Clogged pipes and screens, faulty wiring and even old pump motors can all impair a cleaner’s ability to do its job. So before throwing a cleaner away, take a moment to review the following tips from pool service veterans.

As they point out, many cleaner issues can be resolved on site with a single service call — and the reward may be a new loyal customer.

Electric checks
Experts agree that the first place to search for a cleaner hang-up isn’t in the pool at all, but on the equipment pad. This is especially the case for pressure-side cleaners, many of which are dependent on a booster pump. Like any pool pump, a booster pump needs proper voltage and a dependable motor to do its job, so these are the top two spots on the checklist.

“The breaker is very rarely the problem — more than likely, it’s either the relay or the motor.

Still, it’s a good idea to check if a breaker has tripped — if it has, this could point to several issues. For starters, the breaker itself may be faulty, in which case it will need to be replaced. Another possibility is that the pump motor — or another nearby part of the electrical system — got wet, causing the circuit to short out. One sign of this would be a breaker that trips whenever the system is turned on; another indicator is the telltale smell of burnt electrical wiring.

The breaker also may trip if the motor in the pump (or, in the case of a pressure-side cleaner, the booster pump) is wearing out, or if it wasn’t wired up properly in the first place. So it pays to use an amp meter to check the current flowing to the motor. If the motor’s drawing the correct amperage but isn’t turning on, it may need to be replaced — but if the amperage is too high or too low, this may point to a wiring problem.

Some of these cut-rate builders will have two or three pumps running off 220 amps. That’s not legal, but these guys do it anyway.

In the case of incorrect wiring, the most prudent approach from a liability standpoint is simply to alert the homeowner in writing. If the motor itself is worn out, though, the only real solution is to replace it with a new or refurbished one.

Even if the breaker works normally, a bad relay can prevent a pump from working as intended. Though many older systems (including some still in use today) involve external relays, many modern pumps have relays built into their casings. In the case of an older system, it may simply be time to replace the relay with a new one — but if the relay is built-in, it may be necessary to contact the pump’s manufacturer for further instructions.

Other pump problems can be triggered by controls — a faulty remote system, or a programming problem with the pump’s timer or topside display. During an equipment pad inspection, it’s worthwhile to double-check that the pump’s programming lines up with the homeowner’s expectations, and that the system responds to commands from the controller.

Proper plumbing
Even if the system’s electrical components are all working as intended, mechanical issues still can prevent a cleaner from doing its job. Thus, the next step is to investigate the system’s hydraulics. Is the pump (or booster pump) producing as much total dynamic head (TDH) as the cleaner’s manufacturer recommends? If not, a leak or blockage may be the cause of the problem.

Techs recommend starting with the pump itself, because a stripped impeller is the cause of many TDH troubles.  We start by opening up the pump and checking whether the impeller’s in good condition.  If the impeller’s working, though, the problem is probably a clogged line.

Blockages can stem from different sources. If the cleaner is suction-side, it may have picked up debris in the pool, such as twigs or a golf ball.  I’ve even had a suction-side sweep suck a little pine cone up into the vac line.

A helpful solution for suction-side cleaner blockages is to force them out of the line with some concentrated pressure. Take the lid off the pump, and insert a drain jet, the nipple of a CO2 tank or a trigger attachment on a garden hose into the pump’s suction port — then spray away.

Pressure-side cleaner blockages tend to occur in and around the filter or against the cleaner line’s grate.  Usually the pool cleaner is plumbed in just after the filter, so if that part of the system gets blocked up, it can mean trouble for a cleaner.

A healthy filter should display low pressure on its gauge. Anything 25 or above, you’re probably looking at a dirty filter.  Filter-related blockages are generally simple to fix by cleaning the filter media or performing a backwash cycle.

Blockages can creep into other areas of the system, though. Many pressure-side cleaners — especially those with a dedicated booster pump line — are equipped with a fitted grate designed to catch leaves and other debris. This screen is in the cleaner line that’s connected to the wall, but techs say it’s not uncommon to find a system where the grate is missing altogether.  Some cheap service guys just throw them away instead of replacing them, and then you’ll often find sticks or gravel in the cleaner’s orifices.

In other cases, though, the problem can lie with the pump itself. If a pump motor loses prime and runs dry for a while, the threaded areas of PVC pipes can get hot and shrink until they’re no longer sealed.

A little Teflon tape or pipe caulking can sometimes patch up such a leak — but if the damage is severe enough, it may be necessary to replace the pipe or union altogether. In either case, it’s important to double-check for any additional leaks before leaving the job site, to ensure that the current service call doesn’t lead to a less pleasant one down the road.

As service veterans like to say, no two pools are the same — which means that two pools using the same cleaner can run into very different problems. But it’s still possible to build up a reputation as a tech who always tracks down the true source of the problem — all it takes is patience, consistency, and a little expert advice about what to look for.

