Q: What does pH do?
A: Most people refer to pH as a chemical. pH is not a chemical. pH refers to the acidic/alkaline level of you pool water. The reason it is important is that unless your pool is within a certain pH range, your chlorine can't chemically interact with the bacteria and algae it's supposed to kill. People often think that chlorine is the cause of itchy blood-shot eyes, but actually the most common cause of it is improperly balanced pH. Other harmful effects of improperly balanced pH: cloudy water, corrosion or scale build up on equipment, and poor sanitizer efficiency. The proper pH range should be between 7.2 and 7.6.

Q: What does alkalinity do?
A: Alkalinity is not a chemical. Like pH alkalinity refers to the acidic/alkaline level of you pol. Alkalinity stabilizes the pH, causing you do less adjusting of your pH level. The alkalinity level should be between 80 and 120.

Q: How should I apply chemicals to my pool?
A: Because not every chemical is the same you should always read the label for application instructions. But here are a few tips to make it a little easier. We recommend that chlorine tablets be added into an automatic chlorinator but you may also place them in your skimmer basket. For granular chlorine(shock) please refer to label. Some maybe broadcast into the pool and some require dilution in water to prevent discoloring of pool surfaces. Most pH, alkalinity, and calcium balancers may be broadcast directly into the pool, but very large doses my have to be divided up. Lastly, NEVER mix any chemicals together!

Q: Should I use a water clarifier in my pool?
A: While it is not a requirement it is not a bad idea either. A clarifier is designed as an aid to the efficient operation of the filter by coagulating most materials, which cause cloudy and hazy water, into larger particles that are removed by the filter. Because the presence of these materials increase the disinfectant demand, the use of a water clarifier decreases pool maintenance costs.

Q: What causes the "ring" around my pool?
A: The accumulation of oils and dirt from bathers is the biggest cause. Using a cleaner specifically designed for pools can clean it off. Household cleaners do not contain the needed balance of both oil/grease cutters and scale dissolving ingredients. In fact, these cleaners can actually dull a tile line or fade a liner due to abrasives or cause unsightly foaming. Even worse, they may react with your sanitizer. Another helpful hint would be to regularly use an enzyme based product in your pool. These biodegradable products will control grease and oil before it builds up.

Q: What are enzyme based cleaners and how do they work?
A: Basically, enzymes are substances that speed up chemical reactions. In the case of enzyme based cleaners, they are designed to speed up the process of breaking down oils, proteins, etx. that may be in your pool. Enzymes will break up very large particles into smaller ones that can be handled more easily by your sanitizer. Regular use of an enzyme will help reduce scum line buildup and free up your sanitizer for the work it was intended to do.

Q: What are the advantages to a salt versus a chlorine system?
A: Actually a salt system is still a chlorine system. The salt system just breaks down the salt to make the chlorine that sanitizes your water. This prevents the need to have buckets of tablets and shock sitting around. While this system take a lot of the work off your hands, you still need to make sure the water is tested on a regular basis. There is also an upfront cost for the systems. But you will see that it pretty much pays for itself in a matter of a couple years from the savings you get from not buying tablets and shock. Also our Mineral Springs system aid in maintaining other parts of your water chemistry that other systems don't. Such as helping stabilize your pH, adding borate(algae inhibitors), and clarifiers to your water.

Q: How often does the salt cell in my salt chlorinator need to be cleaned?
A: It varies from system to system. You should consult your owners manual for your system. For straight salt systems this may need to be done every 3 weeks or so. For those of you that own one of our Mineral Springs systems this only needs to be done every 6 months. The reason for the difference is because Mineral Springs isn't just salt. It also contains scale inhibitors that prevent the normal buildup on the cell. To clean the cell, simply come to one of our retail locations and purchase Bioguard’s Cell Cleaner. Just read the directions on the bottle. It’s easy to do.

Q: When is the best time to shock the pool?
A: Nighttime. The sun can cause shock to lose its effectiveness in less than 3 hours.

