April is here, swimming is near!

Hi all,

Today is a beautiful spring day in sunny Florida. As I prepare to go for a morning walk I see the gorgeous blue sky with puffy white clouds scattered around.  I think, wow! Spring is here and I will be swimming again soon in the pool.  How great is that?  I am sure you are having similar thoughts.

As you do don't forget that your pool chemicals need balancing all year long.  Go ahead now and take a sample to your local pool store and have them check ALL the chemicals for you. You want to test the hardness, total dissolved solids, alkalinity, pH, sanitizer, and salt if you have a salt pool. Be sure to ask for a comprehensive test.  Ask them to explain the results at you and their recommendations.  Keeping the water balanced will actually prolong the life of your pool filter cartridge and maintain the finish on the pool walls.

From improper water balance your plaster on the pool walls can develop scale build up, discoloration or pitting.  All these are corrosive and will require a re-plaster in the future sooner rather than later so keep those chemicals in balance. Have a great day from www.poolcartridgedeals.com


Happy Swimming~
Debbie

Prolonging the Life of Your Pool Filter Cartridge Part 3 of 3

7. Do not allow the pressure in the pool filter to rise above 8 – 10 pounds over normal operating pressure – when it does it is time to clean the cartridges. This usually  indicates the cartridge is getting clogged and needs to be cleaned.

8. It is a good idea to alternate between two sets of cartridges. Maintain a backup set of cartridges in the garage or shed so you can replace the older units with newer cartridges, this also allows time for you to soak and clean the cartridges more thoroughly with less down time of the pool. Another benifit is once you have cleaned the cartridge you can allow it to dry and lightly brush is with a soft bristle brush to remove any dry debris that did not come clean with the wash. Then they can be stored and used the next time you need to replace your pool filter cartridge.

9. Use an enzyme treatment to break down the oils that build up on the filter cartridge such as a spray cleaner or soak made for pool cartridges that will dissolve the oils, grease and fungi prior to cleaning the cartridge with the hose.  When using the hose don't forget to hook up the Water Wand for easier cleaning.  The water wand washes several pleats at one time.

10. Place a Skimmer Sock or Filter Saver in the skimmer of your pool, this is a fine net material sock that fits within your skimmer basket to collects debris and tiny particles that can slip through the skimmer basket and the pump basket and build up on your cartridge. Simply empty the Filter Saver as needed, rinse and reuse until they wear out, and then replace them. They are drastically cheaper than replacing cartridges prematurely.

 

~Happy Swimming

Prolonging the Life of Your Pool Filter Cartridge Part 2 of 3

Tip 4
Never use a power washer to clean the filter element as it could easily puncture or damage the media (material) of the element.  Good for me - BAD for you!  This includes using the washer at the car wash...NEVER!

Tip5
Never use bleach or acids to clean the filter element as this will weaken the fibers in the filer cartridge and decrease the lifespan.  Actually, if you didn't wash off the chemicals completely then it could mess up your chemical balance of the pool as well.  If you feel like you really want to use Muriatic acid then mix 1 part acid into a bucket with 20 parts water. Always add the acid to the water not the water to the acid. Again, completely rinse the cartridge prior to replacing in the pool filter.

Tip 6
Maintain proper water chemistry in the pool water.  Improper balance can deteriorate the element  more quickly.

Happy Swimming ~ www.poolcartridgedeals.com

Prolonging the Life of Your Pool Filter Cartridge Part 1 of 3

This week I am going to be giving you suggestions on making your pool filter cartridge last longer, thus saving you money!  We all want to save money these days.

Tip 1:
Clean the elements as needed.  When is it needed? Good question.  When the pressure on the filter gauge is registering 8 - 10 pounds over normal operating pressure it is time to clean those cartridges!  Also, if you have had a big swim party and circulation in the pool is not normal the cartridge could be clogged up and need cleaning.

Tip 2:
Do not allow excessive buildup of debris or dirt. Again, if you have buildup of debris or dirt then the water circulation is going to be impaired and You need to clean the elements.

Tip 3:
Use a soft brush to clean the pool filter cartridge...never use a stiff brush to clean the filter elements as this can damage the pleated material or "media".  You may also want to use a Water Wand that attaches to the garden hose to make cleaning much easier.

Happy Swimming....to be continued

Skimmer Socks - Filter Savers

Skimmer Socks - Filter Savers

Simmer Socks or Filter Savers are a great item to reduce the amount of debris that ends us in your pool filter cartridge.  Filter Savers are made of a stretchy woven material that you place inside your swimming pool skimmer to catch the very small debris, such as pollen, that can escape through the holes in the skimmer basket. Once they escape the skimmer basket they flow into your pump basket, possible escaping those small holes and then doing one of two things: the small debris can clog your impeller or make your pool filter cartridge get prematurely dirty. One important thing to note is that  the Skimmer Sock does not impede the flow of water.  It DOES help you in maintaining your pool.  When the basket is near full simply remove the Skimmer Sock, empty the contents and wash the filter saver out with a garden hose, or throw it away and insert a new one.  

