Summer Safety Tips
When the heat hits and school is out, make sure your family is prepared for some summertime fun in the sun. Here are 5 simple pool safety tips to get the most out of the summer season and to keep your family safe:
- Always think about sun protection: Use a broad spectrum sunscreen that blocks both UVB & UVA rays. Apply 30 min before sun exposure and reapply at least every 2 hours (or every time you get in and out of the water). For more sun protection, have umbrellas available around your pool area.
- Drink plenty of water and liquids to stay hydrated in the summer heat.
- Keep toys and movable objects away from the pool when not in use.
- Establish family pool rules like no diving in a shallow pool and no running on the deck.
- If you have young children, install a pool fence that is at least 4 ft high, is not easy to climb, and has a self-locking gate.
Energy & Money Saving Tips for Winter
While blessed with mild winters in Santa Barbara, we still need to prepare our pools for the season. Here are a few energy and money saving tips for your pool this winter:
- Check your pool’s heater. Installing an energy efficient pool heater can significantly reduce your use of gas or electricity.
- Install a pool cover. An evaporation-type pool cover can save hundreds of gallons of water per month and reduce heating bills by preventing heating loss at night. It also helps save money on chemicals. It can even save you money year round by reducing evaporation during the warmer summer months.
- Reduce your pump’s operating time. In the winter months, consider putting the water pump on a timer to run 6-8 hours per day. This can reduce the pool’s annual electricity consumption by 40-50%. The new variable speed pumps with magnet motors and digital controls can save as much as 90% in utility costs compared to a one or two speed pump.
- Lower your water temperature. Pool water temperatures typically range from 78ºF to 82ºF. The American Red Cross recommends a temperature of 78ºF or lower for competitive swimming. This coincides with good fuel savings. If you will be on vacation for more than a week and freezing conditions are not expected, consider turning off the pool heater completely.
Ozone vs. Chlorine
In recent years, many homeowners have thought about converting their chlorine pool over to an ozone system. What are some of the benefits of an ozone system and what should you keep in mind when considering a conversion?
The idea of a fully non-chlorine pool sounds like a great idea, but homeowners should keep in mind that there is no chlorine-free pool sanitation system on the market today that is reliable against all possible contaminants. Although ozone does not completely replace chlorine, it can reduce the need for it by 60-90% of it in most residential pools. The most effective solution is to use a pool ozonator as your primary sanitizer along with small amounts of chlorine to make sure there is a residual sanitizer in the pool at all times. The ozone will provide an effective first line of defense against almost all dangerous contaminants, with the chlorine as a backup. A qualified pool technician will know how much chlorine is needed based on your individual pool.
By reducing the amount of chlorine in a pool, you can significantly reduce the symptoms that chlorine can cause, such as red eye, rashes or swimmers’ asthma. Prolonged exposure to chlorine has been known to cause other serious side effects.
How does an ozone system work?
Pool ozonators generate and inject ozone into the water. What is ozone? Ozone is "active oxygen" - an ozone molecule consisting of three oxygen atoms. It has a clean, fresh scent, often noticed after a rainstorm. As a natural sanitizer, ozone destroys bacteria, viruses, mold, and mildew and eliminates spores, cysts, yeast, and fungus. However, ozone is not effective deterrent of algae, and some chlorine must be used along with the ozonator.
What is the required maintenance on an ozone system?
An ozone system typically needs to be serviced twice a year or at least annually. Your certified ozone technician will be able to suggest the appropriate service frequency.
If you are contemplating switching over to an ozone system and have any additional questions, please contact us for more information.
In recent years, many homeowners have thought about converting their chlorine pool over to an ozone system. What are some of the benefits of an ozone system and what should you keep in mind when considering a conversion?
The idea of a fully non-chlorine pool sounds like a great idea, but homeowners should keep in mind that there is no chlorine-free pool sanitation system on the market today that is reliable against all possible contaminants. Although ozone does not completely replace chlorine, it can reduce the need for it by 60-90% of it in most residential pools. The most effective solution is to use a pool ozonator as your primary sanitizer along with small amounts of chlorine to make sure there is a residual sanitizer in the pool at all times. The ozone will provide an effective first line of defense against almost all dangerous contaminants, with the chlorine as a backup. A qualified pool technician will know how much chlorine is needed based on your individual pool.
By reducing the amount of chlorine in a pool, you can significantly reduce the symptoms that chlorine can cause, such as red eye, rashes or swimmers’ asthma. Prolonged exposure to chlorine has been known to cause other serious side effects.
How does an ozone system work?
Pool ozonators generate and inject ozone into the water. What is ozone? Ozone is "active oxygen" - an ozone molecule consisting of three oxygen atoms. It has a clean, fresh scent, often noticed after a rainstorm. As a natural sanitizer, ozone destroys bacteria, viruses, mold, and mildew and eliminates spores, cysts, yeast, and fungus. However, ozone is not effective deterrent of algae, and some chlorine must be used along with the ozonator.
What is the required maintenance on an ozone system?
An ozone system typically needs to be serviced twice a year or at least annually. Your certified ozone technician will be able to suggest the appropriate service frequency.
If you are contemplating switching over to an ozone system and have any additional questions, please contact us for more information.