Pool Maintenance Products
Along with the excitement that comes with pool ownership, there are also the maintenance challenges. However, there are many tools, chemicals and equipment that can make pool ownership an extremely rewarding experience with relatively low maintenance involved.
Basic Cleaning Equipment
Telescopic poles come in a variety of lengths. Higher quality poles are made from fiberglass, but most are aluminum. The poles have holes at the end so that a wide range of accessories can be attached.
Vacuum Heads - The easiest way to make a dirty pool look clean is to vacuum it. All pools should be vacuumed on a regular basis. Vacuum heads attach to the telescopic pole, and then a vacuum hose is attached to the vacuum head. The pole and vacuum head are then lowered into the pool. There are two different types of vacuum heads. One has wheels and is weighted for concrete pools. The other is designed for vinyl lined pools, and has brushes instead of wheels.
Vacuum hose - In order to vacuum debris from the pool walls and floor, you will need a vacuum hose. The vacuum hose connects to the vacuum head and telescoping pole. It is then lowered into the pool. You then need to fill the vacuum hose with water, and then plug the end into the skimmer suction hole or a dedicated vacuum line. The water and debris are pulled into the filter pump basket via the swimming pool vacuum hose. After you vacuum, you will then need to clean the basket and backwash the filter.
The leaf trap is a canister that is placed at the end of the vacuum hose just before the pool skimmer. Inside the canister is a large basket that will trap the leaves and debris before the “pool trash” gets to the pump. They are great for leaves, acorns, pebbles and palm tree debris.
Skimmer Nets – some of the most popular pieces of equipment around the pool are the skim net and leaf rake. The skim net is a flat mesh net that attaches to the telescopic pole. It should be used on a daily basis to remove debris floating on the pool surface before it can sink to the floor. The leaf rake is also a mesh net, but is much deeper. It’s great for scooping debris from the pool floor for a quick cleaning.
Pool Brushes - One of the most overlooked maintenance steps of pool care is brushing. Swimming pools should be brushed at least once per week. Brushing removes algae and other films and dirt on pool walls and pool floors that can’t be removed by vacuuming. A weekly brushing will avoid slimy walls and slick film that is common with pools and spas. There are several types of pool brushes. Stainless steel is perfect for plaster or concrete pools. Stainless brushes should not be used on vinyl pools. Plastic bristle brushes can be used on any type of pools, and are ideal for above ground and vinyl pools. There are also brushes designed for getting into pool corners and steps.
Tile Brushes - A clean tile band is a very important part of the way your pool looks. As part of your weekly maintenance schedule, you need to scrub the tile band with tile cleaner and a non-abrasive brush. Tile brushes come in a variety of shapes and sizes.
Pumice Stone – A popular method for removing localized stains on concrete pools is the pumice stone. Pumice is a light porous glassy lava stone that can be rubbed over a pool stain to remove it. You can get a pumice stone that can attach to your telescopic pole or a pumice stone that has a handle.
Automatic Cleaners
Regardless of the type of swimming pool you have, there are three basic types of automatic pool cleaners: suction side pool cleaners, pressure side pool cleaners, and robotic / electronic pool cleaners. Three major manufacturers, Pentair, Hayward, and Zodiac, offer a variety of automatic cleaners for all types and sizes of swimming pools. Be sure to check out our rebates section to save money on your next automatic cleaner.
Suction-Side Automatic Pool Cleaners - This is the most popular type of automatic pool cleaner. Most have only one moving part and they are an economical choice for first-time pool owners. They're easy to use because they attach to your existing skimmer or a dedicated suction port. Suction-side pool cleaners work when your pool pump is running. They pick up dirt & debris, and deposit it into your filter system. Suction-side cleaners do reduce some of your surface skimming action while in use. In general, they are the most economical option while offering all the basics to automate the cleaning of your pool.
Pressure-Side Automatic Pool Cleaners - These automatic pool cleaners work on the return side of your filter system and generally attach to a dedicated return line in the pool. Some require an additional booster pump, which sends added water volume to the cleaner. They pick up dirt and debris in the pool and deposit it into an attached fine mesh bag. Pressure side cleaners are helpful in distributing clean, filtered water around the pool, and having their own debris bag means that they don't compromise the filter system. They also do not stop your surface skimming action. They tend to be slightly more involved to use than suction-side cleaners, and their mid-range price makes them a great retrofit option.
Robotic / Electronic Automatic Pool Cleaners - These self-contained automatic pool cleaners have gained tremendous popularity in recent years. All dirt and debris collected is stored in a bag or cartridge contained within the cleaner. They are electronic in nature and require a standard 110-volt electrical supply, but a built-in transformer steps the power down to a safe & simple 24-volt device. Robotic automatic pool cleaners do not engage your filter system or surface skimmer, and they act as a secondary filter within the pool. They scrub, clean and vacuum as they automatically navigate your pool, and are a great time-saver!
Chemicals
A pool's filter system does the work to 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. One reason is that 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. Also, water with the wrong chemical balance can damage the various parts of the pool. In addition, improperly balanced water can irritate the skin and eyes. Improperly balanced water can also get very cloudy. There are several different chemicals that are recommended and required for pool maintenance. PoolStyle, Regal, Pool Logic, EZ Chlor and Pool Season all provide chemicals to keep your pool water safe and clear.
