So you are thinking about buying a home that has a pool? What should you do?

www.rickrobinsonhomes.com

So you are thinking about buying a home that has a pool? What should you do?

I hear these questions often and here are some of my suggestions:

First thing you need to do is get a professional to do a complete pool inspection that includes a pressure test of all the plumbing lines. When they do a pressure test they will fill all the lines with water and get the pressure in the lines up to 10-15 lbs and they will watch to see if the pressure starts to drop this could indicate a leak in one of the plumbing lines.

An inspection will also give you an experts opinion on the condition of the pool equipment it's possible age and if there is any repairs they feel should be made right away, the biggest issues I have found is an older heater that leaks and or does not fire up. Repairs can be costly if you need to replace equipment. If you have a concrete pool then you may need to have the pool re plastered or tile and coping repairs these can be a costly repair that you should not have to be responsible for. Re plaster jobs could be in excess of $5000.00 tile and coping could be the same.

A vinyl liner pool is different as long as the vinyl liner is in tact and not leaking you should be OK a liner can fade, but this will not change the integrity of the pool itself. A new liner can run from $2000-$3000 for the liner and then another $1000 for the installation.

Once you determine that the pool is sound and you have a good report from the inspector you can go to the homeowner and ask for credit for any pool repairs needed before you close on the house.

Once you own the home take a water sample from the pool to your local pool supply center and have the water tested. They will tell you what you need to add to the water to keep it clean and safe for swimming, they can also guide you on proper maintenance and operation. A pool is a great feature to have in the backyard, it can be fun for the whole family and give your kids some great summer fun.

With a little knowledge and patience, a pool can be a great STAYCATION at home and save you a great deal of money on those costly trips to the beach.

So go ahead and buy that house and go swimming.....

Until Next Time....

Thinking of Selling Your Own Home? Read This First

www.rickrobinsonhomes.com

Thinking of Selling Your Own Home? Read This First



This is another great piece of information for those of you out there thinking of selling your home yourself.

Many people believe they can sell their home themselves just as quick as an agent but they find out the hard and long way that this thought process is unfounded.

The National Association of Realtors says that statistically only 10% of For Sale By Owners actually sell their home themselves and 90% eventually use a Realtor to get it sold. See this article: http://www.realtor.com/advice/why-fsbo-sales-fail/#.UuVyPm4o70M

So as you will see...Use a Professional Real Estate Agent to market and get your home sold.

Until Next Time...

Thinking about buying a home that has a pool? What should you do?

www.rickrobinsonhomes.com

So you are thinking about buying a home that has a pool? What should you do?

I hear these questions often and here are some of my suggestions:

First thing you need to do is get a professional to do a complete pool inspection that includes a pressure test of all the plumbing lines. When they do a pressure test they will fill all the lines with water and get the pressure in the lines up to 10-15 lbs and they will watch to see if the pressure starts to drop this could indicate a leak in one of the plumbing lines.

An inspection will also give you an experts opinion on the condition of the pool equipment it's possible age and if there is any repairs they feel should be made right away, the biggest issues I have found is an older heater that leaks and or does not fire up. Repairs can be costly if you need to replace equipment. If you have a concrete pool then you may need to have the pool re plastered or tile and coping repairs these can be a costly repair that you should not have to be responsible for. Re plaster jobs could be in excess of $5000.00 tile and coping could be the same.

A vinyl liner pool is different as long as the vinyl liner is in tact and not leaking you should be OK a liner can fade, but this will not change the integrity of the pool itself. A new liner can run from $2000-$3000 for the liner and then another $1000 for the installation.

Once you determine that the pool is sound and you have a good report from the inspector you can go to the homeowner and ask for credit for any pool repairs needed before you close on the house.

Once you own the home take a water sample from the pool to your local pool supply center and have the water tested. They will tell you what you need to add to the water to keep it clean and safe for swimming, they can also guide you on proper maintenance and operation. A pool is a great feature to have in the backyard, it can be fun for the whole family and give your kids some great summer fun.

With a little knowledge and patience, a pool can be a great STAYCATION at home and save you a great deal of money on those costly trips to the beach.

So go ahead and buy that house and go swimming.....

Until Next Time....

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...

How Important is Calcium Hardness?

Rick the Spa Guy

Just How Important is Calcium Hardness? 

First lets discuss what this product is and how it pertains to water. 


Calcium is a naturally occurring mineral that is frequently found in high concentrations:  such water is called "hard" water.  Calcium hardness chemistry is one of the important pool water parameters and its control is important, to help assure proper water quality and help avoid certain pool water problems.  The preferred ranges, in swimming pools, are 80-150 PPM in a vinyl pool and 150-200 PPM in a masonry finish pool.

  Low levels of pool water calcium hardness (soft water) can lead to the problems of corrosive water conditions.  Chemicals are available to raise the calcium hardness, as might be necessary.  High pool water calcium hardness levels, especially above 400 PPM, can lead to possible pool water clarity problems and scaling conditions. 

Chlorine products containing calcium hypochlorite raise the hardness level, each time the product is added. 

   Various chelating or sequestering Mineral Treating Products are available to help deal with the problems associated with high calcium hardness levels.   Pool water calcium levels can be determined by a simple water analysis.  This is especially important with well water, as other problematic minerals might be present and could require treatment. 


Now all this being said your water needs to have a proper level of Calcium, if not the water will try to draw the calcium from other items in the plumbing such as pump seals, in a pool it will draw it out from the concrete walls or vinyl liner and all these things will cause damage to the pool or spa.


Over abundance of calcium will cause cloudy water and scale deposits which feel like grit on the walls of the pool or spa. To lowel calcium levels you can add fresh water or use a metal sequestering agent, if you need to raise the level add Calcium Hardness Increaser.


Proper levels in a pool are stated above for a spa keep the level at 200-250 ppm (parts per million) By following this you will have nice balanced water as long as your PH and Alkalinity levels are good all will be well.


I hope this better helps you maintain your water, or at least understand why you are doing all this.


Until Next Time...

A Guide to Maintaining Your Pool and Spa

A Guide to Maintaining Your Pool and Spa







If you have a pool at home, it is evident that you have to undergo regular cleaning and maintenance in order to keep it clean and conditioned. Initially, you have to be knowledgeable about the symptoms of an unhealthy pool, and ensure that your pools water is clean. More often than not, the symptoms of an unhealthful pool require further addition of chlorine for clearer water, an abrupt upsurge in the quantity of dirt in the pool, and unnecessary sounds in your pool cleaner or pool pump that works differently than it usually does.






While most pool owners utilize the services of a swimming pool service technician, know that it is possible for you to clean and maintain your pool without any other persons help. If you simply have the determination and the initiative to do it on your own, you will realize that you can acquire numerous items such as circulation, plumbing, and surge-tank float valves, pool test kits, and vacuums, which you can use as the primary tools in cleaning your pool.






The aforementioned cleaning tools are necessary, since you have to invest in the fundamentals of pool cleaning if you want to save money and time. In addition, it is substantial that you assess your pools water health, and bear in mind that clear water does not always signify that its health is in good condition. Generally, there are three primary means on how you can measure your pool health namely, through its alkalinity, Ph level, and algae build up.






The Ph level refers to the level of alkalinity or acidity in your pool. It is important that the Ph level of the water be close to the neutral level of seven, since a higher or lower Ph level is not idyllic for your pool. On the other hand, alkalinity indicates the amount of ionic salt of alkaline elements that are present in your pool. The ideal level for alkalinity is between 80-155 parts per million, which will keep your pool from alga or bacteria.










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