Pool Forum

Cool Video Camera

2007-08-20T08:00:00.000-07:00

I heard a review about this cool video camera (Sanyo Xacti VPC-E1) and am in the process of picking one up for my family to use. I will give a review shortly after playing with it for a few weeks. It is available in blue, white, and yellow. Click the photo to see current Amazon pricing.

Western Pool & Spa Show

2007-02-27T08:00:00.000-08:00

Sorry I’ve been away from the blog recently. I’ve had a lot going on in my life and this has slipped some.

I’ve scored an invitation to attend the “industry only” Western Pool & Spa Show this weekend in Long Beach, CA. I’ve been told that it is the best one here in the southwest. Here in North America the pool industry seems to roll out their new products during the winter (January through March), which makes sense since the swim season is just about to get going. I am planning to come back with lots of topics for pool owners to add to this blog.

New Pool Construction Timing

2007-02-25T08:00:00.000-08:00

If you are planning to have a new pool constructed to use during the summer 2007, it is probably too late if you have not already selected your pool builder. Most of the better pool builders have already gotten their hands full with work. I strongly recommend not pushing for a new pool to be completed for the beginning of the swim season because it is just too big of an investment to end up with a less than desirable final project.

Now is a good time to find the “best” pool builders (e.g., those that are already too busy) and start to follow their work to see how the entire project goes. If you have friends and/or neighbors starting a pool visit the construction at least once a week to see how things proceed.

I plan to continue with the rest of the photos of my pool eventually.

Wisconsin middle school gets it right

2007-02-16T08:00:00.000-08:00

Here I sit within a few miles from the Pacific Ocean and some of the most popular beaches in the world, and an inland state (yes, I know they have coasts on two Great Lakes and many other bodies of water) is doing a better job of providing water safety to their students. When are we as a population going to realize there is much more to learning than just test scores? Sometimes I think we loose the forest for the trees.

How as a society can we possible believe an emphasis on fences, locks, latches, etc. could possibly be as important as teaching children how to swim?

Here’s an example from here in Orange County. There is a local elementary school where the 5th grade class (10 or 11 years old) of about 100 kids has celebrated the end of the school year and their promotion to middle school with a swim party for at least the last decade until this year. The party was held at a local homeowner’s association facility where they have a swimming pool (shallow and deep ends) without diving boards as well as a wading pool. There are two lifeguard stands situated on the east and west sides of the pool with one primarily covering the deep end and the other primarily covering the area transitioning from shallow to deep.

During the spring of 2006 a non-swimmer attended the party and their parent did not inform anyone of the child’s swimming ability (or inability). Instead the parent told their child not to go to the deep end of the pool. Those of us with kids this age know that 5th graders are only somewhat better than teenagers at remembering and actually following this type of direction. During the course of the party this non-swimmer ended up in the deep end and in trouble. The lifeguards became aware of the situation and pulled the child out of the water and provided the needed assistance in what would be considered a near-drowning event. As a precautionary measure the paramedics were summoned and the child visited the emergency room.

The school principal and superintendent have permanently canceled this type of event. While I do not believe any type of lawsuit came from this incidence, being in one of the most litigious areas of the world (the great state of California) it very easily could have. Life has risks; a few should be avoided or eliminated but the vast majority should be understood, mitigated, and/or concurred. What do we teach our young when we choose not to face risk?

Growing up I lived in inland Los Angeles County. Many years ago when I “graduated” from elementary school we had a pool party too, which was great fun and a good experience for all those that attended. Also, we had a second party where we road school busses about 60 miles each way for a day of fun and play at the beach. Was there risk (hopefully calculated risk), yes! But how do you learn about things and life unless they are experienced?

This event will hopefully return as cooler heads prevail and time has passed. A simple safety plan taken from the Boy Scouts would significantly mitigate the drowning risk. Divide the swimming area into three areas (non-swimmer, moderate swimmer, and good swimmer). Identify each student’s swimming ability (label them with a wrist band) and divide them into the same three groups given to the swimming area. Utilize a buddy system where students can only enter the water when paired up with a partner to “watch their back.” Monitor and enforce the buddy system and provide adequate observation (which apparently was done in the example above).

My family fallows an idea passed down to us, each of my kids must spend at least two summers actively participating in one of the local ocean Junior Lifeguard programs before at what ever age we feel they are responsible enough to spend time at the beach without specific adult supervision. My older son is now a better swimmer than I am and I would want him around if I ever ran into a problem while swimming at the beach. I know that Junior Lifeguard programs exist through out much of the coastal USA communities, as well as, in Australia and New Zealand.

