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Tag: commercial swimming pool

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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.

Categories
Swimming pool service

What’s behind the walls of your swimming pool?

What is lurking behind the walls of your swimming pool? Nothing too scary, but there is an intricate set of piping and plumbing. The swimming pool contractors at SwimRight Pool Service & Repair understand that the plumbing is something a pool owner hopes to never have to think about but, if there is a leak or a broken pipe then it’s all hands on deck to see what’s behind the walls of your swimming pool.

Unless you’re a trained and experienced plumber, not many pool owners would — or perhaps should — attempt addressing plumbing issues in the pool. If you have been measuring water levels in your pool and suspect that it’s going away more quickly than evaporation or splashing out would suggest, it might be time to start looking for a leak as a cause of the disappearing water level. Keep in mind that evaporation is a true and ongoing concern for Arizona pool owners but there are times you will notice the water going down much more quickly than it should be.

Anyone interested in fixing or installing plumbing traps or drains should know there are little secrets to making life easier.
The first of our secrets include “hand tightening.”  Whether you’re installing a new drain or repairing a sink trap you need to ensure that everything that has been put together is first and foremost tight enough to not cause leaks but not so tight that it could cause problems if you needed to work on it later. Snug is better than too tight.

What’s behind the walls of your swimming pool?

The plumbing is designed to make hand tightening the best for pool plumbing. This just means you need use all your strength in tightening it but simply put the plumbing drain trap and other parts required for the drain assembly, not just together but hold up tightly.

After the plumbing has been installed, your pool contractor will test everything before closing up the walls and sealing the plumbing inside.  Test the drain by running water through the plastic drain pipes and look for any leaks. If any leaks happen, tighten the plumbing and joints a little bit more. Tighten slowly but surely until the leak stops.

Pool plumbing involves fitting shower heads and taps and other sections that run to and from your pool. For most homeowners, the right kind of tools is another secret to easy plumbing. One such tool you’ll need is a pipe wrench. These wrenches can be adjusted to fit whichever pipe dimension you’re working with. Other tools that are included in the must-have list to secrets of great plumbing are screwdriver, washers and some PTFE tape.

If you are a DIYer you can give the plumbing a go but if you doubt your skills it’s best to leave pool plumbing to a pro — after all a pool is a major investment that you want to protect.

Categories
swimming pool remodel

Is your swimming pool mobility-impaired-friendly?

Swimming pools are fun for everyone. That is even more true if the pool is able to be used by everyone in the family. Is your swimming pool mobility-impaired-friendly? This could mean someone who has difficulty walking or with mobility or for an older adult who can no longer or no longer wants to climb up and down the ladder to get into the pool.

There are many assistive devices to help people into and out of the pool and the swimming pool contractors from SwimRight Pool Service & Repair can work with you to have them installed. Swimming pools offer therapeutic and exercise benefits and are a great place for entertainment and family time.

When you have a pool it is a low-impact way to strengthen muscles or to just relax. Swimming, water aerobics and water walking are ideal exercises for people with physical disabilities or those recovering from injuries. If you’re looking to make your pool accessible to everyone, there are methods to consider.

Is your swimming pool mobility-impaired-friendly

  • If you already have a pool and are remodeling it and installing a permanent ramp isn’t feasible, you can purchase portable ramps that make getting into and out of the water easier. The ramps work well for those who use an aquatic wheelchair.
  • With in-ground pools, you can install a ramp that descends on a slow inclined slope from the deck to the bottom of the pool. It is best to build the ramp at the same time you build the pool, but it can be installed after the fact. Also, remember to install a handrail as an additional support mechanism.
  • An above-ground pool simply might not offer a way to install a ramp so you might need to consider an electronic lift as an alternative. With a lift, you sit in the seat, and it lifts you up and over the wall and lowers you into the pool.
  • A beach entry with handrails is a construction method to consider as part of the project because that is an easy way for people to get into and out of the water.
  • Ladders can be more accessible if you purchase one with a ladder, more closely spaced rungs and a wider step.

Give us a call if you’re looking for ways to make your pool accessible for everyone.

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Swimming pool chemicals Swimming pool service

Pool cleaning basics for DIY pool owners

There is so much to know when you’re having a swimming pool constructed. The swimming pool and service professionals from SwimRight Pool Service & Repair also know that Arizona pool owners need to know all about pool cleaning and who to hire for that task. We offer pool cleaning basics for DIY pool owners, but remain available for those pool owners who want to use their free time to swim — not clean!

