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Swimming pool service contractor SwimRight | Scottsdale Pool Service

What does pool maintenance cost?

SwimRight Pool service contractors, serving Scottsdale, Arizona explain pool maintenance costs 

One of the biggest questions the swimming pool service contractors from SwimRight Pools field is, “what does pool maintenance cost?” It’s not a one size fits all answer because there are so many variables.

Why do pool maintenance costs vary? SwimRight Pool service contractors explain these are a few of the reasons:

  1. The amount of use your particular pool sees
  2. The size of the pool
  3. The depth of the poolpool cleaning
  4. The accessories you have in your swimming pool
  5. The construction material of the pool
  6. The age of the pool
  7. Whether you use a cover

Once you have worked with a swimming pool service professional and he has assessed your unique pool he can give you an estimate on the ongoing upkeep and maintenance costs of the pool. Some of the items that go into the cost of maintaining the pool include:

  • The chemicals that are used
  • The addition of water due to splashing out or evaporation
  • The age and condition of your equipment which will impact the utilities you pay to run the pool
  • The amount of wear and tear on the pool, the structure and the equipment used to run it
  • The time you want to put into keeping the pool updated on your own. Many pool owners can put a “price” on their time and how much time it will take them to clean the pool and when they do that, they may decide that hiring a professional is more than worth the cost

Before you sign any contracts for your swimming pool maintenance, gather more than one estimate and compare the services and the prices before making a decision.

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Swimming pool service contractor

Is it time to hire a commercial pool contractor

The heat is relentless and if you’re the manager or owner of a commercial swimming pool in Scottsdale, Arizona you may be wondering, is it time to hire a commercial pool contractor? The swimming pool service contractors from SwimRight Pool Service & Repair have tips on what a commercial contractor can do, and why it matters and offer insights on how to hire a professional you can trust.

Managing and maintaining a commercial swimming pool like one at a condo, apartment complex, hotel or school is a bonus for those who use it, but it can be a headache and a source of worry for the person managing it to keep it clean and safe for all who use it.

Who’s going to clean your commercial pool may be a question you’re asking when you jump into the new role.

Keeping up with commercial swimming pool maintenance can be a daunting task. Even if you’re great at caring for your home pool, a commercial pool is a different animal indeed. Caring for your own pool is infinitely easier because you’re not contending with hundreds of people using it.

Is it time to hire a commercial pool contractor

Caring for a commercial swimming pool requires extreme skill and that can be brought to your community pool by hiring one of the reliable, experienced commercial swimming pool and spa service contractors from SwimRight Pools.

A commercial pool contractor will perform the following tasks:

  • Clean the water, balance the chemicals, vacuum
  • Leak detection
  • Equipment repair and replacement
  • Inspection of accessories such as diving boards and slides
  • Inspection of the deck for any trip or fall hazards

Ask this when requesting an estimate from a commercial contractor:

  1. What is included in the contract price and does it include the cost of chemicals
  2. How many times a week he will visit
  3. Are there emergency after hour calls. What is the fee or is it included? How long will it take for a contractor to get there
  4. It’s as important to know what’s included as to what’s excluded in the contract. Don’t get blindsided by add ons you didn’t anticipate.
  5. In-depth cleaning of the filters
  6. Backwashing the pool when needed — is it included, how often will it be done, how long will the pool be out of commission.
  7. Add chemicals to bring water to safe levels
  8. Perform thorough cleaning and vacuuming of the pool and cleaning the filters
  9. Can show you how to test the water chemistry between service visits in case there is a drastic change and you can call for an additional service visit (if you do this, is there an extra cost?)

Some commercial contractors provide free inspections and some even offer a free cleaning so you can gauge the quality of their work. Give us a call if you’re looking to negotiate your contract with your current commercial pool contractor or if you’re taking on a new role and it includes a pool on-premises.

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Scottsdale Swimming pool service contractor

Is it time to resurface your Arizona pool?

