We all love the transition from Summer into Fall! We’ve all suffered through the triple digit days, lack of rain and constant humidity. It seems like a dream to imagine cooler temperatures and days when we can keep our doors and windows open. Soon we will begin to see those riveting colors of Fall that are soon followed by falling leaves and chillier temperatures.
Although season changes bring a lot to look forward to, it’s not enough to just sit outdoors and enjoy the falling leaves. If you own a home with an outdoor living space, there is plenty of maintenance chores to take care of! Cleaning out gutters, raking and mowing the lawn, freeze protecting your hose bibs and keeping your pool clean – it seems there is plenty of outdoor maintenance required to keep things running smoothly through Fall.
In terms of pool ownership, what does this mean for your swimming pool and can this potentially cost you added maintenance and repair cost? The short answer is – yes, leaves are bad for your swimming pool and they most definitely can elevate your maintenance cost! So what are the cost associated with falling leaves and how can you save yourself the trouble of equipment repair or cleaning of your filtration lines?
Clogged Lines – Leads to Burned Out Pumps and Broken Filters
Simply put, falling leaves can lead to a host of issues with your swimming pool, including: clogged drains, filtration lines and pumps. Just a handful of leaves in your filtration lines can restrict the flow of your water and reduce the efficiency of your pool equipment. To add a complicating factor to the issue of falling leaves, it’s important to remember that your leaves do not fall at one time. No sir, they take their time! This requires diligence and perseverance to keep allocating time towards keeping your swimming pool clean.
Should too much time pass and enough leaves lodge into your main drain or skimmers, it’s feasible for your pluming lines to become partially or completely clogged. If left un-managed, a complete blockage is near impossible to clear without the assistance of a pool professional. Should your pool equipment turn on during a partial or complete blockage, your pump motor will work doubly hard to turn over your water. This undue stress increases energy costs and could lead to broken or damaged pool equipment.
The truth of the matter is, leaves are sneaky critters to maintain. They often fall all at once or over long periods of time. Swimming pools are havens for fallen leaves and many of our clients don’t have the time in their schedules necessary to keep their pools clear of leaf debris. Because of the risk to your pool equipment and filtration lines, we highly suggest contracting Matt’s Water Pool Services to keep your pools clean of leaves and other fallen debris!
Let Matt’s Water Keep Your Pool Clean!
If thinking of cleaning your pool this Fall is causing your palms to sweat, don’t worry any further! Matt’s Water Pool Services provides superior cleaning services for our clients all year long! Whether it’s chemical maintenance, green to clean services or leaf removal – we do it all! What does that mean for you?Easy pool care with less time outdoors and more time enjoying fun activities with your family!
We all work hard during the week. From long hours at the office, commutes to work, school pickups and drop offs – we’ve all got a lot on our plates. Sometimes it’s hard enough planning our evening activities while cooking and preparing for the next day of work. With so much on your to-do list, don’t add keeping your pool cleaning to it.
Matt’s Water Pool Services is here to help ease the burden of swimming pool ownership. We do this for a living, which means that we can clean your pool while you’re at work. That means your time off work is spent with your loved ones, doing what you love! Sit down and enjoy that favorite TV show or spend time cooking out with your family during the weekend. Let us work hard to keep your swimming pool clean so that you can enjoy the beauty of your pool – without the stress of worrying about potential filtration problems or damaged equipment.
Remove Those Leaves – Prevent The Growth of Algae
Keeping your swimming pool clear of leaf debris also helps in your fight to prevent algae growth. Leaf debris is organic matter – produced by nature. Once introduced to your swimming pool, leaves begin to decompose and release oils and minerals into your swimming pool water.
If not well managed, leaves can introduce a large amount of phosphates into your water. For chemistry nerds, phosphates are algae food. The greater the amount of phosphates the greater the potential for algae spores and subsequent algae formation.
Lastly, removing debris improves the flow of water throughout your filtration lines. It’s essential to optimize the flow of water through your filter. This allows the pool equipment to remove debris and bacteria – leading to cleaner and clearer water. Keeping your pool water moving throughout the Fall and Winter moves is critical to keeping your water clear, safe and healthy!
Is there anything more important in life than keeping our families and children safe? At Matt’s Water, we provide the highest quality products designed to keep both your family & pool environment safe. To help us with our mission of enhancing our outdoor living spaces, we’ve signed up as a dealer for LOOP-LOC Safety Covers.
