Swimming Pool and Hot Tub FAQs
Swimming Pools
Using a system is an easy way to keep your pool looking and feeling its best! BioGuard products are specifically manufactured to work together in synergy. By using a water balancing system, you are developing a schedule of products to add at specific times during the week. This consistency will increase the longevity of your pool, and the quality of your health and enjoyment.
Simply put, free chlorine is the “good stuff.” It’s the chlorine in the pool actively killing bacteria. Total chlorine is the chlorine in the pool that’s locked up by organic debris and thus cannot kill bacteria. When a pool is properly sanitized, the numbers for free and total chlorine should always be the same number – a proper range for a free chlorine residual is 1-4 ppm.
There may be an issue with the pH level in your pool. The pH of human eyes (and what is most comfortable for skin contact) is between 7.4 and 7.6 – anything outside this range will irritate the eyes. But don’t fear! Fixing the issue is relatively simple. Start by bringing a water sample to our showroom so we can run a free water test and then you’ll be able to optimize your swimming experience. BioGuard has several products to help adjust pH levels. We can find the best fit for your pool.
If you have a fiberglass or concrete pool, it should be fine to let Fido in for a dip! Just be sure to increase the chemicals used for sanitation – one dog in the pool is equivalent of 50 people using the pool. Since dogs don’t bathe as often as humans, there is a considerable amount more dust, dirt, and fecal matter to sanitize. We don’t recommend that Fido swims in a vinyl lined pool – its paws could tear holes in the liner.
In short, NO! We know it’s tempting to use what seems like a quick fix at the start of the season because you want to get back into the pool and start having fun. But you should never drain your pool, under any circumstances. The water pressure against the pool walls is what keeps the liner in place, and if water is removed, the vinyl will pull away from the sides. The liner weakens over time from chemicals and sun exposure – if the pool’s been in place for a while, the liner will be highly inelastic. Removing the water is more than likely going to result in tearing or wrinkling your liner permanently. Instead, give us a call. We’re happy to send an expert service team out to properly drain your pool, or perform maintenance necessary to get your oasis back to “tip top” shape.
Not necessarily. If you have a solid winter cover – the type that doesn’t allow water through to your pool – and you’ve had a lot of snow and ice collect on the cover over our cold winter, the water underneath the cover will not freeze solid. Instead, as the frozen water on top of the cover weighs down on the pool water, the water inside the pool is displaced, pushing up on the inside walls of the pool liner and going up onto the deck. With a snow-covered deck, most people don’t even notice the excess water. When you notice this lower level of water, we recommend putting the garden hose under the cover and raising the water level back up in the pool. It’s easier to remove the cover in the spring so you can monitor it and see if it goes down again. If it doesn’t, it was just displacement and you have nothing to worry about!
The best way to test your water is to use a clean water sample bottle – we sell them for a dollar in the store for your convenience! If you don’t have a bottle, you can ask for one on your next visit – or a clean, sandwich-size bag full of water will work in a pinch.
Spas and Hot Tubs
No. We recommend that you place your new spa on a level surface, like a cement pad, concrete pavers, or a spa pad. When a spa is filled with water, it can weigh as much as 2,500 pounds for a 250-gallon spa. As it rains and snows, settling occurs in the yard and – if a spa is not placed on a solid level surface – the spa can sink and become uneven. This stress will eventually warp the shell and limit the lifetime of your spa or hot tub.
Hard water continues to be the biggest challenge for customers in our area as it can cause scaling in your spa. To avoid and manage this challenge, we recommend a system that involves a sanitizer, stain and scale control, pH decreaser, and a shock. The best way to determine which products are necessary for your spa is to bring in a water sample – that way you’re only purchasing what you need for the optimal experience.
No! These products were designed for use in bathtubs without jets. They are not chemically balanced for spa use and will destroy the chemistry in your spa, as well as damage the equipment itself. If you’re looking to add something new to your spa experience, we do carry several water enhancers and fragrances that are chemically balanced and specifically designed for spa use.
This is an individual decision and should be made with your doctor, since it is often contingent on your health and what is safe for small children. As a rule, spas have a high limit set at 104 degrees – this is the highest you should keep your spa.
We recommend that you drain your spa every season – or three months – on average. To develop a draining schedule personalized to you, bring in a water sample. The analysis of this sample, as well as knowledge on how often the spa is used and by how many people, will inform and develop the right schedule for your spa.
We know how frustrating it can be when foam gets in the spa. BioGuard makes an anti-foam product that eliminates foam from the surface, which we highly recommend at Wolter Pools. If foam continues to be an issue, we recommend you troubleshoot by looking at swimsuits washed in laundry detergent, and dirty cartridge elements.