Category Archives: Pool and Spa Equipment

Pool Accessories, Pool and Spa Equipment, Pool Closing and Winterizing, Pool Equipment Storage

Pool Storage Solutions for Fall and Winter

4 Comments
Cedar Storage Shed for Pool Equipment

Store your pool equipment in a Storage Shed

Very soon, it will be time to close your pool for the season. You are probably already stocking up on pool chemicals, covers, and closing accessories. Another important closing season consideration – Where will you store your supplies? Pool floats, chemicals, and other pool accessories need a home for the off season. Below are several options that you can use to organize your pool area and have everything ready for next spring.

  • Raft, Float, and Towel Caddy – This handy tool is perfect for the storage of pool toys and floats. It is made of sturdy PVC and can be put together in minutes. It is great for rafts, “noodles”, toys, etc.
  • Pool Pantry – This organizer is so compact and efficient that you will wonder how you survived without it. It is lightweight and sturdy. It comes with a cover and accessory bag and holds multiple floats.
  • Pool Deck Box – Made of durable resins, this storage box will endure many seasons as it keeps your pool gear dry and out of the sun. Great for pool toys, chemicals, hoses, or even patio cushions in the fall. It eliminates clutter and features wheels for easy moving.
  • Looking for something bigger? A cedar storage shed is the solution. It will create the perfect pool side cabana to store everything! Floats, chemicals, cleaning equipment, and more can be tucked away safe, secure, and dry until next spring.
Pool and Spa Equipment, Pool Closing and Winterizing

Not Too Soon to Prepare for Winterizing

Comment

Yes, summer is still with us, and thinking about winterizing the pool right now probably seems premature.  But, now is actually the best time to make sure that your winter pool cover is in good shape and that you have all the necessary accessories to keep your above ground pool properly protected over the winter months.

Once the pool water has been prepared properly for winter and you are ready to top it all off with a winter pool cover, there are really only three winterizing accessories about which you should be concerned.

Air Pillows

If you live in a climate where winter air temperatures drop below freezing, the first accessory you’ll need is an air pillow. Air pillows absorb the pressure created by freezing water and protect your pool’s walls and liner. As the water in the pool freezes and expands, it will freeze inward on the air pillow rather than outward on your pool walls. Air pillows are placed under the winter pool cover on top of the water in the center of the pool. To ensure that the air pillow doesn’t move out of place over the course of the winter, you’ll want to use durable string to tie it to two sides of your pool wall.

Cover Pumps

Next, you’ll want a pool cover pump to drain the water that collects on your pool cover throughout the winter months. If accumulated water is not regularly removed by a cover pump, the weight of that excess water can damage your winter pool cover or pull the cover into the water below. Either way, you’ll have a messy situation to clean up. Cover pumps are available in manual models and automatic models. Manual cover pumps require that you monitor the pump’s progress and unplug it when the water is drained. Automatic cover pumps, often preferred by pool owners, sense and automatically start when water is detected on the cover and turn off automatically once the water has been drained.

Bags, Seal, or Clips

Finally, you’ll want to consider how to keep your winter pool cover from being blown around on breezy days, exposing your pool to the elements and ruining the hard work you put into winterizing. There are many options available for keeping a winter pool cover in place, including pool cover wall bags, winter cover seal, and cover clips. Pool cover wall bags are designed especially for above ground pools and are positioned around the inside perimeter of your pool, fastened to your pool cover’s cable. Wall bags should be filled only three quarters full with water to make room for the water to expand should it freeze. Winter cover seal is another way to keep your pool cover in place, and while it looks very much like a large roll of plastic wrap, it’s really a tough poly blend film packed with UV inhibitors. Winter cover seal is wrapped around the covered pool several times to create a tight seal, which prevents wind as well as dirt from getting under the cover and causing damage and premature wear and tear. Cover clips are a third option for securing your winter pool cover. Cover clips are exactly that — handy fasteners that hold your pool cover in place. They grip your top rail like a clothes pin and hold securely throughout the winter season.

Are you all set for winter?  Then, go out and enjoy the rest of those hot summer days in the pool!

