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| QUESTIONS
YOU NEED TO ASK YOUR CONTRACTOR |
1.
Have they been in business over 15 years under the same name,
not just years experience?
2. Are they licensed, bonded and insured?
3. Are they professional and knowledgeable?
4. Don they have a record of proven quality?
5. Do they have access to the best equipment available?
6. Do they handle all paperwork and laborers?
7. Are they dependable to be there every step of the wat?
8. Do they offer expert advice in design?
9. Do they offer a first-rate warranty on the lifetime of the
structural shell for as long as you own the pool?
10. Are all phases of the pool covered in one contract?
11. Do they offer competitive pricing in the market?
12. Do they offer 100% financing on all pools built? |
| POOL
CONSTRUCTION |
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Phase 1: Design, Permits &
Pre-dig Inspection
Every pool begins by mapping out your plan. Measurements
will be made, mapping out elevations, trees, wires or
any other obstacles that may need to be remedied. Finally,
a full blueprint of your pool will be drafted to your
specifications. From here, in full accordance of the
building codes, Ladner's Pools submits your plans to
the proper agencies for review. Once approved, we obtain
all permits necessary. Locations of any gas lines, cables,
water lines, sewer pipes and electrical lines are identified
and recorded as to protect them during the pool excavation.
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Phase
2: The Layout
Following a contract written up by Ladner's Pools, our
specialists begin the task of carefully plotting out the
location, shape, size & the elevation of your new
pool. Once this is complete, before the first bit of ground
is even turned, you have the chance to review the layout.
After your approval is written, Ladner's Pools begins
the first true step of your new pool, the excavation of
the site!
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Phase
3: Excavation
Equipment is used to remove the necessary soil to form the
general shape of your pool and/a spa. Since heavy equipment
can not match up to that of the personal touch, Ladner's
Pools has a team of professionals hand contour the pool
walls and floors according to your original blueprint. It
should only take a day or two to complete the excavation.
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Phase
4: Steel
Structural support is the most vital aspect to any pools
integrity. Ladner's Pools fortifies your pool and/or spa
with 3/8" solid steel bars. Each bar is inter-weave
with other bars into a matrix of steel, with squares measuring
8" to 10" in height and width. Ladner's Pools
assures the customer's peace of mind by adding extra steel
to the deep end of the pool or pools being built in expansive
soil. All these steps are to increase the structural longevity
of your pool. |
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Phase
5: Steel Re-Enforced Concrete
At 6000-7000 PSI, a high strength shot Crete gunite is applied
with intensive pressure and depth to form a thick solid
shell around the 3/8" thick matrix of steel. The "shot
Crete" is applied until the walls of the pool vary
form 7" to 11" thick, depending on its depth.
Once the total shell has been sprayed, Ladner's Pools' masonry
crew uses hand trowels to sculpt the curves, love seats,
spa, steps and swim-outs. Even after the initial dig, Ladner's
Pools still comes on site to observe the project for quality. |
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Phase
6: Plumbing
Ladner's Pools lays all necessary corrosion-resistant schedule-40
PVC pipes between the skimmers, main drains, return lines,
accessories & equipment. After a pressure test is performed
to assure that there are no leaking lines, Ladner's Pools
installs state-of-the-art equipment to efficiently circulate
and filter your water. Once the equipment is completely
connected, it is time to run the electrical portion of the
install. |
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Phase
7: Electrical
In accordance to all state & local electrical code requirements,
Ladner's Pools' licensed contractors install the proper
gauge wiring and connect all equipment to the power supply.
Devices such as the Jandy RS/8 require wiring to be run
into your house to easily access your pool, spa, heater,
lights or any other devices you wish to control. This wiring
as well is run through a series of underground or overhead
piping to keep wiring out of site. |
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Phase
8: Tiling
All tiles are of the highest quality. You choose the style,
color and design. Once you have chosen your tile, Ladner's
Pools then applies them by hand under the edge of the coping
along the water line. Adding depth and beauty to your pool
and complimenting the total picture, Ladner's Pools can
also use tiles as accents to your pool's steps, swim-outs
or making mosaics in the floor of the pool.
