Loop-Loc's Spa Cover Protector Cap Protects Spa Covers from the Elements

Hot tub covers protect your spa, but what’s protecting your expensive Jacuzzi spa cover from the elements? The newest release of our spa cover reviews actually looks at an ingenious product that offers an added layer of protection.

How the Loop-Loc's Spa Cover Protector Cap Protects Hot Tubs?

After spending hundreds of dollars on a Jacuzzi spa cover you notice it’s quickly taking a beating from the elements. Sun, rain, snow, debris – they all cause wear and tear on spa covers until eventually they have to be replaced. But there’s a product that can help you protect your investment and eliminate the need for finding a replacement.

Loop-Loc's Spa Cover Protector Cap was designed to fit over hot tub covers while they’re in or out of use. It features an elasticized fitting so it goes on snug and has a 12” apron to cover long edges. The Loop-Loc Spa Cover Protector Cap also allows users to create a perfect fit that stays in place by weaving closure straps through the polypro loops that are sewn into the cap.

The Loop-Loc Spa Cover Protector Cap’s high quality polypropylene material can withstand the brunt of Mother Nature’s punishment and keep your spa cover looking like new no matter what environment you live in. Have questions about the Loop-Loc Spa Cover Protector Cap? Call 1-800-517-5384 to speak with a pool specialist today!

How to Close Your Pool for the Winter

The thought of closing a pool for winter is never a joyous one. It reminds us that, for several months at least, there will be no more swimming, diving and relaxing poolside. But anyone who has had to get a pool back up and running come springtime will tell you that proper winterization makes it a whole lot easier and protects pool equipment from costly damage.

The Pool Guy has put together a list of the best pool tips for winter. The step-by-step guide will help you close your pool for the winter whether you’re a beginner or seasoned pool owner.

Winter Swimming Pool To-Dos and Must-Haves

Step 1: Balance the Water

Once your water gets down to 65° F it’s time to start the closing process. Balancing your water is a crucial first step that should happen several days before you close it up. An expert can analyze a water sample if you need help figuring out the exact pH, alkaline and calcium hardness levels.

Step 2: Clean the Pool

Once your water is balanced the next step is to thoroughly clean the pool. This involves vacuuming, brushing and skimming to get out all the debris. Next scrub around the waterline and clean the skimmer to remove dirt that can become a breeding ground for bacteria.

Step 3: Clean the Filter

You must chemically clean the filter to keep it in good working condition over the winter. This is a preventative maintenance step that will also ensure the filter is running strong when you fire it back up in the spring.

Step 4: Treat the Water

Now it’s time to add shock to the water as well as an algae protector. The Bioguard Artic Blue Winter Kits contain both products, which works together to keep the water clean throughout the winter. First add the shock then follow up with the Algae Protector. BioGuard Winter Algicide 40 is another good option for keeping water algae-free. Once the shock and an algae protectant are added run the pump for 24-48 hours.

Step 5: Remove and Winterize Other Equipment

While the pump is running start removing nonessential equipment like ladders, skimmers and wall fittings. Use the manufacturer’s suggestions for each to properly winterize your equipment.

Step 6: Drain Pumps, Filters and Other Pool Equipment

After running the pump for 24-48 hours it’s best to drain it as well as other pool equipment to prevent possible damage from freezing. Again, refer to the manufacturer’s suggestions on the best way to drain equipment.

Step 7: Cover Your Pool

The final step is to cover your clean, treated pool to keep out all the debris, bacteria and algae. If you have a white plaster pool and want to provide continuous chlorination throughout the winter put a BioGuard Winter Floater in the water before covering.

That’s it. Seven simple steps to closing your pool for winter.

How to Use Pool Solar Covers

Using Solar Pool Covers

Solar safe pool covers offer more than just a warm pool. Of course a warm pool on a cold night is a good thing, but there are a wide variety of benefits that a solar cover provides. We want to ensure that you have the run down and basics on how to use them, and, above all, understand the benefit of owning solar pool covers.

So how do you use a pool solar cover?

1. It is actually a very easy process. In fact, it is so easy that you can do it yourself! However, before you begin, here are some simple tips to follow:
2. You can choose to place the cover onto the water either manually or with an automatic system 
3. If you are going to use the manual approach, you may need to get into the pool to ensure the cover is properly placed 
4. Make sure the cover completely encompasses the entire surface area of the water
5. Using a manual system with a crank makes the process much easier 
6. If you want to place the cover perfectly each and every time, check out the Wheels Solar Cover Reel System

Some Advice

You don’t need to worry about having a manual or automatic system for placing your cover on your pool. However, keep in mind that taking a cover on and off your pool by hand does require time and energy. Using a system makes the process much easier.