But over the past decade, a growing number of pools have switched to a somewhat different system: Electrolytic chlorine generation. By using electricity to drive certain chemical reactions in salt water, electrolytic chlorine generators (ECGs) produce chlorine on-site.

Although the chemistry of an ECG-chlorinated pool bears many similarities with that of a traditionally chlorinated pool, it also involves some unique factors.

Here, through the expert advice of scientists and service techs, we examine these differences and provide some field-tested advice for servicing pools with ECGs.

Practical considerations
Perhaps the most obvious area in which ECG-chlorinated pools differ from traditionally chlorinated ones is in chemical transportation and storage. Because barrels of chlorine (or chemical compounds including chlorine) don’t need to be trucked to the site and stored there, many safety issues associated with these barrels — such as fumes and spills — are no longer major concerns.

However, the ECG itself adds some new tasks to the traditional maintenance regimen. Among the most important is keeping the salt cell clean. The chemical reactions involved in generating chlorine from salty water also contribute to the accumulation of calcium scale within the ECG — over time, this can lead to less efficient chlorine generation, or even equipment damage. Thus, it’s crucial to perform regular checks on the cell, and address any scale buildup with a light acid wash.

“The first year of a new ECG’s life, you can usually get away with cleaning the cell once every three or four months,” says Cliff Brummett, owner of CTB Pools LLC in Phoenix. But year by year, Brummett goes on to explain, the process of chlorine generation tends to drive the water’s calcium hardness and alkalinity upward, making more frequent cleanings necessary. “By the second year,” he says, “you typically have to start cleaning the cell every month.”

Salt water, and the process of electrolysis, can also contribute to certain kinds of degradation, such as galvanic corrosion. In fact, says Alison Osinski, Ph.D., principal-owner of Aquatic Consulting Services in Avalon, Catalina Island, Calif., “Some manufacturers may say their components were not NSF tested in salt water pools, and therefore [using them in a salt water pool] voids the warranty.”

This is especially a concern for small components in heaters, such as gaskets and O-rings. “You’ll need to pay more attention to those components, and replace them more often than you would in a traditionally chlorinated pool,” Osinski says. Weekly checkups of these components, and replacements of any that are beginning to show signs of damage, will go a long way toward keeping the equipment trouble-free.

Another consideration, which might seem obvious but is often neglected, is the fact that the system’s pump must be running in order for the ECG to produce chlorine. “Since pumps on residential pools usually don’t run 24 hours a day, we can get problems with these residential systems that we don’t see with commercial systems, because they don’t circulate the water enough,” Osinski says. Thus, it’s important to be sure the system is generating enough chlorine to maintain a proper residual in the time it takes the pump to run through one daily cycle.

Balance concerns
When it comes to the chemistry of ECG-chlorinated pools, most of the acceptable ranges specified by organizations like the Association of Pool & Spa Professionals and the Independent Pool and Spa Service Association will still apply — in other words, the water’s calcium hardness, total alkalinity, pH and temperature should be maintained in the same ranges as they would for a traditionally chlorinated pool.

However, there’s one important respect in which ECG-chlorinated water differs: its level of total dissolved solids (TDS). Whereas most traditional recommendations place the ideal range for TDS at approximately 300 to 1,800 ppm, salt water often contains 3,400 ppm of TDS due to the salt alone — in addition to as much as 1,000 ppm of other miscellaneous TDS.

ECG manufacturers typically specify an ideal range of salinity for pools using their devices — so it’s important to check the salinity of the water at least once a month. When performing these checks, be sure to use a test method that measures the salinity level in particular; not just the overall TDS — test kit instructions will specify which parameter each test addresses.

“A standard TDS test is going to measure all the salt, plus any other dissolved solids,” explains Ray Denkewicz, worldwide product manager for sanitization and chemical automation at Hayward Industries in North Kingstown, R.I. “So you might get a reading of 5,000 ppm, when in fact the salt contribution to that may be 3,000.”

Thus, distinguishing between these two types of TDS contributions is critical for maintaining balanced water. And an effective way to get a clear sense of the pool’s non-salt TDS is to perform a TDS test when adding salt to the pool for the first time. “That’s your starting TDS,” says Geoffrey Brown, developmental scientist at Pristiva Inc. in Overland Park, Kan. “Once your TDS increases 1,500 ppm above that, then you should start thinking about draining some of the water and replacing it with fresh water.”

ECGs’ tendency to drive pH and total alkalinity upward can impact other chemical parameters as well. “Not only can high pH result in bather discomfort, it also makes the chlorine less effective,” Brown says. This means that while a chlorine test might show that the water’s chlorine level is acceptable, if the water’s pH is too high, that chlorine will exist in a much less effective chemical form. Thus, weekly pH checks are essential for effective sanitation.

