You’ve been dreaming of warm weather, BBQ’s, and drinks with tiny umbrellas. Although you’ve been ready for months – how ready is your Pool?
Now that Spring is here, it’s time to prepare your pool for some fun in the hot Austin sun. While most pool maintenance and repairs are better left to the professionals – here are five things you can do yourself today:
Look and Listen
When the temperatures drop over the winter months (even in Texas), the colder temperatures can expand the ground, causing your pool to shift. Take a look around the pool for cracks – paying special attention to the drains, lights, and concrete pad under the pump. Look for bubbles or darker areas that may indicate a leak. Additionally, turn on your pump and make sure it’s still running quietly and efficiently.
Safety First
Check out your fencing, gate latches, and all other surrounding enclosures that will keep the kids (and pets) from taking an unexpected swim. Make sure your handrails, ladders, slides, and diving boards are secure and undamaged.
Be Prepared
Make sure to have a first-aid kit nearby, including a pair of scissors in the case that a swimmer’s hair or clothing causes them to become entrapped. Also consider keeping a flotation device readily accessible.
Clean
Give your surrounding deck a good power-wash – not only will it look better, but it will limit the amount of debris that will make its way into the pool. Remember to also give your pool toys a good scrubbing to ensure they are free from mold or anything else that’s no fun to play with. You can easily disinfect them by soaking them in 2-gallons of water with 1-cup of bleach.
Call a Professional
It’s easier and more affordable than ever to have a professional such as Crystal Clear in Austin to come to prepare your pool for the spring. Leave the complexities of the chemicals, filters, and pumps to us, and go enjoy a swim.
Friday, June 27, 2014
Monday, June 16, 2014
Repair and Prepare: How Texas Droughts May Damage Your Swimming Pool
Owning a swimming pool in Texas means outsmarting the record high, three-digit summer temperatures which normally render you powerless against your couch, the golf channel and a heaping bowl of ice cream. Easing yourself into that ‘Cowboy-Cool” water means another dog day beaten, another heatstroke avoided. However, the intense summer weather here in Texas brings a little more than a sweat-soaked t-shit before dawn. I’m talking drought folks and it can have damaging effects on your pool’s structural integrity, your water bill and your summer fun.
“But — is there anything we can do to prepare?”
“But — is there anything we can do to prepare?”
Of course. It’s is not our job at Crystal Clear Pools and Spas to pump you full of fear then jet. Here are a few useful tips on how to get the best of Mr. Mean-Old Drought and help prevent damage to your pool — and your bottom line.
Invest in a Swimming Pool Cover
Not only will a pool cover minimize time spent outside cleaning debris under the sun, swimming pool covers cut down on evaporation and help maintain healthy water levels in your swimming pool. Many swimming pools in Texas have optimal standards pertaining to water levels in order to maintain the integrity of pool walls, tiles and mechanical systems.
If that isn’t enough motivation, Texas drought water restrictions require 25% of any non-public pool to be covered when not in use. Restrictions are also put on the amount of water, and method, you may use to fill your pool during the higher stages of drought. Best to keep what water you have in the pool now lest ye find yourself ankle deep without a hose.
Snap on pool covers may run you around $3,000 or so. Automatics go up from there. If you need help finding the right pool cover, give us a call — we can help you out.
Install Water Saving Filters and Pumps
Texas isn’t getting any cooler and the demand for water during the summer months will rise along with the red stuff in your thermometer. There are a number of energy-efficient, eco-friendly water saving swimming pool pumps available to help get the best out of the water you have, and minimize waste.
Check pool walls, tiles and pumps for leaks
It’s best to get the jump on Swimming Pool Maintenance and repair before the sun takes his summer share. Call a professional to locate and repair any water (money) draining leaks that you may not be aware of. Enough of your pool water is already floating in the air, no reason to lose more to the ground.
Stay Wet
Hang in there. Summer will be here and gone before you know it. Enjoy it. If you need any help at all, or have any pool repair, pool maintenance or cleaning questions — don’t hesitate to give us a call. We’ll come out and make sure you have everything you need to survive another round of wild Texas heat.
Invest in a Swimming Pool Cover
Not only will a pool cover minimize time spent outside cleaning debris under the sun, swimming pool covers cut down on evaporation and help maintain healthy water levels in your swimming pool. Many swimming pools in Texas have optimal standards pertaining to water levels in order to maintain the integrity of pool walls, tiles and mechanical systems.
If that isn’t enough motivation, Texas drought water restrictions require 25% of any non-public pool to be covered when not in use. Restrictions are also put on the amount of water, and method, you may use to fill your pool during the higher stages of drought. Best to keep what water you have in the pool now lest ye find yourself ankle deep without a hose.
Snap on pool covers may run you around $3,000 or so. Automatics go up from there. If you need help finding the right pool cover, give us a call — we can help you out.
