Getting Your Pool Ready for Summer

Posted on April 13, 2012 by cleanswim

When summer arrives and the weather is good there is nothing quite like taking a dip in your own private swimming pool. Swimming Pools are a great addition to any property but they require lots of work and maintenance to keep them in a usable condition.

First of all you will need to make sure your filtration system is working well and is suitable for handling the capacity of your pool. The filtration system role in the pool is a very important one as it helps to remove particles of dirt and bacteria from the water helping prevent a build up of foreign bodies from the water in your pool.

Another important piece of swimming pool equipment is a vacuum cleaner (not your standard Dyson or Henry you use in the house) you need a specific pool vacuum cleaner. The role of the pool vacuum cleaner is to remove any larger particle matter which has settled to the bottom of your pool. Usually these connect to your skimmer and capture any particles which have been picked up in your filter basket. There are many types of pool vacuum cleaners available so it is best to check with your pool dealer first to ensure you do not order the wrong one.

Skimmer baskets are another important element to keeping your swimming pool clean. Skimmer baskets or strainers help keep your pool clean by catching debris and bugs which manage to get into your pool and float. The skimmer does exactly that skims the water and removes this unwanted matter from your pool water and then sends the excess water back round your filtration system and back into your pool.

The correct maintenance schedule of your pool is essential to keeping it clean and operating  all year long. Something which is usually overlooked by many pool owners is a swimming pool maintenance chart. By using a maintenance chart you can keep track on what maintenance has been performed on your pool such as what chemicals where added, when they were added and what quantity was added. You will also want to put any readings of tests which have been carried out on your pool into your maintenance chart. This will show things such as change of ph level over time.

Now you may have been thinking what about the chemicals for my swimming pool? Well yes you are going to need some as they play a very important role in balancing your water and helping your swimmers stay healthy. There are several types of chemicals available such as Chlorine (either tablets or granules), Water Clarifiers (these help make your water clear after adding other chemicals and after shocking your pool) and also Ph balance chemicals to keep your Ph level where it should be usually between 7.0 and 8.0. You can check your swimming pool Ph level on a daily basis when you carry out your regular pool maintenance.

To perform tests on your pool you will need a testing kit. These testing kits usually come in strip or bottle form and allow you to test and understand the different chemicals  and their levels in your pool. If you are aiming for a healthy swimming pool and healthy swimmers (which you should be) you will need to carry out regular testing. These tests are easy to do and will only take you a few minutes of your time.

Now remember, happy and safe swimming don’t forget your maintenance schedule :)

1KG CLEARWATER CHLORINE GRANULES
Swimming pool chlorine granules 10Kg (Twin Pack)
Chlorine dosing tablets – quick dissolving

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Preventing Algae Without Algicides

Posted on April 10, 2012 by cleanswim

There is more than one way to prevent algae from growing in your swimming pool.

Conventional algaecide prevent algae from growing by disrupting the cell structure of the algae spores effectively killing it.

However there are new pool chemicals on the market which starve the algae of Phosphate. Phosphate is added to the water supply by the water companies to stop the lead from the water pipes entering the water.

For algae to grow and multiply there must be Phosphate in the water by removing the Phosphate from the water this removes the nutrients that the algae require to grow so when algae spores land on your pool surface they have no food so can not develop.

The phosphate remover combines with the phosphate in the water suspending it. This can then be removed by your filtration system and by using swimming pool clarifying chemicals.

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Swimming Pool Air Domes

Posted on April 9, 2012 by cleanswim

Due to the unpredictable British climate and increasing safety concerns Swimming Pool Air Domes are becoming increasingly popular. These domes provide a safe and economical way of covering your pool making your pool side safer whilst also reducing heating and chemical costs.

Unlike other structures Swimming Pool Air Domes can be quickly installed and removed from the pool area.

Suppliers such as “Aspect Pools” manufacture two types of Swimming Pool Air Domes, the popular “Cable Type” and the “Waterbag System”

Both types of systems can be tailored to suit individual needs for example pools that have irregular shaped surround areas or covers that need one end rounded off rather than the standard rectangular shape can also be catered for.

For more information on Swimming Pool Air Domes, click the link below.

Buy Swimming Pool Air Domes

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Swimming Pool Water Testing

Posted on April 9, 2012 by cleanswim

Who said you have to be a master chemist to keep your swimming pool sparkling clean? Keep things simple by using a testing method that is convenient, fast and easy. By doing this you will find it easier to stick to your swimming pool water testing regime.