LOOP-LOC was first founded in 1978 with five employees. Co-Founder, Bill Donaton, first envisioned the business in 1957 as a way to keep animals from falling into swimming pools, while allowing rain water to pass through. Continuous improvements were made to the product line through the 1970s & 1980s in order to enhance it’s child safety measures. With the introduction of “LOOP-LOC’s GAPGUARD® and SAFEDGE®, now known as CABLE-LOC™ Child Safety Intrusion Barriers,” LOOP-LOC led the way for innovation in the Pool & Spa industry.
Awarded with Patent # 4,982,457, Bill Donaton helped lead the way for industry-accepted performance standards. Since then, LOOP-LOC has expanded it’s product offering to include Vinyl Liners as well as Safety Covers. It’s all in an effort to provide the highest quality craftsmanship for the most vital components of your swimming pool. Here at Matt’s Water, we have aligned ourselves with LOOP-LOC’s mission of safety & quality. We’re proud to offer it as part of our customer focused initiatives!
We can custom measure a LOOP-LOC cover to fit nearly any pool shape. Here you can see a safety cover installed on a free-form pool. By capturing A-B Measurements, we’re able to use a process of triangular to find our exact curvature and get a computer cut. Pretty cool stuff!
Using The Highest Quality Materials Available
Just how on earth is LOOP-LOC rated the highest quality safety cover manufacturer in the industry? For starters, the primary material is constructed of Polyester Bonded Threads that are 30% stronger than industry standards. Combine this leading material with:
Double perimeter webbing
Double thick straps
302 stainless steel springs
“87% black yard in fabric for added UV resistance,” LOOP-LOC
All of these products are designed to enhance the safety of these safety covers as well as their durability over time. Safety Covers are designed to take a large amount of wear and tear over time. Designed to be put on at the beginning of Fall and and removed at the start of Spring, LOOP-LOC safety covers endure some of the harshest conditions of our fiscal calendar.
Therefore, it’s no wonder LOOP-LOC puts so much emphasis on the types of materials sourced for their safety covers. Because of their investment in their product lineup, that they can offer their industry-leading 15-year prorated warranty.
Elephant Tested & Approved
We love showing our customers the (above) video of Bubbles walking across a LOOP-LOC safety cover. Baby elephants can weight between 200lbs – 300lbs at birth. This provides us a perfect example of your average adult who may stumble upon this safety cover during winter months. Would you also believe that this LOOP-LOC cover is able to retain its durability despite being punctured by the elephant’s tusk during the video?
15-Year Pro-Rated Warranty & Replacement Parts
Despite the LOOP-LOC safety cover being backed by a 15-year pro-rated warranty, hardware and components can wear out. Wear and tear is a common part of any equipment ownership, and LOOP-LOC provides a great source for replacing these wear and tear items on their website. Of course, you can also call upon Matt’s Water Pool Service and we can replace any worn items on your LOOP-LOC safety cover if needed.
In essence, LOOP-LOC provides a great amount of support for our safety cover clients. For questions or product maintenance questions, they offer their toll free # 1-800-LOC-LOOP (562-5667). Whether you have a question about setting your cover for Fall, removing for Spring, maintenance, cleaning, repairs or storage – Matt’s Water & LOOP-LOC have got you covered!
Once we’ve installed your new safety cover, we will take care of completing your Warranty Registration Card. These warranty registration cards should be completed within 30 days of your new safety cover installation. It’s our way of abiding by the home owner agreement with LOOP-LOC and ensuring you receive the highest level of support and customer service!
Available in Cover Sizes & Shapes
If you’re not into the standard Green Mesh, that’s fine! LOOP-LOC offers a wide range of colors, ranging from Green, Tan, Black, Blue & Gray. These colors are designed to give you plenty of options for your own design & personal taste. They match beautifully with many types of decking, pavers & concrete patios. For example of LOOP-LOC covers installed in a variety of job sites, feel free to browse this gallery of installations.
Trust Matt’s Water With Your Pool Safety
At Matt’s Water, our business is keeping you and your family safe! It’s also, enhancing your backyard lifestyle and providing you with products and services to enhance that lifestyle. We want all of our customers to remember the joy of being outdoors. We also believe that our backyards are wonderful outdoor spaces that we can make our own with our own personalities and design preferences. Therefore, why trust anyone other the industry-leading professionals with the care and treatment of your outdoor living spaces.
