Copyright 2005-2013 © Laguna Pool Service. All rights reserved.
Laguna Pool Maintenance and Repair Service Company FAQ’s
Here, you will find some of the most common Frequently Asked Questions and Answers:
Q: How can I tell if my pool is leaking?
A: Depending on the pool's normal evaporation, the level decreases approximately 1" to 2-1/2" per week. When the days are warm and the nights cool, evaporation is at it's highest. Using the ordinary plastic bucket you can perform this simple test to determine if your pool is leaking.
Bring pool water to normal level (middle of the skimmer). Place a bucket on the first or second step of the pool. Fill the bucket with pool water to same level as the pool. Mark the water level on the inside of the bucket. Shut off the pump and mark the pool water level on the outside of the bucket. Resume normal pump operation. After 24 to 48 hours, compare the two water levels.
If the pool water goes down more than the water inside the bucket, there is probably a leak. Repeating the test is recommended if any precipitation occured during this procedure. If your pool is equipped with an auto fill, be sure to shut off the water supply. The test is invalid after 48 hours.
Q: How do I determine how many gallons of water there are in my pool?
A: First, determine the average depth of your pool by taking the depth of the deepest end of your pool and adding the depth of the shallowest end (in feet). Divide this number by 2. This number is the average depth. Continue with the directions below based on the shape of your pool.
*Square or Rectangular*
Total Gallons = length x width x average depth x 7.5 (in feet)
*Circular*
Total Gallons = diameter x diameter x average depth x 5.9 (in feet)
*Oval*
Total Gallons = long diameter (in feet) x short diameter (in feet) x average depth x 5.9
Q: How long should my filter run each day?
A: Your pool filter is the most important component in keeping your swimming pool clean. Ideally, a filter should run all the time for maximum circulation and debris removal. A minimum of 8 hours a day in summer and 4 to 6 hours per day in the winter is highly recommended.
Q: When should I run my pool filter?
A: To retard chlorine evaporation, to maximize water clarity and to prevent algae, your pool filter should run during the hottest part of the day.
Q: How often does my pool filter need to be cleaned?
A: This is dependent upon several factors: the size of your pool, the size of your pool filter, the type of pool filter you have, and the bather and contaminant loads. Most manufactures recommend a complete filter tear down and cleaning at least twice a year
Q: Why does my pool/spa need to be chlorinated?
A: Pools should be disinfected continuously by a chemical which imparts a residual effect. Chlorine is a type of "disinfectant", also called a "sanitizer". Disinfects or sanitizers destroy living micro organisms and bacteria, preventing the transmission of disease. There are several types of disinfectants, such as chlorine, bromine, salt chlorination, ozone, and UV light. Pools need a disinfectant with a measurable residual.
Q: Do you service salt pools?
A: Yes we do. More and more of our customers are switching to salt chlorination. Interested in switching? Give us a call!
Q: Is a salt chlorinated system better then the traditional hand chlorinated system?
A: Salt chlorinators do have many advantages over the traditional hand chlorinated system.
The salt chlorinator sanitizes pool water by converting the salt in the water to a chlorine gas, sanitizing your water and then changing back to salt. Adding fresh water to the pool does cause the salt levels to drop therefore salt pools do require salt to be added, usually two to three times per year.
Also, the salt in the water works as a natural water softener, creating a much more comfortable environment for swimming in comparison to the harshness of a hand-chlorinated pool.
Safety, as always, is the greatest matter. When it comes to pools, the most important thing is that your family is kept safe from bacteria and algae. Chlorine does not have a long life, and therefore even if you test the water for chlorine prior to swimming and find the level is correct, after an hour or so that chlorine could have completely dissipated, leaving the water open for dangerous bacteria. Because a salt chlorinator will continue to sanitize your pool while the pool is in use, the chlorine in the water is constantly being replaced with "new chlorine", keeping the water sanitized at all times and keeping your family safe.
Salt cells do require manual periodic cleaning and maintenance. Also your swimming pool's pH will tent to run very high and require large doses of muriatic acid.
Q: How often should I change the water in my pool?
A: When your TDS (Total Dissolved Solids) are in excess of 2,000 PPM. Approximately every 3 to 5 years.
Q: What is TDS?
A: The sum total of all the dissolved material in the water is called "total dissolved solids" or TDS. Sources of TDS in the water include disinfectants, balance chemicals, calcium hardness, source water, bather waste, algaecides, total alkalinity, wind blown dust and dirt, phosphates, nitrates, and sulfates.
TDS buildup is inevitable. Every time you add chemicals to the water, the TDS increases. Even adding makeup water to the pool increases TDS. When water evaporates, only the pure water leaves the pool and all material that was dissolved in the water remains behind. This builds up overtime, increasing the level of TDS.
