7 steps to opening your pool for the summer

Take The Cover Off
The very first thing you need to do is remove the cover from your pool. If you have a safety cover, you will need an installation rod and hex key to remove the springs from the anchors and screw them down flush to the concrete.

If you have a standard tarp cover with water bags, just remove the water bags and empty them to store for the winter.

Make sure you drain the water off the cover and remove any large debris before taking off the cover. It will make your job a lot easier and it will prevent that stuff from getting into your pool water.

Next, take the cover from one end of the pool and continually fold in half until it’s easy to remove the cover from the pool.

Remove The Winter Plugs
Walk around your pool and find all the return lines. Remove the winter plugs from the return lines and step jets.

Remove the ice compensator from the skimmer buckets. Depending on how you closed it, there should be a plastic bottle, sponge, or “gizmo” in your skimmer that prevents the ice from cracking it. Replace the baskets.

At this time, make sure your pool is filled mid-way up the skimmer opening before starting your filter system.

Get Your Filter System Ready
Before you start your filter system, make sure all of the drain plugs are properly installed. Your filter system should have one main drain plug and your pump may have two.

Replace the pressure gauge on your filter as well as any other parts that belong.

Check the o-ring on your pump lid to make sure it’s in good condition. Bend it between your fingers to check for cracks. If everything looks ok, just apply a Teflon-based o-ring lubricant before screwing the pump lid back on.

Once everything is in place, start your filter system.

Note: Your pump may have to be primed if no water is coming through. Turn off the pump and remove the lid. Fill the pump housing with water. You can use a hose or a giant bucket of pool water to do this. Replace the lid and your pump should prime itself.

Test and Shock
Once your pool is up and running, take a water sample to your nearest pool dealer to get a professional water analysis done. Make sure you pH and alkalinity are properly balanced.

At this point, it’s a good idea to add the proper sanitizer to your water (i.e. chorine). Also, shocking your pool right away is a good idea too.

Cleaning Up
Make sure you clean your winter cover before storing it away for the season. Check your local pool supply dealer for winter cover cleaner.

Also, vacuum your pool using a manual vacuum at first to get all the heavy debris out (if there is any). After that, you can continue to use your automatic pool cleaner.

Opening up your pool is easy and takes no time at all. Ask a friend or neighbor to help and drink plenty of water, or beverage of choice, while working in the heat.

Happy Swimming!

This headband could stop kids from drowning

The iSwimband is a device that uses phone notifications to warn parents if their child is having trouble in the water.

Parents often find themselves stuck in a bind between letting their children have fun by themselves and making sure they’re not in trouble. Technology such RFID has been used before on farms — the Where Abouts system for example lets kids explore and notifies farmers if one has strayed too far. Now theiSwimband is a device that warns parents if their child is underneath the water for too long.

The headband is made of lightweight rubber and can be fitted securely around the head of all children, from small toddlers to teenagers. When synced through Bluetooth with parent’s mobile devices, the companion app delivers notifications that let them know the status of their kids when playing in the pool. Users can set their own alert limits — if a toddler or non-swimmer gets too close to the water, or if a swimming child becomes submerged for longer than they should. The founder of Aquatic Safety Concepts, which developed the product, is a father whose child’s 9-year-old classmate tragically died at a busy pool because nobody noticed that he’d disappeared under the water for five whole minutes. The iSwimband could help kids in trouble get a much quicker response from adults and potentially save young lives. The video below explains more about the concept:

 The iSwimband is expected to be available around May 2014.

Delta UV Sanitation System

A swimming pool is a complex environment dealing with all kinds of components, and bodies, which is influenced by the weather, the temperature etc.

The water chemistry of the pool may be subject to tough variation, depending on the conditions of use. As a result the water chemistry may not properly balanced. Elements such as the pH, TOC, alkalinity, hardness are difficult to monitor on a timely basis and especially when you just need one thing:

To swim and to play in your pool and spa.

Today, you have a choice between different methods of sanitization; All methods have pros and cons, none of them is better than any other.

Delta UV propose an alternative, safe and healthy solution.

Engineered and designed specifically for residential pool and spa water maintenance, the E&ES, EA and EP Series offer an incomparable and safer pool and spa experience for your family and friends - silky smooth, odorless and salt free.

