Hi, my name is Bo.
I have been in the pool business since the early 90's doing every aspect of new construction to the simplest service calls. Every time I think I have seen all that the pool industry has to show me, it rears its ugly head and surprises me yet again.
I only make this statement to illustrate the fact that I have never claimed to be a self-proclaimed pool Guru or the guy with all the answers. I do however have about 15 years of personal experience to draw from and a vast wealth of knowledge to draw from in the contacts I have made over the years.
That being said, I have compiled a list of the most frequently asked questions that have been presented to me over the years and done my very best to answer them for you. I am however not limited to what is printed here. If you have a burning question that just needs to be asked, you can always go to the "contact us" section of this website and ask away. Chances are, your question has been burning in the mind of others too, and I can always add it to my list.
Thank you for visiting.
Getting started.
- We nave been thinking about getting a swimming pool for a while now but the more we look into the process, the more questions we have. Where do we start?
This is one of the biggest choices you will make in your adult life. It ranks right up there with buying a home, or a car. So your first step is going to be figuring out what type of pool will be right for you. There are many to choose from, but only two permanent in-ground options, fiberglass or gunite. While there are advantages to both, there are also disadvantages. You have to look at the main choices though when you are deciding if one or the other is right for your yard and location. The best way to do that is to have several different pool contractors come out and give you their opinion on whether or not their product is right for your yard. Now I say opinion because like most sales people, pool contractors are no different. They are going to try to tell you only what they think you want to hear in order to get the initial sale. Make sure when meeting with any contractor your questions are all answered in a satisfactory manner and you are able to understand everything they are telling you. If you feel at all confused with what is said during any part of the discussion you should always ask the contractor to clarify anything that was not understood. Remember, you should always feel comfortable in your own home.
- O.k., so now that we know which pool is right for us how do we go about finding the right contractor to hire to do the work?
The California State Contractors Licensing Board has one of the best outlines for hiring a contractor. They titled it "Ten tips for making sure your contractor measures up." It goes as follows:
- Hire only licensed contractors.
- Check a contractor's license number online at http://www2.cslb.ca.gov/General-Information/interactive-tools/check-a-license/License+Request.asp or by calling 800-321-CSLB(2752).
- Get three references, review past work.
- Get at least three bids.
- Get a written contract and don't sign anything until you completely understand the terms.
- Never pay more than 10% down or $1,000.00, whichever is less.
- Don't let your payments get ahead of their work. Keep records of payments.
- Don't make a final payment until you are satisfied with the job.
- Don't pay cash.
- Keep a job file of all papers relating to your project.
These guidelines should help to keep you on the right track.
- Why is it important I hire only a licensed contractor? Can't I hire anyone you want?
It is always very important you hire only licensed and insured contractors. The state of California has put in place laws that help to protect you as the homeowner if the job goes south. If you choose to hire an unlicensed contractor, you take the risk of having something go wrong and without the safety net of the contractors board you will have no legal recourse. At least with the help of the contractor's board you have a chance at compensation and getting the job finished competently.
- If I hire a contractor and he is licensed, he must have all his other legal paper work in order, right?
Never take anything for granted. It is your responsibility to check out everything. When you are checking into a contractor, you should always make sure they carry or can produce the documentation you request, (i.e. contractors license number, workers compensation insurance, business license, past references...) if not, ask why. As the customer, it is your right.
During the process.
They're finished, now what?
- Water bugs, I have water bugs that showed up pretty much the day I filled my pool for the first time and I just can't seem to get rid of them. Is there anything I can do?
Yes, I have seen that there are a number of products out there that are specifically tailored to removing water bugs. Two of the best products I have personally used are GLB Bugout which works by reducing the viscosity of the water and allows the bugs to simply be filtered out. Or you can use a more direct approach and use a Black Algaecide; which actually kills the bugs and many times helps to keep them from coming back for a while. You just want to be careful of adding too much of the Algaecide though because there is no actual guidelines on how much to add in order to kill the bugs. Also make sure you let the filter run for about 8 hrs after adding the chemicals. It is very important not to swim during that time.
- I have blond hair, is it true the chlorine will turn my hair green?
No, that is a myth. The chlorine content in your pool does not cause blond hair to turn green. It is actually caused by high mineral content in the water, specifically copper. Copper can get into the water by way of metal that has been allowed to sit in the pool for extended periods of time, adding too much algaecide and other chemicals when they were probably not needed, (usually by miss diagnosis of a water chemistry problem) or simply from bad water. (Usually well water.) This problem can be solved by adding a sequestering agent to the pool and cleaning your filters a lot until the mineral levels have been brought down to an acceptable range. Your local pool professional should be able to recommend a treatment plan.