It is best that you store the solar cover in a shady area. You take a risk of the material degrading by storing the cover in direct sunlight. Remember, it is the job of the plastic to get very hot, so shade is always best.

Keep in mind that you don’t necessarily need to cover the entire pool to get all the benefits. For example, if you have a kidney shaped pool; it might not be possible to cover your entire pool with a rectangular shaped cover. However the portion covered will still retain heat, or you can choose to buy a shaped cover.

Big Benefits

Solar safe pool covers are a great way to save money. They increase the temperature of your pool by up to 15 degrees, which saves money on your pool heating bill.

The covers are designed to insulate and trap the sun’s heating rays, which ultimately benefits your pool and your wallet. The thermal bubbles along with the insulation properties have the ability to retain heat at night and on cloudy or cool days.

So, what are you waiting for?

Owning a solar pool cover not only provides money saving benefits, it allows you to swim whenever you want. You deserve a warm pool, even if you don’t have a pool heater!

Start saving money and start using the power of the sun for more than a suntan! Contact The Pool Guy Store today. We are happy to help and always available to answer any questions.

The Benefits of Salt Water Systems for Swimming Pools

More pool owners are switching to saltwater pool systems.

Recently, salt water pool systems have increased in popularity as many current pool owners and those who are building pools have noticed the many benefits that this type of system has over the standard chlorine systems. Some advantages that pool owners will be able to take advantage of after installing a saltwater system includes: reduced chemical use, lower maintenance fees and work to be done, as well as increased comfort for an overall better swimming experience. The Pool Guy Store will assist you in learning more about the benefits that salt water pools offer and can provide you with all of your residential and commercial pool product needs.

Increased Comfort

One of the biggest perks of owning a salt water pool system is the increased comfort that you will notice while in the water. Chlorine can be uncomfortable on your skin and may cause irritation such as red and burning eyes, discolored hair and itchy skin. With salt water, these are issues that you simply do not have to worry about. The salt is much softer on your skin and health.

Cheaper Costs

By purchasing swimming pool chlorine generators from The Pool Guy Store, you will be investing in top of the line equipment that will actually lower your overall pool maintenance costs. This chlorine generator uses salt to produce chlorine which will keep your pool water clean without the use of many different chemicals. Although the upfront cost of a chlorine generator is more expensive than your average chlorine pool, you will save money over time by spending less than half the cost that it typically takes to maintain a chlorine pool. Simply test your water levels regularly and add salt as needed to keep your swimming pool in tip top shape.

Less Maintenance and Less Chemicals

Those who have chlorine pools may need to store toxic chemicals on a regular basis that need to be added to their pool. With a saltwater pool, this is never an issue. In addition to being more eco-friendly, you will not have to deal with the strong chlorine smell, as saltwater does not emit a strong odor. In addition to not having to use a variety of different chemicals, saltwater systems basically keep themselves clean, leaving you with much less maintenance to do. Because the salt is constantly converted into a form of chlorine, you do not need to check your water sanitation levels as regularly and algae growth will be highly reduced while the system is running throughout the year.

No Effect on Medical Conditions

While unknown to many, chlorine pools can actually cause major medical conditions such as abnormalities in your immune system, cancer and asthma. This is caused when chlorine levels drop far too low, leaving organochlorines to form in the water. In saltwater, these levels never drop that low, meaning that there are no medical conditions to be concerned about.

With all of these major benefits that saltwater pool systems offer, you may consider updating your pool today. The Pool Guy Store can provide you with all of your equipment, parts, supplies and chemicals at affordable everyday rates with free shipping on orders over $79.

Get Your Pool in Tip Top Shape for the Summer Season!

It’s that time of year again! The time of year that pool owners absolutely love. However, before you head out for a day in the water, there is work that needs to be done.

Preparing a pool for the summer is both exciting and worrisome. If you are like most pool owners, each year you can’t wait to jump in for the first time, but there is also the worry about what you might find when the pool cover comes off.

Ensuring that you have the best possible pool supplies and equipment helps take away the worries. There are common pool parts to replace and supplies to have on hand to help you make the process easier, including:

•    Pool Pumps
•    Pool Filters
•    Pool Motors
•    Cleaning Supplies

One of the most important elements in your swimming pool or spa system is the pump. This essential piece of equipment maintains the water circulation and movement, keeping it free from bacteria and algae growth. It doesn’t take long to realize when a pump is not working properly. Regardless of how old your pump is you need to thoroughly inspect it each and every year. In the unfortunate event that you need a replacement, The Pool Guy Store can help. We offer a wide selection of major brands and can answer all of your questions.