Now back to my original point… It would be great if all kids were taught to swim during elementary (or middle) school, and society would be much stronger if children are exposed to many of life’s risks with tools to mitigate the consequences. Until that time, parents need to take responsibility not only for protecting but also teaching their children through an understanding about risk, consequences, mitigation and of course rewards.

Industry Design Awards

2007-02-08T10:00:00.000-08:00

Each year AQUA magazine has its Choice Awards Competition, where for a fee (typically less than $100) the builder/supplier submits an entry for review and voting by the magazine readers. Remember this is a professional/trade magazine, so it may not represent the pool/spa buying public.

Pool & Spa News also has their Masters of Design awards, which have a similar entry program.

Western Pool & Spa Show also has Design Awards presented each year.

While many of the award winners are expensive pools (at least by my standards), I think it always makes sense to look at everything out there to help you in determining what you like as you discuss options and costs with the pool designer/builder.

Remember these are industry/professional/trade magazines/organizations, so it may not represent the pool/spa buying public.

iVillage GardenWeb Censorship

2007-02-07T16:11:00.000-08:00

I can no longer promote iVillage GardenWeb. Read more to understand why.

Profit before information is the mantra for iVillage GardenWeb when it comes to at least their Pool & Spas forum. While all forums and bulletin boards (BB) have rules that exclude the promoting of competing sites, most of the forums and BB realize that they cannot meet the needs for all users and, therefore, accept the mentioning of other forums or BB as long as they are not named, linked, or express prefernce to another site. Today I replied to a question on iVillage GardenWeb that included the following:

“You may want to hit one of the other pool bulletin boards if you do not get an answer here. I have found some of the other BB’s are more frequented by pool builders.” And closed with a generic link to this blog.

In response I was sent “A Friendly Reminder” warning e-mail from iVillage GardenWeb and my reply was removed from their website. In questioning the specific reasons for their concern I included the following:

If your concern is the link to my blog, which I agree has the term "forum" in the title, (please) look at it, I do not believe I come even close to, or have any intent with, competing against your BB/Forum, and I even promote your BB on my blog.

I received the following reply:

Promoting other boards, regardless of your opinion as to whether the topic is covered on our forums, is against forum policy. Also, linking to you blog, where you have links to other boards can also be construed as directing others away from the site.

Your contributions are valuable and we hope you continue posting -- however, continuing to direct others in this manner will result in the revocation of your membership.

I have not yet determined if I should to continue to visit and/or contribute to iVillage GardenWeb because information should be shared; however, I feel it is necessary for me to continue to provide links for forum and BB websites that are valuable resources for me and others. All I know is that can no longer promote iVillage GardenWeb.

Architect and structural engineering

2007-01-29T16:26:00.000-08:00

Patrick Marr provided architectural and structural design for my home addition/remodel, which may never be covered much on this blog. Also, Pat was a consultant on our pool/yard project and assisted in the selection of the Landscape Architect we used. Being both an architect and engineer, Pat is uniquely positioned to assist his clients in conceptual design, construction documents, and the practicality of construction by truly understanding the structure.

While located in Santa Barbara, CA, USA (805-898-2096), Pat utilized modern technology to communicate with us in Orange County, CA (about 130 miles northwest of Orange County through stereotypical LA traffic). Face-to-face meetings were used when needed but many times a “picture” and simple phone call kept our project moving along on-track.

Pat did not provide the structural engineering for our pool since the pool builder had a relationship already established with his own engineer that specialized in swimming pool design. However, I would have trusted him to provide the engineering or point us in the right direction if his help had been needed.

Fantasy Pools Problem

2007-01-26T08:00:00.000-08:00

Fantasy Pools in the Sacramento, California, area have been having problems paying their subcontractors, which is creating a real problem for the pool owners. It looks like they were new to the market (GardenWeb from June 2006). Unfortunately they got themselves into trouble in less than six months (GardenWeb from November 2006).

Please see iVillage GardenWeb Censorship

“Concrete” Pool Wall Construction

2007-01-25T22:25:00.000-08:00

Pool Nerd has recently posted a good description of the workings of a reinforced “concrete” swimming pool wall. It is well worth the look if you are new to concrete construction practices.