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Phase
10: Decking
Once Ladner's Pools has had all lines checked by the proper
inspectors, it is time for the deck to be set down. Gone
are the days of the normal pink deck. Today Ladner's offers
several different choices in pool decks. There is wash gravel
that looks like a beach on the Mediterranean, kool-deck
colors from apple red to zebra black and whit, bricks to
add that southern courtyard appeal, or just about anything
you can dream, Ladner's can make almost any dream into a
reality. |
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Phase
9: Coping
Unless your pool has decking overlapping the pool edge,
or cantilever decking, Ladner's Pools carefully places your
brick, slate or flagstone around the perimeter of your pool
and/or spa. There are several different styles of coping
that may be used on a pool. Today's colors vary from white
bull-nosed brick to black marbled slate. After all, the
pool is technically your work of art, why not "Frame"
your artwork with style? |
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Phase
11: Interior Finish
The final stage of the pools construction is the application
of the plaster. Plaster may be dyed to even further your
own vision. Ladner's Pools lays down a smooth, long-lasting
finish made with a blend of marble dust and silicone to
the pool's surface and then hand smoothes the coat to a
perfect finish. Once the interior of the pool is completed,
it's time to add the water and install any extra accessories
applicable. |
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Phase
12: Start-Up
It's time to take a deep breath! The pool is competed, and
the water is crisp, clean and blue. Now all that is needed
is the pool's upkeep. No need to worry, Ladner's Pools has
a reputation for being one of the top customer care services
in the industry. Our pool professionals will come to your
home and give you an "orientation," to teach you
everything from basic chemical upkeep to vacuuming the pool.
Now all that is left is to sit back and enjoy your paradise. |
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HOW
SWIMMING POOLS WORK
Conceptually,
swimming pools are pretty simple -- they're just big basins of
water. But on a hot summer day, a swimming pool can seem like
the greatest invention known to man. And as it turns out, there
really is a lot of cool technology at work in your average pool
-- much more than you might expect.
In this article, we'll find out how pools are built, and we'll
take a look at the plumbing system that keeps the water clean
and chemically balanced.
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Pool
Basics
Swimming pools come in all shapes and sizes, but nearly all of them,
from the backyard personal pool to the water park wave pool, work
in the same basic way. They use a combination of filtration and chemical
treatment to continually clean a large volume of water.
A
typical swimming pool needs seven major components:
• A basin
• A motorized pump
• A water filter
• A chemical feeder
• Drains
• Returns
• PVC plastic plumbing connecting all of these elements
|
An apartment
complex pool, mid-construction:
It looks like a big hole in the ground, but it's really much
more.
|
The basic idea is to pump water in a continual cycle, from the
pool through the filtering and chemical treatment systems and
back to the pool again. In this way, the pumping system keeps
the water in the pool relatively free of dirt, debris and bacteria.
Some pools also include heaters in the mix, in order to keep
the water at a certain temperature.
In the next section, we'll look at the different types of pools.
|
A typical pool system
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Types
of Pools
The main difference between different types of pools is how the basin
is constructed. There are several different pool styles, each with
its own advantages and disadvantages.
•
Above-ground pools are the cheapest construction
option, as well as the easiest to build. Most above-ground
pools are made from prefabricated kits, which even an amateur
can put together (though most people go with professional
installers). First, the installers level off the ground to
form a flat building surface. Then they assemble a perimeter
track, which supports the outer wall (made of metal, plastic
or wood). Next, they spread sand in the pool area and lay
the plumbing. Finally, they secure the vinyl liner over the
pool walls, fill the pool with water, smooth the liner and
fasten it into place. As soon as they hook up the pump and
filtering system, the pool is ready to go. The main disadvantage
of this sort of pool is that it's less durable than other
designs, and generally less attractive. It's also less permanent,
which can be a good thing -- it's relatively easy to disassemble
the pool and move it to a new location.
