Nick the Pool Guy FAQs



	About Us Pools & Spas Services Products Specials FAQs Home Contact Us Serving the Cincinnati, OH area since 2006 513.856.7665	Nick the Pool Guy FAQs COMMON QUESTIONS ASKED BY NICK THE POOL GUY CUSTOMERS When should my pool be opened for the summer season? Why hire Nick the Pool Guy to close my pool? How often should I replace my filter? How often should I run my pump and filter? What is the difference between a sand, cartridge, or D.E. filter? Should I upgrade to a larger pool filter? Should I do anything to my filter or equipment when I close my pool down for the winter? If I have an automatic pool cleaner, do I still have to brush my pool? I am having trouble keeping my pool clear. What should I do? How often should the sand in my filter be changed? Is there any way of sealing a leak in a filter tank? My Polaris is not moving. What is wrong with it? Why is water coming out of my backwash hose when my multi-port valve is in the filter position? If I am loosing 1/2" of water a day in my pool should I be concerned that I might have a leak? What is the difference between an overlap and a beaded liner? Winter cover vs. safety cover? What is the purpose of a solar cover? How do I calculate my pool volume? How often should my reagents and test strips be replaced? Why won't my pool hold chlorine? Why does my pool turn green when I shock my chlorine? Why does my pool have a very strong chlorine odor? Did I add too much chlorine? POOL SAFETY TIPS US Consumer Product Safety Commission
	NICK THE POOL GUY ANSWERS When should my pool be opened for the summer season? Early spring is the best time to open your pool. Opening early allows adequate time to replace any faulty equipment as well as correcting water chemistry before swimming weather arrives. Why hire Nick the Pool Guy to close my pool? By properly closing your pool for winter: You spend less time and money opening your pool in the spring through eliminating chemicals and cleaning. Plus you avoid possible freeze damage to equipment and plumbing. How often should I replace my filter? Depending on the length of your pool swimming season, it is recommended that a filter be replaced every 1 - 2 seasons. You can greatly increase the life time of your cartridge with the proper cleaning and care of the cartridge. How often should I run my pump and filter? Your pump and filter should be run 24 hours a day or at a minimum of 8-12 continuous daylight hours. return to top What is the difference between a sand, cartridge, or D.E. filter? Sand – Filter Range 20 to 40 microns. This is the oldest and most popular method of filtrations. Sand filters use a special filter sand that serves to separate particles, allowing filtration to take place. Sand filters are the least expensive type of filters. Cartridge – Filter Range 10 to 20 microns. Cartridge filtration has been available for a relatively long time and recently has begun to enjoy rapid growth and acceptance. When water passes through a cartridge filter, dirt is screened out at the surface of the cartridge element. When clean, the element will trap larger particles, with finer particles being filtered out as the pores of the element become clogged by the larger debris. The cartridge element can be removed and cleaned by pressure washing inside and out with a garden hose. D.E. (Diatomaceous Earth) – Filtration Range 1 to 3 microns. Many pool professionals consider D.E. filtration to be the finest, because it is capable of removing smaller particles than either sand or cartridge. Diatomaceous earth is a porous powder with microscopic openings, that, when magnified, look like tiny sponges. Clear water can pass through these openings but particles, as small as 1 to 3 microns are trapped. Internal elements are coated with D.E.. It is this “filter cake” that strains dirt, dust, algae and some forms of bacteria from the water. When a D.E. filter becomes dirty, it is cleaned either by backwashing the clogged D.E. to the “waste” line or regenerating and draining. To restore filtration, a fresh “charge” of D.E. is added to the filter. return to top Should I upgrade to a larger pool filter? Pool water filtration is the heart of your water care system. Energy savings and improved water clarity is achieved by reducing the time and energy your pump must exert to cycle your pool's entire body of water during a 12-hour period. The larger the filter, the more energy and time is saved since a larger filter provides more filtration area, which reduces backpressure buildup and strain on your pump. A larger filter can also extend the periodic maintenance cycle, which saves the homeowner valuable time. Should I do anything to my filter or equipment when I close my pool down for the winter? When you close your pool for the winter, cleaning sand or D.E. filters will ensure that they are ready for action when you reopen your pool the following season. When closing your pool, coat all accessible o-rings, rubber fittings, and gaskets with a silicone O-ring lube to keep them from drying out. If I have an automatic pool cleaner, do I still have to brush my pool? Yes! Brushing helps to prevent algae and other unforeseen problems. Automatic pool cleaners do not provide as much scrubbing action as brushes. I am having trouble