Adding Chlorine Stabilizer To Your Swimming Pool
What is Chlorine Stabilizer? If you use pool shock or any other type of unstabilized chlorine to sanitize your pool then you are wasting chlorine. You can get your chlorine to last much longer and be a lot more efficient by using chlorine stabilizer.
Chlorine Stabilizer is an organic compound and it’s purpose is to keep the chlorine in your swimming pool lasting longer. It keeps it in there by not letting the chlorine get oxidized by the sun.
Add chlorine stabilizer at the beginning of the pool season. Keeping your stabilizer at 40ppm will ensure proper chlorine stabilization. Keep a close eye on it since your stabilizer levels and rise and fall due to water loss or rising by adding stabilized chlorine products.
Here Is How You Add Chlorine Stabilizer To Your Pool 1. First you must clean your filter out. Just backwash your filter or rinse your cartridge if you have a cartridge filter.
2. To get 40ppm in your pool, most products require you to add 1lb. of stabilizer per 3,000 gallons of pool water. Not all products are the same, check the directions or ask your local pool supplier where you bought it from.
3. We are going to add the stabilizer to your filter system by SLOWLY pouring the product into the skimmer allowing it to pass through your pool filter system.
4. Now keep your filter running for about 24 hours or more and do not backwash your filter during this time.
Why do you add chlorine stabilizer to your filter system and not directly into the pool? Because chlorine stabilizer dissolves very very slow by adding it to your pool directly will cause it to lay on the bottom of your pool for a long time.
If you have any problems or additional questions we advice to contact your local pool supplier.
Above Ground Pools Have Come a Long Way
These days, above ground pools are considerably more advanced than that vinyl splash pool you played in as a child. For several reasons, they are quickly turning into a preferred choice over an in-ground pool. For example, they are considerably less costly. They’re easier to install. Yet they have a lot of the same elements and benefits of their in-ground counterparts.
Above ground swimming pools are made with a galvanized steel frame. The metal is specially coated to make it rustproof. It will hold up for years to come if you take good care of it. The pools are designed to withstand the high levels of pressure associated with so much water. They are also able to handle the wear and tear that comes along with boisterous water activities.
Modern technology has produced materials that can make the inside of your pool both strong and attractive. It’s practically impossible to poke a hole in these composite resins. Even the potent chemicals that are used for pool maintenance won’t harm them. Plus, it’s easy to clean this type of material.
A ladder is essential for climbing into the pool. Ladders today are made from strong plastic or resin and are unlikely to be damaged. In addition, they won’t develop rust like their chrome cousins. A simple plastic ladder doesn’t cost a lot and will last a long time. You can also attach a slide to add to the fun. Even your dog can join you in the pool if you purchase a pet ladder.
To keep your pool free of leaves and stray bits of garbage, you need to use a pool cover. As well, swimming pool covers can be a colorful feature of your pool. They’re fabricated from tough PVC to make an efficient covering for your pool. There are standard tarps that are attached to the pool. More advanced covers employ a rod and reel mechanism to simplify the effort. The fastest and simplest is an automatic pool cover. The pool cover will roll itself up with the simple push of a button. A solar pool cover is also a practical item. It takes advantage of the heat from the sun to lower your pool heating bills.
Another accessory that has made above ground pools more popular is the motorized filter unit. The filter unit is situated on the ground, with a hose running into the pool. The hose takes water from the pool and passes it through the filter. Then it returns it to the pool.
You can see that an above ground pool has lots of advantages that make it an inexpensive alternative to an in-ground pool.
How to Replace a Hot Tub Pump
Spa owners should accept the fact that there hot tub pump will fail. The damage of this failure can be much larger than a new pump. Routine inspection of your hot tub pump will help prevent damages. A good spa pump will last 6-8 years so be prepared to replace your older pumps.
A good rule to follow is to inspect your hot tub pump every time you clean your spa filter. You should be checking for water leakage, loud noises and hot pump motors. If you find any of these symptoms then it is time to repair or replace your pump before the pump fails and damages other parts such as the heater.
Water is a sure sign of trouble. Look closely at the spa pump and determine where it is coming from. It may be leaking from the ports and simply need to be tightened or require new o-rings. It may be coming from the motor shaft and pump housing. This is usually a sign of a leaking bearing and will need to be fixed before the bearing fails completely and you have a flood to deal with. Also check the pump housing for small cracks. A cracked housing will get bigger with vibration and should be fixed or a new housing purchased.