• Fiberglass pools are made from fiberglass-reinforced
plastic, which has been molded into a basin shape. To install
the pool, a construction crew digs an appropriately sized
hole, lays the necessary plumbing, adds some sand filler and
lowers the preformed pool structure into the hole. Then they
level the pool, hook up all the plumbing and backfill in the
area around the pool. Usually, the pool is surrounded by a
concrete deck structure.
• Vinyl-lined in-ground pools are a
lot like above-ground pools, structurally, but they look more
like conventional in-ground designs. The construction crew
digs a hole and assembles a metal, plastic or wood frame wall
around the hole's perimeter. As in an above-ground pool, the
crew lays sand along the bottom of the hole and secures the
vinyl lining to the structural wall. These pools are a lot
cheaper than other in-ground designs, but not as durable.
Typically, the liner needs to be replaced every 10 years or
so.
• Gunite pools are the most popular
design in much of the United States. To build one of these
pools, the construction crew digs a hole, puts the plumbing
in place and assembles a framework grid with 3/8-inch steel
reinforcing rods (rebar). The rebar rods are spaced about
10 inches apart, and secured together with wire. When the
grid is in place, the crew sprays a heavy coating of gunite,
a mixture of cement and sand, around the rebar. The sprayer
unit combines dry gunite mix with water just before spraying
-- this produces the wet concrete material. The crew trowels
the gunite smooth and lets it sit for a week or so before
applying a smooth finish to the rough surface. The most popular
finish is called plaster (actually a mixture of cement and
marble sand), but a lot of people finish their pools with
special concrete paint. Gunite pools can also have tile, exposed
aggregate or even fiberglass finishes. Gunite pools (and their
cousins, shotcrete pools) are highly durable, and they can
be built in any shape or size.
• Poured-concrete pools are similar
to gunite pools, but they're a lot harder to build. Instead
of spraying concrete material around a rebar framework, concrete
is actually poured into conventional wooden forms. With the
rise of gunite methods, poured-concrete pool construction
has mostly fallen by the wayside. In masonry block pools,
the walls are constructed with concrete blocks.
|
While
these pool designs are quite different, they all rely on the same
basic plumbing and filtering systems. In the next few sections, we'll
see how these components actually keep the pool going.
Floating
Pool
An in-ground swimming pool may seem like a solid, unmovable structure,
but it is actually sort of like a boat -- it can float in the
surrounding ground water. When the pool is empty, the ground water
pressure can actually push the structure up out of the ground.
This is one of the reasons why pools are filled with water year-round
-- there needs to be roughly equal pressure on each side of the
pool.
Most modern in-ground pools have a special hydrostatic valve near
the main drain to guard against damage from ground water pressure.
Basically, if the ground water pressure is great enough, it will
push up on a small float, which opens the valve. When the valve
opens, ground water flows in and equalizes the pressure. |
Pool
Drain Systems
We've already seen that the water in a swimming pool needs to circulate
through a filtering system, to remove dirt and debris. During normal
operation, water flows to the filtering system through two or more
main drains at the bottom of the pool and multiple skimmer drains
around the top of the pool.
|
The
main drains are usually located on the lowest point in the pool,
so the entire pool surface slants toward them. Most of the dirt
and debris that sinks exits the pool through these drains. To
keep people from getting their hair or limbs caught in the plumbing,
the drains are almost always covered with grates or antivortex
covers (a cover that diverts the flow of water to prevent
a dangerous vortex from forming). |
The
skimmers draw water the same way as the main drains, but they suck
only from the very top of the pool (the top eighth of an inch, typically).