Pool Salt Information

2007-01-24T08:58:00.000-08:00

Salt water chlorine generators (a.k.a. SWG) requires the addition of salt to the swimming pool water to facilitate the generation of chlorine gas which is instantly dissolves back into the water (how it works is for another time or link). By now hopefully most people have learned that not all salt products are appropriate for swimming pool use. Contaminants in salt can create other problems for the pool owner, so it is best to use one of the products that are intended (or acceptable) for use in swimming pools.

While I am sure there other products acceptable for use in swimming pools, I have always had very good luck when using Morton salt products. I used Morton Pool Salt to get my original salt level up (about $10 for 40# in my area), to maintain my pool salt level I have switched to the same Morton System Saver II Pellets (less than $4 for 40#) that I have been using in my water softener for about two years. At first I was using a “chlorine floater” which worked fine but took forever to get 40# into the pool. Now I have a 5-gallon bucket that I drilled a bunch of holes in, which I can put in the whole 40# of salt (with a concrete block over the top to keep it from floating). All the salt is dissolved in less than an hour and the bucket keeps it from staining my plaster.

I heard back from Morton today when I questioned them about the difference between the two products and/or their safe use in swimming pools. Here is their answer:

“Morton Pool Salt is a plain salt product. Morton System Saver II pellets contain resin cleansing additives. Water softened by pellets is drinkable; however, if you have any type of specific health concerns, please see your doctor. Either product can be used in your pool.”

Pool Contractor

2007-01-18T13:45:00.000-08:00

I used Titan Pool Center from Anaheim, CA, 714-998-9620, to construct my pool. I recommend Dale Jochims, the owner, to anyone who is interested. My wife and I selected Titan Pool Center primarily based upon two personal recommendations, interviewing Dale, and viewing some of his completed projects. While they were not necessarily the least expensive pool builder, we felt confident Dale knew what he was doing, would complete the project, and treat us fairly, which he did.

Problems with Saltcells.com

2007-01-17T14:08:00.000-08:00

This on-line retailer seems to have taken some peoples money without providing the product. You can find more information at this string on iVillage GardenWeb.

Please see iVillage GardenWeb Censorship

Pool Maintenance Manual News

2007-01-17T08:27:00.001-08:00

The third edition of “The Ultimate Pool Maintenance Manual” (ISBN 0071470174) will be available by the end of March 2007. I expect to receive my copy as soon as it is available and will put my preliminary review up shortly there after.

Also, I am planning to interview the author, Mr. Terry Tamminen, as part of my more in-depth review, so add a comment here if you have any pressing questions.

My short review of the second edition may be of interest at this time.

FYI: Amazon is taking pre-orders for shipping as soon as it is available.

Reflections on the Pool

2007-01-16T13:47:00.000-08:00

California Designs for Swimming is another coffee table book; however, the accompanying text is very readable. There is a chapter on Historic Pools that I wish was longer and more informative. Melba Levick’s photographs are excellent and well worth the time spent viewing.

If you are considering a new pool or major pool renovation, this book is worth a trip to your local library or picking up used.

Published in 1997 (ISBN 0847820149) I was surprised that the information did not yet seem to be stale.

The Swimming Pool

2007-01-15T13:09:00.000-08:00

Here is another coffee table book with excellent photographs of not only the swimming pool and spa, but the entire “outdoor room” including the furniture. The first chapter provides a basic overview of many of the decisions that are needed during new construction or a major pool renovation.

All of the pools are not your typical backyard swimming pools; therefore, I found even the “Classic” pools are very lavish. The author Martha Baker is an accomplished landscape architect; however, I did not find many ideas here that I think would be beneficial to the average pool owner.

If you are considering a new pool or major pool renovation, this book is worth a trip to your local public library. I would hesitate to purchase this book unless you are creating a high-end pool section in your personal library.

Published in 2005 (ISBN 0609610767) I expect this will book will not have a significant following.

The New American Swimming Pool:

2007-01-14T12:08:00.000-08:00

Innovations in Design and Construction, 40 Case Studies, is basically a collection of “award winning” residential swimming pools and spas from the late 1990’s. This is truly a coffee table book with lots of nice photographs. All of the pools shown are not your typical backyard swimming pools; however, these are all projects with landscape architects involved, so there are many nice hardscape and landscape ideas to go along with the pool designs.

If you are considering a new pool or major pool renovation, this book is worth a trip to your local library or picking up used.