In these high-pH conditions, some say they’ve found that higher TDS creates a greater potential for calcium carbonate and other soluble calcium compounds to form scale deposits on surfaces throughout the pool and equipment. “The calcium will want to precipitate out of solution,” Osinski explains. “It can start clogging the pipes up, creating milky water, and causing scale.”

However, other scientists point out that a higher TDS would actually lead to more corrosive water, by lowering the water’s Langelier Saturation Index (LSI) value. “Higher TDS makes the water more corrosive,” says Karen Rigsby, leader of technical services at BioLab Inc. in Lawrenceville, Ga. “It’s inside the chlorine generator where you get the likelihood of scale formation, and that’s because of the high pH inside there.”

If calcium scale does become a problem in an ECG-chlorinated pool, experts say it’s generally reasonable to adjust the pH slightly downward with muriatic acid. Still, it’s a smart idea to calculate the water’s LSI value on every visit to the site, and visually inspect surfaces for any signs of corrosion, as well as calcium deposits.

Additive interactions
Even if the pool’s water has been balanced into an ideal LSI range, it’s still helpful to be aware of some additional chemical traits of ECG-chlorinated pools. Aside from their higher salt-contributed TDS, the other main chemical distinction of these pools is how their cyanuric acid (CYA) concentration must be managed.

As many service techs know, CYA is a chemical that protects chlorine from breaking down under the sun’s ultraviolet (UV) rays. Many traditionally chlorinated pools are chlorinated with trichlor tablets, which contain both chlorine and CYA. However, the chlorine in ECG-chlorinated pools must also be protected with cyanuric acid (CYA) — industry organizations like the APSP recommend an ideal range of 30 to 50 ppm — which means it’ll be necessary to add this chemical manually from time to time. Techs say approximately once per year is usually sufficient, but it still pays to test the pool’s CYA concentration every month to ensure that the level hasn’t dropped due to splash-out or backwash.

“But CYA doesn’t degrade,” Rigsby says. “It’s not something you have to replace all the time, but you want to keep an eye on it.”

Some service techs even recommend switching to tablets during colder months, when certain ECG models automatically shut down. “We use tabs during the winter, because our water gets colder than 55 degrees, and most cells shut off at 55,” Brummett says. This can help prevent algae blooms and other microbe infestations during the winter.

Trichlor tablets contrast with ECG chlorination in another way, too — while these tablets tend to drive the water’s pH downward, the pH of an ECG-chlorinated pool tends to drift upward (as discussed in the “Balance concerns” section earlier). This means the water balance regimen that keeps traditionally chlorinated pools balanced can send an ECG-chlorinated pool’s LSI value well above the acceptable range.

Sequestrants can lead to a few problems in ECG-chlorinated pools. Some simply aren’t as stable in the presence of high levels of chlorine — in other words, the levels inside the ECG itself — which can make them less effective. Also, some sequestrants are based on phosphates, which break down into orthophosphates — chemicals that combine readily with calcium in the pool to form calcium phosphate on the ECG. In any case, many manufacturers make sequestrants that are designed specifically for use in ECG-chlorinated pools; the packaging will usually specify this.

Some dry acids — such as sodium bisulfate — can leave sulfates in the pool, and these can contribute to scale problems similar to those caused by phosphate-based sequestrants. “And if you’re unlucky enough to live in a part of the country where you’ve got barium in the source water, then you can get barium sulfate in the ECG, and that is next to impossible to get off,” Brown adds. Pool test kits don’t generally include a test for barium; the best way to find out if it’s in the local source water is to consult the municipal water authority.

Bromine may also contribute to ECG trouble. Though this chemical can be a helpful supplemental algaecide in traditionally chlorinated pools.

“But you don’t want to use it in a salt chlorinated pool,” Denkewicz says, “because the bromide ions interact adversely with the electrodes in the cell.”

As the ECG’s electrodes make chlorine from chloride ions, they’ll also make bromine from bromide ions. “Bromide is harsh on the sensitive electrode,” Denkewicz explains; “it can damage it, and decrease the overall lifetime of the cell.”

Though these potential issues can cause problems for ECG-chlorinated pools, keeping them in mind will help ensure that many pitfalls associated with ECGs are avoided. As many ECG experts point out, chlorine is chlorine, no matter how or where it’s generated and introduced into the pool — but even so, a proper understanding of issues unique to ECG-chlorinated pools can extend the life of both the pool and its equipment.

HB 1259, sponsored by state Rep. Larry Ahern (R-St. Petersburg), expands the scope of the state’s current pool service license while eliminating a provision that was considered a major barrier to entry for would-be techs. Its key supporters include the Florida Swimming Pool Association as well as the state’s leading retailer, Pinch A Penny, which has a 200-store network.

“We’re always looking for ways to raise the level of professionalism in our industry,” said Wendy Parker Barsell, executive director of FSPA in Sarasota, Fla. “Having the same basic education and licensing requirements for everyone helps keep our standards high while creating a more level playing field.”