On the market there are three main types of kits you can get for testing swimming pool water. These are test strips, tablets and liquid testing kits.

These kits do not have to cost you a great deal of money and as of writing certain kits can be had for as little as £7.00.

Insta-Test 3 Way Pool & Spa Test Strips (50 Strips)
Phenol Red Testing Tablets (100 Tablets)
DPD no.1 Testing Tablets (100 Tablets)
Insta-Test 5 Way Pool & Spa Test Strips (Pack of 50 Strips)

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Solar Bubble Pool Covers

Posted on June 21, 2011 by cleanswim

Solar Bubble Pool Covers are a great choice for most swimming pools. Not only do these keep your pool free of debris they actually also help heat your pool. Some Solar Bubble Pool Covers claim to heat the pool by 8 Celsius.

These pool covers also help you to reduce your pool heating costs and reduce chemical usage as less chemicals are lost through evaporation. Bubble pool covers are one of the cheapest options for swimming pool covers, these also represent great value and even save you money in the short term.

500 micron bubble pool covers are going to retain a decent ammount of heat and reduce evaporation by up to 98%. Some covers are more suited to warmer climates such as France, Italy and Cyprus and have more UV protection leading to a longer lifespan.

You can find various pool covers at “Aspects Pools” please see the following links for further information on particular models.

Blue 400 Micron Solar Bubble Pool Cover
Silver Blue 400 Micron Solar Bubble Pool Cover
Gold 500 Micron Solar Bubble Pool Cover
Sol + Guard 500 Micron Solar Bubble Pool Cover

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Heating Your Pool, Types of Pool Heaters

Posted on June 20, 2011 by cleanswim

Keeping your swimming pool warm is the key to being able to use your pool all throughout the year. Lets face it no one wants to jump into an unheated pool during the middle of winter do they?

There are many different types of pool heaters available including gas, electric and solar. Finding the right type can be tedious so we have given you a few tips here on options to consider when purchasing a pool heater.

Solar Pool Heaters

Solar pool heaters are cheap to run but the initial setup cost can be nearly as much as the pool installation its self. They also rely on the sun’s energy to keep the pool warm so may not be the best solution during the winter month, depending on how much sunlight you get.

This option is not ideal for most people but can be cost effective long term, be aware of the large setup costs and the return on your investment before purchasing a solar pool heater.

Electric Pool Heaters

Electric pool heaters are fairly cheap and easy to maintain but can be very expensive to run especially with the rising cost of wholesale electricity. Another point to consider is the supply of electricity. Usually the family pool is in a remote location without electricity so the cost of getting setup could potentially be doubled as you would need to get electrical power to the location of the pool before an electric pool heater could be installed.

Wholesale electricity is due to rise further so be aware of the potential future costs before purchasing an electric pool heater. Domestic power supplies can also only run the small to medium sized units on a single phase. If you are looking for an electric pool heater over 9kw you may need three phase electricity to your home.

Gas and LPG Pool Heaters

Gas pool heaters are by far the most cost effective type of pool heaters and also cheap to run on Natural Gas. You do not need to worry about having gas piped directly to the pool location as gas pool heaters can be run from refillable bbq style gas cylinders without problems. This type of pool heater also offers very rapid warm up time and large displacement, a 55,000 BTU unit is equivalent to a 15kw electric unit which you would probably require 3 phase mains for.

Outdoor gas pool heaters are also self contained in a single unit making them portable and easy to store. If you ever move house you can take the gas pool heater with you without much trouble and there is no high voltage mains power to worry about isolating.

For more information on pool heaters see the following links.

Certikin Swimming Pool Gas Heater
Jandy Lite 2 LG Swimming Pool Gas Heater
Certikin Genie S Condensing Swimming Pool Boiler

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LPG Swimming Pool Heaters

Posted on June 19, 2011 by cleanswim

LPG Swimming Pool Heaters are a great option for anyone looking for a cost effective solution for heating their home swimming pool. However generally these are more expensive initially than electric pool heaters but can be setup where there is no mains electricity or gas.

You can run LPG Swimming Pool Heaters from potable gas cylinders or mains gas. These offer a faster warm up time than electric swimming pool heaters and are generally more economical to run.

Jandy (was Teledyne-Larrs) or Certikin are the best for the smallest pools and for rapid heat up at anytime. These are weatherproof and can be located outside without issue and are usually self contained units. Indoor LPG Swimming Pool Heaters generally cost the same but require a flue which is charged extra for, usually in the £150 region.