How do you know whether it’s time to resurface your Arizona pool? The swimming pool service contractors in Scottsdale, AZ from SwimRight Pool Service & Repair can help you decide whether the time is right. There will come a time in every pool owners’ life when the pool resurfacing project will need to be planned.

Gunite pools need to be acid-washed occasionally and that might mean it won’t need a total resurfacing. A pool resurfacing project is typically beyond the skill level of the average DIY pool owner. Give us a call and let’s talk about what goes into this project and you can decide whether you want to attempt it.

We can recommend ways to extend the life of the pool plaster and how to make the surfaces last longer and allow you to put off — for a while — the resurfacing.

Is it time to resurface your Arizona pool?

Why should you resurface?

  1. Breathes new life into the beauty of your pool
  2. Protects the pool’s integrity by addressing any potential cracks or leak-prone areas
  3. To remove stains

Resurfacing the pool can be a stand-alone project combined with a complete remodel. Resurfacing the pool pays itself in the additional years of life it adds to it. If you’re wondering whether your pool needs this project, just ask us the next time we pay a service and maintenance visit.

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Swimming pool service contractor

Why in pool steps need to be cleaned

Pre-pool opening and during the season swim maintenance should involve a thorough cleaning of the pool walls and floors during pool maintenance visits. This thorough cleaning also involves cleaning the swimming pool steps. Whether you have metal steps or built-in pool steps, they need to be cleaned, the top, bottom, sides and behind the steps and ladder. We have tips for why in pool steps need to be cleaned, how and why.

Ignoring these areas of your pool could lead to algae bloom and a green pool — no one wants that. When we pay a service visit to your Scottsdale, Arizona pool, the contractors from SwimRight Pool Service & Repair will pay special attention to the steps. They know, from experience, that algae are sneaking and if they can hang on through a few pool cleanings, they can take over your water and make it unswimmable.

Because the steps in your pool are constantly surrounded by water, they can become slimy and could become resistant to the pool chemicals. Also, slippery steps could lead to an accident.

Why in pool steps need to be cleaned

Here are some of the, um… steps… we take to clean the pool steps:

  1. If this is a first-time clean, we may recommend lowering the water levels so the steps can be thoroughly and completely scrubbed to loosen any bacteria or algae. Any larger pieces will be vacuumed up and after the first cleaning, a brushing without having to lower the water should be sufficient.
  2. A pool cleaning solution will be applied to the brush and the steps and it will be cleaned and vacuumed.
  3. Between service visits, you may want to invest in a robotic cleaner because it can be dropped onto the steps and will move around and brush off any debris or bacteria and then vacuum it up as it moves forward. Sometimes, though there is no substitute for gold old-fashioned elbow grease.

Give us a call if you’d like an estimate for a pool cleaning — either for the season or for an occasional deep clean before or after parties, or prior to closing the pool or opening it for the season.

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Swimming pool service contractor

Is it worth getting a vinyl liner pool?

There are times we get asked, is it worth getting a vinyl liner pool? That is a question that’s hard to answer because there are many nuances that need to be considered and bottom line, it’s a personal choice. First, you need to know about the three types of pool construction materials and the swimming pool service contractors from SwimRight Pools and Spa Repair explain they are:

  1. Concrete
  2. Fiberglass
  3. Vinyl liner

Each has advantages. Each has disadvantages. If you’re looking for the longest-lasting material — that’s concrete but that material is also the most expensive. Fiberglass is mid-priced between concrete and vinyl liner and is the easiest to keep clean but it is limited in style based on the fiberglass forms that are available.

Vinyl liner pools are the least expensive but are still by no means inexpensive. Vinyl liners are also prone to leaks and tears. How long will one last? That depends on how well balanced the water chemistry is because improperly balanced chemicals can damage the liner. Where you live plays a role in the type of liner or construction material that may make the most sense. For example, earthquake-prone areas are best served by fiberglass or vinyl liners because they are made to withstand the movement of the earth during those times.