We offer a wide range of services that complete any outdoor new construction & renovation job. For more information, we’ve included some links below to our products and services pages. Read on and find out just how much we can do for you!
Therefore, if you’ve got a backyard renovation project in mind or your looking to create something entirely new, give us a call! We’re here to meet your needs and provide you with a backyard lifestyle that your sure to love and enjoy!
At Matt’s Water, we are big believers in helping our customers save money by taking care of their swimming pools. It’s our foundation belief that many home owners do not understand the importance of Water Chemistry. Therefore, we want to take up the challenge and provide the training and information necessary to help you protect your investment. That being said, what’s the best way for you to save money and take care of your swimming pool?
If you guessed Chemistry, then you’re right! Proper Water balancing is the most essential ingredient to safe, affordable and happy pool ownership. It’s amazing that such a simple concept and often gets overlooked – especially during the Winter Time.
This time of year, as the summer season winds down and school vamps up, home owners look for ways to save money. Unfortunately, saving money by discontinuing pool service and neglecting your swimming pool is the surest way to pay more down the road. What do we mean? To truly understand, we need to take a quick synopsis of all the pieces of your pool that cost money.
The Crucial Pieces to Your Swimming Pool
One of the most expensive aspects to any swimming pool is your pool surface, also known as Pool Plaster. This material is the colorful and textured surface that covers the entire internal surface area of your swimming pool. Plaster is comprised of cement materials, aggregate (texture), colored particles and crystals.
Most importantly, your pool plaster is in constant contact with your water. Therefore, there is not any other aspect of your swimming pool that is more susceptible to chemical damage than your pool plaster. Unfortunately, the pool plaster is also the piece of your pool that you notice the most. If your pool plaster experiences the epidemic of Etching or Scaling (as we will cover below) this can become quite the eyesore. It can also be extremely costly to fix these issues; often involving a price tag that many home owners can’t afford.
Lastly, would you also believe us if we said that your pool water is more chemically aggressive in the Winter Time than than Summer Time? Let us find out why.
This image shows the damage that a Corrosive Water Environment can create. What you are seeing here is evidence of “Etching” on the pool plaster. This is due to pool water being deficient in vital minerals such as Calcium. It causes the water to literally draw Calcium right out of your pool wall. Needless to say, these scars would be wide spread and not very attractive to look at.
Water Requires a State of Balance
By the laws of nature, your Pool Water & Pool Plaster are in a constant state of balance. In essence, your pool plaster will naturally have it’s own properties such as PH, Calcium, Alkalinity and so on. Conversely, your pool water (out of the tap) will have it’s own independent readings as well. The trouble comes along when these two sets of digits don’t match up. What happens is a chemical tug of war, with water always being the winner:
Water is capable of dissolving a variety of different substances, which is why it is such a good solvent. And, water is called the “universal solvent” because it dissolves more substances than any other liquid. This is important to every living thing on earth. It means that wherever water goes, either through the ground or through our bodies, it takes along valuable chemicals, minerals, and nutrients. – The USGS, Water Science School
Because water is the Universal Solvent, it has the capability to add or subtract chemicals, minerals and nutrients to satisfy it’s demand for balance. What does all of this complex information mean for your pool plaster?
Simply put, not satisfying the chemical requirements of water means it will extract or deposit excess minerals as needed. Water is essential to all life on earth, but it can also become very aggressive is not balanced properly.
Example: Winter Conditions
If you allow your swimming pool to be vulnerable to Winter Conditions (such as colder water temperature) this will negatively affect your LSI reading. In essence, your water will become Mineral Deficient and extract valuable calcium from your pool plaster – causing Etching. This is very bad and can cost thousands to replace.
Here you can glimpse the power of the Orenda Technology App. This amazing software allows us to measure the LSI index for your pool water. As you can see from the image, by boosting the pH & Calcium of the pool water, we are able to restore the balance to this swimming pool. It’s simple in theory and highly effective at saving you money.
What Is The Langelier Saturation Index (LSI)?
This is a lot of complex information and how on earth are we able to measure these types of changes? Luckily, at Matt’s Water, we’ve been in this industry for quite some time. We also have the tools at our disposal to check your pool water for proper water chemistry & balancing.
