Which Automatic Swimming Pool Cleaner or Vacuum is Right for your Swim Pool?
Ever wonder which automatic swim pool cleaner to buy for your swimming pool? Ever buy one, only to have to bring it back and say it wasn't working right? If you answered yes to any of these questions, hopefully by the end of this article you'll have a better understanding of which pool vacuum is right for your swimming pool. With all the vacuums on the market, how do you decide? Let's start off by explaining the different types of swimming pool cleaners and what the pros and cons are of each.

The Ultimate Guide to Pool Maintenance by Terry Tamminen - Third Edition
The Ultimate Guide to Pool Maintenance is about as complete a guide to swimming pool maintenance as I have seen written in plain English. Every home swim pool owner could benefit from something in this book.

How To Clean Swimming Pool Hand Rails and Swim Pool Ladders
You may have noticed your swimming pool handrails or ladders corroding or rusting. All steels can rust or stain depending on what chemicals they come in contact with. The stainless steel grades used in swim pool rails and ladders are fairly impervious to swimming pool water that is in balance. However, unbalanced water chemistry and some other causes (poor electrical grounding, pouring chemicals near the rails, etc.) can stain or rust them.

How To Prime Your Swimming Pool Water Filter Motor Pump
Prime is the term we use to state that the air has been mostly purged from the swimming pool water pump and that the filter pump is moving pool water. When you have lost the pump's prime, your pump is no longer pumping water through it. Sometimes it can be very difficult to regain the prime on the pump. These tips will help you get the prime back in your swimming pool water pump and filter system.

Changing The Sand In Your Swimming Pool Filter
How often should the sand in a swimming pool filter be changed? We recommend changing the sand every five years. Filter sand has been ground to a size of .45 to .55 mm in diameter and is very rough when new. This roughness is what makes the sand efficient at filtering out the particles of dirt in your water. As this roughness is smoothed out your filter's efficiency goes down. This means that your system has to run more frequently to accomplish the same task.

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How To Change Your Swimming Pool Water Pump Motor
Unfortunately there comes a time in your life as a swimming pool owner when you are faced with replacing your swim pool water pump motor. This may be due to the bearings wearing out so that the motor is making a tremendous racket, or the motor won't run because it is burned out. Changing the motor is not difficult and can be done by the average pool owner provided you are comfortable working with electrical wiring.

How Often And When Should A Swimming Pool Pump Be Running
The optimum time to run your swimming pool pump would be that which keeps your pool blue, clean, and sanitized. This can be as little as one or two hours a day to as much as 24 hours per day. Unfortunately, there is no other way to determine the optimum time to operate your swim pool pump other than by trial and error.

How to Remove Stains From a Plaster Swimming Pool
Large stains covering a high percentage of the swimming pool plaster surface are usually from chemical reactions. These tips are for smaller, concentrated stains, a few inches or less in size. A small stain is usually caused by a metal object being left on the bottom long enough to rust and leave a stain.

How To Keep Ducks Out Of A Swimming Pool
Is there a foolproof method to keep ducks out of a swimming pool? Not foolproof, but there is at least one way that we have found to keep water fowl out of a swimming pool.

How To Open Your Swimming Pool For The Summer
When warm weather is approaching, it's time to think about opening your swimming pool for the season. These steps should help you get your swim pool open the right way for the pool season.

Ways to Smooth a Wrinkled Vinyl Swimming Pool Liner
While there are some chemical conditions that can cause a vinyl swimming pool liner to wrinkle, wrinkles most often occur in a previously unwrinkled swimming pool liners during the winter, when the swim pool is closed and the water level is lower. How can you get the wrinkles out of your vinly swimming pool liner?

How to Winterize Your Inground Swimming Pool
The main purpose in winterizing your swimming pool is to protect it from damage due to freezing water. Another is to keep it as clean as possible for the next season. Closing your swim pool properly can save you a lot of work when it comes time to open the swimming pool for the summer.

What Is The Proper Water Level In My Swim Pool?
Ideally you should keep your swimming pool water level between one third and one half the way up the opening of the pool skimmer. Why? Among other reasons, this is the level at which the swimming pool skimmers operate most efficiently.

What to do When Your Swiming Pool Lights Don't Work
Do I have to drain the swimming pool to fix my pool lights? You shouldn't need to empty the swim pool. Follow these steps and you may be able to repair the swim pool lights yourself. If in doubt, call in a professional electrician.

Easier Ways to Get Leaves Out of Your Swimming Pool
Many times we have heard the complaint that it takes too long to scoop out the leaves from the swimming pool. Upon investigation, we find that the swim pool owner is using a Leaf Skimmer to scoop out the leaves. No wonder it takes the pool owner so long! There are three simple things you can do to speed up the removal of leaves from your swimming pool.

