Pool Water Testing Blog

In recent years pool accessory manufacturers have come up with all sort of interesting gadgets designed to make opening pools in the Spring easier, less time-consuming, and less painful in terms of manual labor. Devices include mesh covers which allow rain and snow water to pass through, winter cover clips which hold above ground cover edges in place, water bags for above ground pools that also help to hold cover edges in place, and ‘unbreakable’ aqua blocks to replace the single water tubes and double water tubes that squirrels, chipmunks and other animals seem to enjoy chewing holes in every year.

Looking for the latest and greatest way to keep unwanted debris off of your winter cover and out of your swimming pool? If so, then you may want to take a look at the Pool Tree.

Featuring an innovative and interesting design that supports your winter cover and eliminates the need for awkward air pillows, the Pool Tree has the potential to save you time, money and frustration when it comes time to open your pool back up in the Spring.

When used in conjunction with a mesh cover, water from rain and snow passes through the cover and the angle created by the Pool Tree makes it nearly impossible for leaves and other forms of blowing debris to get stuck on the cover.

When used in conjunction with a solid winter cover, the downward and outward sloping angle created by the Pool Tree forces collected water and debris all the way out the edge of the pool and/or over the side of the pool — making clearing off the cover a simple process.

The A/G (above ground) Pool Tree works with both solid and mesh winter covers and will fit round pools up to 27′ in diameter and oval pools up to 18′ x 36′ in size.

The I/G (inground) Pool Tree works exclusively with SAFETY COVERS ONLY and will fit inground pools up to 20′ x 40′ in size.

If you live in area with high winds, you may want to consider using cover clips to secure your above ground winter cover. When used properly, winter cover clips can keep strong gusts of wind from getting underneath your winter cover and possibly causing it to come off of your pool. The winter pool covers listed below come with clips so you won’t need to pick them up separately:

• Above-Ground Pool Covers 12′ Round Pool (16′ Round Cover) / 20 Clips
• Above-Ground Pool Covers 12′ x 24′ Oval Pool (16′ x 28′ Oval Cover) / 40 Clips
• Above-Ground Pool Covers 15′ Round Pool (19′ Round Cover) / 25 Clips
• Above-Ground Pool Covers 15′ x 30′ Oval Pool (19′ x 34′ Oval Cover) / 45 Clips
• Above-Ground Pool Covers 16′ x 25′ Oval Pool (20′ x 29′ Oval Cover) / 45 Clips
• Above-Ground Pool Covers 16′ x 32′ Oval Pool (20′ x 36′ Oval Cover) / 50 Clips
• Above-Ground Pool Covers 18′ Round Pool (22′ Round Cover) / 30 Clips
• Above-Ground Pool Covers 18′ x 33′ Oval Pool (22′ x 37′ Oval Cover) / 50 Clips
• Above-Ground Pool Covers 21′ Round Pool (25′ Round Cover) / 35 Clips
• Above-Ground Pool Covers 21′ x 41′ Oval Pool (25′ x 45′ Oval Cover)/ 55 Clips
• Above-Ground Pool Covers 24′ Round Pool (28′ Round Cover) / 40 Clips
• Above-Ground Pool Covers 28′ Round Pool (32′ Round Cover) / 45 Clips
• Above-Ground Pool Covers 30′ Round Pool (34′ Round Cover) / 50 Clips
• Above-Ground Pool Covers 33′ Round Pool (37′ Round Cover) / 55 Clips

So let’s assume your winter cover survived last year’s blizzards and the squirrels didn’t get to it over the Summer. Did the water tubes (sometimes called water bags) survive as well? If not, then the following links will definitely come in handy.

Whether you believe it or not, hundreds of people of all ages drown each year after falling into uncovered swimming pools. Seems like an insane statistic, but never-the-less a very real — and very scary — statistic. Some folks fall in by accident and others wind up drowning while trespassing. In either case, a swimming pool safety cover might have saved their lives.

Don’t take just our word for it, though. Loop-Loc, a leader in the swimming pool safety cover industry for more than 20years has compiled a list reasons why they think more people should consider investing in a safety cover:

1. Mesh construction lets rain, melting snow and ice drain into the pool rather than collect in a stagnant pool on top of the cover that people and pets could accidentally drown in.
2. Since the top of safety covers stay dry pretty much all the time, blowing dirt, leaves and other types of yard debris do not collect on top of the pool.
3. Safety covers stay more or less mess-free, look better than stagnant bodies of water, and will require no pumping or leaf removal in the Spring.
4. Since safety covers get made to fit your pool, you won’t have any areas with less coverage or not-as-secure coverage.
5. Stainless steel springs hold tension in the cover to keep unwanted and/or accidental intruders out of the water.
6. Brass anchors lay flush in the deck around the pool and leave the pool area uncluttered year-round.
7. Mesh safety covers have very low weight to area ratios but can resist approximately 600 pounds of force per square inch.
8. The lightweight nature of safety mesh covers make them convenient enough to put on and remove on a daily basis if desired.
9. Securing springs connect to the anchors in a few minutes time and stay in place for as long as needed.

