Don’t Overheat During Summer

It’s August in Austin, which means daily temps above 100 degrees. Spending time in your inground pool is really the only way to enjoy the outdoors this time of year. However, even in the pool, spending time in this heat can also be extremely dangerous if you aren’t taking the proper measures to avoid heat stroke and heat exhaustion. At Crystal Clear Pools and Spas, we want you to have a safe summer by recognizing the symptoms of both heat stroke and heat exhaustion, as they are each treated differently.

Heat exhaustion typically occurs when a person hasn’t been properly hydrated in extreme heat, and can be exacerbated when engaging in physical activity. Often times when hanging out at the pool, we don’t feel thirsty and tend to overlook staying hydrated.

Here are some symptoms of heat exhaustion:

• Weakness
• Headache
• Nausea
• Accelerated Heart Rate
• Pale or Clammy Skin
• Profuse Sweating

Here are some ways to prevent heat exhaustion:

• Stay hydrated. Drink Gatorade or some other electrolyte replacement beverage. Drink often, even if not feeling thirsty.
• Refrain from drinking alcohol in extreme heat
• Avoid strenuous exercise in extreme heat
• Dress in loose-fitting and light colored clothing
• Wear a sun hat
• Go inside when feeling overheated

Here are some ways to treat heat exhaustion:

• Lay down in an air-conditioning room or shaded area
• Drink non-alcoholic fluids
• Loosen clothing

It is extremely important to monitor the heat exhaustion symptoms as it may turn into heat stroke, which is far more serious. Heat stroke can occur when your body gets too hot or when heat exhaustion goes untreated. The treatment differs from that of heat exhaustion, which is why it’s important to understand the difference.

Here are some symptoms of heat stroke/sunstroke:

• Confusion or loss of consciousness
• Temperature above 105
• Red or flushed skin with no sweating
• Dizzy or nauseous

Here are some ways to treat heat exhaustion:

• Get inside immediately
• Do not give any fluids (this is different than treatment of heat exhaustion)
• Sponge or spray warm or slightly cool water all over the body.
• Call a doctor

Knowing these signs can prevent what could potentially be a very dangerous condition, and will allow you to continue enjoying your Pool this summer. Enjoy your swim!

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5 Reasons to Hire a Pool Professional

I take pride in knowing a little something about everything – I’m definitely a self-proclaimed “do it yourselfer”. However, there have been times when my pride got in the way, and I ended up trying to fix something that I had no business trying to fix. In the long run, my mistakes cost me much more than if I had hired a professional to do the job in the first place. We all know that owning a pool requires maintenance, and while you could tackle some of it yourself, here are five reasons why you should hire a professional instead:

YOUR TIME IS IMPORTANT

Here in Austin, we are lucky to have many months of beautiful swimming weather. You should be spending that time swimming in your pool– not cleaning it. While cleaning a pool is something a “do it yourselfer” can do relatively easily, things like removing surface debris, vacuuming the bottom, and cleaning out skimmer and pump takes a lot of time, not to mention all of the trips you will need to take to the supply store.

IT GETS COMPLICATED

Your Pool Professional is more than just a cleaning service – they are also equipment specialists and water chemists. Terms like pH, alkalinity, calcium hardness, dissolved solids, and cyanuric acid, are enough to make your head spin. At Crystal Clear Pools and Spa, our technicians are trained to balance the water chemicals so you don’t have to – no head spinning needed.

EARLY DETECTION

When you hire a professional, they are trained to notice issues early on. They can potentially detect and repair leaks, control system failures, motor and pump issues, and electrical problems before they turn into much bigger problems, which could save you a lot of money and headache in the long-run.

CONSISTENCY

With weekly maintenance packages, you can rest assured that your pool is well cared for and swim-ready at all times. At Crystal Clear Pools in Austin, we consistently arrive at our appointed times, and you can always count on us to provide the same high level service with each visit. We will even leave you with a detailed door-hanger to let you know we were there.

PEACE OF MIND

The equipment used to maintain a pool is very sensitive and truly should be left to the professionals. Even though your “DIY Pride” wants to read the equipment manual and just figure it out, if you end up breaking something, you are on the hook for that repair. Whereas if something should go wrong when being serviced by a professional, you will have the peace of mind knowing that they will be liable instead.

Contact Crystal Clear Pools and Spas in the Austin Texas and surrounding areas to learn more about our full maintenance and repair services.

When it Rains Cats & Dogs

It was raining cats and dogs last weekend – is there a cat in your Pool? After one of our infamous Austin rainstorms, it’s important to immediately remove all debris, as well as check your chemical levels. Here are some things to consider before jumping back in the pool today:

First, grab your skimmer to begin cleaning out the large debris, such as branches, leaves, and garbage. If there is just a small amount of debris left on the bottom of the pool, use your own pool vacuum system to take care of it, otherwise, contact Crystal Clear Pools and Spa in Austin to have it professionally power vacuumed to ensure debris doesn’t get stuck in the pipes or wear out your filter. While we are there, we will also check your water level to make sure it’s at an appropriate level.

In addition to debris, a significant rainstorm can bring with it contaminates, which can lower the alkalinity levels or cause a pH rise. Adjust these levels using pH Plus, pH Minus, and Alkalinity Plus. This can be intimidating if you’ve never done this before – just make sure to carefully follow the directions on the chemicals or have Crystal Clear Pools come to adjust your chemical levels. Our experts are certified licensed professionals and will restore your pool back to perfect swimming health.

If you haven’t shocked your pool in a while, this would be a good time to do it to clear any bacteria or algae that may have already been accumulating. Shock is available in both liquid and powder forms, but liquid typically works quicker.

However, if the storm left you with more than just a few leaves, or you still haven’t cleaned up your pool for the summer, let Crystal Clear Pools in Austin take it from this:



To this:



Now all you will have to do is remember where you put your sunscreen!

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