Water chemistry, use and environment in which the pool resides play a role in the viability of the liner. This makes it difficult to give a definitive answer as to how long a vinyl liner will last and whether it’s worth getting one.

Is it worth getting a vinyl liner pool?

Any swimming pool that is cared for by a swimming pool professional that is experienced in all types of pool construction materials ensures that no matter what type of pool you get we will care for it and help it last as long as possible.

Make sure you do your homework and know all the pros and cons to each type of construction material and make the bst decision for you.

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Premium Scottsdale Swimming pool service contractor SwimRight | Scottsdale Pool Service

Water conservation tips for Scottsdale, AZ swimming pool owners

Water conservation tips for Scottsdale, AZ swimming pool owners 

When you’re having a swimming pool constructed, you understand you need to make arrangements to have the pool filled and you can do that either with the hose from your home or you may opt to have water trucked in. Be aware that in some areas of the country, the water you use will also generate a sewage usage charge — you may want to talk with your particular municipality to see if there is a fee and if it can be waived because you will be using the water, but not generating any “sewage usage.”

Once the pool has been filled, the swimming pool contractors from SwimRight Pools explain that there will be an ongoing cost of water swimming poolsimply due to evaporation and water being splashed out. Keeping the pool filled to the proper level – which is necessary to make certain your pool equipment is functioning properly – is an ongoing task. There are many things you can do to help with water conservation and consumption for your pool or hot tub.

Swimming pool contractors in Scottsdale, Arizona offer these steps to help you conserve water in your swimming pool or spa. These tips will also help keep money in your wallet:

  1. A leaking swimming pool will obviously lead to water loss and the cost and need to refill it. One of the easiest ways to determine whether you have a leak or evaporation? The “bucket test.” Fill a bucket with water, mark the water level in the bucket, place it next to your pool and measure whether the water in the bucket evaporates at the same rate as your pool does. Also, check for damp spots around the pool. Loose or cracked tiles can also be the sign of a leaking pool or hot tub.
  2. Not using a cover can lead to up to an inch of water loss a week – especially in the summer months and that equates to close to a loss of close to 7,000 gallons a year! You pool cover can also conserve heat and lead to a savings on heating costs and it can also reduce the need for additional chemical use.
  3. When the pool is backwashed your filters that uses extra water. Keeping the pool and filters clean eliminates the need for frequent backwashing.
  4. The swimming pool doesn’t need to be full to the brim. Keep the water about an inch above the bottom pool tile. This will help keep water in when swimmers are splashing around.
  5. Lowering the temperature on your pool a degree or two  will help save money and slow down the rate of evaporation.
  6. Add chlorine when the sun goes down. If you add chlorine in the daytime, the sun quickly dissipates the chlorine.
  7. Strategic planting of trees, shrubbery and fencing or privacy barriers can cut down on evaporation caused by the wind.

Ask your pool contractor for advice on how to check whether your pool is leaking and for further advice on how to save money and prevent pool water evaporation.

 

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Scottsdale Swimming pool chemicals Swimming pool service contractor SwimRight | Scottsdale Pool Service

Tips For Scottsdale, AZ swimming pool maintenance

The season for closing your swimming pool is likely just around the corner, even for Scottsdale, Arizona swimming pool owners. As any swimming pool owner will share, the upkeep and maintenance that goes along with owning a swimming pool are a seemingly endless array of tasks and that’s why many pool owners opt to work with a Scottsdale, Arizona swimming pool service contractor. This has been even swimming pool cleaning more true in light of the recent monsoon season, dust storms and flooding.

