Category Archives: Pool Opening

Pool and Spa Maintenance, Pool Opening

Spring Pool Improvements: Pool Liners

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Today, we continue with part three of our pool improvement series: pool liners. Swimming pool liners can make a dramatic difference in the look of your swimming pool. If you have had your pool for an extended period of time, your liner may be weak and brittle. Constant exposure to sun light and chemicals can cause the liner to thin and eventually break. This can not only cause ugly discoloration, but also pool leaks or collapse. If you notice excessive fading or cracking of your liner, it needs to be replaced. With the variety of beautiful pool liner options available, this can also provide a totally new look for your pool. Pictured above (left to right), Monteray, Rolling Rock, Sunlight, and Dolphina are only a few of the many eye-catching liners available to improve your swimming pool.

Pool and Spa Equipment, Pool and Spa Maintenance, Pool and Spa Safety, Pool Opening

Spring Pool Improvements: Pool Steps and Ladders

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Swimming Pool Steps
In today’s second installment of our spring pool improvement series, we will talk about pool steps and ladders. Adding new steps or a new ladder to your pool can definitely add style, but it can do so much more. Replacing these worn parts can also prevent a safety hazard. Old steps and ladders that have been exposed to years of harsh sunlight and chemicals can become brittle, leading to cracks and breaks. This makes their surfaces unstable and prone to accidents. Keep the entrance and exit to your pool safe and attractive. We offer high quality steps and ladders for in ground and above ground pools. They are all classy, practical, and above all safe. Some models even feature added safety features, such as slip up and roll guard protected steps to prevent unauthorized entry into your pool. New steps and ladders are a great way to improve your pool this spring.

Pool Accessories, Pool and Spa Equipment, Pool Fun, Pool Opening

Spring Pool Improvements: Pool Slides

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G Force Pool Slide
Making improvements to your swimming pool can be as simple as adding a floating pool light or as complex as changing your liner for a new look. We will chronicle a series of pool improvement trends that home owners are currently using to spruce the pool up just in time for summer.

One pool improvement that I find particularly pleasing to the whole family is adding a new and exciting swimming pool slide. With varying angles of curve, water use, and colors, there are so many options in pool slides today. You can even add a water park type feel with a slide that spins you around 360 degrees before splashing you into your pool. A new slide will provide fun and excitement to every member of your family.

Pool and Spa Chemicals, Pool and Spa Maintenance, Pool Opening

Cheat Sheet for Ideal Pool Chemical Levels

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Pool season is close! Most pool owners know how to chlorinate their pool or treat for algae if needed at opening. Balancing the other key elements in your pool chemistry, such as pH, stabilizer, calcium hardness, and total alkalinity levels, can be more confusing. Here are the instructions that you need to make sure that your pool water is sparkling clear. Testing and correcting your pool water at home has never been easier.

  • If your total alkalinity is low, you will need to add sodium bicarbonate to your water to get it to the ideal range of 80-100 ppm. You can find complete sodium bicarbonate dosage instructions here.
  • If your total alkalinity is high, you will need to add muriatic acid to lower your alkalinity to the idea range of 80-100 ppm. You can find muriatic acid dosage instructions here.
  • If you need to raise the pH level in your pool water, you need to add sodium carbonate (soda ash). Here are complete instructions for raising your pool’s pH with sodium carbonate.
  • If you need to lower the pH level in your pool water, you will use the same muriatic acid mentioned for lowering your total alkalinity, but in different dosage amounts. Here are the complete instructions for muriatic acid dosage when trying to lower pH.
  • To raise the stabilizer level in your pool, you will need to add Cyanuric Acid in the dosages recommended in these instructions: cyanuric acid dosage chart. If the stabilizer level is too high, you must drain and refill the pool. There is no chemical corrector.
  • To raise the calcium hardness in your pool, add calcium chloride. You can find the exact calcium chloride dosage here. If your calcium hardness level is too high, you must drain and refill the pool. There is no chemical corrector for this problem.
Pool Opening

Easy Steps to Open Your Above Ground Pool

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Above Ground Swimming Pools

Even before summer arrives, you should start thinking about the process of opening your above ground swimming pool. Check your inventory of pool chemicals and the state of your pool equipment. Winter or spring are the perfect times to replenish your supplies and upgrade or replace worn or damaged pool equipment. When the time officially arrives to open your pool, you’ll be ready with everything you need.

Make the opening of your swimming pool even easier by following the steps below. You’ll be swimming in no time.

1. First, remove any leaves or debris that have settled on the winter pool cover. Also, remove any standing water from the cover using a cover pump. Then, remove the cover itself.

Note: If your winter cover has a hole in it and you use your cover pump to remove standing water, you may actually end up pumping water out of the pool. This can lead to a drained pool, so be sure to watch for this.

2. After removing the winter cover, take time to clean it, let it air dry, and then store it away for the rest of the season. The time and effort you spend caring properly for your winter cover will ensure that it stays in top shape for many seasons.

3. Re-insert drain plugs you may have removed from your pump and filter hoses, and re-attach your hoses. Then, add water to your pool until it reaches normal levels.

4. Remove freeze plugs, skimmer guards, or air pillows.

5. Plug in your pump, and make sure that the valve is turned to the backwash position (for sand filters). Doing so will ensure that any old water left in your filter will not go into your pool.

6. Check for leaks.

7. Assess the cleanliness of the pool itself. If you used a solid winter cover and secured it well, the water will be as clear as it was when you closed the pool last year. If not, now is the time to remove large debris from the pool with your leaf net, leaf rake, or leaf eater.

8. Vacuum any dirt, sand, algae, or other small debris that cannot be cleared out with a leaf rake or net.

9. After cleaning the pool, check the water chemistry:

  • Allow the water to circulate at least 8-12 hours so that the water that was added has time to mix with the water that was already in the pool.
  • After that time, test the water thoroughly, then add the necessary chemicals in the proper sequence to balance the water chemistry. We suggest taking a water sample to your local pool professional to have it tested for pH, total alkalinity, calcium hardness, etc. Be sure to follow the procedure they describe to avoid damaging your pool.

10. Install the ladder and any other deck equipment.

11. Go swimming!