Jandy AquaLink® RS OneTouch™ Pool Controller Review

Advanced pool and spa controls like the Jandy AquaLink RS OneTouch allow you to customize your pool and spa equipment with the touch of a single button. The AquaLink RS OneTouch pool control system houses its advanced technology within a compact, sleek, and fully customizable control panel that will easily blend into any home decor.

The AquaLink RS OneTouch system has the ability to command 31 auxiliaries, filtration systems, chemical automation, precision temperature settings, pump speeds, diagnostics, and multiple mood settings for maximum user control.

Other features include:

• OneTouch feature allows for a “set it and forget it” experience
• Manage water temperature, jets, cleaner, lights and heater from anywhere
• Sensors ensure automatic freeze protection
• Heater cool down and system lockout modes protect expensive equipment
• Scheduled activation of cleaning equipment functions helps maximize energy savings
• Automatic and efficient filtration cycles allows for more play and relax time
• Switch from pool to spa with a touch of a button or schedule a set time
• Control various water features with the touch of a button

Other optional control features allow for further customization. You can choose to control your pool and spa settings from inside your home or from any Internet device. The AquaLink RS OneTouch works with web-enabled mobile devices to monitor, adjust, and program your pool’s equipment.

The AquaLink RS One Touch pool and spa control system utilizes recent software enhancements that allow for even further customization. Now you can increase your energy savings by activating seasonal adjustments which automatically optimize your filtration and purification based on your specific seasonal needs.

The Pool Guy Store offers the AquaLink RS OneTouch system in a wide range of sizes with various optional features so it’s easy to find the one that fits your needs. If you have any questions about the AquaLink RS or need help deciding which configuration model is right for you, please visit us at www.thepoolguystore.com for additional information or to speak with one of our experienced representatives.

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Product Spotlight: BioGuard Pool Closing Chemicals

Once you’ve decided to close up your pool for winter, you’ll realize that it’s not as simple as throwing a cover on it and calling it a day. You’ll need a variety of winterizing chemicals and products to ensure that your pool will still be in great shape come spring and summer. That’s why the BioGuard line of pool closing chemicals and products are a great option for pool owners because they provide you with a great selection of products that all work together to keep your pool in tiptop shape over the winter.

BioGuard Arctic Blue Shock

This off-season winter pool shock from BioGuard should be your first step in effectively winterizing your pool. The Arctic Blue shock restores water clarity and acts as an oxidizer, buffer, and clarifier all through the winter season. The BioGuard off-season shock works with all pool surfaces, and it will make your job that much easier when it’s time to reopen!

BioGuard Winter Algicide

A bottle of BioGuard Winter Algicide will be your best friend this winter by making sure you don’t have to deal with unsightly, hard-to-clean algae in your pool when you reopen it for the summer. The BioGuard algicide formula is more affordable than other products, and it’s also non-staining and non-corrosive so the chemicals will fight off algae without harming your pool surface.

BioGuard Winter Floater WP

This silk winter floater from BioGuard has a unique design that ensures two ½ lb. chlorinating sticks will stay well below the winter cover line throughout the off season. This will provide your pool with a continuous chlorination during the winter, keeping your pool clean and sanitized. This product in particular is best used for white plaster pools only.

BioGuard Arctic Blue Algae Protector

The Arctic Blue Algae Protector is another anti-algae product that helps prevent algae growth of all types during the winter. The BioGuard formula is designed to be used in chlorinated or brominated pools and can be used in pools of all surface and filter types. You won’t need to do any mixing or pre-dissolving with this product before using it.

BioGuard Arctic Blue Winter Kits

To get more for your money and to save time picking out all of your individual winterizing chemicals, just order one of these BioGuard Arctic Blue Winter Kits. These kits are available in two different sizes, one to treat 12,000 gallons and the other to treat 24,000 gallons of pool water. Each kit contains the Arctic Blue Algae Protector, the Arctic Blue Shock, instructions on how to winterize your pool, and coupons for valuable savings!

All of these products and more are available at The Pool Guy Store! Check back for frequent tips and updates on pool maintenance, spa living, and all things pool and spa related!

