How to fix Black Algae

Black algae can be really tough. It is a form of algae that grows legs that dig into the plaster of the pool then has a hard protective head that you have to break and get chlorine into to really kill. We have learned that the very best way to get rid of it is to dump the pool and chlorine wash the surface with liquid chlorine. Using a ventilator suitable for chlorine and proper safety gear. Usually the black algae can be scrubbed off with the chlorine and a brush fairly easily but every once in a while we run in to very tough one that takes hard scrubbing to get rid of.

Once this is done the pool can be refilled and I personally think that the pool is always at a little more risk for that algae coming back. It's not hopeless though we have had great success keeping it gone once we chlorine wash and then continue to maintain the pool properly every week.

Do I need to dump my pool?

We have some customers that just know, once every 5 years or so I need to completely dump my pool and start over. Searching for this information on line you'll probably hear about 10 years. I think that may be true up north, but in Texas we have serious heat and serous algae, not to mention all kinds of trees and pollen...you name it.

There are times that we have been servicing a pool and with perfectly balanced chemistry, plenty of brushing, vacuuming, making sure phosphates are treated, pH is perfect, basically just doing all the right things. If the pool still doesn't shine and sparkle and just look down right great and you find out that the pool hasn't been dumped in 10 years or more, maybe you even test for TDS (Total Dissolved Solids) and find that to be high. As much of the chemistry and treatments and things swimmers carry in to the pool never evaporate out of the pool hence you end up with high TDS and a dingy looking pool.

At this point we drop in a pump and start over. Then we see the customer smile and see the joy of such a sparkling pool! That makes us happy. So yes, I say dump every so often.

In the city of Dallas (you should check your cities ordinances) as long as you let the chlorine levels go below 5 ppm and the pH is balanced you can usually dump the pool and in some cities may need a permit. It is usually preferred to go straight to the sewer clean-out if you can find one.

We do this all the time for green pools. If there is algae on the side of the pool then you look at chlorine washing the sides of the pool which is also a great way to clean a pool and make it sparkle.

Do I need a home warranty company to cover my pool?

I have a lot of opinions about home warranty companies.  When I used to sell houses I sold warranties to my clients thinking they would be so helpful of anything went wrong with the house, especially HVAC equipment which is quite costly to repair.  They do tend to give people piece of mind and on occasion I have seen the warranty company come through for the customer and cover costly repairs.

Unfortunately what I am seeing more often in the pool industry is a band-aide repair that may get a customer through for a week or several months or just until another service fee would be due which is usually 6 months.  I shouldn't even say it's just the pool industry as when our AC at home was not working correctly it took 3 different people and over a year for the warranty company to finally admit they needed to do a costly repair.  In fact the contractor that finally did the proper repair told me that if he did too many of those he would not continue to get work from the warranty company.  Ah Ha!  That's what I thought!

We advertise our pool services to new home buyers all the time, so of course we have a lot of clients that have home warranties.  I always encourage our customers to use the warranty when our technicians see a repair that should be covered, I mean the customer paid for it so they should get their monies worth.  

Unfortunately more often than not the repair is not done the way we would have done it.  I've seen patched grids put back in DE filters (they never hold), refurbished motors (usually spray painted...is that an attempt to look new?  Cover up manufacture dates?  How old are these things?), another common one is replacing parts in outdated equipment rather than replacing the outdated obsolete equipment.

I remind our service clients that sometimes paying a $60 to $75 fee to have them come out (another fee for everything they can call a "new" issue) is often not worth it when you can pay maybe that or a little more for a long-term fix.  Pools need properly working equipment to function well and stay safe and sanitary...remember you CAN get sick from a improperly functioning pool or an unbalanced pool.

And finally my biggest complaint.  In Texas pool repair companies have to be licensed and the ones that I have seen working for warranty companies without a license and installing used motors with no bonding wires, and missing back plates, leaving our customers exposed to dangers that we have to fix for them makes me down right mad!  These are big corporations that should be encouraging safe repairs and should not be allowing unlicensed irresponsible companies onto your property.

I would like to see warranty companies insisting that anyone who is an approved contractor for them comply with the law and protect consumers and consumers rights to file complaints.  Then I'll stop complaining about warranty companies.

Texas Oasis Pools is a licensed Dallas area pool company operating under Appliance Installer License number 230, which is listed under our corporate name of JS Moore, Inc. on the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation web site.

Texas Oasis Pools
9720 Coit Rd. Ste 220146
Plano, TX 75025
214-532-7971
Fax: 214-407-8044
www.TexasOasisPools.com

Water Level

Ahhh, it's finally spring in Texas!  After the coldest winter on record we are all loving this amazing spring weather we are having.  What do our pool service clients always forget to start doing as the weather gets warm...put water in the pool.  The simplest thing...can lead to big problems.  When service tech arrives at a pool and the water level is down below the skimmers, he can't vacuum the pool, the pumps are sucking air, probably loosing prime, the pool cleaner is not working so the the pool is very dirty, pool is not filtering, so again pool very dirty.  Many issues just from the simple task of adding water to the pool.  With full weekly service clients we require two main things, access to the pool, and water level maintained by the homeowner.  