If you hear excessive noise you may find it is coming from the pump’s sealed bearing or the motor. If the spa pump bearing is worn, this means the pump is working harder to overcome the worn bearing. It is also a sign that leaks will follow. Take care of this right away! if the pump is making excessive noise then chance are the motor windings are failing and it is time for a new spa pump.
Poor water flow in your spa is generally not caused by pumps. A pump either works or does not work. however the impeller can become clogged or a something might be lodge inside the pump housing. Remove both ports and physically look inside the pump. Check for obstructions. Try and spin the impeller, it should not turn freely as there should be resistance from the spa motor. If you are experiencing poor flow, I would suggest looking at your filter and suctions as the leading cause.
A normal hot tub motor will give off heat under regular conditions. However, you should be able to place your hand on the pump motor. If you find that it is very hot, then there may be internal motor problems. A very hot pump means energy is being wasted and can be costly. The cooler a pump motor runs the more efficient it is.
A spa pump has a starting capacitor that gives it extra juice when starting. If you pump hums and or the main breaker trips then the capacitor may be shot. However, there are a couple other things to check first. Make sure the impeller is free to move and that nothing is lodged. Also make sure no ice has formed inside the pump housing causing the impeller to stick.
If you decide for a new pump, make sure you choose a quality pump. You need to match port sizes usually 1.5″ or 2″. Also you need to determine whether you need a 1 speed or 2 speed pump (check the label). Also you should match the voltage, is your pump 110-120 VAC or 220-240 VAC? Finally, ensure you match the amps listed on your pump with similar amps. Never assume HP listed on the pump is accurate (often used as marketing gimmick by manufacturers), use the Amps rating as a proper guide.
When looking for new pumps consider quality. Remember your old pump failed so try and buy a pump that will last even longer. All manufacturer’s make replacement pumps so don’t feel you need to replace your spa pump with the same brand name. Paying a slight premium can be a great investment versus the cost of a failure! Premium pumps will last longer, run quieter and consume less power.
Replacing your Hot Tub Heater.
There becomes a time in every hot tub owners life when your spa pack and hot tub heater will eventually fail. The dilemma will then be whether you replace or repair your heater. This is a question that I guarantee all spa owners will eventually come across. No matter how well built your spa heater is, it will eventually fail. There are a few tips that I can share with you that will help you make this decision.
The first thing that has to be considered is the age of your existing spa pack and spa controller. If your hot tub heater is older than 5 years, I would suggest you look at replacing it with a new heater. As a heater ages, the internal parts become worn and also if your tub heater is past 5 years of age, chances are you will continue to experience multiple failures in the coming years.
If your older spa pack is analog, then you should really think of upgrading to a digital spa controller. A digital spa pack comes with a LED or LCD top side controller providing many advantages. You can change the temperature right at the hot tub without getting out of the tub. The digital controller is much more accurate meaning your water will stay at the temperature it is set for. The topside display will also give you the exact temperature of the water. Digital spa packs have solid state construction meaning there are no moving parts to break down.
Replacing a failed heating element is perhaps the least expensive spa repair. A heater element can be repaired by most spa owners without calling a service technician. If you are comfortable with this type of repair you may find the cost is around $100.
Operating cost savings! Most new spa packs manufacturer’s such as Balboa have programmable energy savings options built into their spa pack. This means you can set you tub temperature to economy modes when you are away. The programmable advantages of a digital pack could pay for itself just in operating cost savings.
Are you a handy man? Can you troubleshoot electronics? If not then you are looking at hiring a spa repair shop to fix your heater. This can quickly escalate the repair costs. On site visits can run $70-$100/hour. If they have to take your spa pack back to the shop then you are looking at most expenses. In the end you may pay more than a new spa pack to replace a $20 part.
Look at the cost to repair versus replacing your spa heater. Most brand new state of the art spa packs start in the range of about $500 and up. This means a new warranty and all new parts. The average repair bill for a hot tub heater is around $400 and up. Do the math, and in most cases you will find in the long term, you may be throwing away good money.
Spa packs are universal. Most dealers will not tell you this, as they want you to replace your spa pack with the same one you had. This is the same as a GM telling you, you need to use only their brakes? Shop around and don’t be scared, spa packs all do the same thing. When looking for a replacement pack always consider quality and the warranty.
I hope this article has provided you with the information needed to make a decision to replace or repair your spa pack.