Winterizing a Pool Vs. Keeping a Pool Open for Winter

For pool owners faced with the inevitable coming of winter, they must decide whether to winterize the pool and close it up for the season or keep it open and operate it all year around. Both options entail a number of advantages and disadvantage. To learn more about which winter option is best for you, read on about the pros and cons of winterizing a pool and of operating it all year round.

Winterizing Your Pool

Pros:

If you don’t want to have to worry about maintaining your pool during the months that it won’t be swimmable, then choosing to winterize and close your pool for the cold weather season may be the right option for you. Winterizing a pool refers to the process of thoroughly cleaning it and adding in special winterizing chemicals to keep your pool in good shape while the cover stays on all winter.

As mentioned before, the main benefit of winterizing your pool is not having to maintain it throughout the cold weather season. Plus, shutting down your pool system for winter, which includes clearing all of the water out of the system’s pump, means you won’t have to worry about frozen or bursting pipes when the temperature drops below freezing.

TIP: Pools located in areas where extreme winter climates are common will mostly likely be better off being closed down for winter.

Cons:

However, there are some negatives involved with closing the pool for winter that all pool owners should take into consideration before making a decision. For one, a lot of work is involved with cleaning out and closing down a pool system for winter. If you are doing it yourself, you’ll need to set aside a good amount of time to completely and thoroughly clean the pool and to make sure every drop of water is removed from the pump system. On top of that, you should expect to spend some more time reopening the pool in the spring once the weather permits.

Operating Your Pool All Year Around

Pros:

After reading about winterizing your pool and the lack of maintenance and cleaning you’ll have to do throughout the winter, you may have jumped to the conclusion that winterizing is the right option for you. However, there are many advantages to keeping your pool open all year long. Even when the water is too cold to swim in, pools look beautiful all year around. Imagine the still, crisp blue water of your pool surrounded by a blanket of white snow—sounds stunning, right? Just because your pool can’t be used for recreational purposes doesn’t mean it can’t still serve an aesthetic purpose.

Even though keeping a pool open for winter means maintaining it all season long, the weekly cleanings will be much less time consuming than the preparations involved in closing the pool down completely and then having to reopen it again for the spring and summer. Constant maintenance means you won’t have to deal with algae accumulating on the pool floor, which can sometimes take several days to clean up when reopening for spring.

TIP: If you live in a warm region where below freezing temperatures are not extremely common, definitely take advantage of it by operating your pool all year around!

Cons:

As could be expected, operating a pool all year around is more costly when it comes to electricity. In order to avoid bursting pipes due to frozen water in your pump, you’ll have to keep the pump on continuously throughout the winter. This can lead to at least several hundred extra dollars based on 4-6 months of extra usage. Plus, winter weather is often unpredictable, so in cases where your home loses electricity completely during below freezing temperatures, you won’t have any control over those pipes freezing up and potentially causing damage to your pump system.

Check back for more information and guidance related to your pool and spa needs brought to your by The Pool Guy Store!

How to Choose the Right Pool Heater

Getting the most out of your outdoor paradise means keeping the water warm enough to enjoy for as much of the year as possible. To keep your pool water heated during colder weather, or even just to boost water temperature on summer nights, consider installing a swimming pool heater as part of your pool system. There are three main types of pool heaters you can choose from:

Gas Heaters

Compared to any other type of swimming pool heaters, gas heaters by far have the cheapest price tag. Gas heaters also have an advantage over other types because of their ability to quickly warm up pool water. In fact, gas pool heaters are the fastest type of pool heater compared to others mentioned here. Since gas heaters burn propane or natural gas to create heat, they operate independently of outside air temperature or water.

On the downside, gas heaters are expensive to install and to operate ($500-600/month) and have a lifespan of only about 5 years. Gas heaters are best suited for pool owners in more extreme cold climates who want to keep the water heated the majority of the year.

Electric Heat Pumps

Electric heat pumps work much like central air conditioning systems. Rather than removing heat from inside your home to keep air cool, heat pumps take heat from outside air and use it to pump into your pool water to keep it warm. However, it doesn’t have to be 80°F+ outside for this to work. Electric heat pumps can extract useful energy from outdoor temperatures as low as 45°F. Advantages of this type of pool heater include lower operating costs (only $50-$150/month), high energy efficiency, and longer lifespan.