Though the statewide pool industry remains approximately 70 percent below the peak years of 2005-06, the service sector has been relatively stable throughout. As a result, unwanted — and often illegal — competition has flooded the field in recent years.

Some estimate as many as 4,000 service techs are operating illegally across the state.

But industry professionals are optimistic this latest effort at regulation will encourage those on the fringes to join the mainstream.

Among its two main provisions, HB 1259 broadens the type of work that falls under the existing service technician’s license requirements. Currently, the law it only calls for licensing of service professionals who perform construction, remodeling and installation or repair of equipment.

But if the bill passes, it will mandate that professionals who perform cleaning, maintenance and water treatment be licensed as well.

In addition, the bill revises an important eligibility requirement that many believe has prevented applicants from seeking licensure.

Currently, an individual must have at least one year of proven experience in the field plus confirmation by a licensed service company before he or she is able to take the service exam. But that often created a roadblock. “Part of the problem is that nobody would [sign off] because they didn’t want the competition,” said Jennifer Hatfield, a Sarasota-based lobbyist who represents FSPA.

Instead, the new measure mandates that an applicant complete 20 hours of hands-on, in-field instruction. This complements the 60 hours of classroom education that still would be required under state law.

“So we’re not really adding more regulation; we’re just fixing something that was missing from the current legislation,” Hatfield explained.

While this isn’t the first time the industry has sought tighter statewide guidelines, it does represent perhaps its best opportunity to date. The movement has a strong advocate in Ahern, a longtime industry member now entering his second legislative session.

However, questions remain as to how the bill, if it becomes law, would be enforced by the Department of Business and Professional Regulation. But it certainly would close a loophole that some advocates believe has existed for far too long.

“Without this being accomplished, enforcement doesn’t matter,” said Gary Crayton, owner of Bay Area Pools and Spas in Tampa, Fla. “Like any government agency, if they’re not generating fees or penalties, they’re not interested. But if this passes, you now have every incentive to stop a pool guy in a truck that isn’t marked, and collect a fine if he isn’t licensed.

“But the biggest concern from my standpoint is safety,” he added. “The unlicensed guys have no requirement to learn about any laws that have come about in the past
several years. And because they make mistakes every day, the ones who really suffer are the homeowners. So, as an industry, we look terrible.”

A similar bill was introduced in the Senate. SB 1544 is sponsored by Sen. Thad Altman (R-Viera) and would go into effect in October 2013.

But there are important differences that make spa water care very much its own field. Perhaps most obvious of these differences is temperature — roughly 20 degrees separates an average pool (approximately 80 degrees) from an average spa (around 100).

That 20 degrees makes a big difference. It boosts the production of body wastes, speeds chemical reactions that alter water balance and consume sanitizer, and it provides a comfortable environment for bacteria to reproduce.

Not only is the water hotter, it is more frothy and fizzy. It surges through piping and is squirted through nozzles, which has a significant effect on its chemistry — most pointedly, it drives carbon dioxide (CO2) out of the water.

This is a crucial point. A lot of the differences you find in spa chemistry as opposed to pool chemistry are based on that lack of CO2, lost through turbulent flow and helped on its way by high temperature. This loss of CO2 ends up affecting pH balance and total alkalinity, which can play havoc on a homeowner’s attempt at water balance.

A key chemical equation which governs the presence of CO2 in spa water is HCO3-OH- + CO2. In this reaction, carbonate (HCO3-) breaks apart to form CO2 and hydroxide (OH-).

But if you lower the level of CO2 in the water, more carbonate reacts to make up the difference. The immediate result is that pH tends to go up because of a loss of carbonic acid (which normally helps keep pH down) and an overproduction of hydroxide (which drives pH up).

At the same time, total alkalinity has gone down due to a loss of bicarbonate.

These two effects — the tendency to raise pH and decrease alkalinity — are signature differences to keep in mind when caring for a spa as opposed to a pool, whose water balance tends to stay relatively steady.

In addition to these considerations, the loss of CO2 leads to the increased formation of calcium carbonate, which, in hot water, is less soluble and thus more likely to be deposited as scale or seen suspended in cloudy water. (Unlike most reasonable elements or compounds you find in the natural world, calcium solubility decreases with higher temperature.)

Of course, with its extremely high local temperatures, the spa heater is the first component affected by scale, but the ugly film can be deposited anywhere in the spa, showing up on surfaces in a thin white layer perfect for making gleaming spa surfaces look old and unattractive.

Heavy, Man

Higher temperatures and vigorous water movement not only affect pH, alkalinity and calcium, they also have a strong effect on sanitizer stability.

As a general statement, most reactions take place more quickly at higher temperatures, and those involving halogen sanitizers (chlorine and bromine) are no exception. These are consumed faster at higher temperatures and therefore produce the by-products of sanitization and oxidation faster as well.

