Mar
7
2010
Greetings Friends!
Hope everyone is having a great Sunday. We just received word from Hayward that they’ll be offering a short spring time rebate offer on all Aquarite Salt Chlorine Systems. If you’ve thought about converting your swimming pool to salt water this spring, be sure to take advantage of this limited time offer. We are an authorized Hayward dealer and would love to tell you more about these great chlorinators. Give us a call if you’re interested more in learning about salt pools. 
Feb
26
2010
Hi Everyone,
Springtime 2010 is almost upon us and we’ve got a great deal to pass your way! One of our choice liner manufacturers is offering a special on a limited supply of liners for springtime. We’re offering 25% off the cost of a liner for you while these supplies last. Take a look at all the different patterns available and give us a call today to schedule an appointment. This isn’t going to last for long so if you’re thinking about getting your liner replaced this season, take advantage of the savings before they’re all gone!
Cheers! 910 960 POOL (7665)
Feb
22
2010
Good morning readers! I’d be willing to bet that more than 80% of the pool owners in Wilmington NC do not have automatic water level equipment. This means you have to keep a close eye on your pool’s water level, especially in the summer time! Maybe you’ve got a leak that needs to be repaired and you’re constantly having to add water as you watch the water level drop. There is a great affordable solution for all pool owners and installation can be performed in minutes! It’s called the The Pool Sentry™ (#M-3000). They can be purchased directly through us and delivered with your next service visit. Below are the features as described by the manufacturer:
FEATURES:
- Protects pump against burnout
- Maintains water level while on vacation
- Use for rental or vacant homes
- Fills pool after acid wash
- No tools required – simply attach hose
- Controls level in leaking pools, ponds or spas
- Unattached operation
- COMPLETELY PORTABLE!
If you’re interested in purchasing one, give us a call at Wilmington Pool Service today. 910-960-POOL (7665)
Stay Classy Wilmington!
Feb
17
2010
For those of you that have swimming pools, please be sure to use extra caution when turning valves and maintaining equipment. The plastic components do not like cold weather and cause things to bind together and or snap under low pressure. If you haven’t already taken the proper measures to protect your swimming pool equipment, call us today with your questions!
We had over 3″ of snow last weekend! Hope everyone had a safe and eventful weekend in the snow! It was great to see all the snowmen in people’s yards!
Cheers! 
Tags: cold water, hail, pool company wilmington, rain, snow, swimming pool, weather, Wilmington | 
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Comments (0) Feb
16
2010
After a large number of requests and some free time, we’ve finally put together a good overview of hot tub maintenance for residential home owners. If you own a hot tub and need a little refresher, take a look at our spa care maintenance tips and guide page.
The guide goes over the following:
Spa Start-up and Clean-up
Chemistry Maintenance
Preventative Maintenance
If anyone is in need of hot tub maintenance or repair assistance, please give us a call and we’ll be happy to answer any of your questions. 910-960-POOL (7665). Thanks!
Tags: chemistry, clean up, guide, hot tub, jacuzzi, Maintenance, residential, spa, start up, tips, Wilmington |
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Comments (0) Feb
16
2010
Hi friends and customers! We’re half way through February and warm weather is right around the corner. Now is a great time to take your pool measurements and think about having a solar bubble cover ordered for your pool. These great pool covers are the most cost effective way to heat your swimming pool, extend your swimming pool season, and retain heat if you’re using other heating systems. We offer a variety of bubble cover options and can even custom cut a cover to fit your free form pool. Prices start at just $99! Give us a call and ask about cover options today! Thanks for stopping by!
Nov
10
2009
You may not ha
ve to add water to the pool today or even tomorrow, but most residential swimming pools are not equipt with an automatic fill system. Yeah there isn’t anything wrong with going out back and turning the hose on for a few hours but what if you forget to turn the hose off?
We recommend picking up an automatic water timer for your garden hose. We offer them for $9.95 and thread right onto your garden hose. Now you can turn the timer on (15 minutes – 2 hours) and walk away knowing that the pool won’t overflow. A great gadget for the price.
Nov
8
2009
Greetings Wilmington NC Pool owners! After hearing about a local customer taking a dip in his 56F degree pool this weekend (November) it got me thinking back to this great idea for a swimming pool heater. A small company out of Arkansas called, Extenda Swim, is manufacturing wood burning swimming pool heaters. These great American made heaters are fabricated from heavy steel and lined with firebrick internals. They install in less than two hours and can produce anywhere from 80,000 – 200,000 BTU/Hour depending on which of three sizes you install. Combine one of these heaters with a solar bubble cover and suddenly year round swimming sounds great. Prices are a bit on the high side ranging from $1900 to $3100 but come with a two-year warranty and lots of energy saving potential. Good work Extenda Swim!
Nov
8
2009
Why is it important?
Brushing your swimming pool is one of the most important parts of swimming pool maintenance. Think about why you brush your teeth? We do it to prevent cavities and decay. The same thing goes for your swimming pool. Brushing your pool regularly will ensure your pool surfaces stay clean and trouble free.
Regular Brushing Pool Maintenance:
Your swimming pool should brushed on a weekly basis. Brushing weekly will prevent algae, calcium, and minerals from building up on the pool surface, which eventually could lead to surface damage. Be sure to brush the pool walls, pool floor, tiles, stairs, around the pool light, and ladder steps.
I have a pool cleaner, do I still have to brush my pool?
Yes, you still need to brush your pool weekly. An automatic pool cleaner doesn’t effectively scrub your pool surface the same way a brush does. Don’t overlook this task.
My pool has algae but I can’t get it off by brushing, what should I do?