What are the typical daily tasks that must be addressed by swimming pool owners? Here are five offered by the swimming pool service providers from SwimRight Pools:

  • When your pool cover is off you will need to perform some tasks daily (that’s why pool professionals advise using a pool cover when you’re not swimming). The tasks you will need to perform include skimming the top of the pool for any debris that may have fallen in; this easily done through the use of a skimmer. This process will not take too much time out of your day and will ensure that you have a safe, clean pool. After all, there is nothing worse than swimming in a pool that is filled with leaves and bugs!
  • Invest in the correct type of pool brush — ask your pool contractor for advice as the building material of your pool will determine the type of brush you buy. A pool brush is used to brush down the pool walls and floor to loosen any debris and brush away any potential algae bloom.
  • Back washing of your pool will be necessary at certain points throughout the swim season. It is a way to get rid of the dirty water and  give you the opportunity to fill up with clean water.
  • Keep an eye on the water levels during the summer months. Pool water can evaporate quickly when the weather is hot and will need to be topped up; you don’t want to overfill it so ask your contractor what the correct water level is.
  • If you work with a pool contractor, chances are you won’t need to store pool cleaning chemicals on site, but if you want to maintain the pool between visits you will need to keep chlorine and other necessary items. You will also want to purchase a kit to test the water chemical levels.

Working with a pool service pro is the easiest — and for many people, in the long run — the most cost effective way to keep the pool clean and maintained on a regular basis.

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Swimming pool chemicals Swimming pool service Swimming pool service contractor

Scottsdale, AZ pool service contractors address skin sensitivity issues

If you find that once you’re in the water or have finished up swimming that you are plagued with skin sensitivity, you need to talk test kit for poolwith your swimming pool service contractor from SwimRight Pools  and let them know because they may need to adjust the chemical balances so you don’t have that issue. Chemicals to keep the water clean and free of bacteria are a necessary part of pool ownership — unless you are using a salt water chlorination system or have incorporated green cleaning methods — but there is a chance that you have a higher sensitivity to the chemicals than others and your pool contractor can help you with those issues. You certainly don’t want to stop using pool chemicals, but  your contractor can make adjustments to help those with sensitive skin (or red, irritated eyes) have a more enjoyable time when taking a dip.

The first step for your Scottsdale, Arizona swimming pool service contractor is to ascertain whether the pool’s pH and alkalinity are in the recommended ranges. Balances on either end of the spectrum – either too low or too high — can cause skin irritation and eye redness. To keep the pool’s pH and alkalinity properly balanced you should use an accurate test kit after adding chemicals — this is something your pool contractor will do for you when he is on a service visit or something a pool owner can do between visits. The water will need to be tested at least weekly, and after a rainfall, with test strips or liquid reagents to help keep the pool in balance.

Testing the water may be a daily routine until you get the balances just right. Following the testing of the water you might find it necessary to balance out the pool’s chlorine levels as these levels can cause significant eye and skin irritation. It’s a popular pool myth that strong chlorine odor and eye irritation is caused by too much chlorine. “Free chlorine” actually has no taste or odor. When free chlorine reacts with bacteria, ammonia, or other waste products it is changed into combined chlorine or chloramines. Ammonia is released into the water from body waste and sweat. Combined chlorine – free chlorine and ammonia — has a strong odor and causes skin irritation and eye redness. There should be no combined chlorine in your pool water. Combined chlorine will prevent the chlorine from doing what it is supposed to.

Always test your water for free and total chlorine levels – this is the first step in cleansing your pool of these potential skin irritants. Testing can either be done at home, by you with a good test kit, or you can take a sample to your local pool professional. You will want to add chlorine to bring the free chlorine up to 10 times the combined chlorine; if the combined chlorine is 0.2 PPM, you will add 20 PPM free chlorine. This process is called “breakpoint chlorination” or “superchlorination,” the point where the chloramine bonds break apart.

Some individuals find that being constantly vigilant with balancing the chlorine levels is more of a chore than they want to take on and in that case, hiring a pool maintenance professional whose job is to make certain your pool is safe and clean is certainly a viable option.

There are also chemicals made of natural compounds that can be used to keep your water clean and bacteria free and will also address skin sensitivity issues that may arise. Once you determine the correct balances, though it should be as easy as daily maintenance and testing. Everyone into the pool!