Adding a Delta UV sanitizer to your pool or spa will provide 99.99% contaminant-free water while reducing the use of chemicals. Delta UV units deactivate bacteria, germs, viruses, and algae including the chlorine-resistant protozoan parasites cryptosporidium and giardia. Some of the other benefits include:

  

  - No nasty chlorine smell

  - No more red eyes, dry skin or damaged hair

  - Easier pool maintenance

  - Prolongs pool life - won't erode pool surface or equipment

  - Environmentally friendly

  - Compatible with all types of coatings and filters

  - Can be automated with an existing chlorinator

TODAY GO FOR DELTA UV AND CHOOSE A GREEN ALTERNATIVE 

Interior Drop In Steps for New or Existing pools

All these steps can be used for either new or existing pools and dropped in. The six inch radius or 90 degree corner step pictured above is available in steel as well as the molded vinyl.

All of them fit under vinyl liners to give you a unique custom look.
Call PENGUIN POOLS at 612-225-0007 for more information on these drop-in steps, or check out the website for ideas on custom steps made to your order.

CORNER STEP / BENCH COMBO  

12 FOOT STEP / BENCH COMBO  

10 FOOT STEP / BENCH COMBO 

10 FOOT STEP 

How swimming pool heat pumps work

A Heat Pump uses electricity to operate but they also use the sun-warmed air which contributes to the efficiency of the unit. Heat Pump Pool Heaters do not generate heat. Nothing beats gas for the way it heats, but the operating cost is about 5 times as much......plus you can spend up to a thousand to get it hooked up. So even though the intial investment is a bit higher, you will pass the breakeven point in a couple years or less.

When looking to buy a heat pump pool heater you need to take these factors into consideration: size, efficiency, and cost.

Your existing pool pump circulates the water through the heater and warms the pool. The FAN circulates air through the outer EVAPORATOR AIR COIL that acts as a heat collector. The liquid refrigerant in the air coil absorbs the available heat in the ambient air transforming it into a gas. The refrigerant gas is then pumped into the COMPRESSOR. When this warmed gas is compressed, it intensifies or concentrates the heat like a magnifying glass in the sun. This intensely hot gas is then pumped into the HEAT EXCHANGER CONDENSER where the actual heat transfer takes place. As the pool water passes through the heat exchanger, the hot gas gives up its heat to the cooler pool water. The refrigerant returns to a liquid state and is pumped through the EXPANSION VALVE then into the evaporator air coil to start the process all over again.

Higher efficiency heat pump pool heaters usually use scroll compressors versus the reciprocal compressors of standard units.

Heat pump pool heaters work efficiently as long as the outside temperature remains above the 45ºF–50ºF range. The cooler the outside air they draw in, the more energy they use. However, since most people use outdoor swimming pools during warm and mild weather, this usually isn't an issue.

Heat pump pool heaters cost more than gas pool heaters, but they typically have much lower annual operating costs because of their higher efficiencies. With proper maintenance, heat pump pool heaters typically last longer than gas pool heaters. Therefore, you'll save more money in the long run.

With proper installation and maintenance, heat pump pool heaters can last 10 or more years.

Pool in a Pool cover with buddy seat, fountains, and G-force turbo slide

Swingaway Hinged Ladders for autocovers

Tired of having your automatic pool cleaner get tangled up on your pool ladder, or having to remove your ladder to close your auto cover?
When an autocovers is installed on a new or existing pool, there is always one problem... the ladder in the deep end is always in the way of the cover closing.
Cover companies came up with an easy solution to this and installed hinges on the ladders. The only draw back to their hinge is it uses a small pin to lock the ladder in place. These are small pins and can very easily get lost and bent. More often than not, it is easier for homeowners to just stop using the ladders.
Our hinges incorporate the locking pin into the hinge itself. The pin is internally mounted which makes it easy to lock and unlock. To unlock the hinge, you simply lift the entire ladder 1 inch. To lock the hinge, you simply let the ladder slide down and lock into place. It couldn't be easier.
These hinges can be used for more than auto covers. If you have an automatic cleaner that is always getting tangled on the ladder, this is the solution for you. No more worrying about your cleaner getting stuck and staying in place for hours. Simply lift the ladder out of the water and let it go.

They also make for easy winterization. To order swing away ladder hinges...call Penguin Pools at 612-225-0007


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