PLEASE READ: Why it is Important to Test Your Water After Your Pool Opening!

You’ve waited all winter for this and the time has finally come- it’s time to open your pool! You see your pool is crystal clear and you may be ready to dive right in BUT before you do, it is important to have your water tested within 24-48 hours of starting your equipment after your pool is opened. Clear water can be HIGHLY ACIDIC water. Acidic water can severely damage your pool and its equipment within days of operation.

Poor water quality can lead to:

• Corrosion and damage of pool equipment (especially the components in heaters!)

• Damage to ALL pool surfaces (vinyl liners, gunite & fiberglass)

• Additional, potentially costly, expenses to return the pool to a useable condition

• Cloudy, murky and unsightly water

• Swimmer eye and skin irritation

• AND MORE!!

Here at Colley’s Pools & Spas, all 4 of our locations offer COMPLIMENTARY computerized water testing. While your water may look clear and safe, it has been sitting stagnant all winter and may be unsafe for swimming and damaging to the pool and equipment!

Maintaining quality pool water is vital to keeping your pool and pool equipment in tip-top shape all summer long. Frequent water tests (we recommend weekly, but at minimum, twice a month) will help you figure out which chemicals you need, which helps increase the longevity of your pool and its equipment and, in turn, SAVES YOU MONEY! Just because your pool water looks clear- doesn’t mean it is safe!

Testing your pool water with Colley’s Pools & Spas is easy!

1. Use a Colley’s water sample bottle or any clean container.

2. Take the sample away from jets and skimmer.

3. Dip container upside down until elbow deep, then take the sample.

4. Bring it into one of our 4 locations for a COMPLIMENTARY water test.

Based on the computerized outcome, our pool experts can recommend which chemicals you may need to improve your water quality.

How to Detect a Leak in Your Vinyl Pool

As pool opening season rapidly approaches and you get the cover off your pool, you may notice your water level is down. Don’t immediately panic- inground pools regularly lose water each day to evaporation. Additionally, your pool has been sitting all winter, so some water loss isn’t out of the ordinary. That being said, an excessive drop in your water level can be indicative of a leak.

Leaks must be located and repaired, because they could not only lead to significant water loss in your pool, but also increase water bills and can weaken the structure of the area surrounding your pool. Before deciding how best to repair a leak in an inground pool’s vinyl liner, however, the water loss or leak’s location must be identified and severity assessed.

The first question to answer when you notice water loss is, “How Much Water Loss in a Pool is Normal?” It’s normal for your pool to lose a small amount of water due to evaporation, splashing around each day and if you backwash. Additionally, it is actually common for swimming pools to lose water at night. Even without sunlight, evaporation can still occur, especially if the pool temperature is higher than the air temperature. However, if your pool is losing more than half an inch to an inch of water per day, it may indicate there is an issue.

A relatively easy way to see how much water you have lost is by doing a bucket test.

1. Have your pool filled to its standard level. Using a 5 gallon bucket, fill it 1 inch from the top with pool water.

2. Immerse the bucket in the pool to about 5 inches. Setting it on the first or second step of your pool should suffice.

3. Mark the water level inside the bucket and the water level outside the bucket.

4. Come back in 24 hours to compare the inside water level to the outside water level. If the water level outside the bucket has dropped more than half an inch- you may have a leak. Note: If it rains during the 24 hour waiting period, you will have to re-do for more accurate results.

If, after completing the bucket test, there is still concern about a leak- contact us! We offer a leak detection service. A leak detection is done by a highly-trained technician who can pinpoint leaks using advanced technology.

By determining where the leak is, we can then offer the best possible solution to resolve your leak!

How to Properly Maintain Your Loop Loc Cover

If you have a Loop Loc cover, you know it is the strongest pool cover on the market. While it is virtually maintenance free, there are steps you should take to promote the longevity of your Loop Loc cover.

1. Proper Storage: When storing your Loop Loc, fold it up and roll it into the provided storage bag. Hang the bag on a hook or nail (or any way to keep it off the floor). By keeping your Loop Loc off the floor, you are allowing the cover to drain through the bag as well as protect it from rodents. Rodents notoriously like to make a home out of pool covers; chewing holes and causing rips.

2. Handle with Care: Loop Loc covers can be bulky and heavy, but it is important to handle them with care. It is best to avoid dragging the over across the deck or placing it near any sharp edges which will damage the cover.

3. Snow Support: During Western New York’s inevitably cold and snowy winters, your water level should be 15”-18” below the top of the pool. The water (and eventually ice) will act as a support for your Loop Loc when the snow accumulates. This support will help relieve the stress the weight of the snow is placing on the cover.

4. Stay Off: While Loop Loc is touted to be able to hold an elephant, it is best to keep off of your cover to maintain its strength. Not only can being on the cover put stress on it, but pets and other animals can put rips in the cover with their paws/claws.

There are just a few helpful tips that will allow you to get the most out of your Loop Loc cover! Visit the Loop Loc page on our website for more information: www.colleys.com/loop-loc-covers