Keeping the pool water clean and bacteria-free and ensuring the pool equipment is operating as it should, is a lot of work! This information is great even if you have a pool maintenance professional because you will want to take on some light pool maintenance between service visits. It’s always great to be an informed pool owner, too.

Pool cleaning basics for DIY pool owners

What goes into pool cleaning and maintenance?

  1. Raking and skimming off any floating debris before it falls to the bottom of the pool.
  2. Brushing the pool walls and floors should be part of the daily cleaning even if you have to spread the brushing over a couple of days, the pool should be brushed thoroughly and completely at least two times a week.
  3. A vacuuming of the pool after the brushing has been accomplished is part of pool cleaning basics. You can use a manual or an automatic vacuum — ask us to explain the differences.
  4. Testing the water chemistry regularly.

Ask us what pool supplies and equipment you should keep on hand and for a quick lesson on reading and understanding the water chemistry readings so you’re prepared to add the chemicals necessary to bring the chemistry back in balance.

Categories
Swimming pool safety

3 reasons to learn to swim

There are so many reasons to learn to swim, especially if you — like many other people across the country — are staying close to home for vacations and are having your own family swimming pool constructed. The pool contractors from SwimRight Pool Service & Repair in Scottsdale, AZ offer up 3 reasons to learn to swim and we know you can add more of your own personal reasons.

Swimming is great exercise, something anyone of any age can do and is a way to spend family time together and build memories. There are ways to learn to swim — whether you teach your family or if you take swimming lessons passing along swim knowledge and safety is crucial for making the pool the safest “room in the house.”

Here are three things to keep in mind when starting to swim:

3 reasons to learn to swim

  • Know the rules of the water: The rules of the water mean that those who are in the water need to have a healthy respect for it at all times. Those who can’t swim should stay in the shallow end of the pool and the shallow end should be clearly marked to delineate it from the deep end. Whether you’re in the shallow end or not, you should also wear a life vest — this goes for children who know how to swim — safety first.
  • Ease your way into the water: Once you’re in the shallow end, lower yourself little by little until you have submerged yourself up to your chest then eventually go underwater. Hold onto the side of the swimming pool as you ease your way in and work up the nerve to put your head underwater. Take a deep breath before you put your face in the water and take time to just get used to the feeling of the water on your face. Work your way up to holding onto the side of the pool, putting your face in the water and kicking your legs back so that you’re floating.
  • Learn to tread water: Treading water is a lifesaver and everyone needs to learn this. This will be something that will be taught if you take swimming lessons no matter what your age.

These are just a few of the many things you need to do to learn to swim — or to teach your family to swim. Remember, it’s better safe than sorry and your children should wear life vests, even if they know how to swm. It should go without saying that no one should ever swim alone — even the strongest swimmer in the household.

Categories
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.

Categories
Swimming pool service

Tips for upgrading your poolside furniture

It may be steaming hot outdoors, but if you’ve spent your week indoors in the air conditioning you may be yearning for poolside time. If you look at the pool area and it’s not as great as you hoped it would be we have tips for upgrading your poolside furniture to make outdoor living as comfortable as your living room.

There is no better place to relax than poolside and if you have a well-furnished swimming pool deck. There are myriad shapes, styles and materials for pool and patio furniture. There are the traditional webbed lounge styles, hammocks and hand-hewn wooden furniture.

Tips for upgrading your poolside furniture

Styles

In the past, you may not have cared if your pool furniture was mismatched but today everyone wants the patio and poolside to be comfortable and aesthetically pleasing. Sure you can have mismatched styles and fabrics, but even then people are mixing and matching with purpose and with a unifying theme or color.

Furniture in matching and complementary styles and colors whether lounges or chairs or complete outdoor patio sets including outdoor eating areas lure you to spend time outside.

Whether contemporary or modern, a central color theme and furniture style pulls the whole outdoor living area together.

Furniture materials

Choose from wrought iron or cypress and cedar are durable woods that are popular for outdoor furniture. Cedar and cypress can withstand the water swimmers drip onto it when they’re coming out of the pool and are looking for a place to relax and dry off. These woods both age well and can last for decades. If you’re looking for an option that is a little less expensive choose aluminum frame furniture. This furniture can stand up to years of use and weather.

