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I am a
Certified Pool Operator... Why your pool Man should be also!
“What
should I expect from my pool service?”
(continued) above 8, that less than 10%
of the chlorine in the pool is available as a sanitizing
agent. The normal range is 7.2 – 7.8 If the ph goes lower, it
can cause skin irritation and discomfort. Bromine is more
tolerant than chlorine to these affects, but is more expensive
in most applications. For your swimmers to be comfortable and
safe, the ph needs to be managed.
I would
expect a full service tech to test other water chemistry on a
regular basis, if not every visit. Other tested parameters of
pool water chemistry include alkalinity, calcium hardness,
total dissolved solids and cyanuric acid. Your alkalinity
should be tested and maintained, because this will decrease
the rapid changes in ph. The other factors are less important
for safe swimming, but critical to maintaining an attractive
pool. These factors with others will determine if you are
corroding the pool surfaces or are scaling. Scaling can occur
inside plumbing, so it isn’t always seen as it is occurring.
This is
where responsible pool maintenance can save you money.
Conditions that cause scaling and corrosion can be managed,
but it is not as simple as maintaining all the parameters
within acceptable ranges.
These factors can be combined to come up with
Saturation Index. This number will vary somewhat on a daily
basis, but the overall affect is predictable. Your pool
chemistry should be managed differently depending on
temperature of the water. I have an article that goes into
more depth at
http://www.paulsqms.com/waterchange.htm
If
you choose your pool service based on price alone, I would
almost bet that they do not actually test chlorine or ph
levels. If they aren’t testing those, I guarantee they don’t
test alkalinity or calcium hardness.
Above Ground
Pools
Service Area
Map |
The term used in the industry is “Splash and
Dash”. In my opinion, that is why you will eventually get
the opportunity to have your pool resurfaced. Costing you more
than any amount you might have saved.
As a customer you are relying on the knowledge
and experience of your pool service. Unless your contract
specifies exactly what is to be done each time, you should not
expect your pool man to do exactly the same things each time
they service your pool. Your filter will not need to be
cleaned every visit. Your pool will not require a liquid
chlorine shock each time, and the weather is not going to be
the same every week. The tech should look at a pool and
determine on each visit what is required. Vacuuming and filter
cleaning are examples of this. I rarely need to vacuum,
because my pools don’t get a lot of debris in them, but there
is no avoiding the vacuum sometimes. If rain brings a lot of
runoff or pets are in the pool it just can not be avoided. I
will price my pools accordingly. Brushing the tile line, and
skimming any visible debris are usually done each visit.
My customers tell me that their problem with
other services is they never hear from their service except at
bill time. There is no evidence that their service was
actually on site. I prefer to leave a report as to what
service was performed each visit.
In summary, full service maintenance should
include;
1) Maintain pool chlorine and ph, in order to
prevent disease hazards.
2) The pool should be netted and baskets
cleaned, to remove any debris from the water.
3) They should monitor other water chemistry to
protect the pool components from damage.
4) The filter system should be cleaned as
required to maintain flow rates and protect your filter from
damage.
5) Brush the tile line each visit to keep from
getting a permanent water line stain.
6) They should also make observations of the
pool in order to eliminate any potential hazards.
7) Respond to site conditions by vacuuming,
brushing and making owners aware of any potential problems.
I hope
this has been helpful. Just make sure your Pool Man is
knowledgeable. It doesn’t matter how many pools the company
has built or how long they have been in the business, it only
matters if the tech on site cares about what kind of job they
do.
Before and after Cleanup
Pool Algae
Amoeba
Water Chemistry
Pool
Service
What is a
Certified Pool Operator
Calculate
Saturation Index
Make a Payment
Property
Maintenance
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