Any debris that floats -- leaves, suntan oil, hair -- leaves the pool
through these drains. The diagram below shows a common system.
| In
the system described here, the floating weir,
the door at the inlet passageway, swings in and out to let a very
small volume of water in at a time. To catch debris effectively,
the goal is to skim just the surface level. The water flows through
the strainer basket, which catches any larger debris, such as
twigs and leaves. In addition to the main inlet, the skimmer system
has a secondary equalizer line leading to a drain below the surface
level. This line keeps the skimmer from drawing air into the pump
system if the water level drops below the level of the main inlet.
|
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The water is pumped through the filtering system and back out
to returns, inlet valves around the side of the
pool. This system involves a lot of suction,
but if the pool is built and operated correctly, there is virtually
no risk of suction holding somebody against one of the drains.
The only way the plumbing system could apply this sort of suction
is if there were only one open drain. In a safe pool, there are
always multiple main drains as well as several skimmer drains,
so if somebody or something blocks one drain, the pumping system
will pull water from one of the other drains. This eliminates
the suction on the blocked drain. |
The
return port |
A
typical vacuum port
|
Most swimming pools also have a couple of vacuum ports, which
are only used in pool cleaning. These ports attach to pool vacuum
cleaners, which work something like ordinary vacuum cleaners except
that they suck water instead of air. The vacuum ports may have
their own pumping system, but in most pools they are driven by
the main pump. |
After making its way into the various drains, the water flows
on to the filtering stage. In the next section, we'll find out
what the pumping and filtering systems are all about.
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Pool
Pump Systems
To most of us, a pool is, more or less, a big hole in the ground.
We don't see most of the expensive machinery in a pool system,
because it's usually tucked away in nearby pump room. But this
is the stuff that really makes the pool work.
The heart of the pool system is the water pump.
In a typical pump system, an electric motor spins an impeller
inside the pump housing. The impeller drives the water from the
various drains through the filter and back out to the water inlets.
|
Pipes
from the main drain, skimmer and vacuum ports lead to the pumping
system. |
The
strainer basket sits right in front of the pump. |
|
Next,
the water flows into the filter (or, in this setup, one of two
filters). In the next section, you'll find out what happens
at this point in the system. |
|
The
strainer basket, removed for cleaning
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Light
it Up
These days, most swimming pools are built with underground lights,
partially for aesthetic appeal but mainly to let night swimmers
see what they're doing. In one common underwater lighting design,
an incandescent light bulb is sealed in a water-tight fixture,
which sits inside a niche embedded in the pool wall. The insulated
electrical wire runs into the fixture through a special seal,
keeping water away from the conductive elements. The wire runs
back to the house (or wherever the power source is) through a
long tube, which is filled with water most of the way. There is
enough extra wire in the tube that you can pull the entire fixture
out of the niche and up above the water level when you want to
change the bulb.
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| Some
people use fiber-optics to light their pools, instead of embedded
incandescent fixtures. In this system, the actual light source
doesn't have to be underwater, so you can skip the whole bulb-changing,
water-proof electrical-component issue entirely. |
|
Pool
Filters
The filters in this system are high-rate sand filters. Sand filters
consist of a large tank, made of fiberglass, concrete or metal,
containing a thick bed of special-grade sand, which has a squarish
shape. |
Dual
sand filters |
Specially
made filter sand |
During
filtering operation, dirty water from the pool comes in through
the filter's inlet pipe, which leads to the water distribution
head inside the tank. While gravity pulls the water down through
the sand, the tiny sand particles catch any dirt and debris. At
the bottom of the tank, the filtered water flows through the pick-up
unit and out the outlet pipe.
Over time, the collected dirt and debris in the sand slows down
the water flow. Pressure gauges at the filter inlet and outlet
give the pool custodian an idea of the blockage level inside.
If gauges show much greater pressure on the inlet pipe than the
outlet pipe, the custodian knows there's a lot of collected debris
in the sand. This means it's time to backwash the filter. To backwash,
the custodian adjusts a number of valves to redirect the water
flow. He or she closes the return pipe leading to the pool and
opens the drainage pipe, which lead to the sewer system. He or
she adjusts a valve at the filter to connect the pipe from the
pump to the outlet pipe and connect the drainage pipe to the inlet
pipe. With this arrangement, water from the pump pushes up through
the sand, dislodging the dirt and debris. At the top of the filter
tank, the dirty water flows out through the inlet pipe and into
the sewer.