The ideal range of TDS is from 1000 to 2000 PPM, and the maximum level is 2500 PPM to 3000 PPM. There is no way to reduce TDS chemically. You must drain or partially drain the pool and replace with fresh water.
Q: Should I change my own water?
A: Only if you have a submersible pump and are familiar with adding start up chemicals (Cyanuric Acid, Stain Out, Chlorine, Acid). Draining a pool using the pool filtering pump usually will not work once the water level drops below the skimmer, and it causes a lot of strain on your filter grids. We do offer a draining service with balancing of chemicals once refilled.
Q: How often do I need an acid wash?
A: Typically every 5 to 7 years a pool should be drained and acid washed to remove discoloring caused by chemicals. An acid wash is, put simply, purposeful stripping of a tiny layer of plaster, exposing fresh plaster beneath.
An acid wash will generally remove superficial stains, fine scale deposits, and various colored deposits from the plaster. The process strips off (dissolves) a very thin layer of plaster, and will therefore generally restore 75 to 85% of the plaster's brightness. An acid wash will not remove heavy deposits or stains that have penetrated through many layers of plaster.
As a rule, acid washing a pool should be done only by a licensed professional.
Q: My hair turns green when I swim, is this caused by the chlorine?
A: No. Exposure to metals dissolved in the water, particularly copper, iron,and manganese causes your hair to turn green. When metals attach to the hair shaft and are oxidized by the chlorine, they can leave behind a green residue. To remove the metals from your hair use a swimmer's shampoo which contains the chelating chemical ethylenediaminetetra-acetic acid (EDTA).
Q: Why should I use a pool service?
A: CONVENIENCE: Many pool owners simply cannot afford the time it takes to maintain a pool on a regular schedule. Laguna Pool Service does the work and takes the time to inspect the pool and the equipment for proper operation. If small parts are needed, they are obtained and installed on the next service date, saving you an inconvenient trip to the pool store. There's no need to lug home gallons of acid and chlorine and find a place to store them safely when not in use.
COMPETENCE: We are experts because we maintain pools for a living. Knowing what it takes to obtain the proper water chemistry is what we do daily. We know what to do if we spot an algae bloom. As with most things, consistency is critically important, and that is why we come every week. We notice changes in the water balance and adjust accordingly.
COST EFFECTIVE: It will cost you a little more for us to maintain your pool, but probably not that much. You will probably spend an average of $30.00 to $40.00 per month for the necessary chemicals, including chlorine tablets, muriatic acid, shock treatments and chemical test kits. For only a few dollars a week more, we will come to your house and do it all for you. In addition, maintenance and proper chemistry in the water can save you thousands in unnecessary equipment repairs.
WHAT IS YOUR TIME WORTH?: Lets do the math. If you spend an estimated 1 hour per week x 4 weeks per month cleaning your own pool, and let's say you earn $20 per hour at your job $20 x4= $80, plus you are spending $30 to $40 per month on chemicals (and time to pick up chemicals). It's costing you $120 per month at best to clean your own pool.
Q: If I have a pool service do I still need to empty my baskets?
A: Yes! We highly recommend assisting us in emptying your skimmer and pump baskets especially during the fall/ windy season. If your baskets are overflowing the leaves will impair the water circulation and your pump will run dry.
Q: Is it ok to drain my pool for the winter?
A: NO! A pool should not be drained for more than a couple of days. Without water your plaster will crack, and in very rare instances pools have actually risen or popped out of the ground.
Q: When it rains will the water cause my pool to flood the yard?
A: No more than if you have only grass or cement in your back yard. Most backyards are equipped with a drainage system so there is nothing to worry about. Once the pool water level crests it is the same as having a cement yard. If you are still concerned, you can backwash your filter for a few minutes to get the desired water level. Be sure to add fresh D.E. as soon as you are done or the filter will need to be cleaned again.
Q: How long does it take to heat my spa with a gas heater?
A: An average sized spa 580 gallons with a gas pool heater should take approximately 45 minutes to get from 55* to 104*. If it is taking substantially longer, your heater may be too small or it needs service.
Q: How long does it take to heat my spa with an electric heater?
A: If you have an electric heater then you have a portable spa/ hot tub, and it must be covered when heating it. If you do not have a cover, get one right away. Portable spas are made to be heated and stay heated. Electric heat elements heat water very slowly at approximately 4 to 5 degrees per hour. It takes approximately 6 to 8 hours typically to get to 104*, which is why it must stay covered to retain the heat.
Q: What cities do you offer weekly pool cleaning?
