Swimming pool owners spend a great deal of time and effort planning the perfect backyard oasis for their family and friends. Many are surprised to find that they can also choose from a variety of pool surfaces and finishes that best meets their needs and their budget.  No matter what you choose, you still need… Read More »The Basics of Pool Surfaces and Finishes: What Are the Differences?

Cloudy water in your swimming pool is not quite what you pictured for your family and friends, right? When you consider the hair, grime, bodily fluids, skin, and oils that are carried into the pool by swimmers, it’s not surprising that, sometimes, the water is less than crystal clear. Add to that dust, pollen, and… Read More »Why Is My Pool Water Cloudy?: Answers to This Common Question

You open the door out to your pool deck, expecting to see a crystal clear pool after cleaning it and shocking the pool the day before. But the rusty brown pool water you see instead doesn’t match that image at all, and you have no idea what’s wrong. The first time this happens to you… Read More »Why Did My Pool Turn Rusty Brown After Shocking It?! (Or Other Strange Colors)

Now that you have winterized your swimming pool for the year, it’s a good time to begin your plans for re-opening in the spring with some additional safety tactics in place. It’s an important move. According to the CDC, between 2018 and 2020 the average number of drownings or near-drownings was 4,800 for children under… Read More »Top 7 Swimming Pool Safety Tips

Part of pool ownership is knowing how to keep the water clean. The chemical levels need to be monitored and adjusted so everyone can enjoy the pool without swimming in cloudy water or developing nasty skin and eye irritations.  Pool water test strips are the first line of defense in determining if your pool’s water… Read More »How To Use Pool Water Test Strips Properly

The days are getting shorter and the temperatures a bit lower. Your kids run into the house to get warm after swimming a bit faster. It’s time to think about preparing your pool for cold temperatures. How important is it–really? Very!  In this article, we’ve broken down the difference between closing and winterizing and some… Read More »Winterizing Your Pool: Why It’s Important & What Should Be Done

Your neighbor just had a beautiful in-ground pool put in his backyard. But a family member had an above-ground pool with a deck installed recently, too, and it looks like a tropical oasis! You’ve been thinking about adding a pool for your family but now that you’ve seen both, you aren’t sure which would be… Read More »The Differences Between Above-Ground and In-Ground Pools

Some people love saltwater pools. Others see no reason to have one and prefer a chlorine pool. So, is a saltwater pool or a chlorine pool the best choice for you and your family? To answer that question, you need the facts! What’s the difference? Pros and cons? In this article, we’ve broken down the… Read More »The Great Saltwater Pool vs Chlorine Pool Debate

The term “shocking a pool” sounds more interesting than it really is! The short version of shocking simply refers to adding chemicals to the pool to kill algae and bacteria. In other words, it’s a necessary part of pool maintenance.  Of course, it’s all a bit more complicated than that, like most things with keeping… Read More »How Long After Shocking a Pool Can You Swim?

It doesn’t take long after you have your first pool to realize you need to know some chemistry! As much as you would like to avoid it, you do have to regularly test your pool water and then correct any pH imbalance that may be present. But first, it helps to know what pH is.… Read More »What Can Cause a pH Imbalance in Pools?