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In place of a sand filter, some pool systems use a diatomaceous
earth filter or a cartridge filter. In a diatomaceous earth
filter, water from the pool passes through filter grids coated
with diatomaceous earth, a fine powder made from the chemically
inert, fossilized remains of sea organisms called diatoms. In
a cartridge filter, dirty water passes through a filter made
out of polyester cloth or corrugated paper. Instead of backwashing,
you simply remove the filter and hose it off. After a few years
(or as many as eight years), it's time to discard the old filter
and put in a new one.
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In
most regions, the law dictates that all the water in the pool
(or more accurately, the equivalent volume) must pass through
the filter in a certain amount of time -- typically between 30
minutes and six hours. For the apartment-complex pool pictured
above, that means pumping 167,000 gallons (630,000 liters) of
water through the filtering system every six hours!
The pump and filter system is also connected to a well or municipal
water line so fresh water can be added to the pool. This is necessary
to replace water lost to evaporation, backwashing and "splash-out"
(water that splashes on the deck or is carried out on people's
bodies and swim suits). When it's pretty hot out and there's heavy
swimmer activity, this 167,000-gallon pool could lose 300 gallons
(1,100 liters) or more in one day.
Next, we'll look at the chemicals at work in a typical swimming
pool. |
Pool
Chemicals
A pool's filter system does the heavy lifting in keeping the water
clean, but it takes chemistry to do the fine-tuning. It's important
to carefully manipulate the chemical balance in pools for several
reasons: |
•
Dangerous pathogens, such as bacteria, thrive in water. A
pool filled with untreated water would be a perfect place
for disease-carrying microorganisms to move from one person
to another.
• Water with the wrong chemical balance can damage the
various parts of the pool.
• Improperly balanced water can irritate the skin and
eyes.
• Improperly balanced water can get very cloudy.
|
| To
take care of pathogens in the water, you have to introduce a disinfecting
agent that will get rid of them. The most popular pool disinfectant
is the element chlorine, in the form of a chemical compound such
as calcium hypochlorite (a solid) or sodium hypochlorite (a liquid).
When the compound is added to the water, the chlorine reacts with
the water to form various chemicals, most notably hypochlorous
acid. Hypochlorous acid kills bacteria and other pathogens by
attacking the lipids in the cell walls and destroying the enzymes
and structures inside the cell through an oxidation reaction.
Alternative sanitizers, such as bromide, do basically the same
thing with slightly different results. |
An
automated chlorine feeder
hooked into the pump and filter system
|
Chlorine
is typically prepared in liquid, powder or tablet form (though some
professionals use gaseous chlorine), and it can be added to the water
anywhere in the cycle. Pool experts generally recommend adding it
just after the filtering process, using a chemical feeder. If it's
added directly into the pool, using tablets in the skimmer boxes,
for example, the chlorine tends to be too concentrated in those areas.
One problem with hypochlorous acid is that it's not particularly stable.
It can degrade when exposed to ultraviolet light from the sun, and
it may combine with other chemicals to form new compounds. Pool chlorinators
often include a stabilizing agent, such as cyanuric acid, that reacts
with the chlorine to form a more stable compound that does not degrade
as easily when exposed to ultraviolet light.
Even with a stabilizing agent, hypochlorous acid may combine with
other chemicals, forming compounds that are not very effective sanitizers.
For example, hypochlorous acid may combine with ammonia, found in
urine, among other things, to produce various chloramines. Not only
are chloramines poor sanitizers, but they can actually irritate the
skin and eyes and have an unpleasant odor. The distinctive smell and
eye irritation associated with swimming pools are actually due to
chloramines, not ordinary hypochlorous acid -- a strong smell usually
means there is too little free chlorine (hypochlorous acid), rather
than too much. To get rid of chloramines, pool custodians have to
shock treat the pool -- add an unusually strong dose of chemicals
to clear out organic matter and unhelpful chemical compounds.