Another common pool part that needs to be replaced is the pool motor. Broken or inefficient pumps can cause a long delay in the opening of your pool. Make sure to inspect that everything is running properly so you can enjoy your experience as soon as possible.

Before you really take advantage of your pool for the swimming season, make sure that your pool filter is doing its job. It is important to ensure that your filter is the right size and style for your pool system. Now that the system is running correctly, it is time to focus on cleaning your pool. If you are a current swimming pool or spa owner, you understand the importance of staying on top of cleaning. Dirty pools are not only ugly they can also cause major problems with the overall system

When a pool is not cleaned on a regular basis, the rest of the system is overworked. This will cause equipment failure and prevent you from enjoying your swimming season. Also, the dirtier your pool becomes, the more difficult it is to keep up with the cleaning demand. To help keep your pool clean, The Pool Guy Store offers a wide selection of discount pool vacuums and cleaners.

Keeping a pool in top shape is not difficult when you have the proper parts and equipment. Each year when you open your swimming pool, get into the habit of inspecting all of your parts and replacing what isn’t properly working. When you find that you need help and support, we are here! At The Pool Guy Store, we know swimming pools and spas! It is our goal to help you enjoy your swimming season as soon as possible! Give us a call and we can help you find the product you need today.

2 Replacements That Will Make Your Swimming Pool Energy Efficient

Discover energy saving pool equipment can help reduce energy bills.

Many pool owners are wondering, "Are there greener alternatives for my existing pool equipment?" The resounding answer is, Yes! In this post we explain two methods that can drastically reduce swimming pool related energy costs.

1.    Replace your pool’s lighting. Similar to replacing your home light bulbs with energy efficient LED lights, pool lights can be replaced using similar components. Most pool lights are powered by large flood lamps, which are far from being energy efficient and typically only come in one shade of light. Thankfully there is a better alternative. Most flood lamps can be replaced with LED light bulbs that are both energy efficient and come in alternating colors. Next Step Lighting (previously Nexxus and part seen below) makes a series of drop in replacement LED lights in both white as well as multicolored. To get an idea of just how much you can save by switching to energy efficient lights visit Pentair’s Savings Calculator.  

For technical specifications on pool lighting visit our Energy Efficient Pool page in our Pool Supply Knowledge Base.

2.    Replacing your pool’s standard pump and making it a “Green Pool.” By replacing your standard pool pump with a variable speed pump you can reduce the amount of energy consumed and increase the lifespan of your swimming pool pump. If you are looking for the single most effective way to save energy, replacing your standard pool pump will be the way to go. To get an idea of just how much you can save by switching to an energy efficient pool pump visit Pentair’s Savings Calculator or Jandy’s Energy Savings Calculator. Some of the top brand for energy efficient pool pumps include: Pentair (seen below) Intelliflo, Jandy ePump and Hayward TriStar.  

For technical specifications on pool pumps visit our Pool Energy Efficiency page in our Pool Supply Knowledge Base.

Have questions about different energy saving pool products? Share them with us using the comments below and one of our pool specialist will reply.

Poolside Fire Pit Fountains Help Add a Touch of Class to Every Pool

Water & Firebowl from ThePoolGuyStore

 Create a distinctive outdoor entertainment space with a modern fire bowl fountain.

Spring has sprung and pool season is right around the corner. For those with a pool, the summer is an exciting time of year when entertaining by the patio poolside is the norm. More and more people are investing in this outdoor living room space and turning their basic backyards into a luxury resort-style pool area.

Fire Bowls Compliment Any Outdoor Space

From water falls to hammocks, the contemporary pool area is more than just a place to swim, it’s a place where people can relax, socialize, entertain, and express their unique modern style. It’s not just the backyard; it’s an extension of the home. Outdoor water and fire bowls offer a tranquil and spa like feel that nicely complement any pool or outdoor area.

A fire and water feature can be incorporated into a zen garden, used to frame a pool parameter, serve as a point of focus or center piece, and more!

Whether you are entertaining during the day or into the evening, water and fire bowl features create a radiant atmosphere that cannot be matched. Even if you don’t entertain but still want to create a space where you can have a “home away from home,” a fire bowl may be just want you need to feel like you are on holiday in your own backyard.

If you are looking to enhance your outdoor space with stylish décor that will go perfectly with your luxury pool and wow your friends and family, check out the water and fire pits by The Pool Guy Store. They offer a unique variety that is sure to impress even the most decorative shopper.  The selection includes fire pits in many different shapes, sizes, colors, and at affordable prices.

Don’t just go outside. Step into your backyard and feel like you are on vacation.

Share with us! What is it about your outdoor space that makes you a luxury pool owner?