When comparing the two, chlorine has an atomic mass that is less than half that of bromine, and the higher temperatures and aeration of spas encourages this lighter, more volatile element to exit the water more rapidly — whether as free chlorine or in a chlorinated compound. This makes it more difficult to maintain a residual in a chlorinated spa.

Also, as chlorine and its compounds leave the spa and float up into the ambient air, they are likely to enter the lungs of bathers, which research has determined is unhealthy at best and may put bathers at risk of illness. Plus, it smells bad.

Finally, it’s worth noting that bacteria also grow faster at higher spa temperatures, a fact that comes into play when sanitizers are used up.

Volume Vs Bathers

The difference in water volume is another consideration for spas in that the bather load per unit volume of water is much greater, a problem exacerbated by the effect on bathers of higher spa temperatures. Looking at the ratio of bathers-to-gallons, two people in a 300-gallon spa is the same as 200 people in a 30,000-gallon pool.

But now imagine an enormous party of 200 people splashing and sweating in an ordinary backyard pool; that gives a clearer picture of the typical bather load in a spa. At the same time, the spa’s hot water causes those 200-equivalent bathers to sweat at a higher rate, and the release of their natural human debris — the flaking of skin, release of oils — occurs at a faster rate, too, adding to the pronounced bather-load effect.

The spa’s small body of water and these exacerbating factors make it more difficult to keep water clean and clear, whereas in a residential pool (which is more likely to see five or 10 bathers in an average day, tops) there’s a lot more volume, and the bather load is diluted, reducing its impact.

A Pound Of Cure

Many of the standard commonsense approaches to water treatment remain unaltered as one moves from pool to spa. That is, maintain a proper sanitizer residual, shock to aid the oxidation process, follow proper water balance procedures, test and adjust water balance frequently and especially make sure to keep the filter clean.

But what happens when it all goes south?

If water balance is becoming incorrigible, and you are reading a high pH and low total alkalinity situation described above, adjust alkalinity first, and consider using a phosphate based pH buffer which is unaffected by the loss of CO2.

As with pools, spas can develop sanitizer demand due to the build up of contaminants from heavy bather loads. In this situation, chlorine or bromine is being added to the water, but continues to produce no measurable residual. The reason is that you have so much contamination in the water that every bit of chlorine you put in is immediately being put to work.

Here we come to what is maybe the most important distinction between pool water care and spa water care — the ability to dump without significant loss when things get hairy or when enough contamination has built up in the spa. There’s no need to struggle with the black hole of sanitizer demand or out-of-control water situations. The thing to do at that point is to simply drain and refill.

Education Is The Answer

The difference between pool and spa water care is really just another good way of categorizing the large amount of training and understanding necessary to hold a competent discussion on the subject.

And that’s no simple task.

When it’s all said and done, many people find recreational water chemistry intimidating, but it need not be. Industry training and education capabilities have grown in scope and sophistication, and now instruction in water care is available from a variety of sources in a variety of modes.

Manufacturers offer excellent training opportunities around the country and online versions, which can be accessed at any time of day or night.

Now more than ever, the industry needs people who can explain water issues to spa customers with ease and confidence — that is the most important function of the pool and spa store.

Adequate filtration is essential. The water passes through the filter, is cleaned and returns to the pool. The correct size of pump and filter is critical. The sand in the filter (if applicable) will need to be changed every 2 years although this time period may vary depending on the factors affecting your pool. Please contact your pool professional if you are unsure as they will also be able mto assist with this process.

Circulation

Water moves through your swimming pool, distributing chemicals in the water. The aim flow(s) should be aimed 30-45 degrees down. This will give you better chemical distribution and the water flow will not affect the performance of the pool cleaner.

Cleaning

Clean the pump, filter and skimmer baskets weekly (more often if it is windy and there are trees or sandy areas around your pool). The filter must be ‘backwashed’ for 3-5 minutes and ‘rinsed’ for 1 minute weekly. If you are using a non self cleaning Salt Chlorinator, clean the Chlorinator cell weekly. Also, clean the surface of the pool with the pool skim net when required.

Testing the Water

Test the water on a weekly basis and maintain the following levels:

Chlorine 1.5 -3.0ppm.
pH 7.0 -7.6 (ranges may vary depending on pool surface). Have the water analysed at an authorized pool shop ‘laboratory’ once a month. This will save you time and money in the long run.

Adding Pool Chemicals

Always add the correct chemicals in the correct quantities for safe, sparkling and algae-free water. When dissolving chemicals, NEVER add water to chemicals only add chemicals to water and DO NOT use a metal bucket when dissolving pool or spa chemicals.

“In days when the taxpayer was able to help pay part of operating costs, no one cared about being self-sustaining, but losing $200,000 per year now isn’t acceptable,” says Alison Osinski, Ph.D., owner of Aquatic Consulting Services, a San Diego-based aquatics facility design/risk management company. Another reason for dwindling budgets is simply that aquatics is an easy place to cut. “Cities are looking at police and fire and public works expenses; recreation isn’t considered essential, so places like swimming pools and libraries tend to get cut first,” says Ken Ballard, president of Ballard*King & Associates in Denver.