Chloramine formation is related to the second major element in pool
chemistry, maintaining the right pH in the pool.
pH Level
The water's pH is a measure of its total acid-alkalinity balance --
the relative proportion of acids and alkalis in the water (check out
Chem4Kids: Acids & Bases for a description of acids and alkalis).
Simply put, water that is either too acidic or too alkaline will cause
undesirable chemical reactions. If the water is too acidic, it will
corrode metal equipment, cause etching on the surface materials and
cause skin irritation. If the water is too alkaline, it can cause
scaling on the pool surface and plumbing equipment and can cloud the
water. Additionally, both high acidity and high alkalinity alters
the effectiveness of the chlorine. The chlorine won't destroy pathogens
as well if the water is too alkaline, and it will dissipate much more
quickly if the water is too acidic.
On the pH scale, zero indicates extreme acidity, 14 indicates extreme
alkalinity and 7 indicates a neutral state. Most pool experts recommend
a pool pH between 7.2 and 7.8. To raise or lower pH, a pool custodian
simply adds acids or alkalis into the water. For example, adding sodium
carbonate (soda ash) or sodium bicarbonate (baking soda) will generally
raise the pH, and adding muriatic acid or sodium bisulfate will lower
the pH.
Maintaining the proper balance of chemicals in the pool is a continual
process, because any new element -- oils from a swimmer's body, a
shot of chlorine, stuff that falls in the water -- shifts the water's
total chemical makeup. In addition to pH, pool custodians also monitor
total alkalinity, calcium hardness and total dissolved solids.
When you consider all the chemistry and machinery involved in swimming
pools, it's clear that they really are remarkable pieces of technology.
It takes a surprising amount of work and ingenuity to build and maintain
these summertime staples.
MAINTAINING
WATER CHEMISTRY
Why
won’t my pool hold chlorine?
The most common problem is that the cyanuric
acid (CYA) level is too low. This level should be approximately
75 to 85 parts per million (ppm). Salt system pools may
have a low salt level or a low CYA reading. The most common
solution is to add acid as a stabilizer. This is a chemical
that has the ability to stabilize chlorine against loss
due to sunlight. Cyanuric acid protects the chlorine from
ultraviolet light destruction and releases chlorine upon
demand.
I
am having trouble keeping my pool clear? What should I
do?
Water clarity is 50% water balance and 50% filtration.
If the filter is not being run as often as it should be,
or if the filter is not working efficiently, then proper
water balance will not solve the problem. Clarifiers can
be used to increase the size of the particles in the pool
water so they can be filtered more easily. And in addition
to chemical remedies, proper water circulation inside
the pool is vital. Your return lines should be pointed
in a direction that creates a circulation motion in the
pool.
Chlorine
in your Pool
Using
the test kit supplied with your pool to measure chlorine
levels, it is important to remember that there are three
chlorine aspects that can be measured:
1.
Free Available Chlorine (residual chlorine) – is
the amount of chlorine in the pool that can sanitize or
disinfect the water and is the critical measurement.
2.
Combined Chlorine – consists of the undesirable,
bad-smelling, irritating compounds, which form when there
isn’t enough free available chlorine.
3.
Total Chlorine – is the total amount of chlorine
in the water. It includes both free available and combined
chlorine.
You
want to measure how much Free Available Chlorine there
is in the water – chlorine that can act on foreign
substances in the water to keep the pool clean and sanitized
for swimmers.
Too
little chlorine results in algae and bacterial growth,
waterborne illnesses, cloudy water and insufficient sanitation
of the water. Too much chlorine can result in eye, nose
and skin irritations. Remember too, that the chlorine
in the pool is carcinogenic and we should aim to keep
the chlorine levels to the minimum require for complete
disinfection.
Testing
the Chlorine Levels
•Take
a water sample from the pool at least 10 inches below
the surface and 12 inches from the wall of the pool.