Q: When I shock my pool should I use a chlorine or non-chlorine shock?
A: This really depends on the condition of your pool. If your pool is clear and holding a suitable free chlorine level you may use a non-chlorine shock. This allows you to be in your pool within minutes. If your pool is cloudy, green, or not holding a free chlorine you will need to use a stronger chlorinated shock. There are also lightly chlorinated shocks that have a small amount of chlorine but still allow you to swim in 15 minutes.

Q: Do I need to add a sanitizer regularly?
A: Yes! Failure to do so can cause very unsightly and unsafe swimming conditions. A proper sanitizer level should be maintained at all times.

Q: How often should I run the filter?
A: Ideal run time would be 24/7. If you don't want your pump running that long a minimum of 8 hours will be sufficient.

Q: Should I run my pool pump during the day or night?
A: Because the sun draws chemicals from the pool it is best to run you pool pump during the hottest time of the day.

Q: Is it safe for me to drain my pool?
A: NO! You should never drain your pool. This is a job for a licensed, experienced and insured professional. Concrete & fiberglass pools can float out of the ground like a huge boat. The liners in vinyl pools can shrink in a matter of a few hour.

Q: What should I do with my pool if there may be a freeze?
A: It is best to drain the water from all of your pool equipment. Pumps, filters, chlorinators, heaters and solar panels are all equipped with freeze plugs or valves to drain the water from them. Running the pool pump can protect the equipment from freezing but is useless if the power goes out for an extended period of time.

Q: What is the normal water pressure for my filter?
A: Each pool system has different water pressure tolerances. Please refer to your original owners manual and/or startup instructions to identify the range of proper pressure for your filter type. If you believe the pressure is too high or too low, check and clean out all debris from the baskets. Check to see if all your equipment valves are set properly and confirm that the pressure gauge returns zero when the equipment is off. If it does not fall back to zero you may need to replace your pressure gauge.

Q: How often should I lubricate my backwash valve O-rings?
A: The standard push/pull backwash valve is a plunger type valve commonly found in sand systems. Normally, there are four o-rings in this type of valve. If these rings become damaged or dried out, two things will occur. Unfiltered water may return to the pool and/or the pool will begin to lose water out of the backwash line. The same would also be true for 4&6-way Multiport valves.

Q: What type of maintenance does a sand filter need?
A: A sand filter does need to have the sand changed every 3 to 5 years. If you have moved into a new house and don't know when the sand was last changed or don't remember, it's a good idea to go ahead and do it. It's a very inexpensive thing to do. In the long run clean sand saves you on the cost of chemicals you use to keep the water clear. Bad sand in a filter can cause many problems like higher than normal pressure, inadequate filtration, higher energy bills, improper backwashing, cloudy or green water, and an unfit swimming environment. If you are thinking of changing your sand you may want to think about upgrading from sand to a more efficient media. There is a new filter media called ZEOBEST. It filters 10 times better than sand. You only have to backwash half of what you would with sand. This save on water costs and chemical loss and most importantly your time. More information on this is available at any of our stores. 

Q: How do I know when its time to clean my pool filter?
A: Normal, periodic rinsing or backwashing will remove most of the dirt from a basically clean filter. However, over a period of time grease, oils and scale can attack and build up inside the filter. When this occurs you will notice reduced circulation and cloudy water that won't clear up. Any time you experience these symptoms you should clean your filter. Ideally you should chemically clean your filter twice a year. Most people choose to do this in the middle of the season and then again at closing time.

Q: Why am I getting sand in the pool?
A: You may get sand coming back to your pool from the swimming pool filter if the laterals in the filter are cracked or broken. Also, if your backwash valve orings are destroyed some sand will pass through back into the pool.

Q: Why am I getting DE back into the pool?
A: Damaged grids or internal filter parts are a very common cause of this. It can be caused by a bad valve gasket if you add your DE through your skimmer. You can also get DE back into the pool while the system is off. This happens because there is a small air leak in the system and when this happens the tank is actually siphoning down. The DE from the top of the tank is working it's way back downwards through the system, back through the pump and out of the main drain and skimmers. This should be fixed immediately.