A: We offer weekly pool cleaning maintenance service in the following
cities :
Laguna Beach, Laguna Hills, Laguna Niguel, Laguna Woods and surrounding communities
Q: How can I tell if my pool is leaking?
A: Depending on the pool's normal evaporation, the level decreases approximately 1" to 2-1/2" per week. When the days are warm and the nights cool, evaporation is at it's highest. Using the ordinary plastic bucket you can perform this simple test to determine if your pool is leaking.
Bring pool water to normal level (middle of the skimmer). Place a bucket on the first or second step of the pool. Fill the bucket with pool water to same level as the pool. Mark the water level on the inside of the bucket. Shut off the pump and mark the pool water level on the outside of the bucket. Resume normal pump operation. After 24 to 48 hours, compare the two water levels.
If the pool water goes down more than the water inside the bucket, there is probably a leak. Repeating the test is recommended if any precipitation occured during this procedure. If your pool is equipped with an auto fill, be sure to shut off the water supply. The test is invalid after 48 hours.
Q: How do I determine how many gallons of water there are in my pool?
A: First, determine the average depth of your pool by taking the depth of the deepest end of your pool and adding the depth of the shallowest end (in feet). Divide this number by 2. This number is the average depth. Continue with the directions below based on the shape of your pool.
*Square or Rectangular*
Total Gallons = length x width x average depth x 7.5 (in feet)
*Circular*
Total Gallons = diameter x diameter x average depth x 5.9 (in feet)
*Oval*
Total Gallons = long diameter (in feet) x short diameter (in feet) x average depth x 5.9
Q: How long should my filter run each day?
A: Your pool filter is the most important component in keeping your swimming pool clean. Ideally, a filter should run all the time for maximum circulation and debris removal. A minimum of 8 hours a day in summer and 4 to 6 hours per day in the winter is highly recommended.
Q: When should I run my pool filter?
A: To retard chlorine evaporation, to maximize water clarity and to prevent algae, your pool filter should run during the hottest part of the day.
Q: How often does my pool filter need to be cleaned?
A: This is dependent upon several factors: the size of your pool, the size of your pool filter, the type of pool filter you have, and the bather and contaminant loads. Most manufactures recommend a complete filter tear down and cleaning at least twice a year
Q: Why does my pool/spa need to be chlorinated?
A: Pools should be disinfected continuously by a chemical which imparts a residual effect. Chlorine is a type of "disinfectant", also called a "sanitizer". Disinfects or sanitizers destroy living micro organisms and bacteria, preventing the transmission of disease. There are several types of disinfectants, such as chlorine, bromine, salt chlorination, ozone, and UV light. Pools need a disinfectant with a measurable residual.
Q: Do you service salt pools?
A: Yes we do. More and more of our customers are switching to salt chlorination. Interested in switching? Give us a call!
Q: Is a salt chlorinated system better then the traditional hand chlorinated system?
A: Salt chlorinators do have many advantages over the traditional hand chlorinated system.
The salt chlorinator sanitizes pool water by converting the salt in the water to a chlorine gas, sanitizing your water and then changing back to salt. Adding fresh water to the pool does cause the salt levels to drop therefore salt pools do require salt to be added, usually two to three times per year.
Also, the salt in the water works as a natural water softener, creating a much more comfortable environment for swimming in comparison to the harshness of a hand-chlorinated pool.
Safety, as always, is the greatest matter. When it comes to pools, the most important thing is that your family is kept safe from bacteria and algae. Chlorine does not have a long life, and therefore even if you test the water for chlorine prior to swimming and find the level is correct, after an hour or so that chlorine could have completely dissipated, leaving the water open for dangerous bacteria. Because a salt chlorinator will continue to sanitize your pool while the pool is in use, the chlorine in the water is constantly being replaced with "new chlorine", keeping the water sanitized at all times and keeping your family safe.
Salt cells do require manual periodic cleaning and maintenance. Also your swimming pool's pH will tent to run very high and require large doses of muriatic acid.
Q: How often should I change the water in my pool?
A: When your TDS (Total Dissolved Solids) are in excess of 2,000 PPM. Approximately every 3 to 5 years.
Q: What is TDS?
A: The sum total of all the dissolved material in the water is called "total dissolved solids" or TDS. Sources of TDS in the water include disinfectants, balance chemicals, calcium hardness, source water, bather waste, algaecides, total alkalinity, wind blown dust and dirt, phosphates, nitrates, and sulfates.
TDS buildup is inevitable. Every time you add chemicals to the water, the TDS increases. Even adding makeup water to the pool increases TDS. When water evaporates, only the pure water leaves the pool and all material that was dissolved in the water remains behind. This builds up overtime, increasing the level of TDS.