Going back to the concept of the Langelier Saturation Index (LSI) as mentioned above, let’s take a deeper look. The LSI Index is a calculation for the Mineral Saturation of water. In essence, it determines the amount of Minerals your water can hold before they Fall Out of Suspension. It’s important to note, when we say Minerals, what we really mean is Calcium – one of the most natural minerals available to our backyards.
Understanding the LSI Calculation
In essence, the LSI is a calculation used to determine the Corrosive or Scale Forming properties of our pool water. By using the formula (listed below), we can calculate this scale from -.3 (Corrosive) up to +.3 (Scale Forming). If our value falls anywhere between these two numbers, our water is determined to be in balance. Balanced water ensures that our water is properly satisfied and non-aggressive. This keeps your pool plaster safe from the corrosive or scale forming properties of water. In essence, keeping your water satisfied will save you money.
If you’ve taken a moment to watch both videos, then you now have some greater insight into why understanding your pool chemistry is so important! In essence, the LSI is a great tool that we can use to determine the happiness of your pool water. If your pool water is out of balance, we can use this tool to help us correct it based on dosage levels. It’s important that we apply the correct chemical dosage based on the volume of your swimming pool (no more and no less).
Lastly, some key takeaways from our lessons on the LSI Index include:
Etching of your pool plaster is permanent!
Cold water lowers your LSI score, leading to more Corrosive conditions (info below)
Taking the time necessary to understand the LSI can save you thousands in pool repair & maintenance
Your pool plaster is the most susceptible aspect of your pool to pool chemical conditions
Your Water is More Dangerous During Cold Months
If you’ve downloaded the Orenda App and played around a bit, then you’ve surely noticed the Temperature metric. It’s crucially important that we understand how Temperature impacts the balance of our water chemistry. The LSI is comprised of 6 key metrics:
Calcium
Temperature
pH
Alkalinity
TDS
Stabilizer
Of these 6 metrics, the one that has the highest (and most sneaky impact) is Temperature. Because our pools are subjected to external environments, the temperature of our pool water fluctuates with the changes in season. As outside ambient temperature decreases, so does your pool water. A pool that was balanced during the summertime can easily become Corrosive (with potential for Etching) as the water temperature drops down.
This is a scary reality and one of the most important reasons to keep Matt’s Water on your monthly home budget. Although paying for a monthly pool service during the winter time sounds counter intuitive, we guarantee you, it could be the best decision all winter.
As the LSI indicates, pool water becomes more corrosive during the winter time. Etching is a serious condition and is irreversible. Not only does it leave ugly hash marks all over your pool plaster, but it also damages your pool equipment and renders it inoperable. A home owner that neglects their swimming pool all winter long has the potential for thousands in repairs the next Spring.
Hire Matt’s Water & Keep Your Pool Surface Safe
At Matt’s Water, we don’t want our customers to endure the headache and stress of costly pool repairs. Instead, we want you to open up your swimming pool for summer and jump right in for fun. By taking some simple and intuitive steps this Winter time, you can ensure your pool is swim ready for Summer 2019.
Lastly, this effort will keep your pool plaster safe during the time of the year that we are using our pools the least. If you’d like for us to provide some assistance, that’s great! We understand that life is busy and you have a lot going on. That’s why we offer the best & highest quality Pool Service in the greater East Texas & Corsicana region. Our team is ready to visit your pool and provide you with an in depth analysis of your pool water and will keep it safe all winter long! Give us a call today!
Despite what your experiences with your own pool may be, owning a swimming pool is about one specific purpose: enjoying your swimming pool and outdoor living space! Many non-pool owners may look at pool ownership as a tedious task or one that they feel is too complicated to take on. Other current pool owners look at their “soon to be swamp” and regret the purchase of their swimming pool. Others may feel stressed by the complicated pool chemistry and unsure of what to do next.
Let’s take a moment to peal back some of those misconceptions and summarize pool ownership and what it means for you and your family:
Owning a pool allows you to move your family time beyond the four walls of your home
It allows you to expand the functionality of your backyard and create an outdoor living space
Pools are exceptional recreational spaces that boost your daily physical activity
Last, but not least, they increase the resale value of your home and provide exceptional ROI (return on investment)
Pool Chemistry is comprised of 5 key elements: PH, Alkalinity, Chlorine, Calcium Hardness & Cyanuric Acid. The most common way to test for these chemical levels requires a Taylor or Lamotte test kit similar to the one shown above. This particular unit utilizes “Drop Testing.” This is one of the simplest method to test your pool chemistry – and we can show you how it’s done!