What to do When Your Swimming Pool Cover Falls Into the Pool
Getting your swimming pool open in the Spring is much easier if your swim pool cover stays on during the Winter. Having your pool cover fall into the swiming pool during the winter can leave you with a very messy pool to clean up. Cleaning your swim pool can be a very time consuming task if the cover has fallen in. Here are some tips that can help make the job of getting your swimming pool cover out of the swim pool and getting your pool ready for swimming easier.

An Inexpensive Way to Make Your Concrete Swimming Pool Look Like New Again
Is the finish of your concrete pool looking stained and blotchy? Did your pool have a white finish that now looks like a stormy sky? There is an easy and inexpensive way to make it look new. Coat it with a cement waterproofer.

What to do With Your Swimming Pool When a Hurricane is Coming
You know how to protect yourself from a storm, but what about your swimming pool? These are some of the ways you can minimize the damage to your swimming pool that might be caused by a tropical storm or hurricane.

How to Get Rid of Reoccurring Algae In A Swimming Pool
Algae reoccurrences happen in a swimming pool because the algae was not completely eradicated when treated. Sometimes poor or misdirected water circulation can prevent the pool chemicals from removing all of the algae.

Draining a Swimming Pool May be a Bad Idea
While it is possible to affect most repairs to your swimming pool underwater, there are circumstances that necessitate draining. You should not attempt this unless it is absolutely necessary and you are thoroughly familiar with the steps necessary to do this safely. Draining your pool can cause serious damage to it's structure. Why is it dangerous to drain a pool? Let's explain this by the type of pool and the damage that can occur.

How To Find And Repair A Leak In Your Swimming Pool
"I'm having to add water to my swimming pool every week. Do I have a leak?" Depending on the climate in your local area, it is not unusual to be losing a 1/4" of pool water a day due to evaporation. This means almost 2" a week! The biggest factors affecting this are humidity, wind, and air and water temperature.

How to Service A Swimming Pool Filter's Multiport Valve
Next to your swim pool pump and filter, the multiport valve is a swimming pool systems most important piece of equipment. The multiport valve is also known as a Vari-Flo valve, backwash valve, or filter control valve. It is important that it operates easily and properly. Some of the problems caused by a malfunctioning valve include water leaking out of the backwash line, dirt returning to the pool when vacuuming, and water that never clears up.

How To Clean Your Swimming Pool Cartridge Filter
The proper way to clean your cartridge pool filter consists of three steps. Rinsing the loose dirt, soaking in a cartridge cleaner, and rinsing again. This cleaning method is also excellent for diatemacous earth (DE) filters at the end of the season.

Swimming Pool Stabilizer Levels
I had my swimming pool water tested and my stabilizer was 135. I was told I needed to drain my pool then refill with fresh water to lower my pool's stabilizer level. Is this correct? Why is it bad if my swim pool stabilizer is too high?

How Often Should I Clean Swimming Pool Filters?
How often should I clean the swimming pool filters? Great question! The answer can vary from filter to filter, but a general guideline on any swimming pool filter is to take a reading when the filter is clean, then clean it when the pressure rises to about 10 psi.

What's That Yellow-Brown Stain On My Swimming Pool Walls?
Do you have a yellow-brown stain on your swimming pool walls? Chances are it is iron. Many municipal and even some well water sources have iron as a contaminant. How can you be sure, and how can you get rid of it?

Choosing a Swimming Pool Filter
There is a lot of confusion about various swimming pool filters, and many different opinions. Here are a few facts to consider. The first is that a pool water can be properly maintained with any of the filter systems available: Sand, Cartridge, or Diatomaceous Earth.

Cleaning Your Swimming Pool
There are a few basic procedures that are efficient and save time which any one can follow. Determining the surface composition before starting the cleanup procedure.

Daily Pool Operation
What you need to do to your swimming pool each day.

Draining Inground Swimming Pools
A reader asks: I'm attempting to drain my inground plaster swim pool for the first time. This is my first swimming pool and I don't know that much about it yet. Our swimming pool expert's advice: Don't do it - here is why...

Educating Yourself on Swimming Pools
A look at some of the costs of owning a swimming pool.

Energy Costs of Operating Swimming Pools and Spas
The California Energy Commision's guide to minimizing energy expense for owners of swimming pools and spas.

Fall Swimming Pool Closings
What to do to secure your pool for the winter.

Filters: Your Last Line of Defense
Your filter is your last line of defense in trapping the debris on a constant basis. That's why it's so important to use the right type and keep it operating as cleanly as possible.