The ideal range of TDS is from 1000 to 2000 PPM, and the maximum level is 2500 PPM to 3000 PPM. There is no way to reduce TDS chemically. You must drain or partially drain the pool and replace with fresh water.
Q: Should I change my own water?
A: Only if you have a submersible pump and are familiar with adding start up chemicals (Cyanuric Acid, Stain Out, Chlorine, Acid). Draining a pool using the pool filtering pump usually will not work once the water level drops below the skimmer, and it causes a lot of strain on your filter grids. We do offer a draining service with balancing of chemicals once refilled.
Q: How often do I need an acid wash?
A: Typically every 5 to 7 years a pool should be drained and acid washed to remove discoloring caused by chemicals. An acid wash is, put simply, purposeful stripping of a tiny layer of plaster, exposing fresh plaster beneath.
An acid wash will generally remove superficial stains, fine scale deposits, and various colored deposits from the plaster. The process strips off (dissolves) a very thin layer of plaster, and will therefore generally restore 75 to 85% of the plaster's brightness. An acid wash will not remove heavy deposits or stains that have penetrated through many layers of plaster.
As a rule, acid washing a pool should be done only by a licensed professional.
Q: My hair turns green when I swim, is this caused by the chlorine?
A: No. Exposure to metals dissolved in the water, particularly copper, iron,and manganese causes your hair to turn green. When metals attach to the hair shaft and are oxidized by the chlorine, they can leave behind a green residue. To remove the metals from your hair use a swimmer's shampoo which contains the chelating chemical ethylenediaminetetra-acetic acid (EDTA).
Q: Why should I use a pool service?
A: CONVENIENCE: Many pool owners simply cannot afford the time it takes to maintain a pool on a regular schedule. Laguna Pool Service does the work and takes the time to inspect the pool and the equipment for proper operation. If small parts are needed, they are obtained and installed on the next service date, saving you an inconvenient trip to the pool store. There's no need to lug home gallons of acid and chlorine and find a place to store them safely when not in use.
COMPETENCE: We are experts because we maintain pools for a living. Knowing what it takes to obtain the proper water chemistry is what we do daily. We know what to do if we spot an algae bloom. As with most things, consistency is critically important, and that is why we come every week. We notice changes in the water balance and adjust accordingly.
COST EFFECTIVE: It will cost you a little more for us to maintain your pool, but probably not that much. You will probably spend an average of $30.00 to $40.00 per month for the necessary chemicals, including chlorine tablets, muriatic acid, shock treatments and chemical test kits. For only a few dollars a week more, we will come to your house and do it all for you. In addition, maintenance and proper chemistry in the water can save you thousands in unnecessary equipment repairs.
WHAT IS YOUR TIME WORTH?: Lets do the math. If you spend an estimated 1 hour per week x 4 weeks per month cleaning your own pool, and let's say you earn $20 per hour at your job $20 x4= $80, plus you are spending $30 to $40 per month on chemicals (and time to pick up chemicals). It's costing you $120 per month at best to clean your own pool.
Q: If I have a pool service do I still need to empty my baskets?
A: Yes! We highly recommend assisting us in emptying your skimmer and pump baskets especially during the fall/ windy season. If your baskets are overflowing the leaves will impair the water circulation and your pump will run dry.
Q: Is it ok to drain my pool for the winter?
A: NO! A pool should not be drained for more than a couple of days. Without water your plaster will crack, and in very rare instances pools have actually risen or popped out of the ground.
Q: When it rains will the water cause my pool to flood the yard?
A: No more than if you have only grass or cement in your back yard. Most backyards are equipped with a drainage system so there is nothing to worry about. Once the pool water level crests it is the same as having a cement yard. If you are still concerned, you can backwash your filter for a few minutes to get the desired water level. Be sure to add fresh D.E. as soon as you are done or the filter will need to be cleaned again.
Q: How long does it take to heat my spa with a gas heater?
A: An average sized spa 580 gallons with a gas pool heater should take approximately 45 minutes to get from 55* to 104*. If it is taking substantially longer, your heater may be too small or it needs service.
Q: How long does it take to heat my spa with an electric heater?
A: If you have an electric heater then you have a portable spa/ hot tub, and it must be covered when heating it. If you do not have a cover, get one right away. Portable spas are made to be heated and stay heated. Electric heat elements heat water very slowly at approximately 4 to 5 degrees per hour. It takes approximately 6 to 8 hours typically to get to 104*, which is why it must stay covered to retain the heat.
Q: What cities do you offer weekly pool cleaning?
A: We offer weekly pool cleaning maintenance service in the following
cities :
Laguna Beach, Laguna Hills, Laguna Niguel, Laguna Woods and surrounding communities
Beach
Hills
Woods
Niguel
