Making Pool Maintenance Easier

Today's hectic lifestyle makes time a precious commodity.  You may not always have the time to do things around the pool:  things that need to be done and things that enhance the appearance of the pool surroundings and make pool ownership more enjoyable.  Controllers can be used to control the filter cycle, chemical additions, water temperature, water level. pool sanitizing equipment, outdoor lighting, safety equipment, pool cleaning, pool covers and other automated equipment.  Use the power of a button and a programmable controller or a pool automation device to save time and effort, so that you can get down to the serious business of enjoying your pool. Clicking on the underlined and highlighted "keywords" or "catch phrases," in the archived answers will give you access to additional information on that topic or product.  Please refer to the Glossary, if there are terms or phrases that require explanation.

► Automating The Pool?

Browsing through the website, I became intrigued by pool automation.  I would like to maintain the pool myself, but I don't always have the time to spend on things.  The pool is 20,000 gallons, inground with a plaster finish and heated with a heat pump.    What can pool automation do for me?  Thanks for the input.

Arnold B., 4/3/2003

A lot!  A pool automation system can turn your filter on and off.  A Salt Chlorine Generator can be made to turn on and off with the automated filter cycle.  This equipment will produce chlorine right in the pool, with a one time addition of salt to the pool.  A dial will allow you to increase or decrease the amount of chlorine being produced. The amount of other chemicals required is minimized.  The heat pump can be activated with the automated filter cycle and controlled to the desired temperature. The cleaning of the pool can be accomplished with a controllable robotic pool cleaner or an in-the-floor cleaning system.  There are automatic pool safety covers, automatic pool lighting and pool security.  The water level can be automatically controlled.  Pool automation can eliminate much of the daily work required for sanitizing, maintenance, heating and cleaning.  I hope that I've kept you intrigued.  Good luck.

Sincerely.  Alan Schuster, 4/3/2003

► Seeking Automation?

Alan and company, I will be having a new pool to come together with a new house in Spain.  I am little bit lost as to what I will need to service the pool (never had one before).  I am in favour of an automated system.  I have been recommended a salt chlorination system, but what else do I need??  i.e. what other chemicals and products to keep the pool usable and self serviceable?  What are the overall costs of servicing the pool approximately?  Thanks for any assistance you can provide.

Tony R., Spain, 8/7/2004

A salt chlorine generator is a good first step.  It can provide for most of the chemical needs of the pool.  Additional chemicals will be needed to control the pH, total alkalinity, calcium hardness and chlorine stabilizer.  If minerals, such as iron are present, that will have to be addressed.  A water analysis is the best way to determine actual chemical needs.  I would suggest that provisions be made for an automatic pool vacuum.  This can help eliminate a lot of the cleaning.   Heat pumps, fossil fuel heaters or Solar Heaters can be automated and can be made more economical by the addition of an automatic pool safety cover.  Pool lighting systems, pool water level,  pool alarms and monitoring can be part of your automated pool.  I hope that this information will prove helpful.

Sincerely.  Alan Schuster, 8/7/2004

► Reducing Maintenance?

I will be installing an ozonator and  a mineral sanitizer in my heated inground pool.  My wife is sensitive to chlorine and we want to completely avoid all such use.   Do you think that this combination will work?  Is there equipment that I can install that will automatically adjust the water? I am interested in reducing the maintenance and time requirements, as much as possible.  Thank you.  Terrific website!

Joel, 3/18/2004

The combination of an ozonator and a mineral sanitizer could satisfy the sanitizing requirements of your pool.  An Ionization-Oxidation sanitizer could help automate sanitizing and control of the pH, as well.  There are controllers that can be used to operate just about everything that is electrical and then some:  filtration, temperature, pool lighting, water level, pool security and backyard safety, water chemistry, pool cleaning, pool safety covers and more.  They can definitely save time.  I hope that I have been helpful.  Enjoy the pool.

Sincerely.  Alan Schuster, 3/18/2004

► Controlling The Chemistry?

We run a small community pool and would like to research a better means of adding chemicals.  The pool uses liquid chlorine and acid and these are added with feeding pumps, tied into the operation of the filter and pump.   The problem is that the bather use is anything but consistent and sometimes there is too much chlorine and other times there is not enough.  Are there controllers that can be added?  How expensive are they?  Thanks for the help.

B. M., Knoxville, TN, 6/23/2004

Yes, controllers can be added that will help regulate the addition of the chlorine and acid.  It should give you more uniform conditions.  So far as the cost of these controllers is concerned, I will have to pass.  There are several manufacturers of such equipment.  I suggest that you consult with a pool company that deals with non-residential pools.  There are other chemical saving and highly controllable sanitizing methods, that are suitable for use in commercial-type pools.  An Ozone Generator, for example, would deal with the introduction of bather wastes and would decrease the amount of chlorine required to maintain a satisfactory level.  Salt chlorine generators and UV Sanitizers are other possibilities.  Browse through the pages on these topics for more information.  Sorry, that I couldn't provide all of the details.

Sincerely.  Alan Schuster, 6/24/2004

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