Many pools have autofill with levelers that maintain the water level.  But many swimming pools need to be filled manually with the garden hose.  One product I suggest to our clients is a simple hose bib timer.  Orbit makes one that is sold at Lowes.  You simply place it on the hose bib between the house and the hose and set the timer for how ever long you want to fill, go to work or eat dinner and it will shut itself off.  The thing to remember though is that in the winter during freeze season the hose should be taken off and placed in the garage so that it is still useable, not frozen up outside when you need to fill the pool.  I suggest a simple spin dial timer as the more complicated digital, programmable ones are just that...too complicated.  

 

Texas Oasis Pools
9720 Coit Rd. Ste 220146
Plano, TX 75025
214-532-7971
Fax: 214-407-8044
www.TexasOasisPools.com

New Texas Licensing Regulations

Recently the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation decided to start cracking down on un-licensed pool service companies that were doing installs of pumps, motors, outlets, and so on. The thing is the pool companies had never been given any options or guidance on what they were supposed to have as far as licensing. We (our company included) had asked questions about required licensing but always been told to start a pool business all you needed was an assumed business name purchased at the county level.

Things have changed now, TDLR worked with pool industry leaders and lobbyists and came up with a plan. Now people who work on pool equipment (attaching any wiring) would be required to obtain the existing Electrical Appliance Contractor License by March 1, 2010.

While may pool companies look at this as just more government regulation and a way for Texas to earn extra fees each year...we look at it as a positive for our industry. An improvement over the quality of service technician that's out there. It improves the industry overall. Our company has obtained the license. This was not an easy task as the exam that technicians need to take is extremely difficult, as difficult as a journeyman's electrical license other than the 4,000 hours of apprenticeship that the electrician needs.

What is the benefit to the client? This is the important part I think, the client benefits because the licensed companies must prove to TDLR every year that they carry at least $600,000 in liability insurance. We carry 1 million. Also licensed pool companies will have to be listed with TDLR and that gives clients an opportunity and a place to check for complaints and compliance when choosing a pool service. Any service vehicles you see out there should now be labeled with the License number of that technician. All of these things improve the quality of work that is being performed at the homes of pool owners across Texas.

Bottom line, more government regulation is always a drag but the industry will be better and more sophisticated for it. This should eliminate the "working for beer money" weekend pool repair guy who may be out there doing repairs he's not qualified to do. Keep in mind anyone can clean your pool, it's the wiring and repair or install work that is being regulated and that technician must now carry a license.

Texas Oasis Pools
9720 Coit Rd. Ste 220146
Plano, TX 75025
214-532-7971
Fax: 214-407-8044
http://www.texasoasispools.com/

It may be 70 degrees in Dallas today but it really is time for a Winter Up-date.  In North Texas we keep most pools open year-round.  This makes a Freeze protection system very important.  If your pool controller is a computerized type you need to check the programming and the programmed temperature of the freeze protection and make sure it is set to turn the pool on at 38 degrees.  The same thing with a manual system, set the dial for 38 degrees.  These manual type sensors are not real precision so you should expect up to a 5 degree plus or minus variable.  You want the pool circulating BEFORE the temperatures reach 32 and you start to get ice forming in the system. 
 
Just be aware of the temperature and try to notice when your pool is turning on.  If you have a really old manual system that looks rusted and is in sad shape, it may be worth updating.  Keep in mind you are relying on a piece of equipment that only has to work a few days a year.  If it doesn't work when needed you could end up with major repair issues from a freeze.  We did see many of these issues after a bad freeze last weekend.  
 
Any exposed lines such as a pool fill line that runs close to the surface from a faucet at the house to a fill line in the pool should be capped and insulated.  These pipes commonly freeze up.  Some fountains may be better shut of and capped.
 
Many times we have clients who forget to take their hoses in when winter hits.  (we never really no when whinter will hit in Texas, I'll give them that!) Pool owners are used to filling pools often and like to have the garden hose handy.  Problem is it will freeze up, so take the hose and lay it in the garage and cover the faucet with a styrofoam insulator.  Then when you need to fill the pool it may take a few more minutes but at least you can still fill it.
 
This leads me to the question I got a lot during this last heavy freeze.  Why am I adding so much water in these freezing temperature?  Does water evaporate when it's freezing?  Actually YES, it does there are some interesting things that happen during a freeze, where more molecules of water can be drawn up and away from the pool.  It is compared to the way ice cubes sometimes seem to shrink in the freezer.  I am not a real science buff but if you Google it, you will find some articles that explain.  Bottom line for pool owners, keep an eye on the water level year round.  It is not good to have air getting into the system, especially during a freeze. 

Texas Oasis Pools
9720 Coit Rd. Ste 220146
Plano, TX 75025
214-532-7971
Fax: 214-407-8044
www.TexasOasisPools.com