•Test
the water according to the instructions included with
the test kit.
•The
desirable level of free available chlorine in the pool
is 1.0 to 3.0 ppm with 2.0 being the ideal level.
•Add
chlorine according to the test results.
•Note:
chlorine requirements can only be determined by regular
testing.
•Keep
a log of your chlorine tests. There is a log available
in the back of this manual.
Adding
Chlorine to Your Pool Water
Assuming that the total alkalinity is at the right level
and the pH balance is correct, chlorine can be added.
The amount of chlorine to be added depends on the present
chlorine level and the type of chlorine used. Refer to
the manufacturers instructions for quantity. If you need
to know the volume of water in the pool, you can determine
that using the formulas listed above.
Remember, chlorine degrades rapidly under the influence
of UV light. For this reason, chlorine should be added
– if possible – in the late afternoon or early
evening, when it can dissolve and mix thoroughly before
the damaging sun’s rays can affect it. The chlorine
should be evenly scattered / poured around the pool or
poured slowly in front of the return lines to ensure rapid
and even distribution.
If
the pool has very high levels of contamination of there
is a strong smell of chlorine around the pool, you may
need to “shock” treat the water. This involves
adding large quantities of non-stabilized chlorine (or
non-chlorine oxidizers) to the pool, which rapidly destroys
the offending particles.
Why,
when I shock my pool, does it turn a clear green?
Clear green water usually indicates a presence of copper
in the water. A chelating agent can be added to remove
the trace metals. The most common chelating agents are
ethylene diamine tetracetic acid (EDTA) and nitrilo triacetate
(NTA).
Why
does my pool have such a strong chlorine odor? Did I add
too much chlorine?
Chloramines are the cause of strong odor in chlorine.
Swimmer waste, perspiration, body oils and other contaminants
that often enter the pool water create chloramines. Super-chlorinating
your pool should alleviate this problem.
Stabilizers
(conditioners) in Your Pool
Chlorine, which is used as a sanitizer in pools, is very
unstable. The effect of the sun’s UV rays and high
daytime temperatures reduce chlorine’s effectiveness
and break it down into inactive components.
Stabilizer,
or cyanuric acid, (CYA) is a compound that protects the
chlorine from the negative effects of UV and heat. It
not only ensures that your pool remains clean and safe
for the swimmers throughout the day, but it also reduces
the amount of chlorine we need to add in order to maintain
these levels of disinfection. According to research results,
pools without stabilizer lose about 90% of their total
chlorine residual on a sunny day in about 2 or 3 hours.
Ideally,
the stabilizer should be maintained at a level of about
70 to 80 ppm – acceptable limits being 40 –
90 ppm. If you use a stabilized chlorine product, you
will need to add very little, if any, stabilizer. The
charts listed below will help to guide you.
If
the stabilizer level is too high, try using a non-stabilized
chlorine product until the level falls to the recommended
limits.
Adding
Stabilizer (cyanuric acid)
If the stabilizer test shows that the level is low (below
50 ppm), stabilizer needs to be added. The quantity can
be determined from the charts below.
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To
increase cyanuric Acid
Desired Increase in PPM Gallons of
water in pool or spa |
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10,000
15,000
20,000
25,000 30,000
40,000 10 .75
lbs 1.25
lbs 1.75
lbs
2.00 lbs
2.50 lbs
3.25 lbs
20 1.75
lbs
2.50 lbs
3.25 lbs
4.00 lbs 5.00
lbs 6.75
lbs
30 2.50
lbs 3.75
lbs
5.00 lbs
6.25 lbs 7.50
lbs 10.00
lbs
40
3.25 lbs
5.00 lbs
6.75 lbs
8.25 lbs 10.00
lbs 13.25
lbs |
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How
do I add CYA to my Pool?
Pour the cyanuric acid slowly into the skimmer. Do not add more
than two pounds through the skimmer at a time. Turn OFF your
pool sweep (automatic pool cleaner). Note: One pound of CYA
equals approximately 2 cups.
