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Should you pay to have your pool vacuumed?

Posted by robertflynn in Articles - (0 Comments)

In this article I will discuss the pros and cons of having a pool service company vacuum your pool vs. purchasing an automatic cleaner.  I will go into both the convenience aspect as well as the economic aspect to help you make the decision that best suits your needs.

At Open and Close we have a weekly pool service that cost $30 per visit plus chemicals.  This service covers everything except vacuuming and brushing of the pool walls. We also have a vacuuming/brushing add on service that we provide for an additional $40 per visit.  This option adds approximately $800 per season to your pool bill.  (Based on 20 visits)

An automatic cleaner will brush your walls and vacuum your pool.    You can expect to spend about $900 to $1100 dollars for a good cleaner.  It has also been my experience that you can expect to get at least 5 years use out of a good automatic cleaner. They are easy to use and take very little time to put in and take out of your pool.

Having a pool service vacuum your pool and brush your walls over a 5 year period will cost you $4000, or $800 per season.  In contrast, owning an automatic pool cleaner will cost you an initial $1000 (I use this number as an average) and should last at least 5 years, for an annual cost of $200.

Hiring a pool service to vacuum and brush your pool walls is more convenient than having an automatic pool cleaner.  However, this convenience comes at an additional cost of $600 per year compared to purchasing an automatic pool cleaner.

I hope this article helps you in your decision as to best address your pool service needs.  Below is a link to what I feel is the best cleaner on the market today should you wish to research this issue further.

http://www.9300sport.com/

Water Testing – The Best Equipment Matters

Posted by robertflynn in Uncategorized - (0 Comments)

At Open and Close Pool Service, LLC, we feel that the most important part of pool maintenance is the quality of the water in it.  Of course, the best way to start on the road to water quality is to have the best method of water testing.

After much research, we decided last year to install LaMotte Water Link Express testing equipment on all our trucks.  This is the same machine you would see at most pool stores when you go in to get your water tested. It is at least triple the cost of other testing methods but we feel good about our decision.  Our customers have also expressed to us that they are very happy that they are getting good quality tests.

The Water Link Express uses a simple but precise process that works like this: a service tech takes a sample from your pool using a Nobis Poole pole (www.nobisworls.com) . This specially designed pole allows the tech to take a sample from the recommended depth of 18 inches.  The tech then goes back in the truck and uses a precalibrated Pipettor (think of a sophisticated turkey baster) to extract exactly 3ml of water from the sample. The tech then uses the pipettor to pierce a sealed UDV (a vial with pre filled powder) and fill it with 3ml of water.  The UDV is then placed in the Water Link Express and a light is sent through the sample. The amount of light that makes it through the vial is then read by a Colorimeter. The Water Link Express then converts that light into a reading for Chlorine, Alkalinity, etc.

The reason this testing is so effective is consistency. By using a precalibrated pipettor, a UVD, and a Colorimeter, you can be sure that each test has the exact amount of water placed in a vial, the vial has the exact amount of powder needed for a reading, and the exact amount of light is shined through the vial each and every time.  You simply cannot get this consistency from either test strips or drops. When using either of those testing methods, too many variables come into play.  Was the test strip left out too long before it was read, did the tech or homeowner put in too many or too little drops, was it cloudy or sunny out, and is the tech able to discern small variations in color when reading the strip or drops sample?

In conclusion, this article was not intended to bash test strips or drop method testing.  Both can be effective but in my view there is no better method to residential water testing than the Lamotte Water Link system and that is why we use it.

Anchors and how to keep them from costing you money

Posted by robertflynn in Articles - (0 Comments)

Here is what a typical anchor on a pool with a safety cover looks like.

Brass Pool Anchor

The purpose of an anchor is to hold the springs from your safety cover in place over the winter months.

As you can see from the photo, the anchor is halfway out of its socket. The reason for this is to provide an area where the spring can be placed over the anchor.  Since the anchor is partially open all winter long, the threads of both the anchor and the socket are likely to get filled with some sand, dirt, and other debris.  Over time, this can cause the threads to stick and eventually stop functioning.  When this happens you are looking at a costly repair bill because the anchors have to be drilled, tapped, and pulled from the concrete with a specialty tool.

A good way to avoid this problem is to flush the anchors every year or every two years at most.

The way this flushing is done is to take all your pool anchors out of their sockets using the Allen wrench that came with your cover.

If you do not have one, you can pick one up at any pool store for about $10.

Place all the anchors in a bucket and hose them off real well.  While they are drying take your hose and flush out the sockets that are set in the concrete around your pool.  Next, go back to your now dry anchors and spray them with a light coat of WD-40.  Put all the anchors back in their sockets and screw them down so that they are level with the concrete.

This is an easy preventive maintenance measure that most pool owners can do themselves. You can also add it to your pool opening service and we can do it for you.  Either way, this is an important maintenance procedure that should be performed no less than every two years.