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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 chemicals

How To Maintain Proper Pool Chemistry

If your pool is clean you should be able to smell the chlorine, right? Does that mean it’s doing its job? No. If you can smell chlorine that is a sign that the water chemistry is out of balance. Many pool owners in Scottsdale, Arizona work with our team at SwimRight Pool Service & Repair on how to maintain proper pool chemistry.

How do you know if there is too much — or too little — chlorine? It’s a delicate balancing act that we are experienced with but if you are a DIYer, we have guidelines and answer some questions:

  1. How much is too much chlorine in my pool? 
  2. What is the minimum amount of chlorine that I need for the water to be safe to swim in? 
  3. Is chlorine just a liquid? No. It’s liquid, gas, solid tablet or granular forms. 
  4. If I use a salt system does that mean there’s no chlorine in the pool? No. These generators produce their own chlorine. 
  5. Why does chlorine matter? It is important to maintain sufficient levels of chlorine in your pool to kill microorganisms that cause disease, some of which can be deadly. The effectiveness of chlorine can be affected by temperature, pH levels, and different forms of contamination. I recommend maintaining the proper pH level at 7.2 to 7.8 per my previous blog in order for the sanitizer to be the most effective.

How To Maintain Proper Pool Chemistry

There are three terms in regard to chlorine that every pool owner needs to know:

  1. Free chlorine is the chlorine that is available at any given time to disinfect the water. The free chlorine level should be maintained at between 2.0 and 4.0 ppm (parts per million). The minimum should not drop below 1.0 ppm and the maximum should not exceed 5.0 ppm.
  2. Combined chlorine
  3. Total chlorine.  

When you smell chlorine, it’s not what you might think. A test of the water chemistry might show very little chlorine. It doesn’t mean that there is too much chlorine but is caused by a reaction of free chlorine with ammonia or organic compounds from sweat, urine or other sources from nature. This is called combined chlorine or chloramines. 

So how do you get rid of it? The way to get rid of that strong smell is to achieve what is called Breakpoint Chlorination. This is done by shocking or super-chlorinating the water. That is done by adding free chlorine at ten times the amount of combined chlorine. If the chloramines are organic, they cannot be removed by breakpoint chlorination.

Other methods must be used such as clarifiers added to the water, ozone treatment, or replacing the pool water with fresh water. The ideal amount of combined chlorine is zero. The max reading should be no more than .2 to .5 ppm.

Total chlorine is simply the free chlorine and combined chlorine added together.

Something else that is concerning about chlorine is that it is a very unstable material and is especially affected by sunlight. Let’s face it, that is in full supply in our area of the country! In Arizona, a chlorine stabilizer (cyanuric acid) needs to be added to act as a sunblock to maintain balanced chlorine levels. The ideal amount of cyanuric acid should be 30-50 ppm.

If you have any questions or concerns about chlorine and pool water chemistry, please give us a call!

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Scottsdale Swimming pool chemicals

How to clean mold off the pool cover

We always tell our pool and hot tub customers to be diligent in the use of a pool cover. There are so many benefits from trapping the heated water, slowing the rate of evaporation, and keeping dirt and debris out, among others. We also know that mold can build up and here are tips on how to clean mold off the pool cover for Arizona pool owners.

The swimming pool contractors from SwimRight Pool Service & Repair understand that anytime you can take a swim or soak in the hot tub is one of the best times of the day. They do know that if you use a pool or a hot tub cover — which you should — there is the potential for mold growth.

It’s not the end of the world, but you certainly don’t want to use a cover that is dripping mold spores into your water.

How to clean mold off the pool cover

Her are tips to clean the pool or hot tub cover.

  1. Remove it
  2. Lay it in the yard in a space it won’t get walked on
  3. Prepare a bucket of a gallon of warm water, a teaspoon of mild detergent and a cup of bleach
  4. Wear gloves to protect your skin
  5. Buy a soft brush or a sponge. If you can find one with a long handle, your back will thank you
  6. Thoroughly clean off all the mold
  7. Rinse with clean water
  8. Let the cover dry thoroughly
  9. Use

If you’re new to pool ownership or if this is the year you decide to use your free time to swim or soak and not clean, give us a call!

Categories
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
Scottsdale Swimming pool safety

7 tips for adding pool safety measures

With all the decisions you’re making when you become a swimming pool owner, are you giving safety enough consideration? The swimming pool service and repair professionals from SwimRight Pools in Scottsdale, Arizona offer 7 tops for adding pool safety measures.

Pool safety needs to be front of mind all the time. This is especially true when you have young children and pets in the house. That being said, no one should ever swim alone because you just don’t know when a medical emergency might happen and if you’re alone it could turn into a tragic event.

One of the many layers of protection we recommend is pool alarms. With so many options for pool alarms available, how do you know what to choose?

Consider this info from the US Consumer Product Safety commission about the various types of alarms:

  1. Subsurface disturbance sensors. These are affixed below the surface and sound an alarm when the water is disturbed
  2. Surface wave sensors. These float on the water and sound an alarm when the water is disturbed.
  3. Wristband sensor. This is worn by a child and the alarm goes off if the wristband gets wet.

The CPSC study tested different alarm devices in six different types of backyard pool shapes and depths. Its goal was to determine whether surface and subsurface wave sensors would alarm when a test object entered the pool. It also tested whether the wristband would alarm without fail when exposed to the pool water. It also tested for false alarms like rain, wind, a pool toy or debris dropping into the pool.

7 tips for adding pool safety measures

The test results indicated:

  1. surface sensors didn’t operate with as much reliability as the subsurface sensors did.
  2. subsurface sensors were more consistent in alarming when they were supposed to and less likely to trigger a false alarm.
  3. wristband sensors reliably sounded an alarm each time it was submerged to pool water and other water sources – a hose or faucet.

