Beemer Pools Ltd

UV Light Maintenance For those pools with a UV system, one should make sure that the lamp is routinely changed to ensure optimal performance. The manufacture sets out how many hours that these bulbs are good for, and then recommend replacing. The quartz sleeve also needs cleaned and or replaced on a need to basis. If you have neglected to maintain your uv system for 2 to 3 years, it would be safe to say that it is overdue for checkup. Overtime, the quartz sleeve with cloud up and the bulb will dim to the point that it is no benefit to your system.

How often should I backwash? If you have a sand filter, regular backwashing is required to keep sand clean enough to filter debris out of the water. All pools are different, so the easiest answer to this question is to look at the pressure gauge on the filter. Take note what the pressure is with a clean filter, let's say 10psi, when it reaches 15-17psi, it is time to backwash. After backwashing, turn the dial valve to rinse for 30 seconds to 1 minute or until it runs clear th...rough the sight glass. If you really desire to go green ( environmentally ) , a recommendation is to purchase a robot that works independently from your circulation system. These units collect all the dirt and debris in a basket or filters to be cleaned after each use. The prices on these vary, but the ones that I sell range from 950.00 up to over 3000.00. It depends on what you expect from a cleaner on what you will have to spend on one. By using these, you really cut down on backwashing and wasting water. See more

Do I have to Brush my Pool? It is a good practise to brush the walls on a weekly basis as this removes anything that may have started to grow on them. The debris simply falls into the water where it is chemically treated and filtered. If an algae bloom is left unattended on a poo wall or surface for a week, and the chlorine levels are not high enough to oxides it, it is only going to get worse. In fact, it could even stain the pool's finish, causing it to turn green. A quick brushing will help to ensure the cleanest pool possible all while extending the life of the finish.

Vital Maintenance Requirements Let's help out that pool pump of yours, mainly to ensure that is runs quietly and for a lengthly time. One of the most forgotten or overlooked issue is the pump basket and the skimmer basket. When the skimmer and strainer baskets get clogged, the pump has to work that much harder to maintain optimum flow rate. It may not seem like much, but over a long period of time, if the system is kept as clean as possible, and the pump is allowed to opera...te with the least amount of resistance, it will last much longer. Water chemistry is also affected by this, as the debris is kept out of the circulation system, the chemicals only have to work at keeping pool clear and disinfected without the process of breaking down the organics in the baskets. See more

This is what can happen to a winterized pool if you neglect to purchase a cover pump to pump rain water off of the cover as regular maintenance. The cover and waterbags are in the pool instead off being secured properly on the deck.

A family of racoons taking a drink while I vacuumed the pool. Another one enjoyed view from tree overlooking pool.

A few years back I installed a heat pump and a sand filter at this residence in Coquitlam when my helper and I noticed that we had curious visitors in the backyard with us. I see and interact with racoons often, but this was an exceptional meet. We just made a lot of noise to let them know that they were in they way between my tools in the truck and our work place. They leisurely made their way to the rear of the shed to the ravine and kept their distance till we were gone. The home owner later told us that bears and racoons were common swimmers in the pool.

Another option in winterizing your pool Many people prefer to shut their pool off in winter months and have it winterized, but to put a good quality winter blanket on it and all the water tubes it requires may not be affordable. What I have done in the past is purchase a pool robot and put it in pool a few times a month to keep debris out of pool. I then place a chlorine floater in pool and fill with pucks. This keeps a residual of chlorine in pool and maintains clarity. ... I sell robots starting at 900.00, but also sell battery powered vacuums for 175.00 that attach to your vacuum pole all these units have a filter basket that catches debris. A charge can last up to 90 minutes. Send me a request at [email protected] for an interest in purchasing accessories or equipment for your pool. Check out my website also beemerpools.ca See more

Here is a cheat sheet of pool volumes that may help you figure out how much water that your pool holds

What is the Cost of running a pool pump? Well first of all there is a tag on all motors with detailed information that is necessary in calculating this cost. Locate the VOLTAGE and AMPERAGE rating of the pump. Let us take for example a 1hp Hayward Super Pump. The voltage is 115/230 and the amp rating is 15/7.5. If you select the lower voltage rating (115), you will select the higher amperage rating (15). If you run the pump on the higher voltage (230), you will select the lo...wer amperage (7.5). For this example, we will use the lower voltage as to give people with above ground pool pumps a better idea, as they all run on 115 volts. MULTIPLY the VOLTAGE rating by the AMPERAGE rating. This will give you the total WATTS. Example 115 volts X 15 amps = 1725 WATTS. DIVIDE the total WATTS by 1000 to get KILOWATTS (KW). SO 1725 WATTS/1000 = 1.725 kW MULTIPLY the hours per day that you run your pool pump by the kW. This total will be the kWh -kilowatt hour per day Example 24 hours a day X 1.725 kW = 41.40 kWh per day. MULTIPLY the kWh per day by the cost per kWh. This can be found on your current Hydro bill. The result will tell you how much it costs to run your pump each day. 41.40 kWh a day X .12 cents per kWh = 4.97 per day to operate the pool pump. Now if you are running the same pump, but with 230 Volt, the cost will be 2.49 per day. This cost really adds up at the end of each month, so what can we do to reduce the cost? Well we can try and run the pump fewer hours per day. Your pool must turn the complete volume of water over at least once a day which on average will take 8 hours. Some municipalities have reduced rates for certain times of the day, and also if you are using a lot of power, they will put you into a higher price per kWh. Your bill will confirm the range of pricing. Quite often chemicals can be added in the evening, especially if you have just added shock, so let the pool -run all night to disperse evenly. Then pool could be shut off during the day. You could also run for non consecutive hours to equal the eight hours. You could run it for 2 hours here, 3 hours there, and then 3 hours there, as long as it runs for 8 hour minimum. As the summer heats up, you may experience spots of algae appearing. Well this is a signal that your pool needs more that the 8 hours to circulate. No two pools are the same, so this can take a bit of tweaking. So when it comes time to replace your pool pump consider different options that can save energy costs. - 230 volt - 2 speed pump - variable speed pump These may be more expensive initially to purchase, but if your system would accommodate these options, they will pay for themselves in energy costs alone over time.