And though the economy has shown some signs of recovery, the continuing downturn puts pressure on families’ budgets. “Many people don’t spend their recreational dollars on recreation — they spend them on necessities,” says Mick Nelson, development director at USA Swimming in Colorado Springs, Colo. “Trying to get people to go to an aquatics center, even though it’s one of the best deals out there, is tough right now.”

This may make upgrading seem impossible, but that isn’t necessarily so. Judith Leblein Josephs believes that now is a good time to upgrade. “Renovations and upgrades can be more affordable now as contractors and firms are hungry for work,” says the president of JLJ Enterprises, LLC, in Wayne, N.J. Plus, pool visits are an outstanding bargain, and the right upgrades can pique families’ interest.

Decisions, decisions
Once you’ve decided to upgrade, the next decision is where to start. “What are your limitations? How much money are you able and willing to spend?” Ballard says. “You have to understand your targets and develop options as part of a master plan.”

Upgrade in stages. Not all renovations need to happen at once, Ballard notes. You can get immediate benefits by making a small investment, and then plan for more.

Cosmetic changes
Cosmetic changes are among the easiest and most budget-friendly facility upgrades, and they make a big impact.

Color and/or theme. Refreshing your facility can be as simple as adding paint or upgrading the deck. Color can even date your facility. “If you have aqua blue tiles above your waterline, it screams the 1960s,” Osinski says. “Changing those tiles to royal blue or hunter green can modernize the look for very little expense.”

“Changing an old theme can make a big difference, too,” Osinski explains. “At Disneyland, the Swiss Family Robinson Tree House was changed to Tarzan’s Tree House because kids didn’t identify with the Swiss Family Robinson anymore. They didn’t rebuild the ride — they just changed the theme.”

Going green
One of the biggest expenses for leisure facilities is utility costs. “There are lots of ways to go green and save energy, but you have to know what would work at your facility,” Osinski says.

Before choosing a green option, look at its return on investment. “A lot of options require a high cost up front,” Ballard says. “If the payback takes more than 10 years, you have to question whether that’s an investment you want to make. If the payback is quick, then it’s something to do. Even in a down economy, the public seems willing to support these kinds of improvements.”

• Lighting. Changing to more efficient lighting fixtures and bulbs is one of the easiest and least expensive ways to go green.

Consider this comparison from Osinski: A 500W incandescent bulb burned 10 hours a day for a year will cost about $237 per year in energy (at 13 cents/kW hour) and needs to be replaced every 800 hours. Using a 32W fluorescent bulb instead will cost just $15.18 per year and needs to be replaced only every 12,000 hours.

• Heaters. Heating costs can be cut while lowering energy and natural gas use. One green option is solar heating. “If you drew a line from San Francisco to Richmond, Va., I’d consider passive solar heating for every facility south of that line,” Nelson says. “In those areas, passive solar will save money and generally pay for itself in about four years.”

If solar isn’t right for your facility, Osinski recommends buying the highest efficiency pool heater you can afford. “Thermal efficiency ratings on gas heaters range between 70 and 95 percent, and that’s a huge difference! Choose a heater with an ignition system rather than a pilot light. It may cost more up front, but the energy savings will be enormous.”

Don’t forget about the water (and heat) lost through evaporation, particularly if your pool is outdoors. “If you have an outdoor pool, add windbreaks and a pool cover,” Osinski says. “You might also consider nontoxic chemical solutions that trap heat when the pool is acquiescent.”

• Pumps. Switching to variable-speed pumps also can save energy. “A variable- speed pump can operate at a different speed in the middle of the night, when electricity rates are lower,” Osinski says. “By doing this, you’ll cut energy use to one-eighth of previous use. You may even be able to get an energy efficiency rebate to help pay for the cost of the pump.”

If you have a chance to change your layout, Osinski suggests changes that lower water resistance. “The higher the velocity of the water, the greater the resistance,” she explains. “If you remove resistance, you’ll use less energy. For instance, using 3-inch pipe instead of 2½-inch pipe will allow for less resistance and save energy in the long run. If you can arrange for fewer turns in the pipes, you’ll also reduce resistance.
And if you can downsize your pump by one size (5 horsepower vs. 7.5 horsepower), you can save a couple thousand dollars per year in energy costs.”

With any upgrades, the first question asked is, “How will these improvements make money?” The answer lies in improved customer response and loyalty.

“Remember that every time you update your facilities, you’re really promoting an aquatic culture,” Nelson says. “Once a child learns how to swim, he or she will come back to the water to exercise when they get older. That helps both public and private facilities.”

Such controls, however, differ widely from one manufacturer to the next, and so a general tutorial on repairing them would consist of little more than advice to refer to the spa makers’ manuals. Here, we’ve narrowed the focus to jets, blowers and the circuitry that keeps these components functioning properly.

