Why saving money choosing “pool guy” over a licensed Davie Pool Company can cost you a fortune

If you are in need of pool service or pool maintenance in Davie, you can save yourself exposure to liability, costly repairs and mind blowing medical costs if you take the time to select a licensed Florida contractor as your pool service. While you may consider taking care of your pool as a low tech, low skill service, you can avoid serious problems if you take a closer look.

Pools of course are very common in Davie and the rest of Broward County. They have to be serviced to ensure they are clean and safe for your family and friends, and to ensure the equipment isn't damaged from lack of maintenance. Unfortunately there are contractors that are not responsible business people who think a pickup truck, a vacuum and a skimmer are the only tools needed to do the job.

Sometimes you might find one of these "pool guys" that works out for you. Maybe he worked for a qualified pool company before and is now trying to start out on his own. He may be reliable and he may do a great job but...when he trips and cracks his skull on your deck you are responsible for his medical and other expenses.

Why Davie Homeowners Need Licensed Pool Maintenance and Cleaning Services

When you invite a contractor on your property, be it a housekeeper, lawn care crew, child care or pool cleaning service you want to make sure they are a responsible business. The best way to ensure that is to insist on only using licensed firms like Pipeline Pools.

There are many advantages to using licensed contractors and they all start with insurance. If you are a licensed contractor in Broward County lile Pipeline Pools, you have to carry liability coverage including workman's compensation.

That worker's compensation is your first line of defense against paying for any injuries a contractor may suffer on your property.

Ducking medical expenses is important, but you have to also consider that not all businesses can get insurance. Insurance companies have underwriting standards and if a company has a history of bad credit or no history in the business or any other negative information, they may not be able to be licensed.

Then there's the work. If your pool needs repair and you need a new pump or other piece of equipment, often times the warranties on that equipment require that it be installed by a trained professional for the warranty to be valid. If you have equipment failure and your "pool guy's" professional experience is that he put in a similar pump at a neighbor's last year, the warranty will probably not be honored.

Pool cleaning keeps your pool safe and your water clear. Pool maintenance gets the most life out of all your pool equipment. Pool repair and pool renovation require exceptionally experienced (and licensed) technicians to bring your investment back to prime condition.

If you have questions about licensing in Broward County, give us a call and we will be happy to help.

Weston Pool Service Experts on Stain Removal Treatment vs. Acid Wash

Why you should choose stain removal treatment over acid washing

If your pool is starting to show stains you will want to consider this advice from Weston pool maintenance pros Pipeline Pools on how to proceed. Stains are going to happen in a pool. You can't mix so many different organic, metallic and chemical elements with water without having dome form of stain appearing.

Stains are unsightly and if left untreated over a period of time can affect the entire pool. One way to get rid of stains that we don’t recommend is an acid wash. Essentially an acid wash strips off a thin layer of pool plaster. Acid washes are typically done every 5 to 7 years.

An Alternative to Acid Wash for Weston Pool Owners

A better, safer approach to acid wash is to address each type of stain individually and use a method designed to clean a specific stain type. Stains are caused by a number of factors and they often result in distinctive colors. Here is a short list of those stains:

• Greenish-brown stains. These are usually caused by something organic like leaves, lawn debris, worms and insects. Organic stains can generally be removed by shocking the pool and giving it a good scrubbing. Pouring a little chlorine shock right over a stain normally removes it instantly. Scrubbing is the key and there are a number of specialized brushes that can make the job easier.
• Reddish-brown stains are the hallmark of metals in the pool water. Not surprisingly, iron causes the rust colored stains while copper may result in blue or black stains. The first step in dealing with metal stains is to get the amount of metal in your water under control. There are several products that can remove metal from your water. The stains themselves can be treated with ascorbic acid. That's right; vitamin C cuts through and dissolves metal stains.
• Red stains are typically from berries. If you have berries growing nearby this won't come as a surprise. Berries can find their way into your pool via wind and animals. Even if you don't have them growing in the yard, birds can make deposits as they fly over. Berry stains can be treated the same as organic stains with good results.

As mentioned, acid washes should be avoided. If you have stains you are having trouble cleaning with conventional methods, give us a call and we will take a look and offer our advice.

There are plenty of products and tools available to both prevent and clean pool stains. Call us today and we will be happy to share our thoughts with you.

