Look at the weather this next weekend! Warm, lovely – great for swimming!
Talk to Lehmann Pools & Spas about how you can extend your season:
- Heaters
- Heat Pumps – Ultra Energy Efficient
- Solar Covers
- Solar Reels
Best prices of the season!
Home » Posts in category "Swimming Pools" (Page 23)
Swimming Pools
“My water is crystal clear!” We hear it often. We know that cloudy water is not safe, but is clear water safe? The answer, simply, is no.
Clear water isn’t safe – not unless it is balanced and sanitized.
Why? Well, balanced water allows your sanitizer to be most effective while keeping you pool equipment, liner, and structure safe from aggressive or corrosive water. pH has a dramatic effect upon chlorine’s effectiveness. Low pH makes pH much more effective. And, high pH DRAMATICALLY reduces the effectiveness of chlorine. See here.
So, why not keep your pH low? Because low pH make water extremely aggressive and corrosive. The water attacks – well – pretty much anything, but especially metallic components. Stuff like heat exchangers in most heaters are made of copper – easily and quickly attacked by low pH water. Metal ladders? Yep. We’ve even seen pool top tracks made of coated steel corroded and destroyed by just one season of exposure to low pH water. Read more in this post about heater parts failing.
However, balanced, clear water is no safer to swim in than someone else’s bath water. You need an effective level of sanitizer in the water to kill organisms. Just because no algae is showing yet doesn’t mean you’ve got sanitary water. You use stabilizer? Too much can dramatically reduce chlorine’s effectiveness.
The only way you know if your water is balanced and sanitized is to test your water.
- Test strips – OK
- Test kit using reagents – Better
- Photometric colorimeter – Most accurate
The advantage to the photometric colorimeter testing, like we do in our lab, is it eliminates errors based on eyesight, ambient lighting, background colors, varying drop size, etc. Then, we are able to give prescriptive dosing based upon established standards for water quality. In other words – we eliminate the guesswork! Helpful info here.
At Lehmann Pools & Spas, our #1 commitment is to providing your family with a clean, safe, and fun aquatic experience. We think our knowledge base is key to making a safe experience for you and yours.
Have a problem with your pool? How about the questions you have for how to maintain it? Don’t understand why you’ve got to use a certain chemical? Heard there’s an easy way? “My <friend/buddy/neighbor/cousin> just does this and <his/her> water’s perfect.”
There’s a ton of information out there for how to manage your pool – so how to decide what’s right?
At Lehmann Pools & Spas, we get our information from authoritative sources. Then, we train our staff using that information.
- We use materials like the National Swimming Pool Foundation’s Pool Operator (CPO®) program.
- We follow PA state guidelines, using Penn State published manuals for pool operators.
- We use information provided by equipment manufacturers.
- And, we get information from places like the CDC or APSP, as well as many other authoritative sources.
- And, our principal chemical manufacturers are all leading researchers and suppliers of biocides for all types of applications like farming, water treatment, and hospitals/healthcare so we have the latest in quality knowledge to provide you.
That’s why we should be your #1 source for accurate information on how to manage your pool or spa. And, should you have a problem, we have the best methods to clean up your water.
In the Laurel Highlands of Western Pennsylvania where we are located, we’ve had a hot, mostly dry run of weather since early July. Now we’re starting to see some waves of frontal rains as cooler air tries to push southward out of Canada. As each impulse comes in, it runs into warmer, more humid air; the interaction – the boundary – becomes a zone of heavy precipitation to be relieved by a spell of still mostly warm, pleasant, and drier air. Yes – there are many more swimming days ahead! So how do you keep your pool water safe, clean, and sparkling with all of this rain, followed by warm sunny days?
We have the 5 Factors that determine the quality and safety of your pool water. Read more here. PS: Cloudy water is Unsafe – but “clear” water isn’t necessarily “safe” water.
- Keep the Pool Clean – Clean out Debris
- Filtration/Circulation – 24/7
- Water Balance
- Sanitization & Oxidation
- Water Testing
However, with rainy weather followed by warm and sunny weather, many people – maybe you too – report having trouble keeping their pools clear. So what can you do to keep your pool clear throughout?