Following the guidance of service veterans across the country, we’ll walk step-by-step through the process of isolating the problems behind typical customer complaints in these areas of spa trouble.

Upstream
In a perfect world, every customer would call with a clear, straightforward complaint: “One of my jets has fallen out,” or “One of my fittings is cracked.” In reality, though, a service call usually begins with a much more vague complaint: “My blower isn’t blowing,” or “I hear a click when I switch the spa on, but then nothing happens.” In cases such as these, it’s up to the service tech to perform some electrical detective work and isolate the problem to its source.

The first step in that process is to hit the spa’s “on” button and observe the results. Though no two spas’ topside controls are quite identical, a check of the topside’s “on” indicator can help verify whether the spa is receiving power at all. If the “on” indicator is positive, the next step is to move upstream and investigate other components.

Start by checking the basics — that the pump and blower are both plugged in and receiving power. Next, check the breaker box to verify that they’re receiving the correct voltage. It’s important to watch out for one common issue in particular: The breaker may have lost one leg of power. In other words, if both legs of the breaker’s power are receiving 110 volts, but the breaker isn’t snapped over the pole of both legs, only 110 volts will be passing out of the breaker, and a 220-volt pump motor won’t be receiving the power it needs. To fix this, make sure the breaker is connecting to both legs. It’s also vital to ensure that these connections are carrying voltage, so perform a voltmeter check between the two hot wires coming into the board.

However, if the breaker is sending the correct voltage to the pump but the pump isn’t receiving power, the problem likely lies midstream between the two. If the electrical system includes a fuse that’s downstream from the relay but upstream from the pump, the fuse may be blown, preventing power from reaching the pump or blower even if the relay is functioning normally. It also pays to check for physical damage, like loose or frayed wires. If any such damage is apparent, it’s important to repair it before moving on to other checks.

If the motor is receiving sufficient power but it still isn’t coming on, the next step is to attempt to spin the impeller manually. If the motor kicks on once the impeller has some spin, the problem is a bad capacitor that needs to be replaced. If the impeller doesn’t spin, however, the problem may simply be physical blockage. “I’ve found underwear and swimsuits — and other things I wouldn’t even want to repeat — caught in impellers,” says Robert Stuart, president of Springs Spas and Home Recreation Inc. in Colorado Springs, Colo.

Many motors include an internal thermal overload switch, which cuts power to the motor if it overheats — say, in case of a blockage. This shutoff lasts for approximately 45 minutes — until the motor can cool down — then resets automatically. Once the cause of the overheating is removed and the motor is restarted, it should return to working as normal.

Another common cause of pump and motor failure is degradation of pump seals by corrosive chemicals. Because the pH of calcium hypochlorite (cal hypo) is approximately 2.6, it has a tendency to degrade seals if left in contact with them — especially under moist conditions. This degradation allows water to leak onto the motor’s metal shaft, causing the shaft to rust.

In fact, experts say the No. 1 cause of  motor failure  is water chemistry deteriorating the seals. Air blowers are another story. Check valves on some blowers have a tendency to fail over time — this can allow water to back up into the blower, which trips the ground fault circuit interrupter (GFCI), turning off the system. When investigating a blower failure, it’s also helpful to check for frayed or broken wires in and around the blower, and solder any connections that need mending. One indicator of wire damage is electrical burns. It’s often possible to smell if  a wire is burnt — and while a bad smell doesn’t necessarily indicate a wire issue, it’s still worth checking for burned windings.

Inside job
Not all spa service calls involve upstream troubleshooting, though — many require investigation of physical and mechanical hang-ups within the spa itself. When it comes to jets, the tricky aspect of a repair is often less the fix itself and more the diagnosis of what originally triggered the problem.

Take a fallen-out jet, for example. Replacing it is usually as simple as buying the right jet and fitting, and snapping them into place. But to ensure the problem doesn’t recur, it’s crucial to investigate the spa environment for likely causes of the damage.

Cracks and leaks in the jet retaining rings can sometimes result from physical damage or manufacturer defects, but a far more common issue is chemical degradation to the jets’ internal components, such as diffusers. Soft, flexible plastics tend to be more vulnerable to low-alkalinity water than harder ones like PVC, and it typically isn’t too hard to tell when imbalanced water chemistry lies at the root of the problem — a quick look at the jet’s internal components will reveal that the portions holding it in place are eroded away. Pitted and powdery textures on the plastic are clear signs of this erosion.

In cases like this, once the jet has been replaced, it pays to talk with the customer about what chemicals have been going into the spa. As with seals around the pump and motor, jet internals can easily be eroded by low-pH sanitizers like cal hypo, especially in the presence of low total alkalinity. Preventing future jet degradation could be as straightforward as explaining the importance of balanced water chemistry to the customer.