Install Water Saving Filters and Pumps
Texas isn’t getting any cooler and the demand for water during the summer months will rise along with the red stuff in your thermometer. There are a number of energy-efficient, eco-friendly water saving swimming pool pumps available to help get the best out of the water you have, and minimize waste.
Check pool walls, tiles and pumps for leaks
It’s best to get the jump on Swimming Pool Maintenance and repair before the sun takes his summer share. Call a professional to locate and repair any water (money) draining leaks that you may not be aware of. Enough of your pool water is already floating in the air, no reason to lose more to the ground.
Stay Wet
Hang in there. Summer will be here and gone before you know it. Enjoy it. If you need any help at all, or have any pool repair, pool maintenance or cleaning questions — don’t hesitate to give us a call. We’ll come out and make sure you have everything you need to survive another round of wild Texas heat.
Tuesday, June 10, 2014
5 DIY Pool Cleaning Tips – Removing Algae and Debris
We’ve all been there — distracted by the demands of life and daily grind, we sometimes let our Swimming Pool Maintenance needs fall to the wayside. One day we look up, towel in hand, bathed in sunscreen, ready to take a dip in our crystal clear, refreshing swimming pool and let the stress roll off our back in beads of cool, clean water when suddenly — we notice our beautiful clean swimming pool has been taken over by dirt and algae looking for a place to party.
It happens.
Now, we aren’t going to scold you for ignoring your pool cleaning needs and preventative pool maintenance routine. We’re a pool cleaning and repair company — not your mom.
Instead, we would like to impart some DIY pool cleaning wisdom from years of experience as Austin’s premier pool cleaning service company, and help you get rid of that algae and debris in your pool so you can get back to swimming and relaxing.
DIY Cleaning Tip 1 – Scrub your swimming pool tile and walls
If you don’t have a brush handy (which you should), head down to your local pool cleaning supply and service company *ahem* and see what they have to offer. Once you get the brush in your hands, give your pool wall and that algae and debris what it deserves — a good, hard scrubbing. The water might be cloudy, so go inside, take a nap and let it all settle to the bottom.
DIY Cleaning Tip 2 - Vacuum to waste using your pool’s pump
Remember that little cylindrical workhorse making all that noise down the hill? Yes — that’s your pool’s pump. Turn the main valve to waste and let it run. Your pools filter will be bypassed during this period, allowing debris and algae to spray out onto the ground. It is a good idea to keep a water hose in the pool to keep the water level at recommended levels.
DIY Cleaning Tip 3 – Check your pool’s chemical balance
Get an accurate reading of your pool’s chemical balance from your local Texas pool company if you are unsure how to perform this on your own. Without an accurate reading of your pool’s chemical balance, you could end up using too much or too little chemical treatment to kill unwanted algae.
DIY Cleaning Tip 4 – Add shock and algaecide
This is the most satisfying step — killing that nasty, slimy algae. Sprinkle shock evenly across your pool based on the reading from your chemical tests. Do not do this without the recommendation of a pool cleaning service professional as using too much pool chemical can be hazardous. Let the shock do it’s thing for about 24 hours, then come back with round two — algaecide.
DIY Cleaning Tip 5 – Maintain your pool’s health
Put down the brush and go get an automatic pool vacuum from your local swimming pool service supply store. Let it run when you are not swimming in the pool. Using this little gadget, in conjunction with a weekly pool care routine and ideal chemical balance will keep your pool crystal clear year round.
Of course you could save the hassle of doing this yourself by hiring an affordable Austin Texas pool cleaning service professional to visit your swimming pool perodically and do the hard stuff for you. We might know a guy — give us a shout.
Do you have any pool cleaning tips to share? We would love to talk about it. Leave us a comment below, email us or like Crystal Clear Pools and Spas on Facebook for pro pool cleaning tips, awesome before and after photos of pool repair and renovation, or just to ask about pricing and services.
It happens.
Now, we aren’t going to scold you for ignoring your pool cleaning needs and preventative pool maintenance routine. We’re a pool cleaning and repair company — not your mom.
Instead, we would like to impart some DIY pool cleaning wisdom from years of experience as Austin’s premier pool cleaning service company, and help you get rid of that algae and debris in your pool so you can get back to swimming and relaxing.
DIY Cleaning Tip 1 – Scrub your swimming pool tile and walls
If you don’t have a brush handy (which you should), head down to your local pool cleaning supply and service company *ahem* and see what they have to offer. Once you get the brush in your hands, give your pool wall and that algae and debris what it deserves — a good, hard scrubbing. The water might be cloudy, so go inside, take a nap and let it all settle to the bottom.
DIY Cleaning Tip 2 - Vacuum to waste using your pool’s pump
Remember that little cylindrical workhorse making all that noise down the hill? Yes — that’s your pool’s pump. Turn the main valve to waste and let it run. Your pools filter will be bypassed during this period, allowing debris and algae to spray out onto the ground. It is a good idea to keep a water hose in the pool to keep the water level at recommended levels.