Natural gas is the cheapest to run with Propane / Butane of mixes of being optional. A 55,000 BTU gas heater provides the equivalent output of a 15kw electric heater. It is advised to have atleast 10 BTU per gallon of pool water.

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Inflatable Swimming Pools

Posted on June 19, 2011 by cleanswim

Despite all the rain we have been having in the last few weeks the temperature is starting to rise and soon summer will be in full swing. But are you prepared for the kids to want to go swimming?

If you dont yet own a swimming pool but the thought of taking the kids and all their friends to the local swimming pool is less than appealing then there may be a solution for you, an Inflatable Swimming Pool!

Inflatable swimming pools are perfect for the kids to have fun but without the overheads of an in ground for the parents. These are also useful as during the winter months the can be deflated and put away into the shed until the next summer. This was there is no unnecessary swimming pool maintenance to take care of during the winter and you can use the garden for other activities when the days are not as warm.

Setting up an inflatable pool is as easy as purchasing one, inflating it and then filling it with water. These are almost like your standard paddling pool but on a much much larger scale. You can get setup and running straight away without having to wait for a local swimming pool building service to come over and survey, dig and then build an in ground swimming pool. Also these are extremely cost effective costing just a fraction of the price of a in ground swimming pool so you can get an idea if a swimming pool is the right thing for your home without the massive initial outlay.

Do you currently own an inflatable pool? Have you had any problems? How easy was it to setup? Let us know by leaving a comment.

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Common Swimming Pool Maintenance Mistakes

Posted on June 19, 2011 by cleanswim
  1. Not checking your PH level enough. You should be checking this twice per week during the summer months and once per week during the winter months. By doing this on a regular basis you can make small adjustments to the chemistry of your pool rather than infrequent large adjustments.
  2. Allowing your PH level to go over 8.0, at 8.5 the chlorine in your pool is only 10% active compared to 7.5 when the chlorine is between 50-60% active. By keeping the chlorine level at the correct level this will allow you to use the existing cholorine in the pool to its full potential.
  3. Backwashing sand or diatomaceous earth filters too often. By doing this the filter will never reach its full cleaning potential. By back washing to often you are just wasting water. This is only usually require when the water pressure gauge rises 8-10% from clean.
  4. Adding chemicals during the day. You should add the chemicals in the evening after sunset by doing this you will get more out of them as they will not react as quickly due to less sunlight.
  5. Not running circulation pump’s for long enough. These should be run for 1 hour for every 10 degrees of tempreture, assuming you have a quality circulation system. Dont forget circulation is the key to a low maintenance swimming pool.

We hope these tips help you with your swimming pool maintenance tasks, keeping a pool well maintained in the summer is not an easy task but it is possible. Let us know how you get on by leaving a comment.

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Different Types of Swimming Pool Covers

Posted on October 10, 2010 by cleanswim

Throughout the world private swimming pools are becoming more and more common. Private swimming pools can provide alot of fun and entertainment for the whole family, but they can also be extremely dangerous. It can take only seconds for a person to drown, to prevent this a swimming pool cover should be utilized when the pool is not in use.

Along with providing a level of safety, swimming pool covers also have several other uses too. For example solar powered swimming pool covers will help to keep your water warm by using the heat of the sun potentially saving you money on your pool heating bill.

Swimming pool covers also add an element of protection to your swimming pool, for the best protection you should consider a hard top swimming pool cover, this type of pool cover is generally very sturdy and can keep just about anything out of the water.

If you live in a country with a warm climate you may want to purchase a basic plastic cover for your swimming pool. This type of swimming pool cover will keep leaves, dirt, dust etc out of your pool when it is not in use. Depending on your needs and where you live the type of cover you need will vary.

Swimming pool covers come in different shapes, sizes and materials. These materials include net, mesh and vinyl. The mesh variety of pool covers are very popular, these are tight fitting and help to keep your pool free of debris, reduces evaporation and eases maintenance.

Vinyl swimming pool covers are another popular choice they offer good security and help to keep debris from entering your pool. This type of pool cover is also very good for retaining heat and reducing the loss of chemicals.

No matter what type of swimming pool cover you choose you can rest assured it will help out alot in protecting your swimming pool. Generally swimming pool covers do not cost a great deal of money but can at least help prevent a person from drowning.

Before you buy a swimming pool cover you must check the packing or speak with your pool supplier to ensure it will work with your type of swimming pool, weather it is an above ground or in ground swimming pool it is always best to check as not all types of swimming pool covers are compatible with all types of pools.

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