If you’ve got algae growth and brushing isn’t helping it’s most likely black algae. Contact us and we’ll be happy talk you through it. Your swimming pool will need to be treated for algae and possibly shocked as well. Treating your pool will kill the algae and loosen it from the wall. Then you can resume brushing to clean your surface.
Oct
28
2009
What swimming pool tools do I need and how do I use them?
When it comes to cleaning a swimming pool there isn’t a single tool out there to get the whole job done. You have to think of pool maintenance equipment like you would automotive tools. There are many out there and each one serves a special purpose. We’ll go over each tool, its purpose, and how they should be used. After this guide, you should be able to start using these tools to effectively to clean your swimming pool.
Pool Pole:The pool pole is your first priority; without it the other tools would do you little to no good. Most of the tools used in maintaining your swimming pool will clip onto the end of your pool pole. This device allows you to extend your tool reach to all of the pools surfaces (tile, walls, floor, etc). They are generally available in one, two, and three piece assemblies. Consider purchasing a high quality pool pole as it will see more use than any other tool. 
Leaf Rake: The leaf rake assists you in retrieving objects from the pool surface and pool floor such as leaves or rocks. This is commonly used to clean large debris from the pool. When using this tool on the pool surface, practice flipping the net-opening face down against water as you extend the pole out, followed by a quick retrieval. Each time to extend the pole over the pool; the leaf rake should land face down in the water. Try getting in the habit of rotating the pole a complete 360 degrees in the same direction with each extension of the pole. When trying to retrieve objects from the pool floor, keep the leaf rake moving in a forward motion. Any sudden transition from forward to backward motion will cause all of the contents in your net to release back into the pool. 
Vinyl Brush: The Vinyl Brush is regularly used to clean the pool’s surface of any clinging debris. Even when no debris appear present, the pool surfaces should be brushed. Get into a weekly habit of brushing all the pool surfaces including the stairs, tiles, walls, floor, and light fixtures. Doing this on a regular basis will extend the life of your plaster or pool surface. Think of your pool surface as if it was the paint job on a car. In order to keep the paint in good shape over time, you wash your car.
Stainless Steel Brush: The Stainless Steel Brush is not a tool made for regular use. Its steel bristles are designed to help you scrub algae or tough debris for pool surfaces. Use small up & down motions while focusing force on one side of the brush. The steel brush is designed for plaster surfaces only. The abrasive bristles can damage fiberglass and vinyl pools. Only use a steel brush when absolutely necessary. Always attempt to remove algae or other debris with a vinyl brush first.
Vacuum Head: The vacuum head is designed to use the pool’s filter system along with a vacuum hose to draw fine debris such as dirt from the pool floor. When vacuuming your swimming pool, move the vacuum head slowly along the bottom of the pool to avoid stirring up any fine debris. Take your time and do a thorough job. Never remove the vacuum head from the water when vacuuming; this will cause the filtration system to lose prime. Never force a vacuum head forward. If the vacuum head appears stuck, move the vacuum backwards then resume your forward motions. See vacuum hose to learn about priming.
Vinyl Vacuum Head: Just like a regular vacuum head, the vinyl vacuum head is designed for pools with vinyl liners. These vacuum heads reduce the chance of damaging your pool liner. The same process and rules apply to both vacuum heads.
Vacuum Hose: The vacuum hose is what connects your vacuum head to the filter system, allowing suction to transfer to the pool floor via the vacuum head. Once you’ve connected the pool pole, vacuum head, and hose together, insert the pole and vacuum head into the water. Turn the vacuum head sideways so the pole doesn’t sink into the water. Once you’ve done this we’re ready to prime the vacuum hose. The goal here is to get all the air out of the hose and fill it with water. You can accomplish this one of two ways. First, you can lower the vacuum hose slowly into the water, allowing gravity to push the air out. Second, you can place the vacuum hose over a pool return and allow the pressure to fill the hose. After accomplishing this, connect the vacuum hose to either a skimmer vacuum plate or a leaf canister to protect your plumbing from debris. 
Leaf Vacuum: The leaf vacuum is another great tool for cleaning the pool. This device is a great idea when you have a lot of leaves in your pool. The leaf vacuum connects to your pool pole and a garden hose. The garden hose powers the leaf vacuum and sends shooting streams of water into the bag creating suction at the pool floor. Simply connect your garden hose, place the leaf vacuum in the water then turn the water on. Slowly move the leaf vacuum around the pool floor to draw debris into the attached net. When you’re all finished, carefully remove the leaf vacuum so you do not get yourself wet from the jets. Be sure to clean your leaf vacuum after use.
Leaf Canister: The leaf canister is a trap designed to go in-line with your vacuum hose. As you vacuum leaves and other small debris, the leaf canister will trap everything. This tool is used to protect your pool plumbing from clogs. When you prime your vacuum hose, connect the leaf canister in-line and fill the canister with water. Then attach it to the skimmer or vacuum port.
Skimmer Vacuum Plate: A skimmer vacuum plate is a common substitute for a leaf canister. The idea behind this tool is to give your skimmer basket the chance to catch your debris. This device works well but you’ll frequently have to empty the skimmer basket if you’re vacuuming leaves. When you are priming your vacuum hose, attach the skimmer plate to your hose. In one motion quickly remove the hose/plate from the pool to the skimmer. It’s important to do this step quickly so you do not allow air into the vacuum hose. 
Test Kit: The test kit is probably one of the most important tools for maintaining your swimming pool. While it doesn’t assist you in physically cleaning your pool, properly adjusting your chemistry regularly will save you from lots of physical labor. We’ll talk more about test kits in the next section.
All of the tools seen here today can be purchased directly through us. Please give Wilmington Pool Service a call today at 910 960 POOL (7665).