Trust Alpine Credits For Swimming Pool Financing In Canada
We hope youve found this article helpful for figuring out the typical cost of swimming pools in Canada. If youre ready to look into financing for your swimming pool installation, contact us here.
At Alpine Credits, weve been helping Canadian homeowners finance major renovations for more than 50 years! Youre in good hands.
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Regularly Clean Out The Pump And Skimmer Baskets
A pump basket collects debris before it can reach the pump, while a pool skimmer pulls in water from the pools surface. A skimmer captures leaves and other debris in a basket before it enters the filtration system. Its important to clean out the pump and skimmer baskets at least once a week. Always turn off the pool pump and heater before you clean out the baskets.
Replacing Your Pools Vinyl Liner
On average, vinyl liner pools need to have the liner replaced every 59 years. Although you could do this yourself, we recommend you hire a professional, especially if you havent replaced a liner before.
How to replace a vinyl liner:
The line replacement usually costs around $4,000$4,500. Each time. Ouch.
One advantage of fiberglass pools is that theres no liner to replaceno worry about leaks or punctures, no extra maintenance cost, no lost swim time.
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Install A Sump Pump In Your House
This tip isnt so much for your pool as it is for your house, but its an important one. Chuck Naish, founder of City Residential Foundation Repair, says many people neglect to install a sump pump in their basement when they buy an above ground pool. If any leak were to spring, a sump pump would prevent all kinds of water damage and hazardous mold and mildew growth, he explains.
Monthly Pool Maintenance Costs
Monthly costs for basic pool maintenance costs between $30 and $90, including the cleaning of various pool components, cleaning the filters with chemicals, looking for leaks, testing the chemical balance of the water, lubricating the fillings, and more. These tasks are important to keep up with so as to avoid any major problems from developing down the line.
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Maintaining Proper Pool Circulation
Maintaining proper pool circulation means ensuring that your filter system has the right speed for the size of the pool you have. If its too slow, the water wont get clean. If its too fast, parts will break down more often than they should, and you may even need to replace the pool water more often.
To help maintain this circulation, make sure you:
- Keep the pool as free of all debris as possible
- Have your return jets spin the pool water in a circular motion to push it towards skimmers
- Have at least one jet pointed towards the bottom
- Use an automatic cleaner or a brush at least once per week
When pools are designed well and you have the right size pool pump, maintaining circulation is easy and only takes a few minutes every few days. Circular pools are the easiest to maintain, while rectangles and unusual shapes are harder to maintain.
Do Darker Pool Liners Keep Water Warmer
Dark liners may be better at absorbing heat from the sun, which could translate to slightly warmer water temperatures. However, the difference is likely insubstantial. If you enjoy toasty water temperatures, consider heating your pool using gas or propane especially if you live in a colder climate. Compare both systems to find out which is the best way to heat a pool.
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Maintaining Your Pools Water Level
During pool season, monitor your pool’s water level by seeing where it is on the opening of your skimmer. Keep it between the mid-point and within one inch of the top of the skimmer opening.
< And commit this rule to memory: dont drain your pool.
The only real reason to drain a fiberglass pool is for a major repair, which basically never happens. But if you feel you do need to drain your pool, never do that by yourself! Always talk to a professional firstA) to get their opinion on whether draining the pool is truly necessary, and B) if so, to have them brace, drain, and repair it.
Good news, though: we go to great lengths on our end to ensure you don’t have issues with your fiberglass pool.
First, we manufacture our pool shells using our unique methodology called Cross-Lynx Composite Technology to ensure your pool will stand the test of time.
Second, we install your pool using our revolutionary series of construction best practiceshich, by the way, is used by all authorized River Pools dealers across the country.
Cons Of Vinyl Liners:
- Even a well-maintained liner will need to be replaced every ten years. And if it’s not well-maintained, it could be well before that. Liners can bubble, wrinkle, fade or even turn yellow depending on weather factors and how well you’re caring for your pool. On average, this amounts to ~ $2,000.
- Fiberglass pools have a high initial investment with lower lifetime costs, and vinyl liners are the opposite. While they save you money initially, those repairs over the years can add up.
- Like concrete pools, vinyl liners can be susceptible to algae blooms, scaling or other chemical issues.
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Drain And Store Pool Equipment
Its time to drain and store your pool equipment. You will want to drain the water from your skimmer, pump, and filters before putting any type of cover on it. Use a leaf net to remove any leaves or debris in the pool before draining the water.
If you own a leaf blower, you can use it to expel any water within the pipes. After that, you should plug the pipe openings with expansion plugs. Finally, if temperatures might drop to freezing, you should consider adding some antifreeze.