DIY Cleaning Tip 3 – Check your pool’s chemical balance
Get an accurate reading of your pool’s chemical balance from your local Texas pool company if you are unsure how to perform this on your own. Without an accurate reading of your pool’s chemical balance, you could end up using too much or too little chemical treatment to kill unwanted algae.
DIY Cleaning Tip 4 – Add shock and algaecide
This is the most satisfying step — killing that nasty, slimy algae. Sprinkle shock evenly across your pool based on the reading from your chemical tests. Do not do this without the recommendation of a pool cleaning service professional as using too much pool chemical can be hazardous. Let the shock do it’s thing for about 24 hours, then come back with round two — algaecide.
DIY Cleaning Tip 5 – Maintain your pool’s health
Put down the brush and go get an automatic pool vacuum from your local swimming pool service supply store. Let it run when you are not swimming in the pool. Using this little gadget, in conjunction with a weekly pool care routine and ideal chemical balance will keep your pool crystal clear year round.
Of course you could save the hassle of doing this yourself by hiring an affordable Austin Texas pool cleaning service professional to visit your swimming pool perodically and do the hard stuff for you. We might know a guy — give us a shout.
Do you have any pool cleaning tips to share? We would love to talk about it. Leave us a comment below, email us or like Crystal Clear Pools and Spas on Facebook for pro pool cleaning tips, awesome before and after photos of pool repair and renovation, or just to ask about pricing and services.
Thursday, June 5, 2014
The Perfect Pool Party
With any needed pool maintenance and repairs out of the way, it’s time to focus on planning pool parties for the kids. Swimming pools provide the ideal setting for Summer Birthday Parties. All you have to do is pick a theme that the little ones will love and get creative!
Luau Pool Party
No Luau would be complete without grass skirts and leis. You can find these simple props at any party supply store. Paper Palm Trees are easy to make and help create that beach feel around your swimming pool. You can also fill buckets with sand, placing seashells in them. Then on the handle of the bucket, tie dolphin or sun-shaped balloons. For the food, stick with the crowd-favorites of burgers and hot dogs, but consider adding pineapple to both to give it a tropical flavor.
Pirate Pool Party
All aboard the pirate ship! Maximize their time in the pool by providing water guns and noodles as they pretend to have skirmishes on the seas. When they’re not in the water, hats and eye-patches will keep them in characterize. Instead of goody bags, consider organizing a treasure hunt with a prize-filled treasure chest waiting for them at the end. For an easy decoration tip, use brightly colored towels as table clothes and scatter “gold” coins around them.
Under the Sea Pool Party
Mermaids, fish, and all other sea creatures should definitely make an appearance to this party. Use Construction Paper to decorate your swimming pool area with schools of fish. (Don’t forget about Nemo!) Hang fishing nets and place starfish and sea shells in them. For an easy pool snack, fill fish bowls with gold fish crackers. When they’re not busy splashing, have them pin the tail on the mermaid to see who wins a special treasure!
These pool party ideas are sure to make a splash. And if you still need to get your pool ready for these wildly fun times, Crystal Clear Pools and Spas is always available to perform routine pool maintenance and pool cleaning. From fixing broken pool pumps to scrubbing pool tiles, we’re experts on keeping your pool looking and feeling fresh so that all you have to do is swim!
Luau Pool Party
No Luau would be complete without grass skirts and leis. You can find these simple props at any party supply store. Paper Palm Trees are easy to make and help create that beach feel around your swimming pool. You can also fill buckets with sand, placing seashells in them. Then on the handle of the bucket, tie dolphin or sun-shaped balloons. For the food, stick with the crowd-favorites of burgers and hot dogs, but consider adding pineapple to both to give it a tropical flavor.
Pirate Pool Party
All aboard the pirate ship! Maximize their time in the pool by providing water guns and noodles as they pretend to have skirmishes on the seas. When they’re not in the water, hats and eye-patches will keep them in characterize. Instead of goody bags, consider organizing a treasure hunt with a prize-filled treasure chest waiting for them at the end. For an easy decoration tip, use brightly colored towels as table clothes and scatter “gold” coins around them.
Under the Sea Pool Party
Mermaids, fish, and all other sea creatures should definitely make an appearance to this party. Use Construction Paper to decorate your swimming pool area with schools of fish. (Don’t forget about Nemo!) Hang fishing nets and place starfish and sea shells in them. For an easy pool snack, fill fish bowls with gold fish crackers. When they’re not busy splashing, have them pin the tail on the mermaid to see who wins a special treasure!
These pool party ideas are sure to make a splash. And if you still need to get your pool ready for these wildly fun times, Crystal Clear Pools and Spas is always available to perform routine pool maintenance and pool cleaning. From fixing broken pool pumps to scrubbing pool tiles, we’re experts on keeping your pool looking and feeling fresh so that all you have to do is swim!
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