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Advanced Swimming pool chemicals Swimming pool service Swimming pool service contractor

Environmentally friendly swimming pool tips for Scottsdale, AZ pools

Environmentally friendly swimming pool tips for Scottsdale, AZ pools

Droughts and other environmental issues have many swimming pool owners looking for ways to run a more environmentally friendly swimming pool — one that incorporates with a greener living lifestyle and swimming pool service contractors from SwimRight Pools can work with you to find ways to do just that with your pool and help reduce its carbon footprint.

Trends toward eco-friendly lifestyles range from cutting back on using disposable containers and plastic water bottles to recycling portfolio-3to the type and frequency of swimming pool chemicals that you use. Many pool owners are working with their pool contractors to find ways to  to incorporate environmentally friendly aspects into their swimming pools. What are some of the steps you can take? Here are a few to consider:

  • Cut back on chlorine. While chlorine has long been used as a swimming pool cleaning agent, and is great for keeping the water clean and bacteria-free, there are other ways to keep the water clean without the use of chlorine as well because chlorine can damage not only the swimming pool itself but the environment. Your swimming pool service contractors in Scottsdale, Arizona can offer suggestions on other ways to clean your pool.
  • An eco- or environmentally friendly swimming pool is one that operates on a reduced amount of electricity compared to other swimming pools. With this type of swimming pool you can help lower your utility bills, save money and not harm the environment.
  • Save money and the environment by using solar power to heat your swimming pool. If you live in an area of the country that is blessed with long days of hot sunshine, harnessing the sun to heat your swimming pool  not only save money on using an in pool heater but can extend your swimming season.
  • When you’re in the planning stages of your swimming pool project, talk with your swimming pool builder about installing high efficiency filters, heaters (unless you go solar) or pumps. These pieces of equipment may have a higher up front cost but because they use less energy to operate they cost less money on a monthly basis.
  • Salt water swimming pools are gaining in popularity even though they are expensive to install initially, a salt water pool will pay for itself in the long run. Salt water pool systems virtually eliminate the need to add chlorine to your swimming pool.

If you want to extend your green lifestyle into your backyard swimming pool talk to your swimming pool builder and work with him or her on ways to make it happen. These changes can be made gradually or as part of an overall swimming pool renovation project.

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Cleaning Your Arizona Swimming Pool Tiles

Just as your swimming pool needs to be cleaned and the walls and floors scrubbed on occasion so, too do your swimming pool tiles and the deck area. Keeping the pool clean involves more than vacuuming and maintaining the structure itself, it also involves removing calcium water deposits and lime scale from your deck. Swimming pool service contractors in Scottsdale, Arizona who are typically also swimming pool tile cleaning professionals explain that it requires specific steps to keep the tiles pool-tile-before-compclean.

Hard water deposits are usually found on the upper rows of the tiles that surrounding your swimming pool and because of this your pool service contractor will likely need to drain it a few inches to remove the deposits. Your service professional has the skills and experience necessary to perform this task for you.

When your service tech from Swim Right Pools comes to clean the swimming pool tiles here is some of the work that will go into the project:

  1. The pool water will be drained to below the rows of tiles that are encrusted with the hard water or lime deposits and a layer of an acidic gel tile cleaner will be applied, one section at a time. The gel will be worked into the tiles and allowed to sit and work for at least 15 minutes to loosen the deposits.
  2. The deposits will be scoured and deposits that are not easily removed, will be scraped out with a razor blade.
  3. The gel and its residue will need to be wiped away and your swimming pool pro will take care to not let any of the cleaner drip into the remaining pool water.
  4. Your swimming pool service contractor will work his way around the pool inspecting all of the surfaces and will repeat the process until the tiles are clean. They will pick up a shine once the deposits are cleaned off – and will look as good as new.
  5. If you have hard water build up and deposits on the tiles on the deck surrounding the swimming pool, your pool tech will take care of that as well.

Many pool owners find that calcium and lime build up are those items that sneak up without your noticing until it becomes a problem. Asking your pool contractor to keep the tiles clean and keeping hard water deposit build-up at bay is something you can work into a swimming pool service contract.