Go With The Flow This Summer
Now that your pool’s ready for some summer fun, it’s time to get your home in order. vipHomeLink can help! Our home management app helps you to keep track of all your home maintenance . We can also help you improve your home with tips, such as seven awesome backyard upgrades and how to stay safe during summer storms!
Learn more ways to maintain and improve your home with vipHomeLink. Download the app on iOS and Android devices with a monthly or annual membership.
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Any offers that appear on the vipHomeLink site, in our content, vipTIPs or other recommendations are for the convenience and benefit of our users. vipHomeLink may receive compensation from any purchases that are made by our users. This compensation is paid by the seller and will not impact the prices that are offered. This compensation arrangement may impact which offers appear and which sellers are featured on our site.If you elect to use or purchase services from third parties, you are subject to the third parties’ review of your information and to their terms and conditions and privacy policy. vipHomeLink does not endorse, warrant or guarantee the products or services available through the vipHomeLink offers , whether or not sponsored.
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Regularly Shocking Your Pool
No, this doesnt involve electricity. Shocking your pool is the process of adding additional chemicals to your pool to break down the chloramine in it. Chloramine is a chemical compound formed when chlorine mixes with contaminants like sweat and creates a more substantial molecule. Adding additional sanitizers breaks down these compounds and lets the pool flush them out.
Or, to put it in simpler terms, shocking the pool is a stronger cleaning treatment when the chemicals are getting out of balance. In most cases, shocking the pool requires adding at least three times as many chemical cleaners as usual, then waiting at least eight hours before doing your next chemical test.
As with all components, follow the manufacturers instructions when shocking a pool.
The Best Robotic Pool Cleaner For Inground Pools
This cleaner continues to dominate and remains the king of robotic pool cleaners in our opinion.
Instead of relying on random patterns to navigate your pool, this robotic cleaner scans your pool to optimize its path around your pool floor and walls.
The Dolphin Nautilus has dual scrubbing brushes which provide more friction to pick up both large and small debris. It works best in pools up to 50 feet long, and the cord has swiveling technology to keep it from getting tangled. The filters are also simple to remove, empty, rinse, and reload.
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You Need To Keep An Eye On The Water Level
As important as the chemical composition of the water is, the physical water level is just as important. The levels will naturally fluctuate after a heavy rainstorm or an afternoon of kids doing cannonballs.You want to maintain a level that is halfway up the opening of your skimmer. If the water is too low, simply use a garden hose to add the necessary amount of water back in. If the water level is too high, rent a submergible pump from a home improvement store to drain the excess. However, if youre pools liner is a vinyl or fiberglass material that could be easily damaged by the weight of the pump, consider consulting a professional.When youve reached the appropriate water level, remember to recheck the chemicals. The water level fluctuations will have thrown them off balance.
Balancing Your Water Chemistry
Step away from the Bunsen burner. Pool chemistry might sound intimidating and complicated, but you dont have to worry. While it is an essential part of effective pool maintenance and water care, basic pool chemistry is surprisingly straightforward.
The most important tool in your bag of water care tricks is your water testing kit. You wouldnt season your stew without tasting it. So before you reach for the chemicals, do some pool water testing. Understanding whats in your water, and what isnt, is the first step to balancing it.
The three most important parts of pool water chemistry are:
- pH levels: The measure of how acidic or basic your pool water is. Low pH levels are acidic, while high levels are basic. The ideal range for your pool is 7.4 to 7.6.
- Alkalinity: Works as a pH buffer and helps avoid huge spikes in basicity or acidity. The ideal range is 100 to 150 parts per million . And you can use baking soda to increase your pools alkalinity level.
- Sanitizer levels: The amount of chlorine, bromine, etc. in your pool water. Proper levels vary depending on which type of sanitizer you choose.
Once you know your pH, alkalinity, and sanitizer levels, you can start to add chemicals to tweak your water balance. Take your time, follow all the directions, and be sure you know what each chemical does and how itll affect the water, and the folks who swim in it, before you add it.
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Salt Chlorinator Potential Cons By Pool Type
Salt chlorinators are a great alternative over traditional chemical chlorine for the sanitization of swimming pool water. However, theyre not right for every swimming pool type. Lets evaluate the different pool types and how they fare with salt chlorination.
Composite Fiberglass Pools
The swimming pool industry followed the boating industry to pursue the ultimate material that can stand up to salt. Because fiberglass isnt porous, its the ideal material for swimming pools. Even with the addition of salt chlorination, theyre still impervious to salt and make algae hard to form.