Innovative Solutions, Pool Accessories, Pool and Spa Equipment, Pool Equipment Storage

Solar Saddle Is an Affordable and Effective Alternative to Solar Reels

3 Comments

Solar Saddle Solar Pool Cover Storage

Removing and storing a solar pool cover each time you wish to use your above ground swimming pool can be a real hassle, especially if you don’t have a partner handy who can help you with the process.  Solar cover reels are a standard option for easy cover removal and storage by one person, but reels are often very expensive.  A simpler solution is the Solar Saddle, which is a much more affordable product that installs easily and works like a charm.

Using the Solar Saddle is easy.  To remove and store your cover, you simply pull the cover off of the pool from poolside, just like you would pull a sheet off from the end of your bed.  The cover lays in the Solar Saddle’s holders, folded accordion style.  Now your cover is stored.  To put the cover on, just reverse the process.

Simple, elegant, affordable — the Solar Saddle is a smart solution for above ground swimming pools.

Hot Tubs and Saunas, Pool and Spa Equipment, Pool and Spa Maintenance

Expert Help for Choosing the Perfect Filter Cartridge

Comment

Filter Cartridge Diagram

Do you need to replace the filter cartridge in your pool or spa? Knowing which replacement model to choose can be confusing. Use the easy step by step guide below to make sure that you choose the correct option!

  1. Measure the outside diameter of the end cap. Be sure to use exact measurement (+ or – 1/32″).
  2. Measure the existing cartridge length. The length is calculated from end cap to end cap and should be exact (+ or – 1/16″). Be sure to exclude any handles or extensions from this measurement.
  3. Measure the top inside diameter. Again, be sure to use exact measurements (+ or – 1/32″).
  4. Do the same with the bottom inside diameter.
  5. Note the name and model of the filter that the cartridge came out of.
  6. Next, you will have to identify the correct top and bottom type. These are the types that you will see. Note the one that most closely matches your filter cartridge.

Open Top/Bottom
Open Top/Bottom w/Gasket
Closed Top

Closed Top
w/ String Handle
Castle Top
Molded Cone
Handle

Semi-Circular
Handle
Open Bottom
w/ Male Slip Fitting
Open Bottom
w/ ThreadedFitting

With all of the information that you have now gathered, you are ready to call or visit your pool supply source with the knowledge needed to make an informed purchase!

Pool and Spa Equipment, Pool and Spa Maintenance

Pool Filters Explained

1 Comment

No matter how diligent we may be with our pool cleaners, dirt, debris, and other unsavory bits in our pool water can elude our pool cleaning devices.  Luckily, pool water gets pumped through the pool’s filter system where particulates in the water become trapped.  A swimming pool’s filter system is an essential component for maintaining clean, safe water.  What type of filter system does your swimming pool use?

The three existing types of swimming pool filters are Sand Filters, Cartridge Filters, and Diatomaceous Earth Filters (DE Filters, for short).  Here’s how they each work:

Sand Filters

Sand FiltersSand filters, often considered the easiest filters to own and maintain, use a specially graded sand as the filter media. Water enters the tank through a diffuser.  As the water goes down through the bed of sand, the dirt and debris are trapped between the grains of sand.  When the water reaches the bottom of the filter, it enters the laterals and is returned to the pool.  Sand filters trap debris as small as approximately 40 microns in size.  Anything smaller than 40 microns will often pass through the filter and get circulated back into the pool.

 

 

Cartridge Filters

Cartridge FiltersOne of the most popular choices among the filter systems is the cartridge filter because it can be removed and cleaned with out backwashing, which saves pool-owners time and energy.  Cartridge filters use a paper-type cartridge as the filter media.  They do not filter as finely as DE filters, but they produce about the same water quality as sand filtration.  In the past, cartridge filters were considered a nuisance to maintain, but over the years, manufacturers have developed newer filters with enough surface area (300-500 square feet) to require cleaning only once or twice each year.

 

 

Diatomaceous Earth (DE) Filters

Diatomaceous Earth (DE) FiltersDE filters are the most effective of the three filter systems.  Diatomaceous earth comes from a naturally occurring sedimentary rock that crumbles easily into a fine powder.  The DE filter has plastic grids covered with a plastic type of fabric.  A layer of the diatomaceous earth filter powder covers the grids and filters the water.  As the water passes through the filter powder, any debris down to 5-8 microns is filtered out.  Because the DE is much finer that sand, it is able to filter much more effectively than a sand filter or cartridge filter.