Pool Problems?

           Pool Equipment Explosion……..                  Don’t Let This Happen To You!!!! This is what happens when a plumbing valve has a blockage.   It literally blows the equipment (pool filter in this case) to pieces.   You can note the top lid to the filter laying in the grass.   The bottom of the filter is cracked in multiple places.   The filter cartridges are off and blown to the side.   The plumbing pipes are laying on the ground in front of the remaining equipment.   This is the result of a bad installation.   We have only been called to this kind of an accident a couple times, but it sure is a mess and sure does some damage.   Luckily no one was in the area, and no one was hit, or hurt by flying parts. Please……if you have any questions about your equipment installation….. For A FREE Consultation, or To Ask Questions.....Call DOUG 760-409-3763

Pool Pump Growling..... Sounding Like It Is Gargling Rocks? In this case, the water doesn’t usually fill up the pump basket. That is called “Cavitation”.  Cavitating pumps make a particular growling sound, like the pump is gargling rocks, a low, grumbling sound. Pumps need a full water flow to operate properly. Poor water flow can come from:  1.     A pump too big for the water supply so it can’t fill all the way up.  Bigger is not always better.  Be sure to have the right pump to fit your plumbing or enlarge your plumbing to match the size of the pump that you want. 2.     Plumbing pipes that are too small to deliver enough water to the pump. 3.     Broken directional valves 4.     Broken check valves 5.     Too full pump basket (too much debris) 6.     Debris stuck in the impellers 7.     Debris stuck in plumbing lines 8.     A dirty filter also is a blockage that you can control by cleaning it regularly. 9.     Leaks in the system that the incoming

Remodeling When It Comes To Pebble Surface That Has Been Brought Out Of The Water. Note: Please remember that plaster and pebble are products that need to be kept completely under water following installation to prevent cracking and crumbling.  Therefore, waterline tile is used both for cosmetic and for structural reasons by providing a air/water barrier for the plaster and pebble.  IN CASES WHERE THE PEBBLE WAS BROUGHT OUT OF THE WATER, A CORRECTION – REPAIR MUST BE MADE: Removal of waterline pebble and tile installation: There was a trend of customers not wanting to use tile and they wanted to have pebble brought out of the water.  That has caused cracking and crumbling damage to the pebble which requires the pebble around the surface of the pool to be cut out and waterline tile to be put in. We have successfully done this work for quite some time so…… For your FREE ESTIMATE, and, any additional questions, CALL DOUG 760-409-3763

Good Caulking In Your Pool’s Expansion Joint Is Important! Pool Caulking is what prevents water and debris from getting into the joint.  Yes, it also looks nice, but it has a much bigger reason for being there.  This caulk, the coping bead seal, and the pool waterline tile, all work together to protect the “sea Wall” under the plaster.  If the caulk line is not there, or is not done well, some very common and very expensive problems happen to your swimming pool wall. Who Needs To Caulk?    Anyone who has an  inground concrete pool with coping stones , whether they be brick, flagstone or pre-cast stones, you will have an expansion joint behind the coping stones, to allow for expansion of the pool deck when the weather gets hot. This joint should be caulked every five years or so. A  cantilever pool deck , where the pool deck extends over the pool wall without coping stones, has no expansion joint - and no need to caulk.   Here Is What We Are Talking About:  A '

Swimming Pool Auto-Fills or Automatic Water Levelers The Pool Auto-Fill is an automatic pool water leveler, designed to maintain the optimum water level in pools, spas and fountains. They are more commonly used in our valley, and in other dry and arid regions that have to add frequent make-up water. Pools lose water due to two things:   Evaporation and Leaks The reason for a pool auto-fill is to maintain a safe level of water in the pool.   If the water goes down below the skimmer, your equipment could run dry and burn out.   That is a VERY serious matter.   In the old days, a hose had to be strung to the pool on a slow drip to maintain the water level.   The Automatic Auto-Fill is a HUGE improvement!   You can safely be away from home for the day or for the season and not worry about your equipment…….as long as the auto-fill is working properly. Maintaining your Pool Auto-Fill: There is not a lot to do to keep your pool autofill operating correctly - the main