New pools and pools that have been drained need to be stabilized.
Existing pools usually only require a “top-off”
of CYA. Never neglect the stabilizer, or you will waste chlorine
and money.
Pool
Water pH
The pH is one of the most important factors in pool water balance
and it should be tested and corrected at least every week. PH
is the measure of acid and alkaline balance in the swimming
pool water. A pH of 7.0 is neutral – below 7.0 is acidic,
above 7.0 is alkaline. The pH of our eyes is 7.2. It is no coincidence
that the ideal pH for your pool is just that: 7.2…and
the pH range should be kept within 7.2 – 7.6.
| When
the pH is too low: Acidic |
| • |
If
your swimming pool is Marbelite or plaster, the pool
water will begin to dissolve the surface, creating
a roughness that is ideal for pool algae growth. A
similar result occurs in the grouting of tiles swimming
pools. |
|
| • |
Metals
will corrode - and this includes swimming pool equipment,
pipefittings, pump connections, etc. |
|
| • |
As
the swimming pool walls and metal parts corrode, sulphates
are formed. These are released from the water onto
the walls and floor of the swimming pool causing ugly
brown and black stains. |
|
| • |
Chlorine,
which is used as a disinfectant in the swimming pool
water, is activated and lost to the atmosphere very
quickly. The water is not being sanitized, and you
are wasting materials and money by adding chlorine
when the pH is too low. |
|
| • |
When
we swim, our eyes and nose burn. Our skin gets dry
and itchy. |
|
|
When
the pH is too high: Alkaline
The calcium in the swimming pool water combines with carbonates
and forms “scale.”
The swimming pool water starts to become cloudy or murky and
it loses its sparkle. .
As the pH rises, the power of the chlorine to act on foreign
particles is lost. At a pH of 8.0 the pool can only use 20%
of the chlorine you put in. So 80% of it goes to waste and you
would need 5 times as much chlorine to provide the disinfection
you need.
In swimming pool water with high alkalinity, the swimmers suffer
too. Our eyes and nose burn and our skin becomes dry and itchy.
By
neglecting to test and correct the pH of swimming pool water,
your pool plaster will scale and become unsightly. There may
also be some physical discomfort.
It cannot be overstated: pH balance is critical for the maintenance
and enjoyment of your pool. In addition, without pH balance,
swimming pool chemicals are not effective!
Adjusting
pool water pH
Assuming that the total alkalinity level is correct, we adjust
the pH according to the results of the pH test. Better test
kits (Taylor k-2005c) have an acid demand test, which allows
you to calculate the amount of acid to add in order to correct
the pH. You generally need to know the volume of the pool to
calculate the quantity required. In general, the pH of pool
water tends to rise. This is a result of chlorination, swimmer's
wastes (sweat, urine, oil) and nature's tendency to balance
the pH of standing water at about 8.5.
High pH can be reduced with an acid. The most common pool acids
are:
1) liquid hydrochloric acid (muriatic acid)
2) dry
acid (sodium bisulphate).
Extreme care must be taken when adding acid to the pool, as
negligence can result in serious burns. Before adding the acid,
be sure there are no swimmers in the water and that the pump
is running. You will need a plastic bucket to mix the acid in.
Always add acid to water; never add water to acid! Fill the
bucket about ¾ full with water from the pool. Add the
acid to the bucket and pour it slowly around the deep end of
the pool. If you are adding a large quantity of acid, do it
in stages - DON'T add large amounts of acid to the pool at one
time. If you are adding acid directly to the pool be careful
not to splash it on to yourself or on your deck. Allow the pump
to circulate the water for at least 4 hours. Recheck the pool
in 24 hrs and add more acid only if necessary.
Adding Muriatic Acid to Lower pH Level
Add the Muriatic Acid to 5-10 parts water and pour around the
deep end of the pool. Keep the pool circulating so that the
acid does not drop to the bottom and etch the plaster. Note
that acid is heavier than water. See the chart below:
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