   

10. Unwanted intruders cannot remove the cover without using a custom tool from Loop-Loc and that makes Loop-Loc Safety Covers practically tamper-proof.
11. Mesh safety covers require far less cleaning so opening your pool in the Spring will take a lot less time.
12. Depending upon where you live and the company insuring your home/property, a properly installed mesh safety cover may reduce your homeowner’s liability insurance rates.
13. Again, depending upon where you live, some areas may allow homeowners to use a properly installed mesh safety covers in place of a four-sided fence around the pool area. Please check with local officials to verify laws in your area.
14. Mesh safety covers offer custom options that traditional types of winter covers simply cannot match. In the case of Loop-Loc Safety Covers, owners get the advantages and protection afforded by SAFEDGE (a child safety intrusion barrier that meets raised walls, rocks or steps) and GAP GUARD which closes gaps caused by varying levels around the pool.
15. Mesh safety covers blend seamlessly into your yard’s landscape.

Do mesh safety covers mean you can skip using a Winterizing Chemical Kit? Absolutely not! Without chemicals to keep algae and other organic matter at bay, your non-circulating, closed pool will become a smelly green swamp!

Most closing kits feature, at a minimum, the following chemicals: Some form of shock (chlorine or non-chlorine based), some form of algaecide, and a stain preventative. As options some winterizing kits will also include phosphate removers that will make it difficult for algae to grow in the Spring and/or a device to trap contaminants such as suntan oils, body oils, etc. that would otherwise drop out of suspension and stick to pool surfaces once water temperatures drop.

During the fall and early spring months trees and other plant-life shed a ton of leaves, twigs, seeds and pine needles which if allowed to sit inside your heater will trap moisture and could facilitate premature corrosion of expensive parts.

Now that you have acquired a quality winter cover and protected your diving board with a Weather-Out Diving Board Cover, you should now think about getting a cover for your pool heater if you have one.

Swimming pool heaters typically cost a good amount of money and have a number of delicate parts that could easily get damaged over the winter months if not properly protected.

A Weather-Out Pool Heater Cover uses a high quality, very durable vinyl exterior to resist tears and other types of damage from things like UV rays while providing the pool heater shelter from rain, salt water spray, sprinkler systems, ice, snow, leaves, and other forms of potentially damaging debris.

Another key benefit of the Weather-Out Pool Heater Cover: By using a non-woven interior lining that does not retain moisture, the heater will not get subjected to condensation while covered. Also, the generous fit of the cover will allow plenty of air to flow around the heater, resulting in a clean, dry heater.

You won’t have to worry about having to disconnect plumbing lines, either. A heavy-duty velcro seam will let you easily install and remove the heater cover without turning a single screw.

We know that you have already gotten yourself a good quality winter cover, but wouldn’t you also like to protect your diving board, as well?

In the past a pool owner had the following options: Take the diving board down for the off-season and stick it in the shed/garage, cover the diving board with a tarp (which usually comes off or rips mid-Winter), or just deal with having to deep clean (or replace!) the grout on the diving board in the Spring.

All those options pretty much suck when you really think about it. Thankfully someone came up with the bright idea of manufacturing fitted, weather-resistant diving board covers that can protect diving boards even in the worst winter weather.

Available in 6-foot, 8-foot and 10-foot sizes, Weather-Out Diving Board Covers give pool owners the ability to cover their diving boards in the Fall and forget about them until Spring — worry-free.

When the ‘dog days have Summer’ have issued the last late night howl, the time to close up the pool draws near… and that means you’ll need chemicals to close your pool.

So unless you want to open your pool next Spring and deal with a big, greenish-black, slimy, smelly mess, we suggest using either a chlorine based or non-chlorine based winterizing kit. Below you will find some key benefits of using a non-chlorine winterizing kit:

* Although an excellent sanitizer for pool water, chlorine can reduce the effectiveness of algaecides and other winterizing chemicals. In too large a quantity it can also can stain/bleach pool walls and cause damage to pool liners. The In The Swim Winterizing Kit use only non-chlorine based chemicals.

* In The Swim Winterizing Kits also use a time-release floater that dispenses a potent non-chlorine oxidizer into your pool water for several weeks after you close your pool. This helps to keep algae from growing in the water and keep it sanitized.

* By removing the carbon dioxide from the water, this powerful non-chlorine shock treatment effectively takes away one of the things algae needs in order to grow.

* All kits include easy-to-follow instructions so you know exactly what to add, how to add it, and how much of it to add.

An important thing to remember when selecting a winterizing kit: Do not, under ANY circumstances, underestimate the amount of water in your swimming pool. Failure to add enough winterizing chemicals will have pretty much the same effect as not having added any at all.

Oh, and please do not attempt to use this In the Swim Winterizing Kit on a pool that uses a biguanide (i.e. Baquacil) sanitizer system. Those pool water sanitizing systems have their own closing systems. If you use biguanides, consult with the manufacturer of your maintenance chemicals to learn what closing steps you will need to take.