Pembroke Pines Pool Service Experts Offer These Tips for Having an Environmentally Friendly Pool

The week was Earth Day so what better time to think about how you can reduce the environmental impact of your pool. Pembroke Pines' premier pool cleaner and pool maintenance company, Pipeline Pools, has a few simple tips for homeowners to improve the environmental impact their pools have on our community. Environmental awareness has become an issue in almost everything we do. When you think of pools you think of chemicals and it is true that private pools are not the most environmentally friendly form of recreation and enjoyment.

But there are steps you can take to minimize the effect of chemicals and other issues like energy and water use. Most of these tips are easy to implement and some may even save you some money.

Tips for a Greener Pembroke Pines Family Pool

1. Let's start with pool chemicals. Chemicals don't have to be nasty. There are several brands that offer all natural ingredients that work as stain removers, filter cleaners, enzymes, and clarifiers that can keep your water looking crystal clear. Chlorine is the culprit most commonly brought up when talking environmental hazards. Installing a salt chlorine generator eliminates the need for chlorine tablets. The salt generator creates a natural form of chlorine that gets the job done. There are also chlorine substitutes for shocking and sanitizing.

2. If you have an inefficient pool pump you are wasting energy. A pool pump can use more electricity than your home's air conditioning. Make sure you have the right size pump for the job. If you are unsure, give us a call and we will inspect your setup and give you our opinion.

3. Pool covers can save you energy, reduce evaporation and help keep your pool clean. A solar cover will minimize the need for pool heating. If the idea of pulling a cover on and off each time you use the pool is a deal breaker, consider the roll on roll off models or even a motorized version.

4. Natural wind breaks like hedges can greatly reduce evaporation and assist in keeping the water (and swimmers) warm. Wind is a powerful evaporation force and robs water of heat. You can improve the appearance of your pool area and reduce your heating costs with a little inventive landscaping.

5. Consider a heat pump. These devices have much lower energy costs than a gas powered heater. They cost more but you can recover that difference in 2 to 3 pool seasons.

If you want to see how you can lower the carbon footprint of your pool, call us today and we will set up a convenient time to inspect your pool.

Weston Pool Service Experts Offer These Tips on Cloudy Pools

Cloudy Pool Water? Weston Pool Service Experts Explain Why and What You Can Do About

If the water in your pool is something other than crystal clear, you need to take a moment and check out these tips from Weston's premier pool cleaner Pipeline Pools. Hazy or milky blue water in your pool is not only unattractive; it can be a signal that harmful bacteria are present. The good news is that hazy water can be restored to completely clear in a short period of time. The bad news is that there are over 50 causes of hazy water and you'll need to know what they are and attack them systematically to restore your pool's water.

Generally speaking there are three broad categories that can cause pool water problems; water chemistry, water contamination and faulty equipment. If you have a regular maintenance and cleaning routine, you'll probably rarely have an issue with water clarity. However, if maintenance and pool cleaning is hit and miss, less than clear pool water is on your horizon.

Common Causes of Hazy Pool Water

Water chemistry is frequently the cause of less than pristine pool water. It really shouldn't be because test kits are inexpensive and easy to use but there is something about "chemistry" that intimidates many pool owners.

Examples of bad water chemistry include:

·      Inconsistent chlorine levels

·      High pH levels

·      High alkalinity levels

·      High level of calcium

·      Adding more than one chemical to the pool at a time

Examples of water contamination include:

·      Remains from previous algae blooms

·      High levels of nitrates and/or phosphates

·      Natural debris; dust, leaves, insects etc.

·      Urine, sweat, bacteria, tanning oils, cosmetics, hair products etc. from swimmers

·      Runoff from nearby lawns or planters

Examples of faulty equipment:

·      Broken or clogged pump impeller

·      The pump is too large for the filter

·      Filter not being backwashed properly

·      Skimmer baskets full of debris

·      Air being introduced via pump leaks, low water levels, stuck skimmer weirs etc.

These examples are by no means a comprehensive list of hazy water causes. It's also a bit misleading to clump them in groups as all the causes, and fixes, are interconnected.

Hazy pool water is a major turn off and it can signal health risks. The best way to avoid the problem is a solid pool cleaning routine and an understanding of which (and how much) chemicals to use as well as regular inspection of the pool equipment.

It takes effort and just as importantly, it takes time, a resource many of our customers run short of. If you want to ensure that your pool will always welcome your family and friends with crystal clear water, call Weston's premiere pool cleaner now and discuss our pool cleaning/maintenance programs.