This is the time of year that we have cottonwood and cherry blossoms sifting through the air and dropping into our pools. These are photos of skimmer baskets plugged with cottonwood. You can see how thick it is and just imagine the strain that it is putting on your pool pump. Please check these baskets every couple days to ensure your pump stays healthy and your chlorine is free to go it’s job of sanitizing pool instead of attacking debris.

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HOW TO TROUBLESHOOT A POOL PUMP Your pool pump is the heart of the plumbing system of your pool. Without it, the water won't flow through your filtration system to be properly cleaned. So what do you do if you have a problem with the pump? Some problems can be fixed quite easily, other require a professional like me to repair it. Here are some common problems and what has to be done to repair them....Continue reading

This is a typical basic operating system of an in ground pool. A real advantage on this system is the automatic chlorine puck feeder mounted on the return line after the heater. A check valve should always be installed between the heater and feeder to eliminate any chance of chlorine gas backing up into heater and damaging it.

In this freezing cold weather, I use different tactics to remove the skimmer lid to apply the needed chemicals in a pool that runs 24/7 all year long. At times l, it takes more than this to remove lid. Whatever method you use just be careful not to break the lid as it becomes brittle over time. With the amount of rain that we receive during these months, one has to monitor the Ph level in the pool and also the water level. We use a fair amount of Alka Plus to keep Ph in line. The final photo shows the desired level that pool should be kept at year long.

This was Dallis - late for work !

More photos of winterized pool

Another pool winterized. Thus one took 3 visits to complete. Upon the first visit I found the pool pretty green and in need of chemical balance and shocking. I added 8 kg of alkalinity to attain 80 ppm and then I added chlorine pucks and shock. I returned 4 days later to backwash, add more alkalinity and shock as chlorine level was low and pool was not clear. I also put in a clarifying agent to aid in clearing pool. At this time I was also able to fill all the water bags and ...place around pool. three days later I was also to vacuum the pool and finalize the process. I put a skimmer plug on face of skimmer to prevent water from entering it throughout the winter. I then blew the return and skimmer lines out and plugged them. I installed a Gizmo and antifreeze in the skimmer to protect the skimmer from freezing and cracking in the event water was able to get in there in the winter. All that was left was to place the cover on and place the water bags on it to secure it. An option and highly recommended is to put a cover pump on it to automatically pump excess water off the cover when it reaches a certain level. See more

This is that time of year that the wind and rain play havoc with your pool. As you can see from this photo, the water level is above the skimmer from the torrential rains that we get. That dark shadow on pool bottom is leaves and debris that is deposited by the wind or an inexperienced operator of a leaf blower. The best way to handle this situation is to use a good quality leaf or bag net to scoop leaves out of the pool and then I use a leaf catcher in line with my vacuum to collect remaining debts while vacuuming. If you have a sand filter, you can vacuum pool on the waste program to get the water to desired level.

Well with this hot water that we have been having lately, it is a good practise to shock your pool every Sunday Evening as the weekend winds down. If your pool sees a lot of activity during the week it is good practise to keep an eye on the chlorine and Ph levels. If the Ph fluctuates either higher or lower than normal, your chlorine can become ineffective even though you get a good reading. The sun can consume the chlorine very fast on these hot days, so the stabilizer shou...ld also be within range 30 - 50 PPM. Higher reading than this can also lower the efficiency of the chlorine. Do not keep your solar cover on for days at time or the pool will sprout algae very fast and this can cut into your swimming time. Your pool needs to breathe fresh air, just like you and I. Once algae begins to form in the pool, the expense of operating a pool becomes expensive, because of added chemicals to combat problem and also perhaps a service call to correct situation. See more

Well swimming season is in full swing now. Just a few tips to help you maintain crystal clear water and safe chemical usage. Running your circulation system 24 hours a day 7 days a week with proper chemical balance is the best method to ensure you do not run into problems. Keep your Ph between 7.2 and 7.6 Keep your Alkalinity between 80 ppm and 110 ppm. This buffers your Ph and prevents fluctuation which most time eliminates use of Ph up and Ph down. Keep your chorine betw...een 1ppm and 3ppm to ensure proper sanitation In The lower mainland we have very soft water which measures 20ppm. For vinyl liner pools we recommend adding calcium chloride to maintain a level of up to 200 ppm. Concrete pools require a minimum of 200 ppm as the water will draw calcium from the walls and floor to satisfy its need creating a very rough surface. The pool should be shocked once a week with a super chlorinator product to burn up organics left behind by swimmers and environment. I also recommend adding an enzyme called Phosfree to destroy phosphates in the pool which algae feeds on. If you use a solar cover, remember that it will cause algae to appear if left on for days at a time. Take it off at least every 2 days when pool is not in use to let pool breathe. Also leave it off after shocking the pool will has to gas off, and will melt solar cover voiding any warranty that the cover carries. Have a safe summer. See more