The Skimmer Socks are available on www.poolcartridgedeals.com for just $6 per 5 pack.  Because you are reading this post you may purchase them for just $5 per 5 pack by inserting the code "Blog5" when you get to the last page of the checkout, just prior to inserting your credit card, Paypal or Google checkout information.

Thanks for reading and as always...Happy Swimming! 

Thought for the day: People often say that motivation doesn't last. Well, neither does bathing - that's why we recommend it daily. Zig Ziglar 

~Happy Spring From Debbie~

I'm Back! It's spring time...almost and thinking about your pool opening is just around the corner.  Now is the time to check out your pool filter cartridges and be sure they are in good shape for the spring swimming season.  If your pool has been running all winter even though you haven't been swimming go ahead now and check the condition of the pool filter cartridges.  If needed clean them using a water wand attached to your hose or just use the garden hose.  If they are very dirty you may need to spray with a pool filter cleaner, be sure to rinse thoroughly before putting the cartridge back in the pool filter.  If the media (pleated material) is in poor condition, torn or just won't come clean then it is time to replace the cartridge.  Visit www.poolcartridgedeals for your pool cartridge needs.  Also check out out "Resources" page for informative articles on caring for your swimming pool.  Happy Swimming!

PREVENTIVE POOL MAINTENANCE

Preventive maintenance is paramount to keeping your swimming pool in the best condition possible. With a routine schedule of care this can easily be accomplished. Simply follow this basic schedule and you can enjoy your pool water with confidence of reduced germs. Please note, these are general maintenance guidelines and may need to be varied depending on the climate in your area.


Daily:
Run your swimming pool pump to circulate the pool water a minimum of 4 hours a day. Time needs to be increased as the weather temperature heats up. During peak swim season you will want to run your pump at least 6-8 hours per day. The key is to “turn over your water” and sanitize it thoroughly.

Read the manufacturer’s specifications on your pump to learn how many gallons of water are being circulated per hour. Divide this number by the gallons of water in your pool. This is how many hours your pump needs to run in order to sanitize your entire pool providing there are proper levels of sanitizer in the pool water.

Weekly:
Test pool water and balance water chemistry as needed. Using test strips or a home test kit is sufficient, adjust as needed according to instructions on your test strips or test kit. You may also take a sample of your pool water to your local pool store for analysis.


Basic Water Chemistry Readings

pH 7.4 – 7.6
Sanitizer -Chlorine or Bromine 1 -3 ppm
Sanitizer -Baquanide /Baquacil 30 – 50 ppm
Alkalinity 80 – 120 ppm
Calcium Hardness 250-450 ppm

Your swimming pool walls may not look like they need brushing, but do so weekly anyway.

Brush the sides and bottom of your pool, even if you have an automatic pool cleaner as this will loosen dirt and other particles that may adhere to the pool finish.

Check and clean out skimmer baskets and pump baskets. During the fall and spring you may need to check them daily depending on how many trees you have in your neighborhood. You may also protect your cartridges and equipment by using Filter Savers. Filter Savers or skimmer socks are disposable liners that fit in your skimmer basket. The Filter Saver collects small debris that would normally get past your skimmer basket. These small particles can clog the impeller in your pool pump, if this happens you could burn up your pump and you will limit the circulation in your pool. It will also assist in prolonging the life of your cartridges as they as less likely to get clogged and stay cleaner for a longer period of time.

Monthly:
If you have a cartridge filter and the pressure rises 8-10 pounds above the normal operating pressure you will need to clean your cartridges, see "How To Clean Your Filter Cartridge". You may also notice restricted water flow coming out of the return jets in the pool indicating the cartridge filter needs to be cleaned.

If you have a “saltwater” pool you will need to test your salt levels. You may take your water to your local pool store to have it tested. You may also test it yourself with at test kit or test strips. Test strips are made to test everything in pool/spa water such as: pH, Alkalinity, Free Chlorine/Bromine, Salt, Acid Demand, Calcium Hardness and certain metals in the water.

If you have a DE pool filter be sure to backwash the filter when the pressure reaches 8-10 pounds above normal operating pressure (see Semi-Annully below)

Semi Annually:
If you have a DE pool filter then you will need to take it apart and clean the grids using a Garden Hose. This is best to do at the beginning and the end of the swimming season. Again, if the pressure rises about 8-10 pounds normal operating pressure on the pool filter and it does not lower to normal operating pressure after backwashing then it is time to clean the DE pool filter.

Anytime you take apart a pool filter for cleaning be sure to check the pool filter tank O‘ring. See: “When to Change Your Pool Filter Tank O’Ring” for more details.