OT - Pool Questions

[HunterBoo]

Hello ... I wanted to ask any pool owners for a bit of advice. We had an inground pool put in the summer of 2010. The dealer we ended up dealing with was recommended, but after having been through the process and hearing from others we ended up being very unhappy with the whole process and this company.

This year we ended up having our pool heater go (our local pool company who we now deal with spoke with their Jandy dealer and thankfully we had three Jandy items installed - pump, heater, filter - so that had a three year warranty remaining), then we had the pool solar blanket rip, dry out and the majority of the little bubbles fell off into the pool - so we have replaced that. We don't think the salt cell is working properly and may be at the point of needing a new one. We are also having issues with the filter. We went with a cartridge filter system (recommended by the first dealer) not realizing how expensive cartridges are to replace Friends of ours who had their pool put in by the same company ended up replacing their filtration system with a sand filter system rather than purchase four new cartridges. The reason I think we are having filter issues is that we will vacuum the pool and all of the sand seems to come back and by the next morning our pool bottom is right back to where it was to start with. We also have a lot of little flecks of dirt and such floating around which is irritating.

So I suppose my questions are what kind of filtration system you use for your pool? Benefits to sand or cartridge system? What about the salt cell? How long have some of you had yours last and where can you buy one a wee bit cheaper than from the pool company (if that is possible)? I am totally frustrated with the whole pool thing this year and can't believe how many issues we've had hit us in one year!!

Thanks so much!

 

[disneymath]

I can't help you with the filtration situation (we're old school chlorine in an inground that's approaching 30 years old), but I did want to mention that 3 years on the blue bubble solar cover is about right before it starts to deteriorate - especially if you had to cut it to fit an odd-shaped pool. The sun and weather do take their toll and like so many other things, they're not made like they used to be.

We're in Northern Ontario, with few pool places locally. We buy our solar and winter covers through international pools and spas, they carry pretty much everything. They ship, but also have actual stores too. They might be a place where you can get supplies cheaper. In terms of chemicals, we buy them from wherever ... Canadian Tire, Costco, Walmart, etc. ... Not sure if they carry the supplies you would need, but worth checking.

Hope you are able to find a resolution.

 

[Carina]

ON the subject of new covers - how do I know if it has the straps to attach it to the cover roller and how do those straps attach it looks like plastic bolts holding them in

I have a million clear 'jellyfish' floating in my pool

 

[HunterBoo]

ON the subject of new covers - how do I know if it has the straps to attach it to the cover roller and how do those straps attach it looks like plastic bolts holding them in

I have a million clear 'jellyfish' floating in my pool

I don't know for sure, but when they came and cut our new cover it seemed like the bolts and straps were all part of the box it came in. Our old bolts had rusted and straps had ripped or fallen off, so it has all been replaced. (and for the next one I think I could do it myself! lol)

 

[rjan67]

We have a salt system also, although it is the sand system and not a cartridge. We have had very little problems. We have owned this home with the pool since 2005 and no major problems. We did buy a new cover - other was quite old, and replaced the liner which was original since the pool was built in the 1990's. We have a large red maple which overhangs the pool - great on hot days but adds hours to pool cleanup. I have never had sand in the pool from the filter -only leaves and such from my kids and the tree. We do not have a heater but have been giving serious thought to solar, so I can't help you there. From what I'm hearing it sounds like you are having a great deal of trouble with yours that shouldn't be happening.

 

[formill]

We have to clean our salt cell 2 or 3 times a season- it gets build up kind of like hard water deposits and then won't work-we have to soak it in vinegar then it works again. We have been using salt system for about 8 years. We gave up on solar blankets years ago-too much bother to take on and off and that made us swim less in an already very short swimming season I want the pool used a lot-we have had solar heating for a few years and it works great. We also have a sand filter not cartridges. No problems with it- think replaced sand once over the past 15 years.

 

[Carina]

We do not have a heater but have been giving serious thought to solar, .

We have a home made solar heater ( previous owners made it) Its black pipe on my roof.

It makes a HUGE difference and our pool guy said he always recommends home made solar vs a prefab system as the cost is a mere fraction and they work just the same

 

[disneymath]

We have a home made solar heater ( previous owners made it) Its black pipe on my roof.

It makes a HUGE difference and our pool guy said he always recommends home made solar vs a prefab system as the cost is a mere fraction and they work just the same

So true. We've had homemade solar for years ... my father installed black hose along the roof, the pump circulates the water through the hose. The water that comes out of it is hot enough to keep the pool temps at or above 80 degrees most of the summer. (Being in Northern Ontario, we also have a gas heater but only use it two or three times a season - to get the temp. up when we open the pool in the spring and to quickly boost the temperature if we get a cold spell.)