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Chlorine - Chlorine is a very widely used chemical – in fact it’s the most common chemical used for swimming pool sanitizing. The reason for this is that it's very effective at killing contaminants and yet is easy and inexpensive to use. Swimming pool chlorine reacts with the pool water to produce hydrochloric acid and hypochlorous acid. Hypochlorous acid is chlorine's active form and is able to penetrate the cell walls of bacteria and other potentially harmful microorganisms, killing them so they no longer pose a risk to the health of swimmers. While pool chlorine is used for regular, ongoing sanitizing, it can also be used for pool shock treatments. "Shocking" or super-chlorinating a swimming pool refers to raising the chlorine levels until they are ten times the level of the chloramines in the water. Chlorine shock treatments are used during pool openings and whenever extra sanitization is required during the course of the swim season. Pool owners should shock their pool a minimum of every two weeks, especially when their pool is frequently used by a high number of swimmers.
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Bromine - Although swimming pool chlorine is the most widely used pool sanitizer, pool bromine is also used. Swimming pool bromine is a highly effective sanitizer, which keeps water clean by killing microorganisms and by combining with and controlling debris in a similar fashion to chlorine.
- Pool Shock - The chlorine tablets or granular chlorine that you constantly dissolve into your pool water seeks out and combines with bacteria and other organics on a molecular level, to neutralize these harmful contaminants. In the process of killing these harmful contaminants the chlorine becomes inactive, and the chlorine and bacteria that have combined together is called “Combined Chlorine”. The combined chlorine must be removed from the swimming pool to keep your pool water safe and clean. The combined chlorine is removed by “Shocking” the swimming pool. Super chlorinating or “Shocking” means drastically raising the chlorine level of the swimming pool for a short time, to a high enough level that the combined chlorine is burned up.
- Algaecide - Algae blooms cause problems for many swimming pool owners. While lack of proper circulation and out-of-balance water chemistry can lead to the growth of algae in pools, even carefully maintained swimming pools can sometimes experience algae growth. This is because algae spores can be carried into the water by the wind and by swimmers. Once algae blooms take root in your pool, they can become unsightly and can clog your pool's filter. As a result, it's important to use an effective treatment as soon as an algae bloom appears in your pool and it's also a good idea to take measures to prevent algae from growing in your pool in the first place.Algaecides reduce the need for pool shock treatments and are safe for a variety of pool surfaces. Swimming pool algaecides can take your pool from cloudy to crystal clear in less than 24 hours.
Clarifiers
Cloudy pool water is unsightly and unpleasant to swim in. It is also potentially dangerous as cloudy water can be home to bacteria and viruses that can cause illnesses and infections. Cloudy swimming pools can also be unsafe as the decreased visibility makes it harder to see if swimmers are struggling or in trouble under the water. Consequently, it's extremely important to keep your pool water clean and clear by using pool clarifiers and pool cleaning chemicals.Swimming pool clarifiers allow you to take your pool water from cloudy to crystal clear quickly and easily. Clarifiers work by causing fine debris particles to coagulate into larger particles which can then be removed from the pool water through the pool's filtration system.
Chemical Feeders
The idea of not having to add chlorine to the pool for a couple of weeks is very appealing to many people. Pool chlorinators or chemical feeders are fairly simple devices that hold larger amounts of chlorine or bromine and gradually release these chemicals into the pool. Swimming pool chemical feeders were invented so that pool owners would have a reliable, convenient method for administering the correct amount of chlorine to their pools with less effort. Pool chlorinators also ensure that your pool water is chemically balanced.
- Floating pool chlorinators are among the most popular and affordable pool chemical feeders. You might have noticed these automatic pool chlorinators bobbing up and down in your friend's pool or hot tub. They are convenient and adaptable and floating pool chemical feeders can be used in any type of pool - in ground, aboveground, spa or hot tub. Floating pool chlorinators work by letting water flow across the chlorine tablets as it floats in the pool water. This provides a constant uninterrupted stream of chlorine in the pool as the tablets dissolve over time.
- Off-line pool chemical feeders can usually be used with either chlorine or bromine and work alongside your pool's pump and filtration system. These pool chemical feeders are easy to install and require little maintenance and are especially well suited for aboveground swimming pools.
- In-line pool chlorinators are pool sanitization systems that are installed in your pool’s plumbing system. This type of pool chlorinator system is more common in in-ground pools and is a bit more difficult to install. These pool chlorination systems have a feeder line that provides chlorine to the pool through a feeder line that reaches into the pool water. In-line pool chlorinators are designed based on the size of the pool and water capacity.
Salt Chlorinators
Salt chlorinators are growing in popularity as more people want to make the transition to eco-friendly and are looking for more ways to save money. Salt chlorinators are not an alternative to chlorine. Instead, basic table salt is converted into chlorine when water passes through a generator cell that turns the salt into hypochlorous acid, the same component that is produced when chlorine is added to pool water. As the water returns to the pool, it introduces the newly produced chlorine to the water, creating a safe, healthy, and beautiful pool to swim in.