The same goes for preventing calcium scale on and around jets — a problem that rears its head more often in areas with hard water. As long as the encrustation isn’t too severe, these jets can usually be cleaned and returned to their fittings. Simply remove them and clean them with a solution of one part muriatic acid to four parts water — remembering to always add the acid to the water, rather than the other way around — then fit them back into place. Again, chatting with the customer about proper water balance can go a long way toward protecting the jets from future trouble.

Then there are those jet problems that sound odd over the phone, but have extraordinarily simple resolutions. For instance, if a customer calls with a complaint about jet failure in a single area of the spa, he or she may have inadvertently closed some jets — or may not even be aware that the jets can open and close.

Whether the true source of the problem is as basic as a closed jet, or as intricate as an incorrect breaker voltage, following a consistent set of step-by-step troubleshooting checks will ensure that no contributing factor escapes notice. Not all symptoms are necessarily caused by just one single malfunction — and some malfunctions may produce a wide array of seemingly unconnected problems.

But by ensuring that each component of the system is in proper working order, it’s possible to fix many spa troubles on the first service call — and sometimes, even to catch unnoticed ones before they have a chance to cause damage.

There’s no question that energy efficiency has become more important than ever. So every option should be explored. And when it comes to pools and spas, that means looking at heat — specifically how to retain it.

But there isn’t one magic bullet — several components go into those kinds of savings. Covers and energy-efficient forms of heating do the heavy lifting, but there is another method that makes sense in some situations — insulating inground pools and spas.

Part of the equation
When used alone, insulation can reduce energy usage by about 5 percent. But when included as part of a comprehensive energy-saving strategy — starting with a cover — insulation helps the dollars add up.

Spas are especially good candidates for insulation when they are in cold climates, or are placed in a raised setting without buffering by the ground.

Pools less frequently need insulating, but there are some exceptions, such as therapy pools that must consistently remain at a high temperature, or vessels heated with a solar system. When you’re dealing with solar, you’re dealing with a very low rate of climb. So solar needs all the help it can get containing heat, where if you have natural gas and you want to punch the pool up 10 degrees, you’re going to do that, whether the walls are insulated or not.

Insulation also can help with some indoor pools and spas, particularly those that are placed near an external wall, and which are more prone to heat loss.

The heat will go out through the soil and then go up. If the pool or spa is near an external wall, then it’s going to enter the colder ground outside. Conversely, builders should not add insulation when installing a vessel in a high water table, since the light material could make the concrete shell more prone to pop.

When installing the insulation itself, the most crucial part is to insulate the top 3 feet, because there’s a direct escape route for the heat at that level.  For best results, continue to apply the material 3 to 4 feet back under the deck to prevent heat from escaping out of the flatwork.

When looking for ways to save on energy costs, always begin with a cover.

Evaporation accounts for 70 percent of heat loss, and covers largely curtail it. Other measures such as insulation can augment the cover.

If you’re not covering your pool, don’t bother with insulation.

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The first ever federal pool and spa safety law states that all commercial pools must have suction outlet covers adhering to ASME A112.19.8 or a successor standard.  These drain cover requrements have taken on even more significance of late.  Controversy regarding language and implementation spurred a historic drain cover recall in May involving eight manufacturers.  Five CPSC commissioners voted unamimously to replace ASME A112.19.8 with ANSI/APSP-16.  For drain cover producers, this does not amount to substantive changes.  All entities involved say the standard is the same as ASME A112.19.8 and two addenda that were released since 2008.

“From a technical standpoint, it is absolutely identical,” said Steve Barnes, APSPs Technical Committee chairman.  ”For a product to be listed to this standard, manufacturers would do absolutely nothing different.”  However, the ANSI/APSP-16 committee is working on a refinement of the standard, which may be released later this year.  Many of the changes involve more detailed instructions for product testing to address ambiguities and omissions that many say resulted in the drain recall.  Once the revisions are released, labs will be required to follow the new language.  Manufacturers will become beholden to the revised language when they seek next renewal of their third-party listings, which takes place annually.

For APSP, this means seeing one of its standards become part of a federal law for the first time.

Instructions:

1. Scrub the tiles with a hand held brush.  Remove as much calcium buildup and scum as possible with the tile brush.
2. Fill a plastic bucket with 1 gallon of water and add 1 tsp. of powdered water softener to the water.  Mix the solution thoroughly to dissolve the water softener.
3. Dampen a clean rag in the softener solution.  Rub the rag over the tiles to remove calcium stains and soap scum.  Frequently dampen the rag in the solution.
4. Inspect the tiles for remaining calcium buildup and scum.  If stubborn buildup and stains remain, apply non-abrasive chlorine based liquid to the tiles according to manufactures directions.  Use a tool recommended by your pool builder or local pool store.
5. Scrub the tiles with a nylon scouring pad to loosen the remaining buildup.  Rinse tiles thoroughly with water.