Published in 2001 (ISBN 0823031756) it will take many years for the provided information to become dated, so I would not expect updated editions or follow-up versions frequently.

Automatic pool cleaner suction hose

2007-01-13T09:33:00.000-08:00

I learned this lesson first many years ago when vacuuming my parent’s pool I plugged the 1.5-inch copper suction pipe with leaves from their peach tree. It became apparent to me again as I began to use my new Navigator pool cleaner…always use a leaf canister with the suction hose.

While I was lucky enough not to plug my new pool’s pipes, the first time the kids were tracking leaves in from off the nearby grass it became apparent that these leaves are collecting in the pump basket (a.k.a. pot) where they slow down the suction flow from all sources. However, when using a leaf canister with the vacuum, it is like catching the debris in the skimmer basket; my three suction lines “rebalance” themselves for a more efficient flow.

For less than $50 I have reduced the strain on my pump motor and hopefully will not have to unclog my suction lines.

Automatic pool cleaner suction line location

2007-01-12T09:19:00.000-08:00

My pool has two skimmers along the south wall spaced at approximately quarter points and the pool vacuum suction port is located between them. The five return “jets” directs the surface water in a clockwise motion towards the skimmers. Since the pool vacuum port is located between the two skimmers the hose is always being pulled towards the skimmers, which appears to reduce the effectiveness of the vacuuming in the far corners (especially at the shallow end).

If I had to do over again, I would strongly consider locating the vacuum port directly across the pool along the north side, so the hose would be less likely to be influenced by the skimmer suction.

That’s it, nothing too significant.

Lessons Learned

2007-01-11T09:12:00.000-08:00

I have been slow to keep up during the past holidays (and for other reasons) but now I am getting back up to speed. I have wanted to add this section for some time now as a place to collect my thoughts.

While I do not know that I have learned any big lessons (my checkbook is thankful), there are some things I wish I had thought through more and/or ask the pool builder about prior to or during the construction process, or things I have learned as I maintain my pool/spa/yard.

Horsepower Rating

2007-01-10T08:00:00.000-08:00

If you have wondered “what is the difference between Full-Rated and Up-Rated horsepower for pump motors,” you are not alone. While I figured out it seemed to be a marketing distinction (a.k.a. ploy) by looking at the flow curves for my Pentair WhisperFlo pumps, the on-line retailer POOLplaza has a short article explaining how this slight of hand is executed. The bottom line is “use the pump/motor curves” for making your choices.

My earlier post “Pump and Motor Efficient Sizing” is related, and may be of interest at this time.

Pool Electrical Hazards

2007-01-09T08:10:00.000-08:00

While electrocution in swimming pools and spas are relatively rare, last October Pool & Spa News had a good article “Shock Waves” about the hazards associated with electricity and water, especially in older construction. Also, they provided a link to a Consumer Product Safety Commission safety alert about providing ground-fault protection for pools and spas.

The Pool Biz

2007-01-08T13:18:00.001-08:00

The Pool Guy's The Pool Biz blog which primarily addresses his concerns and problems with salt water chlorine generators (a.k.a. SWG). This site is very opinionated but definitely worth a check if you are planning on adding a SWG to your existing or new pool. He appears to be a pool builder and/or service provider in Texas. It is quite obvious that he has a chip on his shoulder but it appears that his intentions are to honestly inform the pool owning public about his concerns with salt added to pool water.

I have a SWG, which in my opinion has only worked marginally since it was installed during 2006 summer. I have not had any of the problems he has noted on his website, but I think one method for minimizing some of the potential damage is to quickly wash off the pool deck to minimize the potential problems associated with higher concentrations of salt on the deck from evaporation.

Heat Pump Applications

2007-01-07T16:59:00.000-08:00

Swimming Pool & Spa Heat Pump Application (ISBN 0912524529) is as the name implies, is a book about the details of marketing, designing and installing heat pumps for swimming pools. In this 1989 book Mr. King does a good job of presenting the benefits of the electric swimming pool heat pump when compared to other types of pool heaters.

Heating System Sizing (Chapter 7) information is applicable to any pool/spa heating system. The conclusion that electric heat pumps are very cost effective is not surprising; however, I believe solar heating is equally or more cost effective in the Sunbelt when using the same criteria. Fuel (primarily natural gas) provide the quickest heat gain and can be more efficient when heating is provided only a few days a week or month. Heat pumps shine the most in areas where the pool is to be heated for an extended period of time during moderate temperatures without ample solar heat potential (e.g., out of the Sunbelt).

