Debunking An Aboveground Myth
I will be the first to admit that I am a fan of stainless steel products. My kitchen is appointed with stainless appliances and my grill has stainless burners and they are perfect for these applications. With aboveground pools it is quite common to find a stainless steel panel where the skimmer and return are located. Given my appreciation of stainless products you would likely assume that I think this is the way to go…that would, however, be incorrect. The argument for such a panel is that the gaskets at the skimmer and return are the most likely area on the pool wall to fail and that the stainless panel won’t rust. This is partially true, but the stainless panel is actually the weakest part of the pool wall as it isn’t corrugated like the rest of the pool wall. On our Oceanic and Endeavor pools this replaceable panel is the same material as the rest of pool wall because it providers greater strength and durability. When you are trying to retain thousands of pounds of water weight it is incredibly important to have a strong pool at all points. On these Sharkline pools that panel also matches the rest of the pool design so you don’t have an unsightly stainless panel sticking out like a sore thumb. Some of our pools don’t use these panels and honestly there is nothing wrong with that either. As long as you don’t have leaking at those gaskets you shouldn’t ever have a problem there. Think of it this way, if the pool is so well built why would you ever want to use a different material at one location? I will let you be the judge there.
Make Sure You Know Your Pool’s Size
Believe it or not, the number one problem people have when they go to change out their above ground pool liner is….they don’t know their pool’s size. Years ago I installed pools and did liner rehangs. I had one job where I went to change the liner in a 15 x 30 above ground and found out that the pool was actually a 15 x 25. The pool owner had gotten it into his head that he had a 15 x 30 and was shocked to find out his pool had actually shrank. This happens several times a year and it is common for people that move into a home with an existing pool. Before you buy a liner for a pool, measure the pool. If it is a round pool, measure from 12 to 6 and from 3 to 9 (like on the face of a clock). For an oval pool, measure the total length and the side’s width where the water wall is, not to the out riggers. We also need the height of the wall. You may be surprised to find that you have a pool that is different in size from what you thought it was. It might also save you a lot of money! If you have questions, don’t guess. Give us a call and we will be happy to help you. –Max
When Is A Sand Filter Not A Sand Filter?
Most of our above ground pool and in-ground pool customers have sand filters on their swimming pool. Sand filters are popular because they are easy to use but one drawback is that they don’t filter as small a particle as some other types of filters. Once solution is to replace the sand with something called Zeosand. This is a high purity zeolite material that has a honeycomb shape. It is a mined product formed millions of years ago, formed by alkaline salt water adhering to volcanic ash. The shape of it allows for more surface area than regular silica sand and a cubic foot of Zeosand has the same surface area of 100 football fields. This is 100 times more than regular sand. Your filter will clean more effectively and also will not require as much backwashing so it will save you money. And less backwashing means that less halogen chemicals get washed into the ground making it eco-friendly too. -Max
STEEL OR PLASTIC?
There is a growing trend of pool retailers selling plastic (resin) rail pools. The ‘pitch’ is that the plastic rails won’t rust. Obviously true, but depending on the type plastic used and the process used to make it, they tend to fall apart quickly. There is extruded resin and injection mold resin. The injection mold is better, but if you have ever left a plastic jug or plastic toy outside during the winter then picked it up in the spring and seen it disintegrate, you have just unearthed the real reason retailers like resin rail pools -replacement parts sales. Most plastic rail pools will require a complete set of new rails at a fairly early state and this will usually cost $400-$600 dollars. I get a kick out of people talking about how strong their plastic rail pools are, yet every one uses a steel wall to hold it all together. And when they start building bridges out of plastic, I’ll believe the ‘strength’ story. –Max
Buying the Right Above Ground Pool
There are a lot of quality features on above ground pools, but one that stands out is our pool saver panel. This is a removable panel about four feet wide that holds the skimmer and the return. Ours matches the look of the pool so that the design you chose isn’t interrupted-you never know it’s there as it blends in. It gives you maximum protection at the most vulnerable spot on the wall. That said, you can still get a great pool with a continuous wall. Simply check your gaskets closely twice yearly and make sure there is no leak or deterioration and if so, tighten or replace the gaskets as needed. The pool saver panel guarantees that if the skimmer or return rust out, you won’t have to replace the whole pool – just the pool saver panel. If a pool with a continuous wall rusts out, you will need to replace the entire wall and that is why your twice yearly inspection of the skimmer and return are so important. – Max
Your Above Ground Pool-Keep the Cover Pumped Off
It is VERY important that when excess water collects on the cover that you pump it off. Some people use a siphon hose and some choose to buy one of our electric cover pumps. Either way, it is imperative you get as much water off the cover as possible when the thaw occurs. On a standard size pool, one inch of water can weigh between one and two tons and the stress placed on top rails is tremendous. Don’t be surprised if your water level seems to drop in your pool too. This can be from two sources: One, displacement from water on the cover will force water out of unplugged skimmers and returns. Then when the cover is drained off, the pool is lower. Secondly, if you have a small hole in your cover, you will actually pull water through the cover from underneath. In effect, you are pumping your pool dry without realizing it. If this happens it might be time for a new winter cover. -Service Department
