Archive for June, 2009

Make Your Swimming Pool Safe

Tuesday, June 23rd, 2009

Swimming pool ownership brings with it responsibility for the safety of those using the pool and people and pets around the pool.

Every year a number of people are tragically injured or even die as a result of swimming pool related accidents. Some of the most common accidents and injuries include:

  1. People slipping and falling resulting in various injuries, sometimes very serious
  2. Children and pets falling into an unattended swimming pool
  3. Children snagged by the swimming pool drain and held underwater
  4. Falls from the rim of above ground pools
  5. Above ground pools collapsing as a result of people standing or sitting on the rail or rim.

Employing a few basic safety steps and rules will go a long way towards lessening the hazards presented by a swimming pool.

Above Ground Pools
Above ground swimming pools are one of the most popular styles as these can be installed with minimal ground work often by a competent DIY enthusiast. When the pool is installed it is important to ensure that the access ladder is very secure and located where it can be used easily.

For users of an above ground pool it should be a rule that nobody should sit or attempt to stand on the rim or railing surrounding the pool. Falls from the edge can cause serious injury and the weight of a person could cause the pool wall to collapse.

In Ground Swimming Pools
In ground pools present their own safety hazards. Being at ground level means that it is much easier for a child or an animal to fall in. As a rule, children should not be allowed to use the pool unless supervised by an adult. Another good rule is that there should be no running or horseplay around the perimeter of the swimming pool.

Swimming pool safety fencing, pool alarms and pool safety covers can all be used to keep people and pets away from an in ground pool when not in use.

Swimming Pool Chemicals
Dangerous swimming pool water treatment chemicals should be stored safely out of reach of children. Appropriate protection should be used when handling harmful pool water treatment chemicals. Always read and follow the manufacturers safety recommendations.

Pool Drains and Vents
There have been cases of small children trapped below the water by powerful pool water outlets. Pool drain covers should be inspected and verified as safe. If the pool is used by small children they should be instructed to keep away from the outlet drains and it should be ensured that small children cannot be trapped by the suction.

Pool Electrical Equipment
Swimming pools use a variety of electrical equipment for circulating the water through filtration and cleaning. Equipment should be routinely inspected for safety ensuring that all cabling is safe and secure.

While it may seem like a chore to make a swimming pool safe and enforce some basic safety rules doing so will go a long way toward keeping people and pets safe and giving you peace of mind.

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A Guide to Water Balance For Swimming Pool and Maintenance

Thursday, June 4th, 2009

Tip:To make efficient use of your swimming pool chemicals, managing good water balance is the main factor

Before adding swimming pool chemicals it is important that you read and familiarise yourself with the workings of your spa / pool and support equipment. A clear, clean fresh spa or pool is only possible if you have good filtration and clear water flow

The first step in treatment is to ensure good water balance, which will create the right conditions for bather comfort, chemical efficiency and equipment protection. There are three major factors affecting water balance, they are pH, total alkalinity and calcium hardness

Calcium hardness

Hardness is the measurement of calcium salts in the swimming pool or spa water and this will vary depending where you live. Low calcium hardness levels (soft water) can lead to corrosion of the materials of construction. Hard water (water high in calcium) can lead to limescale foriming in your pipes and equipment
Calcium Hardness Guide Measures
•    Ideal calcium hardness levels are between 100 – 200 ppm (mg/l).
•    When the level is below 75 ppm (mg/l), apply Hardness Plus
•    When the measurement exceeds 200 ppm (mg/l), apply Scale Inhibitor.

pH Measures

pH can range from 1 to 14 where 1 is very acid and 14 very alkaline It is essential to maintain spa water within the 7.2 – 7.6 range which, because it is slightly alkaline, will protect equipment from corrosion and provide the optimum conditions for the people enjoying the pool or spa and also ensures  the best sanitiser efficiency.
•    Ideal pH level for spas is between 7.2 – 7.6.
•    When the level is below use pH Plus
•    When the measurement is greater than 7.6 apply pH Minus
Note
pH can be tricky to manage in spas as the system water turns over fast, is very agitated and is at higher temperature than swimming pool systems. [All these factors

pH rises can be caused by this which causes chlorine products such as chlorine shock to lose effectiveness. Much higher doses of chlorine sanitisers such as will then be required. avoid this problem by using Bromine. Bromine works effectively over a wider pH range than chlorine Unlike chlorine, bromine keeps working in a spa for longer and so helps you minimise your spa chemicalsuse

Total Alkalinity

pH Changes are buffered by total alkalinity If TA levels are too low the pH will fluctuate widely.
If Total alkalinity is too high then water clarity can be affected but it also makes it difficult to make changes to water pH levels
•    optimum Total Alkalinity is 100 ppm (mg/l) When it is below 80mg/l use Alkalinity Plus
•    When Total Alkalinity is above 140mg/l remedy it with pH Minus to reduce it
You should definitely check your water balance on a regular basis as it is the basis for your other chemical treatments

Use Test strips to measure your water balance, they are very easy to use

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Methods for Maintaining a Clean Pool

Wednesday, June 3rd, 2009

The pool devil automatic swimming pool cleaner

First and foremost, it surely is vital to know  that the amount expended in obtaining and making use of  the proper swimming pool cleaners will truly pay off at the long run; you won’t have to expend huge money on fixing your pool as a result of the fact that regular sanitizing will halt  major damages on your swimming pool.

The fact that we mostly always mistakenly drink when swimming has to tell us of the importance of paying a lot of attention to disinfecting our pools; this is because if the pool’s water is not suitably clean and also free of bacteria, your physical healthiness will obviously suffer when you take in the water.

If you previously didn’t own a pool and yearn to be aware of the very best type of pool cleaner to make use of for your brand new pool , it certainly is most excellent to get the advice of those who have owned and used pool s for countless years; didn’t they confirm that “experience is the best teacher”?

The reality that you were able to purchase a pool needs to tell you of the necessary need more over pay for a swimming pool cleaner that will surely safeguard the larger investment you had done in constructing the pool in the first place. When buying a pool cover for your swimming pool, note that you’ll  still require to sanitize your swimming pool; the only disparity   is that the time to clean your swimming pool can be lessened when you regularly cover your pool.

Some individuals take long-term warranties for their pool cleaners principally on account of the servicing which these swimming pool cleaners need; you can too, if you are certain you will  be making use of  your swimming pool  cleaner much more continuously than usual. I perpetually cherish getting my robotic pool  cleaner to function then staying aside to behold it do its wonders; at these magic I am filled with a sort of overpowering feeling of respect and applaud the wonderful efforts of the inventors that made this likely.

The gorgeousness with robotic pool cleaners is that they come pre-programmed; this implies that you do not have to  bother about programming them; more so, robotic pool  cleaners are “plug N play” pool  cleaners.

What’s exceedingly  marvelous about the robotic kind of pool cleaners is the velocity at which they get your swimming pool cleaned; in just minutes you’ll  be stunned to discover your dirty looking pool  sparkling more than ever.

To close up, it surely is clear that the finest way for sanitizing your pool is to really go shopping for any of the varieties of robotlike pool cleaners which function finest for the form of pool you have.

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