Taking care of a salt pool is no different than any other type of pool. Your Alkalinity, PH, and available chlorine all need monitored. Understanding the way the system works and that this is s means of MAKING chlorine rather than purchasing will help you understand how to take care of it.

Via Email 12/19/13: You have probably heard we have a VERY wet forecast the next few days. I wanted to reach out and refresh your memory about ground water. Under most conditions ground water around the pool is not a factor. HOWEVER the conditions are just 'wrong' so to speak to put your pool at risk. The ground is VERY saturated and the forecast is for up to 3" of rain. 'Flooding is possible' were the bad words I heard on the news this morning. What is a sump tube and what d

Via Phone call: 'How long will an auto cover last?' Asked a customer this week. 'I have read that they can fail in a few years. Is that true?'

Why do people purchase salt chlorinators? I honestly think that most are sold because of hype. Misinformation by both pool "guys" and pool owners alike flood the internet and make these systems out to be the "magic bullet" to pool maintenance. There are people that have been told and or read that a salt pool takes care of itself and they don't have to test it!!! That simply is not the case. These systems are handy and convenient in that you don't have to purchase chlorine.

Winter safety covers are a must in my book. A winter safety cover is the type of cover that looks like a trampoline and will keep kids and critters alike out of the pool during the off season. There are two different types of safety covers. Custom covers and those that are "stock" square covers that come in standard sizes. Whether you choose a custom or standard cover the materials dramatically impacts how you will care for your pool.

Not all concrete aprons are created equal. Some of the things that set a quality job apart are the use of cantilever coping, rebar, fiber reinforcing, saw cutting, and of course decorative stamping!

Next to "Why should I buy a fiberglass pool?" The second most common question I get is, "How much does a fiberglass pool cost?" A simple question but, unfortunately, not so simple of an answer.

As a fiberglass pool installer I am often asked about the strength and differences of a fiberglass pool compared to concrete or vinyl. These are easy to demonstrate in layman's terms

Planning a design concept for your swimming pool project can seem like a tough task and even a bit overwhelming to some. There are a lot of decisions that need careful consideration.

I am often told by future clients that they have several estimates for their new pool and they know they are comparing apples to apples. They typically believe they have a firm grasp on the features and the scope of work they are comparing. Unless they have some experience in the construction industry, the truth is they're usually lost. It is only after I review the quotes with them do they understand not only what is included, but more importantly they understand what is not

Contrary to what we have been taught in today's economy, 'sales' are bad. In most situations, it means the price was too high in the first place. When people ask me "Is that the best you can do on this?" Yes is always my reply. We spend a lot of time estimating and more importantly reviewing completed jobs so we can improve and keep tabs on costs. We line item every penny of our jobs and that's how I am able to give my best price the first time.

Spring's the best time to build an inground swimming pool right? WRONG . I'm not sure how the idea became so common, but for some reason most people think the spring is the time to build pools, fences, houses, landscapes and other outdoor project. The truth is there is absolutely not a harder time to build a swimming pool, or anything else outside, than spring. The reasons, though simple, may not be so obvious. Weather Don't wait until it's too wet In the Midwest spring come

An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. In the pool industry this saying most certainly applies to the use of use and installation of sump tubes. Sump tubes are pipes installed at the deep end of a pool that run vertically from the pool deck to the very bottom of the pool floor. Diameters may vary, but it must to be large enough to allow for a sump pump to be placed into the well – typically 8".

So you want to install your own fiberglass pool. OK. For most people the prospect of installing their own swimming pool means savings. The process of installing a fiberglass pool is not that difficult. Most mechanical people after a glance over some installation pictures have a basic handle on it. Dig, set, backfill, form and pour the concrete. Let's face it $10,000-$15,000 in potential savings can get about anyone's attention.

Once you've got your base installed, it's time to set your shell. This can vary in complexity depending on the size and type of your pool as well as the equipment you're using. Small and medium pools can be set with excavators, a couple straps and a spreader bar to rig with. Smaller pools are typically stronger and easier than larger pools. The larger the pool the more delicate straight walls can be.

There are many options on concrete. Stamped, colored, skinned, broomed, acid wash, to name a few. What's important is that you have a concrete apron around the pool to hold the shell in place. It may be covered by pavers or stone but you must have concrete connecting to the pool and extending to virgin soil for structural reasons. In addition to having concrete you must also bond the concrete to the shell with rebar.

Getting their start in Australia, Salt Water Chlorine Generators (SWCG) have been around since the 1960's. Somewhere in the mid-1980's they found there way to the US market. However, the earlier units where big, messy, created caustic by-products that you had to dispose of, and had to be continuously replenished with new salt (about 50lbs per month). Luckily for us, the units that are made today fix all of the problems that plagued the "brine units" of the past.

I often hear from clients and fellow builders alike how much they "hate" the building department and the "stupid" inspectors. They usually follow up such statements with a story of a specific inspector and how "dumb" he was and why something did or didn't apply to them and their project and go on to say how they just won't get a permit next time. Now, I have absolutely have had my tiffs with building departments and inspectors...

Unfortunately the pool business has a reputation for being a bit of a sleazy industry. It is riddled with one man operations that call themselves "pool builders" and for either lack of knowledge, ability, or because they are simply crooks, screw the average home owner and give our industry the reputation we have today.

I am told regularly by clients that they "fully understand that a pool will only devalue my house and I will not get any money back out of it." I find this fascinating because usually the customer will go on to say that they are currently "looking at a couple of houses with pools" OR that they bought their current home because they wanted a pool and couldn't find any houses that had pools they felt comfortable with. Despite making those statements they fail to see the connect