Unfortunately, these highly efficient heaters come with a hefty price tag. On average, an electric pool heater will run you between $2,000 and $4,000 big ones. And while they can still extract heat at temps as low as 45°F, if you live in extreme colder climates, this option would not be the best fit for your pool.

Solar Heaters

The last type of pool heater you can consider investing in is a solar powered heater. By far the most environmentally friendly, a solar pool heater will cost you ZERO additional monthly operating costs once installed! Plus, their lifespan is between 15-20 years, so you can count on it to be a reliable investment. This is the most environmentally friendly option since it uses renewable resources and emits no pollution.

But as you might have guessed, solar technology will cost you big time. How big? Anywhere between $4,000 to $7,000. Solar heaters are a great option for pools located in warmer, milder climates as they will be less reliant on a secondary pool heater during the winter. Since the solar panels take up a large portion of flat space, this option is only suited for pool owners with large enough roof configurations to install the panels.

Finding the right heater means taking into consideration not only cost, but also climate, lifespan, heating speed, and many other factors mentioned above. For more information about which pool heater is best for you, get in touch with us at ThePoolGuyStore.com, and we can help you find what you need from our great selection of products. Happy swimming!

Pentair MasterTemp Pool Heater

You’ve thought about it long enough, and the benefits of having a heated pool have finally outweighed the subconscious commentary of your inner naysayer who prefers the chilly waters of a heater-less pool! So what’s your next step? Deciding which of the many swimming pool heaters is the right one to get the job done. You’ll need something cost efficient, reliable, and easy to use if you want to get the most out of your newly heated pool. Luckily, we’ve already done the legwork for you. The Pool Guy Store would like to present: the Pentair MasterTemp pool heater.

When you decide to add a heater to your pool, you instantly increase the value of your pool dramatically by giving it use beyond the hot summer months. However, if you don’t want the costs of heating the pool to take away from this new found value, then you need to install a heater that will give you the best cost-savings through efficiency. It may not look like much, but this Pentair pool heater is a high performance, eco-friendly pool heater that can offer you best-in-class energy efficiency so you can be sure to keep that pool heater cost as low as possible. On top of the high-efficiency performance, the Pentair MasterTemp models also offer you these other remarkable features:

• Manual gas shut-off for maintenance and servicing
• Low NOx emission certification (it outperforms industry standards!)
• User-friendly indicator lights for easy system monitoring
• Rotating digital display for easy inspection
• Small design and ultra-quiet operation eliminate noisy disturbances
• Durable exterior for withstanding extreme weather and elements

Another reason why the Pentair MasterTemp is the best pool heater to invest in is its easy installation and use. It’s as simple as controlling the heating in your home. Simply choose an appropriate temperature for heating, and let the Pentair MasterTemp finish the job from there. You’ll be able to rely on this heater for years to come without worrying about excessive maintenance or replacement costs.

The amount of BTUs needed to heat your pool will depend on the pool’s size and the general climate in your area. But feat not, because the Pentair MasterTemp is offered at every BTU level you could possibly need. From the 175,000 BTU model all the way up to the 250,000 BTU level and everything in between, we’ve got you covered at The Pool Guy Store. Get in touch with our customer service team if you have any questions about which Pentair MasterTemp model will be best for keeping your perfect pool paradise warm all year around! Check back for more pool- and spa-related tips and tidbits, brought to you by The Pool Guy Store.

Product Spotlight: Water Tech Pool Blaster Battery Powered Leaf Vac

Cleaning the pool is a dreaded task for pool owners, especially after a long winter or a windy week has left the pool littered with leaves and other debris. Fortunately, you don’t have to let that pool cleaning anxiety take hold of you any longer. The Water Tech Pool Blaster Leaf Vac makes cleaning that unwanted filth easy with many convenient features, including:

• Battery operated and self-contained
• Adjustable height that fits standard pool poles
• High-velocity motor with safe blade technology
• Large volume leaf and debris bag

Fully Battery Operated

The best thing about this product is that it is fully self-contained and powered by AA batteries, so you don’t have to deal with the hassle of tangled power cords and limited mobility from pesky hoses. Eight AA batteries, which are included with your order, will keep this leaf vacuum operating for up to 3 hours, which is more than enough for several cleanings.