Maintaining Proper Chemical Levels
Pool ownership provides exceptional value to you and your family. Oftentimes, however, it feels like quite the opposite to many frustrated pool owners; and this detracts from the “fun” of pool ownership. Believe it or not, many of the problems and frustrations that pool owners experience could be solved by one key word: Chemistry.
Pool Chemistry is quite frankly the most important part of your swimming pool! It is the key ingredient that allows your water and equipment to thrive or die. It can harbor dangerous bacteria or provide crystal clear water for hours of outdoor enjoyment. Does maintaining proper chemistry levels require and little bit of work and elbow grease? Yes, but we’ve got the tools, information and products to help you get the job done!
This may also, be a great time to point out that we offer a full range of swimming pool chemicals, parts, equipment and accessories at our retail store located in Corsicana, TX. You can feel free to stop by during business hours or visit our Online E-Commerce Storefront!
Diagnosing Problems Before They Grow
As you may be able to tell, the key to eliminating chemical issues in your swimming pool is simple: prevent or catch them before they ever get started! This is an important time to realize that Matt’s Water is a resource for you as a pool owner! We are not a huge service company that gouges our customers on prices. Instead, we’ve have built our business model upon treating our customers fairly and focusing on high quality customer service.
Each of our team members spends time in the field continuous educating, learning, studying, applying and treating swimming pools. Our goal is simple: to become the very best Swimming Pool Service company in Corsicana TX and all surrounding areas!
What Exactly Do We Test For?
It’s always easier for us to treat a chemical problem when you realize early on that there is an issue. Our diagnosing procedures are pretty standard. We are going to follow this list of actions to diagnose and treat your chemical issue:
We use these test results to determine what the specific chemical levels are for following criteria:
PH – the balance of the water between Acidic & Base
Alkalinity – “The PH Buffer” that absorbs the changes of the water without impacting the PH
Chlorine – the level of sanitizer in the water that keeps the swimmer safe
Calcium Hardness – water seeks “balance” and requires calcium to keep it from scaling or etching the surface of your pool plaster. Swimmers often refer to this as “hard or soft” water.
Cyanuric Acid – the stabilizer of the water. This reading gives us an idea of how quickly or slowly your pool loses Chlorine levels due to the impact of UV rays on your water.
Real Life Example: High Cyanuric Acid & Metals
All of our conversation would be pretty mute if we didn’t give you a real life example of what exactly can go wrong with improper pool chemistry. In this example, our customer reached to alert us of an issue, but unfortunately it was too late for much to be done.
In the example below, our customer experienced the Fall Out of both Cyanuric Acid & Metals. All of our pool chemicals require “balance” in order for them to stay in a state of suspension. Simply put, our water must remain balanced for the chemicals to remain invisible and blended together. When metals and other water content levels become too high – they become to “heavy” for the water and collect on the walls and surface.
Unfortunately, for our customer, this issue was caught too late and some serious damage is done to both the pool plaster (surface underwater) and pool deck. That being said, the key to pool chemistry is maintaining proper levels and contacting a professional (i.e. Matt’s Water) when you detect an issue.
This image shows the effects of too high of Cyanuric Acid & Metal levels. Metals exist in most water environments, however, they are supposed to stay in a state of “suspension.” When these levels become too high, water “falls out of suspension” and particles begin to form and collect along the walls and floor of your pool. Surprisingly enough, these chemical levels combined together created a purple hue that stained both the plaster and deck – this will require some repairs.
Matt’s Water: Service You Can Trust
We appreciate you taking the time to read our extensive article. If you’d like some more information about how to maintain proper chemistry levels, give us a call! Our goal is always to provide the very best in customer service to each and every customer. We pride ourselves on educating all of our customers to become their own pool experts!
If any of this is beyond your scope of expertise and you’d like to sign up for our professional weekly service, that’s great! We’d love to care for your swimming pool and keep it in top notch shape for your summer enjoyment! Give us a call and we’ll provide you the very best in swimming pool service!