While I do not have a heat pump, there seems to be significant gains in both efficiency and popularity over the last decade. Here is a link to Pool Heat Pumps, which appears to be an informative and helpful on-line retailer.

Freedom’s Price

2007-01-05T10:06:00.000-08:00

This is a new links section added that has nothing to do directly with swimming pools or spas, but is still relevant because I could not enjoy my swimming pool if others had/did not pay for my freedom.

Arizona Pool Design

2007-01-04T09:00:00.000-08:00

Swimming Pool Phoenix is the blog for Arizona Pool Design. There is a wealth of information for the pool builder, soon to be pool owner, and pool owner. Currently this site is getting a new post almost daily (many are pulled directly from other sources). During a quick review, a few items appeared to be misleading (e.g., Three Must Have Chemicals for Your Pool, October 31) so use common sense when using any of the information.

Cyanuric Acid

2006-12-29T09:16:00.000-08:00

Recently there has been much discussion on the swimming pool bulletin boards (see links) about problems associated with elevated levels of CYA (Cyanuric Acid, a.k.a. Stabilizer or Conditioner) from the constant use of stabilized dry chlorine (e.g., dichlor and trichlor). Okay, the potential problem has been discussed for many years (decades) but it seems to be a hot topic again.

I am working on a posting about this problem which should be available in early 2007.

Pool Nerd

2006-12-28T11:22:00.000-08:00

The “poolnerd” is a Southern California pool contractor/subcontractor willing to give his advice freely. He does not appear to have any “ax to grind” or ulterior motive, just a good place to find his opinion about swimming pool and spa topics. You will find insight into the pool construction business and process through many of the posts. He covers many construction topics thoroughly from what I can tell through a quick reading of some of the posts.

Previously, my post stated that there does not seem to be any comments about the problems associated with elevated levels of CYA (Cyanuric Acid, a.k.a. Stabilizer or Conditioner) from the constant use of stabilized dry chlorine (e.g., dichlor and trichlor). While true, this was not the best statement I could have made about this website. I had been discussing the problem with others and it was just the first thought I had as I was reading through some of the topics. There is a section about pool chemistry that is informative but this topic is not the primary intention of Poolnerd’s website (my apologies for misleading anyone).

Pump and Motor Efficient Sizing

2006-12-27T14:19:00.000-08:00

This seems to be one of those topics that have a many different opinions. Before starting construction on my pool I spent time researching information on websites and still did not come up with any specific conclusions. One thing that most pool owners agree about is that pool circulation pumps use a lot of electricity (this seems to be one of the biggest complaints among new pool owners – I’ve lost the link to this forum topic).

I have to admit that I did not fully believe the information available, so I ended up with a 1.5 horsepower (HP) pump/motor for my primary circulation system (down from 2 HP that the contractor originally recommended). One of my reasons for keeping with a larger pump motor is that my solar heating system returns directly to the spa (allowing the spa bypass to be closed), which is separate from the pool return line where salt water chlorine generator is located (needing its own flow to operate properly). This feature keeps my spa warmer (5 to 15 degrees F) than the pool water that is pumped into the solar panels (more later).

This University of Florida, Pinellas County Extension, “Timely Topics” article titled “Energy Savings For Your Pool” does a good job of explaining the basics of hydraulics associated with the swimming pool circulation system. While the comparison table for pipe size and pump motor HP makes sense for single line systems, many newer pool circulation systems have multiple suction and return pipes, which increases the actual flow [e.g., my 1.5 HP system frequently pumps about 110 gallons per minute (gpm) because it draws from two or three 2-inch skimmer/vacuum lines and after the filter returns through 2.5-inch solar heating and 2-inch circulating lines].

Here is the first place I saw information about reducing the size of swimming pool pump motors. This guy is very rough around the edges but knows what he is talking about. “Sizing The Pool Pump” covers many of the basics particularly when looking at existing systems.

The chart in the “Swimming Pool Pump Energy Savings” article shows the approximate monthly electrical usage in kilowatt-hours (kWh) for various pump motor sizes and daily run times. Utilizing this information along with the other sites discussing circulation flow, it is possible to achieve an energy efficient circulating system. While this article touts the advantages of a two speed pump, I was not convinced about its benefit in my case because the low speeds are not capable of generating the pressure (water head) necessary for providing adequate water flow to the top of my solar panels.

