Pools across the country are closing, but spa season is in full swing! Now is the time to perform basic maintenance of your hot tub or spa to make sure that it is proper working order. Make sure that the spa cover is in good condition and doesn’t need any maintenance or repair. You will also want to typically drain and refill the tub with fresh water once every three months. If it has been longer than 5 since your water was changed, you should drain and refill. It might also be time to clean or replace your spa filter cartridge. If your filters shows any signs of damage or excessive wear, now is the time to purchase a new one. BackyardCity Pools sells hundreds of brands of pool and spa filter so we will almost certainly have what you are looking for!
Category Archives: Pool and Spa Maintenance
Preventing Mosquitoes Around Your Home and Pool
Late summer and early fall are the prime time of year for mosquito breeding. With West Nile Virus being carried by these insects, it is very important to safe guard your home and family. All mosquitoes need water to pass through their life stages. Did you know that your swimming pool can turn into a breeding ground for mosquitoes? It is very important to keep your pool chemicals at their proper levels even when the pool is covered. Proper chlorination prevents stagnation that cause draw mosquitoes in. Mosquitoes will develop in any puddle that lasts more than four days. Even water that pools on top of your winter cover can provide the right conditions. Using an automatic cover pumps to keep pooling water off your cover is a great way to prevent this. Below are more tips on protecting your family against mosquitoes and West Nile Virus during the early fall months.
- Remove tin cans, plastic containers, ceramic pots, discarded tires, or similar water-holding containers and areas that may have accumulated on your property.
- Drill holes in the bottom and elevate recycling containers, garbage bins, etc. that are left out of doors to prevent pooling water.
- Turn over wheelbarrows and do not allow water to stagnate in bird baths, ornamental ponds, or other water features around your home.
- Clean clogged roof gutters. Gutters are easily overlooked but can produce millions of mosquitoes each season.
- Repair leaky pipes and septic systems or outside faucets. Do not let air conditioner run off water collect in shady areas.
Please Share:
3 Practical Reasons to Keep Your Hot Tub Covered
Unwinding in a spa or hot tub after a tiring day is a small luxury to which many people look forward. What do you do, though, when you’re done with your toasty soak? Do you keep your hot tub covered? If not, here’s why you should:
- Spa covers and hot tub covers prevent evaporation, saving you money on water and chemicals. Maintaining thechemical balance of your spa’s water is easier and less time consuming when a spa cover is used on a regular basis.
- Spa covers also insulate the water and prevent much of the heat from escaping. Keeping the hot tub’s water warm when not in use makes heating the water faster the next time you want to take a soak. Not only do you save energy, but your spa heater lasts longer because you use it less often and for shorter amounts of time.
- Spa covers keep debris and dirt out of your hot tub. Cleaning your hot tub takes less time and effort when there is less to clean up.
Covering a hot tub is a simple task, and doing so on a regular basis saves you time, effort, and money when it comes to maintenance chores. Hot tub and spa covers are a smart solution that make owning a hot tub even more pleasurable than they already are.
Please Share:
Preparing Your Above Ground Pool for Winter
The end of swimming season is near, and it’s time to begin preparing for winterizing the above ground swimming pool. Here is a handy guide for preparing your pool for the winter season:
Step 1
Before closing your pool, make sure the water is chemically balanced. Adjust the chemical levels if necessary. Chemically balanced water protects the pool from corrosion or scale buildup that can occur while the pool is not in use. Your chemical levels should be as follows:
- pH: 7.2 – 7.6
- Alkalinity: 80 – 120 parts per million
- Calcium Hardness: 175 – 250 parts per million
- Chlorine: 1 – 3 parts per million
Step 2
Remove all deck equipment, including ladders, stairs, etc.
Step 3
Brush down the sides and floor of your pool and then vacuum. This step prevents staining, which can occur if any dirt or debris is left to sit in the pool.
Step 4
Add winterizing chemicals by broadcasting them into the deep end of the pool. These chemicals help protect water quality during the off season months.
Step 5
Clean the filter, skimmer, and pump basket. Remove all unused chlorine product from the chlorinator. Cartridge filter elements and D.E. grids should be cleaned and stored. If you have a sand filter, backwash it.
Step 6
Some people insert a skimmer guard into the skimmer and plug the return line. Others lower the water in the pool below the returns (where the water jets into the pool) and the skimmer. Either method is fine — the choice made is based on personal preference. NEVER COMPLETELY DRAIN A POOL! This can cause your above ground pool to collapse.
Step 7
If your pool is plumbed with detachable, flexible hoses, remove them and store for the winter. Remove all drain plugs from the pump, filter tank, and any other pool equipment. Follow the manufacturer’s instructions for your specific equipment. Place all drain plugs in the pump basket for storage.
If your pool is hard plumbed, use an air compressor or shop vac (attached to the blower side of the vac) to blow water out of the system by forcing air down the skimmer and through the plumbing.
Step 8
If you are using an air pillow, inflate it by using a shop vac. Tie the air pillow at two places and position it in the center of the pool. Tie strings to the pool wall so the pillow will not move during installation of the pool cover. Air pillows are commonly used, but not absolutely necessary. They are a good idea in colder climates in case the water freezes and expands. The water will freeze inwards on the pillow instead of outwards which can potentially damage the pool wall. Pillows are NOT used to create a dome-like effect to keep rain off of the cover. Rain water will always settle around the pillow.
Step 9
Place an above ground pool winter cover over the pool surface, black side down. Some homeowners who have children or pets prefer to cover the pool with a safety cover over the winter.
If covering your pool with a winter cover, place the cover over the pool, then thread the cable through the loops or grommets. Use the winch provided with the cover to tighten the cable.
If your above ground pool has a deck, place wall bags end to end around the edge of the pool. Fill the bags 3/4 full with water. Do not over-fill because the bags could burst when the water inside freezes. Never use bricks, concrete blocks, etc. to secure the cover because they can damage your pool cover or your pool.
Step 10
Place a cover pump in the center of your pool cover to drain excess water accumulation. Too much water on top of the cover can cause the cover to rip, or it can pull the cover and wall bags into the pool. Either way, you’re in for a messy cleanup effort.
Planning now for winterizing will help make the process go faster and easier once the time to winterize has arrived. Until then, though, enjoy the remaining days of summer warmth in the refreshing comfort of your above ground pool.
Please Share:
Prevent Autumn Leaves from Turning into Springtime Mess
Now is the time to start thinking about getting a leaf net, if you don’t already have one. What is a leaf net? Leaf nets are lightweight covers made of an open weave material that fits over your winter cover or solar cover and helps you avoid accumulations of wet, heavy, saturated leaves and twigs on top of your swimming pool. Leaf nets ensure faster removal of leaves and help prolong the life of your winter or solar cover.
Leaf nets can be used in any season, but they are especially helpful in autumn when leaves are the most problematic for swimming pools. The open weave allows water to pass through the net but will block twigs and other natural debris. Leaf nets make spring pool cover removal much easier and less messy.