What's the correct way to close my swimming pool for the winter? Really glad you asked! here is an up to date recommendation from us here at E&L...

If you can't use your pool during winter months, protect your investments and shut down the pool completely. Closing your pool properly makes next season's start up easy and avoids time-consuming clean up and costly repairs.

WINTERIZING YOUR POOL
1) Bring a water sample to ENGLISH & LEPAGE to find out what is needed to balance your water and insure there are no irregularities.
a) Adjust the alkalinity to 80-150 ppm.
b) Adjust pH to 7.2-7.6
c) Adjust calcium hardness to 150-280 ppm

2) Add a sequestrian agent (Scale Inhibitor) to guard against metal stains and 'bathtub ring' during the winter.

3) Physically clean the pool. Brush the sides down and vacuum the bottom. Clean out the skimmer basket(s) and the pump's hair trap.

4) Shock treatment (HiberShock or Smartshock) is necessary to oxidize any disolved organic material that physical cleaning and filtration could not remove. Run the pump and filter for a few hours to insure thorough distribution. For extra protection a floating chlorinator can be used.

5) Due to unpredictable Fall temperatures, we recommend that an algaecide (Banish) be used to protect the pool from algae growth. When the filtration system is not operating, algae can take over very quickly.

6) Partially drain the pool to about 3-4" below the skimmer. Drain/blowout all lines and plug outlets. Unscrew and remove directional ball from center and each outlet and plug with winterizing plug. Remove both baskets- skimmer and pump.

7) Install cover over your pool and tie-down or secure it with water bags around the full perimeter to prevent debris and wind from going under the cover. This should also help to prevent wind damage to your winter cover.

WINTERIZING YOUR FILTER
1) Drain the sand filter by opening all plugs, (as well as the two plugs on the pump) and turn the sand filter handle to winterize to aid drainage. Make sure to store plugs in a safe place-as with the pump and skimmer baskets.

2) Remove pressure guages and store inside.

3) Leave all gate valves three-quarters open (except in basement installations).

WINTERIZING YOUR HEATER
Drain and evacuate water from interior lines, refill lines with appropriate anti-freeze.

PARTIAL WINTER CLOSING
Some people prefer not to completely shut down their pool. In this case you must keep pool balanced (alka, pH and calcium) and the filtration system is kept running, even if only a few hours a day. In the event of temperatures dropping below freezing, the filtration system should be kept on full time to prevent the pipes from freezing.

What's the difference between total and free chlorine?

Total Chlorine includes both Free and Combined Chlorine. Free Chlorine is "good" chlorine that is still able to keep your pool fresh and clean. Combined Chlorine is chlorine that has used up its ability to sanitize. Too much Combined Chlorine causes eye irritation and strong pool odors. To maintain a clean and clear pool, keep the Free Chlorine in the right range. But before making any adjustments, be sure that pH and Total Alkalinity are in the ideal ranges. If the Free Chlorine is low you will need to add more.

My neighbor has these fish in her pool to keep it warm...what are they?

The fish is most likely an 'Ecosavr', a cool dispenser for another product 'Heatsavr', which is traditionally used in commercial pools with an expensive auto dispenser.
Evaporation is one of the main forms of heat loss from swimming pools and spas. 'Heatsavr' will lower humidty as well as evaporation. As a rule it takes money to buy heat, and heat to evaporate water, so slowing evaporation will lower humidity, as well as heating costs. Make sense?
Regardless whether your using cost effecient solar or paying for gas-heat, our main issues still comes back to not wanting the pool to cool down. 'Heatsavr' is an effective liquid pool cover that greatly reduces heat loss and evaporation from your pool surface, its made of simple bio-degradable ingredients (alcohol-based) that won't interfere with your water balance, works for salt pools, and is not a danger to pets or kids.
A single fish does about 400sq feet, and will last a month, making it very affordable for private pool owners of all sizes and shapes-pools not the owners ;-)

My pool has stains on the liner that I didn't have last season, what can I do?

Stainfree is an ascorbic acid product, similar to those big chewable Vitamin C tablets you get from the drugstore. The Stainfree product from Natural Chemistry is ideal for treating staining to vinyl pool liners and fiberglass pool surfaces. A safe and people friendly alternative to harsh chemicals typically used to treat stains. On the plus side, Stainfree does not create any residual phosphates in your pool water, making it an excellent stain fighter without adding food for algae.

Pool Perfect by Natural Chemistry

Pool Perfect is an all natural enzyme product that biodegrades organic contaminants to reduce maintenance and produce clear, perfect water.

Why use Pool Perfect?
- eliminates skin and eye irritation
- eliminates strong chemical odors
- no scum line
- clean pool filters
- reduced pool maintenance
- makes water feel soft and silky

HELP! My pool has gone green! What is the quickest way to clear it?

Here is an excellent treatment for a pool with bad algae bloom going on:

Step #1- Add Pool Perfect from Natural Chemistry, Wait One Hour.

Step #2- Shock with heavy chlorine (12% in liquid form), Wait Four Hours.

Step #3- Add Pool 1st Aid from Natural Chemistry, leave overnight.

Next day vacuum and backwash. RESHOCK if neccesary.


** This set of steps is an alternate treatment to an algicide and shock combination**

What do natural enzymes do for my pool water?

Enzymes are naturally occuring proteins that 'catalyse' or speed up the natural breakdown of organic materials ie: dead algae, pollen, bather wastes etc. Enzymes breakdown organic materials into smaller and smaller molecules until they are finally reduced to their elemental forms such as carbon dioxide and water. No other compound breaks down organic waste as efficiently as natural enzymes.

Powerful Water Clarifier - PowerFloc

Bioguard Power Floc

Clarifier

This product is excellent to clear excessively cloudy water after a rainstorm or a period of time when your pump wasn't running (perhaps while you were away on vacation). Very powerful flocculent Makes water clear and sparkling Settles suspended particles to bottom for removal by vacuum The greater the debris in the water, the faster it works Can be used safely in all pool types

Hot Tub Execise

The health benefits of soaking in a hot tub are many. After soaking for a few minutes, blood vessels dilate, lowering blood pressure. The water provides buoyancy, reducing your heart's workload by 10 to 20 percent. As a result, muscles relax, temporarily relieving pain. The heat causes sweating, which induces the body to get rid of toxins. And the heat and pressure from the jets raise the level of antibodies and white blood cells, promoting the healing process.

But if those health benefits aren't enough for you, consider adding exercise to your hot tub time. There are a number of simple and beneficial exercises that can be performed without much effort.

Try standing toe raises or pushes against the sides to exercise calf muscles, or tightening and relaxing the thighs. Use the water's resistance, or add resistance with your hands and push your knees apart and back together again. Do head circles and shoulder rolls and shrugs. These are also great for promoting relaxation. Put one leg forward and push down on the floor of the hot tub with your foot. Make fists and squeeze or clasp your hands in front of you and squeeze your elbows together. Practice pulling in your abdominal muscles and holding.

Perform each exercise for three seconds, and build up to ten repetitions each.

English and Lepage does not recommend you mix these ideas with alcohol, but if you choose to do so, make sure you always swim with at least ONE buddy ;-)

English and Lepage Ltd, Langley BC Pool and Spa supplies

English and Lepage also supply and install residential hot water tanks and furnaces, with fully licensed installers. We offer competive rates and quick service. English and Lepage also supply water pumps etc. for farm and industry. E&L So much more than just pool supplies. Call us for a quote at 604-533-1251. We are located at 20535B Douglas Cres. right across from Douglas park in Langley BC.