PRO TIP: Invest in a set of rechargeable AA batteries and save money while being environmentally-friendly!

Two-In-One Product

Another great feature of this battery powered leaf vac is it can also be used as a skimmer to clear debris from the surface of the water! Just flip the Pool Blaster vac upside-down in the water, with the suction bag floating beneath, hover the mouth of the vacuum under any unwelcome leaves or bugs and easily collect it all in the bag. This two-in-one leaf vacuum and leaf skimmer will save you time and money in the long run.

Integrated Drive Motor & Damage Prevention

With this battery powered leaf vac, you won’t have to rely on local water pressure thanks to its high-velocity, integrated drive motor that easily lifts leaves and dirt off the bottom of your pool without the need for troublesome hoses. The powerful, high-quality motor creates a vortex in the water to draw up debris and the safe blade technology ensures that the motor will disengage at the first sign of resistance so you won’t have to worry about causing accidental damage.

Get an in-depth look at the Water Tech Pool Blaster Leaf Vac by watching the video below!

About the Author: The Pool Guy Store provides discount pool supplies for above ground, in ground, and commercial swimming pools. For more information on products and services, please visit www.thepoolguystore.com.

Common Mistakes to Avoid When Closing Your Pool for Winter

As the seasons transition from summer to fall, many of us look forward to a handful of exclusively autumn events like college football, Thanksgiving, and pumpkin spice lattes. We can even allow ourselves to start getting excited about the special aspects of the coldest months like Christmas, ice skating, and hot chocolate. Sadly though, the welcoming of fall inevitably means farewell to summer and all of its seasonal splendor: sunshine, beaches, sandals, snow cones, and of course, the pool.

Closing your pool for the colder seasons can seem as simple as throwing a cover on it and calling it a day. However, there are many common mistakes made by pool owners every year when it comes to winterizing a pool. The following guidelines for closing a pool will ensure that your pool is swimmer-friendly and ready for use by the first day of summer:

Take Your Time The most common mistake made by pool owners who are closing up for winter is speeding through the job. This practice is based on the common misconception that pools will unavoidably collect dirt and debris over the course of winter and need a full, deep cleaning come summer anyway. Lucky for you, this is wrong. If you take the time to thoroughly clean and close your pool properly for winter, you can expect swimmable water on opening day.

Clean Pools Are Happy Pools Even though cleaning the pool before closing seems like an obvious necessity, many pool owners still make the mistake of leaving debris in the water after it’s covered. While a small leaf floating on the surface may seem trivial, any amount of debris left in the water at closing will disturb the chemicals and leave you with an avoidable chore when opening your pool for the season. You’ll feel a huge sense of relief next spring when you realize another deep cleaning isn’t needed as long as you put in the work during winter.

Chemical Dump To ensure that you’ll maintain a healthy pool environment by the time spring rolls around, winterizing chemicals should be added to the pool water before a cover is attached. The biggest mistake made regarding these chemicals is overuse. In the case of winterizing chemicals, more is not better. Shoot for the following levels when closing your pool:

• pH: 7.2 to 7.6
• Alkalinity: 80 to 120 ppm
• Calcium hardness: 180 to 220 ppm

Unwanted Drainage Probably the most expensive mistake you could make when closing a pool is not properly draining your pumps and filtration systems. Removing “most” of the water will not suffice. In order to avoid bursting pipes or busted heaters, every drop of water should be drained. You can get rid of lingering moisture from your pool plumbing system with any kind of blow tool such as a leaf blower or a shop vacuum, which can remove exterior liquid as well as blow air from the skimmer through the equipment and back to the pool.

The best mentality to employ in regards to closing your pool is: more work now, no work later. The more care and effort you put into preparing a pool for the cold seasons, the less work you’ll need to do to ready it for spring and summer. The last thing you’ll want to do come springtime is worry about cleaning out gunk and green water that accumulated during the off-season. So be sure to avoid the most common mistakes when closing your pool this winter, and when the warm weather arrives next year, you’ll be ready to dive right in!

If you have any questions about the proper steps you need to take to winterize your pool, please contact us and we will be more than happy to help! Be sure to visit us at www.thepoolguystore.com for all your pool supply needs at discount prices.