If we had to pick just 1 factor of the 5? Well, we pick Sanitization & Oxidation. Why? Rain water brings with it dissolved and suspended contaminants from the atmosphere, transporting in a combination of living organisms and nutrient material. This rapid influx of material puts a higher-than-normal demand on your sanitization and oxidizer system. The high level of contaminants can quickly use up any residual sanitizer and oxidizer. Unless you take some steps to make sure your pool water has enough of both to last through the onslaught brought on by rain, your pool can get cloudy – quickly. And, once either (or both) your sanitizer and oxidizer are depleted, any remaining contaminants transported in by rain will quickly start growing or feeding growth.
Cloudy pool water following rains is a sign telling you that you’ll get algae growing quickly unless you take action quickly to restore your sanitizer and oxidizer. Since cloudy water is often composed of material that has been affected partially by the sanitization and oxidation process, it is primarily composed of material that has to be broken down. Generally, these materials when fully broken down are gasses that can be transported off into the atmosphere. If you have cloudy water then, you are dealing with a situation where theirs is not enough oxidizer level to break the contaminants into gasses.
To prevent cloudy water, you must bring your oxidizer levels up – if not before the rain, then certainly immediately after. In biguanide pools, bring your oxidizer level toward the upper limit (200 ppm) and maintain it at least greater than 100 ppm. Of course, you want to make sure your sanitizer is topped up to 50 ppm at the same time. In chlorine pools (and, yes, your “salt system” is really just a fancy way of putting chlorine into your pool) keep your free chlorine level toward the high end of the scale, up to 4 ppm.
So the answer is? Shock your pool!
But, did you notice how we had specific amounts of oxidizer you need in your water?
That’s why there are 5 Factors, not 1! Testing, especially accurate testing like we do in our lab, is the only way to measure results accurately. And testing is the only way to tell you for sure how much stuff to add to get the results you want.
Made in PA. Supported locally. Lehmann Pools & Spas is ready to help you when you are ready to step up to America’s Best Spa!
With a diverse line of hot tubs and swim spas of unparalleled quality, PDC Spas is dedicated to manufacturing advanced hydrotherapy products that changes lives by improving health and reducing stress. Each model is meticulously engineered utilizing patented comfort and performance technology, to provide a full range of immediate and long-term health benefits. From our affordable SE series hot tubs to our luxury LX series hot tubs to the performance dual-zone swim spas, PDC Spas have been designed and built right here in the USA for over 58 years.
This week is why you have a pool! Visit our Facebook page to see more about how Lehmann Pools & Spas helps you keep it clean, safe, and fun.
Pennsylvania – Maryland – West Virginia – Public & Commercial Pool Operators
Apartments, Student Housing, Schools, Universities, YMCA, YWCA, Rehabilitation Facilities
NSPF® CPO® (2 Days) Fee covers all study materials, books and certification (with passing grade).
- 2-day class for CPO® certification or may be part of CPO® Fusion Program – contact instructor for details.
- May be used for CPO® continuing ed credits & re-certification.
- 2nd day will be count for PA Pesticide re-certification credits: Core (6-credits), Category 24-Swimming Pools (4-credits).
Note: The State of Pennsylvania requires commercial & public pool operators to be certified as Pesticide Applicators with Core and Category 24-Swimming Pool Certifications.
Classes will be at the Holiday Inn – Downtown Johnstown.
CPO Class – October 12-13, 2015: (Monday & Tuesday).
PA Pesticide ReCert Class – October 13, 2015: (Tuesday)
Registration Deadline – September 18, 2015 – 6 PM!
814-266-2236
Lehmann Pools & Spas helps you have a fun weekend! We’ve got the heat in the Laurel Highlands – we’re here all weekend if you’ve got something you need for your swimming pool. Make your staycation paradise easy to manage with help from Lehmann Pools & Spas!
Lehmann Pools & Spas helps you keep safe water for your family and friends. Checkout our Facebook Album – here – and learn the “5 Factors” that lead to safe, clean water.
Lehmann Pools & Spas is very concerned about the safety of your family and clarity of your pool water! We strongly advocate running your pump/filtration system 24/7! Why?
More proof? Read about California here