Build Your Own Pool

2006-12-20T17:44:00.000-08:00

How I Build My Own Swimming Pool was created by a guy in Arizona that decided to save money by building his own pool. There appears to be some good information here. While I do not know that I would have come to all of the same conclusions that he did, he has done a good job of documenting his thought process.

Do not think this is a “how to” site for doing all of the work. It is intended for the owner/builder. There is a good section about “why to” or “why not” be an owner/builder, in general he does a good job of covering the basics; however, I disagree with his conclusion about getting subcontractors in the Sunbelt. It is my opinion that it is possible to get subcontractors willing to work for owner/builders when the construction market is slower (possibly now); however, during the construction craze of the last few years very few good subcontractors are willing to work for owner/builders so you will most likely be picking from the subcontractors that are on the B or C lists.

There is a “paid” section to this site that I have not visited but it appears to have more detailed information for those that are serious about being your own contractor. Let me know your thoughts if you have visited this area of the website.

Pool Talk

2006-12-18T18:10:00.000-08:00

Pool Talk blog covers the sport of swimming as well as items regarding personal swimming pool ownership. This blog covers the gamut of pool and swimming thoughts (and some other stuff too). Pool Talk blog was started in October 2006 as their personal swimming pool was closed for the season and includes their search for a replacement diving board.

Pool & Spa Forum

2006-12-16T08:31:00.000-08:00

Please see iVillage GardenWeb Censorship

iVillage GardenWeb has a Pool & Spa forum which is getting lots of traffic. This forum frequently discusses topics well beyond the standard pool maintenance or service questions that are typical on most of the other forums.

While I have found some interesting stuff here, I have not figured out how to get the topics to be sorted by subject, date, or any other convenient system. If anyone learns the trick, please provide it in the comment section here.

Paddock Pool Problem

2006-12-15T09:32:00.000-08:00

Paddock Pools, Patios, and Spas has been around for over 40 years in Arizona and Nevada. With 10 large retail locations and a long history of pool construction they are probably the biggest guy on the block.

With many customers, it is not surprising they have some unhappy customers. I'm glad my pool experience continues to be better than the one this poor guy has documented in his website. He also provides links to other sites describing their problems with Paddock.

The Swimming Pool

2006-12-13T17:17:00.000-08:00

"Everything You Need to know to Design, Build and Landscape the Perfect Pool" looks to be a very high priced coffee table book with lots of pretty pictures and not likely to have any substance. However, it turns out that Tom Griffiths has put some substance along with photos into the book.

Many of the customer reviews on Amazon give this book poor marks because it is not a DIY book on how to construct a professional looking pool without any experienced contractors, which it is not. It does provide some good guidance for the homeowner looking to understand their pool/landscaping project and be able to talk intelligently to designers/contractors.

The copy I reviewed came from the Orange County Public Library, but it is not very expensive to pickup a "used" copy.

The only edition (ISBN 0671882929) was published in 1994, so some of the information is aged. I believe it is out of print.

The Pool Guy

2006-12-12T18:05:00.000-08:00

The Pool Guy says he has been in the swimming pool construction business since 1979 working primarily as a plaster subcontractor. He has some ineresting insight on his website in only six pages of information. He does not seem to be pushing any agenda, so it is well worth a look.

Pool Talk

2006-12-12T17:15:00.000-08:00

Pool Talk is the bulletin board for Poolcenter.com, an on-line pool supply store. This bulletin board has only a few categories but seems to be getting daily activity. Also, they have recently added Live Chat including technical help.

You will find, as I have, that many of the same people show up on all of the bulletin boards.

Poolcenter.com has other information geared for the pool owner, so it is not a bad place to check when you are looking for information.

I have never purchased anything from these guys, so I cannot comment on their store, service, etc.

Pool & Spa Forum

2006-12-10T10:46:00.000-08:00

Pool & Spa Forum was upgraded in September 2005. It is run by the editor of Poolsearch and Spasearch magazines, which seem to be focused on connecting prospective pool/spa owners with contractors/suppliers.

While there is lots of web (e.g., Google) advertising on this forum, there is some good information here with some current activity. But, stay away from the blogs since there is a lot of porn "trackbacks."

I have not explored the magazine websites much yet, so I cannot say how valuable they are. There is lots of web advertising here too. Some of the financing must be coming from hits and viewing traffic.

