Correctly Sizing Salt Chlorinators

Many pool and spa professionals are incorrectly sizing salt chlorine generators, according to a growing school of thought.

If you can have two identical 16,000 gallon pools — one with a family of six that has two dogs, and the other with a retired couple — each of those pools requires a different salt chlorine generator system. “The size of the pool is not as important as chlorine demand.”  The U.S. is the only country in the world where salt chlorinators are marketed based on pool capacity, not chlorine demand.

However, many salt chlorinators are sold to residential customers based not on chlorine demand, but on the gallonage of the pool on which they’re to be installed. A particular model will be listed as having, for example, a 40,000-gallon capacity. The measurement is based on the amount of water a chlorinator can theoretically keep sanitized under an average bather load, when running for about eight hours a day in a cool climate.

Manufacturers and dealers who use this gallonage-based system often are just trying to make things simpler for residential customers unfamiliar with the concept of a bather load. But this system of sizing is actually multiplying long-term costs for consumers. Trying to keep up with a pool’s sanitation needs can quickly wear down an undersized chlorinator, especially in warm climates where chlorine tends to break down more quickly, and in pools with heavy bather loads.

SOURCE: excerpts from article “Experts Say Salt Chlorinators Often Sized Incorrectly” by Ben Thomas

Will My Fiberglass Pool Require A Weekly Service Company?

Many pool service companies base their business model on weekly or bi-weekly visits to the customer’s home to service the pool.  We’ve accepted that as a fiberglass pool company, that’s not a viable business model for us…..because our customers simply don’t need it. 

 Of our 600 or so fiberglass pool customers, I’d estimate that less than 1% have their pools serviced on a regular basis…..and that’s only because they’d rather not fool with it (and good for them!).  So why don’t fiberglass pools require regular servicing like concrete pools?

   

Here are 3 Reasons Your Fiberglass Pool Won’t Require Weekly Service

#1. pH Stays Balanced

Fiberglass pool shells are chemically inert which means they do not react with the pH of the pool water.  Concrete pools, on the other hand, are alkaline based.  Consequently, they require the addition of acid on a regular basis to counteract the rising pH. 

One of the primary functions of the weekly service is to check and adjust the pH of the pool water.  Because most fiberglass pools only require pH adjustment once or twice a season, verses on a weekly basis with concrete pools, the dependency on anyone else is greatly reduced. 

#2.  Little or no Wall Brushing

The surface of concrete pools is extremely rough and porous.  Each of these tiny little nooks and crannies is like a four star hotel for algae.  Well, in order to evict this unwanted guest the surface of the pool requires regular brushing.  If this is neglected, the algae will invite their friends and the next thing you know their trying to conquer the world (think Plankton from Spongebob!).

The surface of fiberglass pools, on the other hand, is smooth and virtually non-porous and therefore prohibits algae from taking hold.  That means less brushing, and less work….another reason you can do this yourself.

#3. Use Less Chemicals

Fiberglass pools, again because of their non-porous surface, require less chemicals to keep the water clean and sanitary.  Just as pool service companies check pH during each trip, they also test and adjust the sanitizer lever (aka Chlorine) of the water.  Because fiberglass pools consume less sanitizer, less time is spent testing and adjusting.

As you can see, it’s the surface of these two pools that is the biggest differentiator.  The surface of concrete pools is alkaline (along with the shell) and very porous, where fiberglass pools are inert and non-porous.  This single factor, the way the surface reacts in water, makes a world of difference in terms of maintenance, and is what allows fiberglass pool customers to maintain their own pool without spending their hard earned money on regular service trips.