Did you know: The CDC recommends testing your pool or hot tub water’s chlorine and pH at least twice per day.

Maintaining healthy water balance is important for safe swimming, relaxing, workouts, and more, but it can be a challenge, especially for new pool and hot tub owners. Just as there are different chemicals to maintain the water, there are different ways to measure and treat the water. Parts per million (ppm) and Oxidation Reduction Potential (ORP) are the two common methods. Here is some background on how to choose the right measurement method:

Measuring by ppm rcan be done with reagent tests, water spin tests, or water test strips which must be manually dipped in the water at least twice per week, the CDC’s recommendation. Then, the data is used to calculate the amount (volume) of chemicals needed depending on the gallon capacity of the pool, hot tub, or swim spa.

Oxidation Reduction Potential (ORP) is the standard measurement for pool and hot tub water safety, it is mandated for commercial pools like those in local gyms, hotels, spas, etc. It provides a more detailed analysis of how the chemicals – chlorine, bromine, or salt – are doing their job to sanitize the water.  The ORP Sensor measures, in millivolts, the tendency of a chemical substance to oxidize or reduce another chemical substance. In this case, sanitizer. A high ORP shows that the sanitizer isn’t working effectively, and low ORP means that the chemicals can’t effectively clean the water.

Even pool technicians use tools to measure the water, and most homeowners need help, too. Now, they can get it from the pHin Smart Water Monitor which removes the calculations and guesswork from pool and hot tub water care. It measures the water’s temperature, sanitizer and pH over 1,000 times per week. pHin measures the ORP of the water, and uses an algorithm to analyze the water conditions and provide exact recommendations for dosing the water with the chemicals of the pool or hot tub owners’ choice.

Learn more about how pHin measures water here.

The post PPM vs ORP: How to Choose A Water Measurement Method appeared first on pHin.

Peter Cox

www.calistogapool.org

Hot tubs make a great addition to a home or backyard, whether for warming up on a cool winter night or taking a soak after a tough workout. Among the benefits of owning your own at-home spa, a hot tub can be challenging to maintain. Hot tub rash is real, and chemicals need to be added in exact doses for balanced water. Not to mention, worrying about whether or not the water is safe and balanced can take the relaxation out of your daily soak.

Maximize your hot tub relaxation time with the smart water monitor that can remove your worry about hot tub water! Every hot tub needs a pHin Smart Water Monitor to get the most benefits, here’s why:

Real-Time Temperature Status

There’s nothing worse than having your hot tub soak delayed because the water’s too cold. With pHin, you can simply check the app or ask Alexa about the temperature of your water, so you can see if the heater needs a boost before you go in.

Avoid Hot Tub Rash

Hot tub rash can be caused by poorly maintained water, according to the CDC. Keeping the water in balance is important to avoiding it and it can be hard to know which contaminants are causing the issue. pHin measures the water over 1,000 times per week and will notify you immediately if the water isn’t balanced, with a color-coded guide. A blue disc indicates your water is safe, balanced and ready to use.  An orange disc means your water is still safe to enter but needs some attention while a red disc appears when you should avoid the unsafe water.

Chemistry Support

Chemistry can be confusing, and hot tub owners need to pay close attention to their water to keep it safe. Understanding chemical dosing is a challenge. pHin uses built-in analytics to calculate dosing instructions, so users can simply follow the instructions in the app to balance their water.

With balanced water, hot tubs are great for relaxing, soothing sore muscles, and warming you up in cool weather.

The post The Buddy System! Why Every Hot Tub Needs a pHin appeared first on pHin.

Peter Cox

www.calistogapool.org

Converting Your Pool to Saltwater

Saltwater pools have been around since the 1970s. Through the decades, they’ve proven to be a safe and reliable option for pool owners.

They’ve become a popular choice for pool owners looking for a simple filtration system that produces less harsh chemicals than the chlorine tablets they’re used to. In fact, 70% of new pools in the US are saltwater.

In this article, we’ll cover the major benefits of a saltwater pool. First, let’s clear up some common concerns.

Common Concerns

Let’s clarify one common concern that may be on your mind: a saltwater pool is not SALTY.

The amount of salt in one of these pools is around 3,000 parts per million (ppm). Our friend, the ocean, is about 35,000 ppm. And most people can’t taste salt under 4,500 ppm.

Since the salinity of a salt pool is less than 10% of the ocean, that means corrosion won’t be an issue with your existing equipment. High chlorine levels are more likely to cause damage than a saltwater system. Whether you have a fiberglass pool or a vinyl pool, salt will do less harm than chlorine.

With those initial concerns cleared from your mind, let’s take a look at the top three benefits of switching your pool to a saltwater system.

#1—Easier on Your Skin and Eyes

Without chlorine in your pool, you can say goodbye to the following:

Red, irritated eyesItchy skinBleached swimsuitsHarsh chlorine smell

Yes, a saltwater system generates its own natural chlorine—it’s just much less abrasive. That’s because the salt in the water neutralizes chloramines, which are the particles that cause red eyes, itchiness, and that pungent chlorine smell.

Another benefit of salt is softer pool water that feels like you’re swimming in liquid silk—a much better swimming experience for your family!

#2—Save Time & Money

The improvement to the swimming experience is clear, but what about costs and maintenance hassles?

Your time is precious and spending it buying and adding chlorine tablets to your pool is tedious and time-consuming. A saltwater system’s salt cell produces hundreds of pounds of pure chlorine over its lifespan. That means you don’t have to buy chlorine tablets, nor do you have to worry about when to add them. It does most of the work for you.

How much is a saltwater pool system? Depending on the size of your pool, a quality system will cost anywhere from $700-$1,200. If you ever get quoted way above that, you’re probably dealing with a pool store that’s worried about losing money on all the chlorine you won’t be buying.

On average, you’ll spend 30-50% more on chlorine than you would over the lifespan of a salt system. 

Of course, like any piece of equipment, your saltwater system will wear down with use, but you won’t have to replace the whole system, just the salt cell—the salt chlorine generator at the heart of the equipment.

With proper maintenance, it can last for up to seven years. When it’s time for replacement, a salt cell is usually half the cost of a complete salt system.

And that whole time, it’s producing natural saltwater, saving you time and money having to buy chlorine yourself.

#3—Easy to Install & Maintain

You may have heard that you’ll need to replace all of your pool equipment. That is not true. 

A saltwater system can be easily added to your existing pool equipment in one visit. A Premier Professional will install it for you in a couple of hours, tops. 

It also requires much less maintenance. The salt cell does most of the work for you, making it an excellent chlorine substitute.

Just like the rest of your pool equipment, Premier Pool Service can also make sure your saltwater system is in good working order each time we visit. Check here to see if Premier Pool Service is available in your area.

What Are You Waiting For?

No matter what type of pool you have, a saltwater pool is a great alternative to chlorine systems. It will save you time and money while creating a better, healthier swimming experience. A saltwater pool needs far less pool maintenance than traditionally chlorinated pools.

Contact your local Premier Pool franchise to get a recommendation for a saltwater system and schedule us to install it for you.

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Peter Cox

www.calistogapool.org