Owning a hot tub offers dream-like relaxation and is great for socializing. However, the initial cost and upkeep can be significant. While the benefits, like stress relief and year-round use, generally outweigh the drawbacks, it’s important to consider both sides. Having owned hot tubs for over twenty years, I have compiled an unbiased view of…
It would be wonderful if a pool would look after itself so you could put your feet up and lie on a sun lounger instead. Unfortunately, that is not the case – unless you can afford a pool service to do all the work. Vacuuming a pool once a week is normally sufficient. However, it…
When a pool starts losing water, it is not unreasonable to start panicking and imagine the thousands of dollars that you may need to spend to dig up pipework, replace the liner or do other major works. All pools lose water and it is easy to conclude that you must have a leak. But actually,…
When I first had my pool, I wondered if I should run the pool pump all the time and, if not, how long it should run. I knew it was important that the water in the pool was kept clean, but I wasn’t sure if I should let the pool pump run continuously. If you…
It is a common mistake to put too much algaecide in a pool. Sometimes, the amount needed is miscalculated, and at other times, it is added incorrectly. Too much algaecide results in water in the pool full of tiny foaming bubbles, which can damage the filtration system and cause eye and skin irritation. It is…
Baking soda has many uses around the house, and many people are surprised that it can also be used to care for pools. But what does baking soda do to a pool? Baking soda is actually sodium bicarbonate, which is alkaline. So, adding it to a too acidic pool will raise the pH and total…
Where to put chlorine tablets in a swimming pool and whether it is ok to put them in the skimmer’s basket are two often-asked questions pool owners have, particularly with new swimming pool owners. It is perfectly safe to put chlorine tablets in the skimmer basket. It is the obvious place to put them, as…
What swimming pool cleaning tools do you need is an important question asked by most new swimming pool owners. Cleaning a pool is not rocket science but you will need some essential swimming pool cleaning equipment to maintain it properly and keep it clean.
Even if the water in your pool is clean and sparkling, dirt on the bottom of the pool just looks awful and is unappealing to swim in, so you need to clean it. How do you get dirt out of a pool? The easiest way to clean dirt from the bottom of a pool is…
Pool shock treatment is a high chlorine concentration designed to kill micro-organisms and organic waste. The problems you might face from entering a very recently shocked pool depend on how high the free chlorine level is. Everything from your clothes to your body and internal organs could be at risk due to high chlorine levels.…