around every three years.

The process of how to drain swimming pool may seem like a big task, but the good news is there is an easy and cost effective way to get the job done. You don’t need to hire a professional pool care service to do it. Using a device called a submersible sump pump, that is found at most hardware or home improvement stores, will save you a lot of money.

Steps for How to Drain Your Swimming Pool

1.    Connect the submersible sump pump to the sewage drain hole. Your home’s sewer ports found next to the house and are covered by round plastic caps.

2.    Once you have connected the sump pump’s hose to the sewer port, lower the pump itself into the deepest are of your swimming pool, then turn it on. The pump will starting sending the pool water through the hose and into your home’s sewer port, to be reused by the city.

3.    The emptying of your pool will take several hours. Ensure the process is monitored, so that you can turn the pump off once all of the water is drained, otherwise you risk damaging the pump. For this reason, do not allow a pump to run overnight.

Once your swimming pool has been drained, clean out any debris that remains. Then refill your pool as soon as possible, to avoid pool distortion from groundwater surrounding it. Following these simple steps for how to drain swimming pool, will ensure your pool’s water is in great shape for your swimming pleasure!

Whether you own an above ground pool already or are looking to buy one you must think about entering your pool. There are some pools out there with just an A-frame ladder and others have decks. If you already have a pool and are looking for a deck then you are in luck. Even if you pool is old there are many applications you can use to add a deck to your pool.

There is a company out there that makes Connect-A-Deck, which is a universal aluminum pool deck that is made to fit any style above ground pool whether it’s new or old. You can get rid of your A-Frame ladder and install this deck by yourself. It’s extremely easy to set up. Another option if you don’t have a deck is building your own. That’s what we did. We had a 28 foot round above ground swimming pool that we build a nice big cedar deck to with a bench and stairs. It was a sight to see. A lot of people now are starting to build their own deck because of the flexibility it offers not to mention how much life it will add to your pool and just the overall style of your backyard.

If you are thinking of getting an above ground swimming pool built in your backyard then you can get the deck that comes especially made for that particular pool. That’s a nice option because now you can get a large walk-around deck that wraps around the entire pool. They also make big impressive fan decks and best of all they should past all township regulation and permits.

Having a pool is not all about having fun. Although this is what most of us want to do at all times, we cannot neglect the fact that we have to be responsible for it. If we want to have a good time in the pool, we should know how to take care of it. Proper care for the pool does not always need professional help, except when there are complex issues that needs professional evaluation.

In taking care of your pool, you will need several tools. You will need a pH tester for the water. You will also need a skimmer and telepole extender. Additionally, always have brushes for the pool floors and walls. There are also vacuum especially made for the pool as well as vinyl liners. Aside from the basic tools, you should also have safety gear to be used when cleaning the pool. An example is the rubber gloves, masks and goggles. These are very important when you apply needed chemicals in the pool.

Why do you need to put chemicals in the pool? It is necessary because the chemicals help treat the water.
It addresses almost all the water issues you might encounter with your pool. Although the chemicals are very helpful, there are certain disadvantages of using them. Several strong chemicals can damage your skin and can be a threat to your health. This can also be fatal when inhaled.

Aside from wearing the safety gear, you should also follow other safety precaution when applying chemicals. Start by reading the instruction in the chemical label. See to it that you follow the instructions carefully. Do not use more than what is required. You have to know the volume of your pool in order to put in the right amount of chemicals it needs. You should also follow the instruction on how to mix chemicals and water. After you have applied the chemicals, see to it that you clean the devices used in the application very well.

You should also clean the pool regularly. Remove the debris that got into the water using your skimmer. It is also important that you regularly scrub and vacuum the floor and the walls of your pool. This is to eliminate any formation of unwanted organisms. After cleaning the pool, you should make sure that you clean the materials you used.

It is also important that you properly maintain the various elements in the pool. Pools normally have four basic aspects you have to monitor. They are the pH, chlorine level, calcium hardness and alkalinity. This is the reason why you need a pH tester. The pH of the pool determines acidity level in the water. The acidity is affected by water’s alkaline content. Just like the alkaline, calcium hardness affects the pH. If the water is too hard, pH increases. Chlorine on the other hand is a known substance to treat the water. It eliminates algae and other forms of unwanted organisms.

Having pools at home is exciting but it also comes with responsibility. Proper caring for your pool will help you have more fun in the future.

One of the most common maintenance issues for swimming pool owners is cloudy water. This can be caused by a variety of conditions, but is usually easy to correct. The possible causes and solutions for cloudy swimming pool water include:

• Improper ph levels-One of the most important aspects of swimming pool maintenance is testing and maintaining proper water chemistry. The optimal ph level is between 7.2 and 7.6 ppm. When the levels are out of this range; the chlorine cannot work as effectively as it should in sanitizing the water. Taking the proper steps to correct the chemical balance is the first step you should take in eliminating cloudy water
• Unfilterable Debris-Some particles of waste and debris are so small or fine that they cannot be trapped in the filtration process. Some common sources of this type of debris are: sun screens and oils, makeup products, and hair products. This can usually be eliminated by backwashing and adding fresh water. Once you are sure you’ve got the proper chemical balance, this is a logical next step.
• Poor Filtration or Circulation-To maintain water clarity, it is essential that all components of the filtration system are working properly. Clogged or dirty filters and worn or defective pump and filter components can lead to poor circulation and cloudy water. It is important to regularly clean or backwash the filter and inspect the mechanical parts of the system to insure water clarity.
• High Calcium Levels-This brings us back to proper water chemistry. Calcium hardness is important in protecting the surface of the pool, but high levels can lead to cloudy water. This can be corrected by taking steps to bring the water chemistry within the acceptable range and by adding a water clarifier.

As is the case with other aspects of swimming pool maintenance, the best way to avoid problems with cloudy water is keep up with the proper maintenance of the chemicals and equipment on a regular basis. A little work now can help prevent the need for a big job later.