Here are features to talk with us about and consider when making a pool alarm decision:

  • Ease of installation
  • Tamper-resistant/tamper proof
  • Remote receiver with a range of up to 200 feet or more
  • Low battery indicator
  • Choose one that is recommended for the size, shape and depth of your pool
  • Ability to detect an object as light as 10 pounds
  • An alarm that is loud and distinct enough to not be mistaken for background noises and one that sounds within 20 seconds

Give us a call and let’s talk about layers of safety for your pool. Don’t forget the pool fence, automatic locking mechanism and an alarmed fence gate.

Categories
Scottsdale Swimming pool service

5 Reasons To Get A Concrete Pool

As swimming pool service contractors in Scottsdale, Arizona we clean concrete, fiberglass and vinyl liner pools. Each one has a unique way of cleaning and maintenance and our experienced pool service contractors can keep your pool running and looking like new. When it comes to pool construction materials we know there are 5 reasons to get a concrete pool.

Regardless of the pool construction material you opt for, make sure you plan for how — and who — will keep the pool water clean. There is nothing worse in an Arizona summer than not having access to your backyard pool because it’s algae-ridden. When you’re diligent in cleaning the pool or when you hire a pool maintenance pro you can rest assured that the pool water will remain clean and ready for you to use when you’re ready to jump in.

5 Reasons To Get A Concrete Pool

If you’re new to pool ownership and are still on the fence about what construction material to get, here are a few concrete aka gunite considerations.

  1. Concrete, more than any other pool, will increase your home’s resale value.
  2. They are a great investment for the long term. You get your money’s worth with a concrete pool project.
  3. They enhance the beauty and ambiance of your yard and make you want to be outdoors in an Arizona summer.
  4. They won’t spring a leak.
  5. With concrete, you have more design options than with any other material. If you have a dream for a unique pool shape, concrete should be your go to.

The bottom line: A concrete swimming pool is a unique choice for families seeking a unique flair with their swimming pool design. They do take longer to construct, but the wait is worth it once you know you’ll be spending decades enjoying your custom built swimming pool. Give us a call during the construction process and let us give you an estimate for your pool maintenance needs.

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 safety

Solar makes sense for AZ pool owners

Swimming pool owners in Arizona may not think they need or want to heat the water but solar makes sense for AZ pool owners, especially for those cool desert nights. The swimming pool contractors from SwimRight, Scottsdale AZ pool service contractors explain that a solar heater makes sense. Harness the power of the sun and heat the pool water when necessary.

In years past, heating a pool was a costly undertaking but with solar-powered systems more prevalent and the costs coming down, a heat pump really added to your electric bill regardless of how temperate the water was. 

Solar swimming pool heaters and heat pumps make so much sense and are an efficient way to heat the pool water, especially when we see so much sunny weather in Arizona! Solar is more efficient and effective especially in AZ than gas, electric or oil heaters, solar heat pumps cost less to operate, making them a more attractive option.

Solar makes sense for AZ pool owners

Solar heaters have an option for temperature control so you won’t be swimming in bathtub warm water — well unless you want to. Solar heating systems include:

  • A solar heat collector.
  • Filter. This removes debris before the water is pumped through the solar heat collector
  • Pump. This circulates the water through the filter and collector and then back to the pool
  • Flow control valve. This can be either an automatic or manual device that diverts the pool water through the solar collector

It could cost around $4,000 or more for a solar-powered heater but you’ll find that within a year and a half to seven years (depending on how often and how warmly you heat the water) it will pay for itself. For their costs, a solar heat pump lasts longer than other heat pump types. If you’re looking to cut down on monthly utility bills and use the environment to heat your pool, a solar heat cover is a way to go.

Categories
swimming pool remodel

How to budget for a pool construction project

Hot enough for ya? If you live in Scottsdale, AZ you certainly aren’t amused by this question. It’s hot and only getting hotter every summer, it seems. If you have been wanting to get your own swimming pool, the pool contractors from SwimRight Pool Service & Repair offer tips on how to budget for a pool construction project.

Once your pool has been constructed, give them a call and get an estimate for ongoing pool maintenance and upkeep. Many pool owners find it costs less to hire a pool contractor than it does to maintain the pool on their own. Also, when you hire a pro you are assured the water is always safe to swim in and you won’t have to learn how to balance chemicals or buy and store them on site.

How to budget for a pool construction project

Before you begin the process of a pool project, determine your budget and stick to it. Don’t be swayed by bells and whistles that sound great but may break the bank. You can always add in other items to your dream pool in the future as your budget allows. We can give you insight into how much it may cost to maintain and keep your pool water bacteria-free and help cut back on cleaning costs.

When setting the budget here are a few things to consider:

  • Ask friends and neighbors what they paid for their pools. Call local swimming pool builders to get a rough idea on the price for an average in-ground swimming pool. Also, be sure to ask about increased utility bills. Remember you can’t simply ask, “what will it cost to get a pool” because that’s like asking, “what does it cost to buy a car” there are a myriad of variables involved.
  • Build in a 10-15% padding for the price of the completed project to cover unexpected cost overruns.
  • If you’re going to need to take out a loan for the project, give yourself a month or two before construction can begin. You can talk with your potential swimming pool builder about financing as he or she may know of a lending institution willing to help you out or you can speak with the bankers at the bank which you typically work with.

After you’ve done your homework and the project is underway, the time to plan to interview and hire a pool service contractor is now. Don’t wait until your pool is done to see if you can find a contractor who can fit you into his or her schedule. Pre-planning for a summer contract — which in Arizona can last many months of the year — is best started sooner rather than later.