Heating a Swimming Pool
Although 78 degrees F to 82 degrees F takes in about everyone, how warm you should keep your pool actually depends on personal preference.

How to Clear Up a Green Pool
Unfortunately, there is no magic way to turn a green or black pool clear overnight ! It usually takes a lot of time, effort and money to clear up a typical "swampy" green pool. It is certainly best if you never let your pool water get this dirty, however most pool owners experience a "green pool problem" from time to time.

How to Close (Winterize) a Pool
weather is getting cold, the leaves are changing color and the warm memories of summertime fun are fading away. This is not usually the time of year that people like to think about their swimming pools, but this is really the most important time of the year to pay attention to the pool to avoid unnecessary problems and costly repairs come Springtime.

How to Open (Summerize) a Pool
A pool properly maintained during the winter months can be prepared for a new season of swimming with a minimum of effort.

How to Patch a Swimming Pool
Is the family pool showing some wear and tear? Here's how to put it back in shape.

My Swimming Pool is Leaking - How Do I stop the Swim Pool Leak?
It is common for people to call in about losing water from a swimming pool. There are typically one of three swim pool issues with water loss: leaks in the swim pool plumbing, leaks in the swimming pool shell, or excessive splash out or evaporation from the swimming pool. There are some ways you can narrow down the reasons behind your leaky swimming pool.

Operating and Maintaining Your Aqautic Facility
If you own or operate an existing facility, you may be looking for information and additional guidance on such issues as water clarity, air quality, or heat conservation. You may be seeking guidelines on handling your staff or operating your facility more efficiently. This section delves into these and other issues.

Ozone Pool Water Treatment System
Ozone is the most powerful oxidizing agent known to man. As such, it is continuing to gain market share in North America for swimming pool water treatment systems. The crystal clear, odorless water is the best indicator of an Ozone system in use. And it does not leave swimmers with red eye, rashes, itching or other skin irritation problems.

Planning for a New Pool
A pool is a major investment in many ways. You'll need to invest cash, of course, but also time, energy, and yard space. Here we'll look at the key questions that you'll need to answer before you make these investments.

Pool Opening Tips
A pool properly maintained during the winter months can be prepared for a new season of swimming with a minimum of effort.

Pool Troubleshooting Guide
Having pump, water, or other problems with your swimming pool? This handy guide might have a solution that helps.

Pool Wizard Swimming Pool Maintenance
Maintenance help on swimming pool water balance and swimming pool maintenance. Includes useful pool calculators and information on the Pool Wizard, a low chlorine alternative to algae control.

Spa Care Center
The Spa Care Center is a source for hard-to-find spa parts and accessories. Search the database of over 20,000 in-stock spa parts, online ordering capability, same-day shipping and expert technical support.

Spring Swimming Pool Openings
Steps to follow to get yur pool open in the spring.

Swimming Pool Glossary
ommonly used terminology specific to residential pools.

Swimming Pool Professor Software Helps Manage Swim Pool Chemicals
The program helps guide you, the swimming pool operator, on how much of what pool chemical to put in your swim pool or spa to make it safer for your family and friends. The Pool Professor is very easy to use and designed to meet your needs with the choice of four different versions. Do computerized swimming pool water testing at home.

Swimming Pool School
Articles by swim pool and spa experts about all aspects of caring for and enjoying your swimming pool or swim spa, including opening a swimming pool, closing a swim pool, installing a solar heater for your pool or spa, and all about swimming pool water.

Swimming Pool Seasonal Check List
What should you check every season when your pool is operating?

Swimming Pool Water Balance
Water balance is not such a complicated exercise. It is simply the relationships of different chemical parameters to each other. Your water is constantly changing. Anything and everything directly and indirectly affects water balance - from sunlight, wind and rain to the oil, dirt and cosmetics which may enter the water.

Swimming Pool Water Chemistry
Some frequently asked questions about pool water chemistry.

Swimming Pool Water Problems
Green, foaming, cloudy, dull, hazy, water? This may help get things back to normal.

Swimming Pool Water Trouble Shooting Guide
Most swimming pool water problems are the result of one of a few things - this will help you narrow it down.

USA Swimming Facility Inquiries and Consultations
If you are having a problem with your current facility such as air or water quality issues, USA Swimming's experts may be able to help. Fill out the "I have a problem with my pool" form.

Water Maintenance
The primary reason for treating pool and spa water with sanitizing chemicals is to prevent the growth of bacteria which would make swimmers and bathers sick.

Weekly Pool Maintenance
What to do each week to keep your swimming pool operating smoothly.