What is the best type of filter for my in-ground pool?

www.rickrobinsonhomes.com

What is the best type of filter for my in-ground pool?

That's a loaded question, first let me say that every pool pro will give you a different answer based on their experience and customer base.

Climate also plays a role in which filter type is best for your area.

In the warm states Diatomaceous Earth filters (D.E.) is mined and is the fossilized exoskeletons of tiny diatoms, are probably the best since high humidity and high temperatures can easily turn a pool green and the DE filters will keep these pools the cleanest, you have a grid system within the tank itself and you add DE powder through the skimmer and this DE powder coats the grids and the dirt and debris get stuck to the DE and the clean water passes through the grid and goes back to the pool as clean water.

Next in line is the Cartridge filters these have a greater surface area than sand allowing for fewer clogs and easier maintenance. They run at lower pressure than sand which puts less backpressure on the pump, providing more flow and turnover. Cartridge filters should be cleaned once or twice a season by simply hosing the cartridge element off. These filters have a pleated paper filter inside the tank that the water passes through to trap the dirt in the pleats, the clean water goes back to the pool through the center of the pleated filter.

The last filter grade is Sand filters, these use a sand base and finger laterals on the bottom of the sand the water enters on the top of the sand bed and as the water flows down through the sand debris get trapped in the sand bed and clean water enterers the laterals on the bottom of the tank and then get pushed back to the pool as clean water.

All filters clean the water via a media ( D.E., Sand, Cartridge) the grading of the media is determined by how small a micron of debris the media will capture. Sand filters will capture as little as 20 microns, cartridge filters will capture as small as 10-15 microns and D.E. filters will capture as small as 2-5 microns. The smaller the number of microns captured the cleaner the water will be so as you can see D.E. filters are the best ones out there today.

Unlike Cartridge filters that you can hose off to remove the debris, DE and Sand filters must be backwashed, this is where you run water backwards through the filter to blow off the debris and allow it to exit the filter via the backwash line. Both of these filter types have a Multi-Port valve on them to allow you to backwash the tank.

So I guess the answer to the original question is this...Which ever filter will work better than the one you are struggling with now, LOL my vote is for the D.E. filters.

Until Next Time...

I have a spa but no power. Now what do I do?

www.rickrobinsonhomes.com

Have spa but no power?  

Not to worry... most spas are very well insulated and can retain their heat fairly well for up to 2 weeks.

Not all spas are the same, some of your older spas or smaller ones may not have  full foam insulation within it.

 This could be an issue for you, if this true for your spa go out and get some household insulation and stuff this inside the spa cabinet like you would inside your attic this will give you a barrier from the extreme cold nights.

The biggest mistake people make when they have a spa and the power goes out is to drain it this is NOT a good idea.

If the spa was running and was heated to around 100 degrees just before the power went out then it will take a while for the spa water to cool down on it's own (up to two weeks), but if you drain the spa of water, that safeguard you may have had is gone. 

Now the surface of the spa will get cold and then transfer that coolness to the under side of the spa and the plumbing lines. Then the spa lines can FREEZE and crack. Now this doesn't mean that if you drained your spa it will automatically freeze. The outside temp needs to be below 40 degrees for several days for this to possibly happen. I have seen spas with ice inside them defrost in the spring and run fine with no issues.

Now getting back to my original statement LOL...

Most spas are fully insulated and as long as you do not keep going out there and lifting the cover up to check on it every hour  "you know who I am talking to" the water temp will remain high and you should be fine. I have seen a spa with a temp of 99 degrees when the customer lost power for 2 weeks and when the lights came back on the water temp was only down to 68 degrees.

Once the power comes back on you want to go out to the spa and be sure that the spa has power as well, if not check the breakers.

Run the pumps to be sure all is good then note the temperature on the topside display set it to 100 degrees and monitor it every hour to see that it will go back up to temperature without any problems. If you have made it this far you are golden check the spa chemicals to be sure that it has a good balanced level before going back into it.

I hope everyone is OK and has power back.

Until Next Time...

Closing Your Spa?

I have been getting a lot of questions these last couple of weeks about the best way to close/winterize their spa, so I thought I would jot down some quick helpful tips if you have decided to close your spa for the winter.

First let me start by saying "ARE YOU CRAZY" this is the best time of year to use the spa. Nice 100 degree water and 30 degree night air, get in and enjoy the night star filled sky...Nothing Like IT....

Anyway, back to the task at hand. If you want to close/winterize the spa you need to remember that these are small pools, you can not just drain the water out of it and walk away, the plumbing that is within the spa holds 10-15 gallons of water and this WILL freeze once we get those constant cold nights. First thing to do is turn off the breakers to the spa, you will need a shop vacuum and a blower or compressor to clear out the lines of water.


Remove the skirting on the front of the spa to expose the pumps, loosen the unions on the pumps to let the initial water out then take the shop vacuum and suck out whatever water you can from the pipes at the pump connections. Now I take the blower or compressor and blow air through the same unions and this will blow the water in the plumbing out into the spa itself and then you can use the shop vac to vacuum out this water.


Repeat this process a few times alternating between the blower and the vacuum. Listen for a hollow air sound going through the pipes and you know you are getting the water out. Then get inside the spa and vacuum out each and every jet, working from the top of the spa to the bottom foot well. Be sure to vacuum out the filter area and any main drains in the bottom of the spa as water will settle to the lowest point of the spa.


I now take pool anti-freeze and add this a little at a time in the jets and the filter holes, you can add a little into each pump for added protection. Once this is all done reattach the unions to the pump and vacuum out any remaining water or anti0freeze that is in the body of the spa and wipe down the surface. Put the cover on the spa and lock the straps so no wind can blow open the cover and let snow or water into the spa and ruin all your hard work. I tell my customers to get a tarp and cover the entire spa and tie a rope around the bottom so no water can get back in.


Now you can enjoy the lower electric bill, (at least for the spa) and have peace of mind that the spa is safe from freezing. 


Until Next Time...

October Pool Closings

Rick the Spa Guy

October is the month that we all realize that summer is over and the pools need to close. I find this month depressing as I love the summer and being outdoors and the sun shining. Living in the north east I get to look forward to the grey cold winter days and frigid nights, but I will say that I do like the fire pit and sitting around a roaring fire and enjoy some family time.

Well getting back to the pools, it's time to get those pools closed so make sure to shock the pool at least a day before you close as the chlorine can fade your liner or pool surface if you super shock and then put a cover right on the pool and trap that high chlorine level under the cover. Make sure the PH and Alkalinity is balanced as well. The better the pool looks at closing the easier the opening will be and you will be glad come spring that you took the extra time now.

Those of you with spas, you should be draining and cleaning your spa for the end of summer. If you drain it now then you should be good till March of 2012 and not have to worry about the cold months and having to drain it out, make sure to clean those filters good or replace them if it has been a year.

I will be posting from my new e-commerce site soon, so keep an eye out for it. www.fixmypoolandspa.com I will have all your pool and spa parts and accessories that you need as well as some very nice backyard heater and fire pits etc.

Well that about it for now I will right again soon, hope all is well with you my loyal readers and I thank you for following my blogs I hope I can help someone with each and every blog I write.

Until Next Time...