Thinking About Moving Your Pool Equipment Out Of The Pit? In the desert in the early days, pool equipment was often put into a sub-terranean room built of cinder blocks and/or poured concrete.  This was with the double thought of equipment being both “out of sight” and “out of sound”.  It was a good thought, but has since lost favor. Why?  Because if the pool leaks, or the valves in the plumbing leak, or the equipment leaks……..you guessed it, the pit fills with water ruining all your equipment!!!! Is it a hassle to move the equipment?   YES! Is it worth it?   YES! That is why when equipment fails and is replaced, it is often moved above ground.   But even that is not a cake walk.   Let’s review the steps.   Moving the pool equipment to another location involves not only physically relocating the pump & motor, filter, heater and other equipment but also extending the pipes and the electrical power and bonding wires, to the new equipment pad location. If you have a

Pool Motor Making A Loud New Sound?   Sounds Like A Jet Engine? That type of sound is usually the sound of the pool motor bearings breaking down.   It can be a low and gravely or a higher pitched and whiny.   Either way, the chances are that the bearings inside the motor are grinding down and failing.   That means your pool motor is failing. There are other sounds motors can make, but they are usually short lived and sound like something rattling.   Sustained noises are always a bearing going bad. REPAIR: Sometimes, it is cheaper to rebuild the pump and motor by mating a new motor to the old pump.   Since the pump and motor came together, sometimes this fix is short lived because the pump will wear out too.   Knowing the type of equipment you have and the age of the equipment, will help make your choice. REPLACE: More often than not, it is cheaper, in the long run, to put in a new pump and motor combo with the new energy star rating.   So, more money for new, but

POOL FINISHES A Huge Variety To Choose From When Renovating Your Pool. The interior finish of a pool can elevate your whole design to a new level of style, grace, and beauty. There are several types of swimming pool finishes to choose from, including plaster, tile, pebble, and other aggregate finishes, and each type comes in a variety of materials, colors, and textures.   You can choose from classic white plaster, to sparkling iridescent glass tiles, to a wide selection of pebbles or class beads. Is one better than the other?   Yes….and….No Yes, in that white plaster is the weakest product with the shortest warranty.   However, if this is the look and feel that you prefer, then this is the one for you. Aggregate finishes are the strongest product and are becoming more popular because they provide a longer warranty and come in a variety of beautiful colors.    They are also harder and more resistant to chemicals, staining, and algae. Glass Bead finishes cat

Bubbles Can Be Fun, But……. Bubbles In Your Pool?   That Can Be A Pool Problem! Your pool should be circulating only water.   If there are air bubbles in the pool return lines, it means that your pump is pumping air (not a good thing) along with the water, instead of just water. Air in the pool lines is a problem, because it affects the workings of your equipment.   If water is getting out and air is getting in, you have bubbles, but since the water cools your pump and motor, less water means your pump and motor are running hot, which will burn it out. Air in your filter tank will cause too high pressure in the tank.   When that happens you have water problems because the filter can’t filter the water properly.   Also, it can be hazardous to have too much air pressure building up in the pump filter.   That could cause the tank to rupture which is a serious safety issue. If you see air in the pump basket, or air coming out of your pool return lines, it is defini

Can I Paint My Pool Plaster? Short answer:   NO!!! Explanation:   Painting a pool used to be done all the time.   That is because the paint was strong.    It was a simple and inexpensive solution to handle the deterioration of the pool surface and give you time to save up for the re-plaster or pebble.   But not anymore …………… The paint formulas have been changed for safety and environmental reasons.   In that change, all the strong sticking power went away.   I don’t care what type of preparation you do ahead of time, acid wash or chlorine wash, it just doesn’t matter, the paint just won’t adhere to the surface and will come off in short order.   When it does come off, it will be in small pieces that get sucked into the pump and motor, the filter, and the heater.   It is not a cheap solution any more after that, it becomes VERY expensive.   The only thing that is more expensive than re-surfacing your pool, is re-surfacing your pool AND replacing your equipment.   We see t