Concrete Pools
Salt Chlorine Generators are not ideal for the rough and porous surfaces of concrete swimming pools. In concrete swimming pool applications, salt chlorinators are more abrasive than traditional chlorine. More frequent and costly resurfacing will consequently be needed on concrete swimming pools with salt chlorinators. Many pool owners are willing to take on these additional maintenance costs in exchange for the silky-soft water that only salt chlorinators can deliver.
Vinyl Liner Pools
Like with concrete swimming pools, some pool builders advise against salt chlorination on vinyl-liner pools. Also, like with concrete pool owners, some are willing to take on additional maintenance costs. Also, in vinyl-liner applications, salt chlorination can cause metal surfaces to rust.
Opening Day Pool Maintenance
Before you even head out to the backyard, check that you have all the necessary pool chemicals a testing kit for the pool’s PH level, calcium hardness, total alkalinity, and chlorine levels; chlorine tablets, shock treatment, algaecide, and stain treatment. Replace any chemicals that are out of date or weren’t stored properly.
Then remove the cover. Before putting it away from the season, clean it thoroughly with the help of a hose and shop vac. Store it in a cool, dry place for the season.;
It was a long winter. Inspect your pool and check for any damage to the deck, fences, pumps, slides, ladders, and emergency equipment. Don’t forget to inspect any outdoor furniture to make sure it’s still functional and safe for swimmers to use.
Then, focus on the actual pool. Vacuum, skim, and brush to remove all debris and settled particles. Use a stain treatment as needed.;
Remove any plugs, and open the main drain and skimmer valves to your inground pool. Afterwards, balance the water chemistry by adding the necessary chemicals to fall within these recommended levels:
- pH: 7.2-7.8
- Cyanuric acid: 20-50 ppm
- Chlorine: 1.0-2.5 ppm
Finish up your opening day maintenance by backwashing filter and shocking the pool. ;
Run the filter for at least 24 hours, but you don’t have to wait that long to take your first dip. For non-chlorinating shocking, you need to wait a grand total of 15 minutes. For chlorine-based shocking, you can take your first dip after eight hours.
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Summer And Winter Pool Maintenance
All-year round pool care involves removing leaves, dirt and other nasties from the pool, and sanitising the water with chlorine.
If youre not keen on manually removing leaves, a mechanical pool cleaner is a worthwhile investment.
Regular swimming pool maintenance will ensure the water in your pool remains safe for your family. Picture: realestate.com.au/buy
Joel Stern from Sterns Pools says newer robot cleaners are more effective than the automatic pool cleaners of old.
Robot cleaners are a bit like a vacuum cleaner for your pool, he says. You plug them straight into an electrical outlet, and they dont create much noise, so you can put them on late at night or early in the morning and not worry about bothering your neighbours.
The Best Robotic Pool Cleaners Of 2021
The best pool cleaner you can get is a robotic pool cleaner. You cant beat the convenience of simply dropping an automatic cleaner into your pool without running your filter system.
Youll find a few robotic cleaners for less than $500, but most cost between $500 and $1,000. While the inexpensive models will get the job done, premium models have convenient features like waterline scrubbing, remote controls, and programmable cleaning cycles.
But how do pool owners choose the best robotic pool cleaner? What features do you need to look for? What do you need to know before you buy one?
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Cost To Maintain Indoor Pool
The cost to maintain an indoor swimming pool is significantly lower than an outdoor pool, typically costing between $25 and $50 an hour. The lower cost has to do with the fact that indoor pools are not exposed to all the dust, debris, and sunlight of the outdoors. They also dont experience water evaporation. Maintenance of these types of pools involves adding chemicals, vacuuming, and is generally less of a hassle than their outdoor counterpart.
Pool Liner Considerations Checklist
Not every pool is right for every household. The good news is that, with over 1,200 custom designs available, the perfect pool is just waiting for you no matter what your budget, style preferences, or size restrictions might be. By knowing what questions to ask, you can find the right type of liner faster. Heres a list of key questions and tips to weigh when planning your pool upgrade or purchase.
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Cost To Maintain A Fiberglass Pool
Of all the types of pool materials, fiberglass pools involve the lowest maintenance costs ranging from $350 to $550 a year. They are relatively easy to maintain and dont necessitate acid washing, liner replacement, replastering, or annual cleaning. The surface is smooth and nonporous, which makes the water chemistry manageable and impedes algae growth. As a result, fiberglass pools require 70% fewer chemicals to maintain them than concrete pools.
Fiberglass pools have the ability to maintain water throughout the year and only need an annual check for the pipes and pumps in cold temperatures. Of course, these pools still require regular maintenance like vacuuming, brushing, chemical balancing, and cleaning the skimmer. Youll also have to resurface the gel coat interior of these pools on occasion, depending on the specific quality and type of fiberglass.