Cushion fabrics

Ask us for insight into what the best fabrics for withstanding weather and prolonged exposure to chlorine-soaked bathing suits. Choose from vinyl, polyester and various cottons made specifically for outdoor use. If you have children you might want to choose a material that is easy to be cleaned in the event drinks are spilled.

Colors

Decide if you want your colors to be bold and bright or soft and muted or a mixture. Do you want a splash of colors reminiscent of a jungle or floral garden? Do you want colors that offer a feeling of zen once you lower yourself into a chair after a swim or when you’re serving meals al fresco.

Don’t make a rush decision because it is a major investment. We also urge you to dress in shorts and sit in furniture before you buy it. If it’s not comfortable during a “trial sit” it won’t be comfortable to a long time relaxation session.

Categories
Swimming pool service

The benefits of automatic pool cleaners

There’s no worry that if we install an automatic swimming pool cleaner for you that we will “lose our jobs.” The swimming pool contractors from SwimRight Pool Service & Repair understand that even if you’re diligent about using a pool cover, you may need to vacuum the pool between visits. The benefits of automatic pool cleaners cannot be denied because they are essentially a “set it and forget it.”

Automatic pool cleaners cut back on the active pool maintenance time you may need to be involved in between our scheduled service visits. Pool cleaning, especially if you live in Arizona, might seem like it’s never-ending and that is what comes from living in an area of the country that boasts such sunny, hot weather for so many months of the year. That doesn’t mean you need to give up your free time to clean the pool, though.

The reason you want to vacuum the pool regularly is to keep dirt and debris that fall into the pool from getting sucked into and clogging the filters. You no longer need to manually wield the standard, manual hand-held pool cleaning nets with mesh buckets when automation makes it easier.

The benefits of automatic pool cleaners

There are pool vacuums that are lower cost but they involve back-bending time spent cleaning – a handheld vacuum is one of those items. Many find that the vacuums don’t remove as much dirt and silt as you’d think, they tend to stir it up more than pick it up. Protect your free time and your back with an auto cleaner:

  1. Pressure-fed cleaners are a bit better but require the installation of a special pump to operate and the expensive in-floor cleaning systems take a great deal of installation work before they are operational. Pressure-fed cleaners are typically installed during pool construction.
  2. A suction cleaner requires less physical labor but are sometimes problematic since they don’t scrub the pool all that well and are rather random with their scanners so they miss many areas of the pool.
  3. The answer to your cleaning prayers is the robotic pool cleaner – think in-home Roomba for the pool! The benefits include ease of installation. They provide a complete pool cleaning including scrubbing and the application of cleaning chemicals. This type of cleaner offers you independence from cleaning.

Ask us about the benefits of an automatic pool cleaner and let’s discuss what type might be best for your family.

Categories
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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Swimming pool service Uncategorized

Is it safe to swim in cloudy water?

When we pay a service visit we get asked all the time, is it safe to swim in cloudy water? The short answer is, that you shouldn’t. The long answer is you need to give us a call so we can get to the bottom of the cloudy water. Ask any pool owner and he or she will tell you how much work they require to keep clean and keep the water chemistry balanced.

That’s why so many pool owners in Scottsdale, Arizona work with a swimming pool contractor from Swim Right Pool Service & Repair you will be able to spend your free time swimming, not cleaning the swimming pool.

If there comes a time when you go for a swim and notice that the water is cloudy, do you know what to do to get it clear and swimmable? It could take a bit of work and chemical adjustment to make it happen. When you work with us and have us clean and maintain your pool, the chance of cloudy water happening is minimal, but can still occasionally occur.

Cloudy or milky-looking water typically arises because of a disinfection system or water circulation issue.

Is it safe to swim in cloudy water?

Here’s what we will do to address the cloudy water in your pool water

  • Check the levels of disinfectant in the water.
  • Check that the pump is working correctly.
  • Check strainers and the filter to make certain they aren’t clogged.
  • Air bubbles could cause cloudy-looking water. We will check the lid on the strainer to make sure it’s not loose because if it is it could be aerating the water and that could make it look cloudy.
  • Check pool chemical levels and everything will be balanced if they’re not in the correct ratios.

When you work with us, you will have lower levels of stress when it comes to pool maintenance because we take care of it for you! Give us a call today and schedule a time for us to give you an estimate.