keeping my pool clear. What should I do? Water clarity is 50% water balance and 50% filtration. If the filter is not being run as often as it should be or if the filter is not working efficiently, proper water balance will not solve your problem. Filter aids can be added to help improve filtration. Clarifiers can be used in conjunction with filter aids to increase the size of the particles so they can be filtered more easily. In addition to chemical remedies, proper water circulation inside the pool is vital. Returns should be pointed downward at a 45-degree angle and away from the skimmer to create a circular motion. How often should the sand in my filter be changed? It is recommended that sand be replaced every 3-4 years. return to top Is there any way of sealing a leak in a filter tank? There is no way to safely seal a leak in a filter tank. The best option is to replace the tank. My Polaris is not moving. What is wrong with it? Check the screen in the universal wall fitting. A dirty screen restricts the water flow that pushes the Polaris. Bad bearings can also be the culprit of a slow moving Polaris. Why is water coming out of my backwash hose when my multi-port valve is in the filter position? This problem usually indicates that the spider gasket inside the valve has gone bad. If I am loosing 1/2" of water a day in my pool should I be concerned that I might have a leak? No. Normal evaporation during the hot summer days is about 1/2" or less a day. Anything more than 1/2" a day may indicate a leak. What is the difference between an overlap and a beaded liner? Overlap liners fold over the top of the wall and are held in place by coping and metal rods. A beaded liner fits into a groove on the inside of the pool wall. return to top Winter cover vs. safety cover? A winter cover is a tarp designed in common pool shapes and sizes. These covers are available in a solid material, which allows no water to pass through, and in mesh, which will permit water and very fine silt to seep through. Winter covers only keep debris out of a closed pool, not people or animals. If you just want to keep your pool free of most debris during the colder months, a winter cover is adequate. If your pool is in an area subject to a lot of falling leaves in autumn, the addition of a leaf net is worth considering. A safety cover is designed to prevent accidental drowning as well as keeping leaves and other debris out of your pool. Designed in either solid or mesh material, safety cover fabric is much stronger than a winter cover. A safety cover is held in place by straps and springs that attach to anchors, which are drilled into the deck around the pool at regular intervals. The straps, anchors and safety cover material make these covers very secure. You can safely walk across a properly installed safety cover. Many pool owners with small children use these covers for the protection of their family and for the peace of mind of knowing the pool is securely sealed. Due to the need to install the anchors, safety covers are made for in-ground pools only. What is the purpose of a solar cover? Designed to retain heat from the sun and/or a heater, a solar cover shields your pool from cool winds and lower nighttime air temperatures. Solar covers float on the surface of the water when the pool is not in use. They come in blue and clear materials, the blue being thinner and less expensive. The clear solar blankets are preferred because they are thicker and also allow more sunlight to pass through the material. This helps increase your pool temperature as well as prevent the loss of accumulated heat. Many manufacturers of heaters and heat pumps recommend the use of a solar cover for more efficient heating. The expense of running a heater is decreased when used in conjunction with a solar cover. How do I calculate my pool volume? There are two formulas you can use to determine the volume of your pool. The first formula is for a round pool and it is as follows: Diameter x Diameter x Average Depth x 5.9 Example: a 24' round pool that was 4 ft. deep would look like this: 24 x 24 x 4 x 5.9 = 13,600 gallons (rounded up) The second formula is for a rectangular pool: Length x Width X Average Depth x 7.5 Example: a 20' x 40' pool that went from 3' to 8' in depth would look like this: 20 x 40 x 5.5 x 7.5 = 33,000 return to top How often should my reagents and test strips be replaced? It is recommended that reagents and test strips be replaced at the beginning of each swimming season. Why won't my pool hold chlorine? You most likely have a chlorine demand. Double shock every 3 hours until you can hold a free chlorine reading of 1.0 ppm or higher for at least 24 hours. This process will satisfy the demand of chlorine. Why does my pool turn green when I shock my chlorine? Clear green water usually indicates a presence of copper in the water. A chelating agent can be added to remove the metals. Why does my pool have a very strong chlorine odor? Did I add too much chlorine? Chloramines are the cause of the strong odor of chlorine. Chloramines are created by swimmer waste, perspiration, oils, and other contaminants that often enter the pool. Super-chlorinating your pool will alleviate this problem. return to top
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