Poolsearch

Spasearch

More will follow at a later date.

Construction (Part 1)

2006-12-09T07:40:00.000-08:00

The contract was signed in early February 2007. Shortly there after the design was finalized and construction documents were submitted to the local building department for review and comment. In about two to three weeks the building permit was ready but the rains in Southern California prevented start of construction.
Ground was broken in late March 2007. It took less than two days to dig and form the hole for our 18 by 44 pool. While much of the work was done with a Bobcat, it was impressive to see the skill shown by about half a dozen hand diggers.
In less than a week we had a hole, some plumbing, and most of the reinforcing steel installed.
It took some time to finalize the reinforcing steel, complete the plumbing and electrical rough in.
In mid April 2007 gunnite was placed and for the first time it really looked like it was going to be a pool.

Pool Removal

2006-12-09T07:15:00.000-08:00

I just found this great website about a family in Pennsylvania that removed their swimming pool (I think during 2006). There are some great photos to go along with the story about the process. Others have begun to sent him their information too, so the website is growing.

There are some great photos of a gunnite/concrete pool that has floated up out of the ground. He does not have all of the details but is shows the power of hydrostatic pressure. Please let me know if you have (or there are other websites with) photos and stories about floating pools.

Swimming Pool Help

2006-12-08T06:38:00.000-08:00

Swimming Pool Help was created in January 2005 by the US distributor of a "mineral sanitizer." There is some good information here as this forum gains popularity.

The Association of Pool & Spa Professionals (APSP)

2006-12-08T04:41:00.000-08:00

The APSP is a national trade organization. There is some consumer information available on this website. However, they have three other sites that are owner orientated:

Pool People USA is intended for the pool owner.

Hot Tub Living is intended tor the spa and hot tub owner.

Splash Zone USA is designed for elementary school age kids. The FLASH site works better than the HTML site.

Independent Pool and Spa Service Association (IPSSA)

2006-12-07T06:23:00.000-08:00

IPSSA is a trade organization for the pool service professional. Only a little of the information is intended for the pool owner.

AQUA Magazine

2006-12-07T06:21:00.000-08:00

AQUA magazine is intended for the pool and spa professional. It is directed more towards construction and/or major remodel professionals.

California Spa and Pool Industry Education Council (SPEC)

2006-12-06T07:12:00.000-08:00

SPEC says it is a "statewide (California) umbrella non-profit trade association." You have to dig for the pool owner tips (scroll to the bottom of the page).

"Adult Supervision is not an Option!" is SPEC's motto leading to their theme of a common sense approach to pool safety.

Pool & Spa News Forum

2006-12-06T07:11:00.000-08:00

Pool & Spa News is a trade publication intended for the pool professional. The Forum is not heavily used but contains some items and insight for the pool owner.

What Color Is Your Swimming Pool?

2006-12-05T11:37:00.000-08:00

"A Homeowner's Guide to Trouble-Free Pool, Spa, and Hot Tub Maintenance" What a mouth full. I do not believe this book lives up to its title. It deals with many of the primary issues with owning a pool but not in depth.

I recommend checking it out at your local library before buying this book. If you are building a pool book library, it is worth owning for $15 to $20. If not, I would spend a few extra bucks for "The Ultimate Pool Maintenance Manual."

The third edition (ISBN 1580173098) was published in 2003, so it is just beginning to show its age.

The second edition (ISBN 1580170366) was published in 1998.

The Ultimate Pool Maintenance Manual

2006-12-05T10:56:00.000-08:00

As the title says, this is a very complete book. This is the best reference book I have found. While it can be very technical, it is easy to skip to the problem/task at hand by using the Contents, Index, and/or Glossary. Using the book just once can easily recoup your $20 to $30 investment, but it is also available at many public libraries.

The second edition (ISBN 0071362398) was published in 2001, so some of the information is beginning to show its age. This edition maybe more relevant if your pool was constructed in the late 1980's or 1990's.

It is my understanding the third edition (ISBN 0071470174) is expected to be published during early 2007. This edition should be of more value for owners of pools built in the early 2000's.

The first edition (ISBN ???) was published in 1996.

The original book was called "The Professional Pool Maintenance Manual " (ISBN 0070614075) and was published in 1995.

The Pool Forum

2006-12-05T09:03:00.000-08:00

The Pool Forum has been around for some time now but is no longer available to new users. If you have a question, this is one good place to check for the answer.