Q: How often should I clean the grids on my Diatomaceous Earth filter?
A: Most manufacturers recommend that the grids on the Diatomaceous Earth (D.E.) filter should be cleaned on an annual basis. This type of filter utilizes D.E. powder to strain debris from the cloth-covered grids. The filter must be pre-coated for proper filtration. To maintain the D.E. filter, disassemble the filter, clean it thoroughly with a garden hose, inspect grids for tears and holes, and re-coat the filter grids with a combination of D.E. and water.

Q: Why are there air bubbles coming out of the return fittings?
A: This could be caused by many different things. There could be a leak on the suction side of the pump(everything before the motor including the pump pot), the pump lid may not be on correctly or there may be debris stuck between the lid oring and the housing. The skimmer weir door may be stuck open or the water level may not be high enough causing the skimmer to suck air. This is very bad for your pump and should never be let like this.

Q: My pool lights are not working!
A: Check the circuit breaker and reset if necessary. Check your G.F.C.I. (Ground Fault) and reset if necessary. You may also want to check the bulb and if you have a control system check the batteries.

Q: Why is my pool cleaner not working?
A: This could be caused by a number of different things. Clogged pump impeller, dirty filter, dirty screen inside the wall fitting piece, valves not set correctly, etc. It could also be caused be old worn out parts that need to be replaced.

Q: How does Lake Norman Pool and Spa compare with other pool companies?
A: We are very competitive in price and quality of service. Customer feedback says we are the best at what we do. Not every company cares enough to treat you the way we believe our customers should be treated. We have a very talent and experience retail and service staff.

Q: Can you guys just come out and show us how to do everything?
A: You bet! Our service department can either come out and go over everything with you on site, or you can come into any of our retail locations. And we are always just a phone call away to answer any questions that may come up. We also offer a pool school at each of our 3 locations every spring, where we go over water balancing, routine maintenance, and proper filtration.

Q: What kind of maintenance programs do you offer for my pool?
A: We offer weekly pool service, where we come out to your pool once a week to clean and put the sparkle back into your pool. Our full weekly service includes basic balancing chemicals(pH, alkalinity,calcium), balancing and testing of the water, vacuuming, brushing steps and sides, skimming the surface of the pool, backwashing as needed, and ensuring that your equipment and cleaner are running properly(any repairs are not included). We take all the work out of pool ownership for you.

Q: You notice that your pool is losing water.
A: There are 4 possible reasons why you are loosing water: (1.)Your filter may be leaking water through the backwash hose due to a warped gasket in your multi-port. Replace the gasket in your multi-port. (2.)The line for your main drain may have cracked. Jump into the pool and plug up the main drain. (3.)A suction or return line may be cracked. This is BAD! Read below and contact a professional to have the lines pressure tested. (4.)There may be a rip in your liner, a leak in the light or there may be a broken step or step gasket. This is BAD!

Read below and contact a professional for leak detection.

• If the pool water level goes down to the bottom of the skimmer and stops, this usually means that it is a suction line leak, most likely directly under the skimmer. We suggest contacting a professional to repair something like this.
• If the pool water level goes down to the bottom of the return jets and then stops, this usually means that it is a return line leak, most likely directly by the wall jet return fitting - but it could be anywhere in the return line. We suggest contacting a professional to repair something like this.
• If the pool water level goes down to the top, middle or bottom of the light unit, this usually means that the light is leaking. This is usually the fitting in the light niche where the metal or plastic conduit pipe is attached to the metal niche. We suggest contacting a professional to repair something like this.
• If the water level goes down to any other level on the side walls and then stops, this usually means that the leak is in the liner on the side wall or possibly in the step unit gasket. Inspect the pool visually around the water level and check to see if you can see a hole. Check the area where the LADDER comes in contact with the liner. This is a very common leak point! If you cannot clearly see a leak hole, we suggest contacting a professional to locate & repair the leak.
• If the water level goes down past the side walls, then it usually means that the leak is in the pool floor. This is bad! You do not want all the water to drain out of the pool. It is bad for the liner and very bad for the pool walls - you do not want the pool to fall in! If you see that you are quickly losing all the water in your pool, put a hose in the pool, start to refill it and contact a professional to locate & patch the hole.