Check and clean the filter system regularly, and test the water chemistry weekly to ensure proper balance. Accessibility features, such as ramps, lifts, and wide decks, must be included to meet ADA standards.
Proper chemistry also reduces the need for costly chemical treatments or repairs, making it a cornerstone of effective pool maintenance." This documentation can simplify the claim process if an issue arises. "When selecting a pool for your property, it's important to think about size, shape, material, and intended use.
Commercial pools, by contrast, endure heavy daily traffic, frequent chemical treatments, and rigorous cleaning schedules, which can lead to faster wear and tear. Automation systems that let you control pumps, heaters, and lights from a smartphone app make pool operation more convenient. Gas heaters provide rapid heating, making them a good choice for occasional use or colder climates. By partnering with a reputable contractor, you gain expert guidance and oversight, keeping the project within your financial plan."
Incorporating native plants and drought-resistant landscaping around the pool can reduce water use and provide natural shade.
Another option is installing a new liner if you have a vinyl pool, which can give it a fresh, clean appearance. Using a variable-speed pump allows you to run the system at lower speeds for longer periods, significantly cutting energy usage. However, they may lack the same aesthetic appeal and durability as in-ground pools. Vinyl-lined pools, while more affordable initially, require periodic liner replacements and offer fewer customization options.
Commercial pools, often located at hotels or community centers, must adhere to strict health and safety regulations, including lifeguard provisions and regular water quality testing.
Investing in a pool renovation can pay off by making your home more desirable and valuable on the market." It's also important to keep detailed records of maintenance and repairs, as you may need to provide proof of proper care if a claim arises. Installation is typically faster and less expensive compared to concrete pools, making them an attractive choice for families on a budget. Professionals have the expertise to maintain correct chemical balances, clean filters, and inspect equipment for signs of wear.
Understanding these common pitfalls and adhering to the terms of the warranty can help prevent claim denials and ensure you receive the coverage you're entitled to." By integrating these water-saving elements, you can enjoy a functional and beautiful pool while using significantly less water."
A local installer who understands the unique climate and soil conditions of Middle Tennessee will be better equipped to construct a pool that stands up to the elements. Additionally, consider the long-term maintenance requirements of your chosen materials and equipment, as well as any local building codes or permit requirements.
For residential pools, contractors focus on personalization, working closely with homeowners to achieve custom designs, unique features, and seamless integration with the property's landscaping.
Tanning ledges and in-pool loungers provide a spa-like feel, while LED lighting sets the mood for nighttime relaxation. They may install new finishes, update tiles, or add modern features like LED lights and water features. Scheduling periodic professional inspections can catch minor problems before they become major repairs. By conducting regular inspections, pool operators maintain a safe environment, reduce liability, and address potential hazards before they become serious issues."
"Pool depth and design play a critical role in functionality, safety, and aesthetics. Avoiding unauthorized modifications or DIY repairs ensures that the warranty isn't voided.
A more thorough inspection, including equipment testing, water chemistry analysis, and structural assessments, can be done monthly. Regular inspections and ongoing maintenance ensure that your pool remains in compliance, providing a safe and enjoyable environment for all swimmers."
In addition to their environmental benefits, recycled materials can lend a unique, one-of-a-kind aesthetic to the pool design.
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This article needs additional citations for verification. (July 2010)
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Salt water chlorination is a process that uses dissolved salt (1000–4000 ppm or 1–4 g/L) for the chlorination of swimming pools and hot tubs. The chlorine generator (also known as salt cell, salt generator, salt chlorinator, or SWG) uses electrolysis in the presence of dissolved salt to produce chlorine gas or its dissolved forms, hypochlorous acid and sodium hypochlorite, which are already commonly used as sanitizing agents in pools. Hydrogen is produced as byproduct too.
The presence of chlorine in traditional swimming pools can be described as a combination of free available chlorine (FAC) and combined available chlorine (CAC).[1] While FAC is composed of the free chlorine that is available for disinfecting the water, the CAC includes chloramines, which are formed by the reaction of FAC with amines (introduced into the pool by human perspiration, saliva, mucus, urine, and other biologics, and by insects and other pests).[2] Chloramines are responsible for the "chlorine smell" of pools, as well as skin and eye irritation. These problems are the result of insufficient levels of free available chlorine, and indicate a pool that must be "shocked" by the addition of 5–10 times the normal amount of chlorine.[1] In saltwater pools, the generator uses electrolysis to continuously produce free chlorine. As such, a saltwater pool or hot tub is not actually chlorine-free; it simply utilizes added salt and a chlorine generator instead of direct addition of chlorine. It also burns off chloramines in the same manner as traditional shock (oxidizer). As with traditionally chlorinated pools, saltwater pools must be monitored in order to maintain proper water chemistry. Low chlorine levels can be caused by insufficient salt, incorrect (low) chlorine-generation setting on the SWG unit, higher-than-normal chlorine demand, low stabilizer, sun exposure, insufficient pump speed, or mechanical issues with the chlorine generator. Salt count can be lowered due to splash-out, backwashing, and dilution via rainwater.
Research has shown that because saltwater pools still use chlorine sanitization, they generate the same disinfection byproducts (DBPs) that are present in traditional pools. Of highest concern are haloketones and trihalomethanes (THMs) of those the predominant form being bromoform. Very high levels of bromoform—up to 1.3 mg per liter, or 13 times the World Health Organization's guideline values—have been found in some public saltwater swimming pools.[3]
Manufacturers have been producing saltwater chlorine generators in the United States since the early 1980s, and they first appeared commercially in New Zealand in the early 1970s (the Aquatech IG4500).[4]
The chlorinator cell consists of parallel titanium plates coated with ruthenium and sometimes iridium. Older models make use of perforated (or mesh) plates rather than solid plates. Electrolysis naturally attracts calcium and other minerals to the plates. Thus, depending on water chemistry and magnitude of use, the cell will require periodic cleaning in a mild acid solution (1 part HCl to 15 parts water) which will remove the buildup of calcium compound crystals, such as calcium carbonate or calcium nitrate. Excessive buildup can reduce the effectiveness of the cell. Running the chlorinator for long periods with insufficient salt in the pool can strip the coating off the cell which then requires an expensive[clarification needed] replacement, as can using too strong an acid wash.
Saltwater pools can also require stabilizer (cyanuric acid) to help stop the sun's UV rays from breaking down free chlorine in the pool. Usual levels are 20–50 ppm. They also require the pH to be kept between 7.2 and 7.8 with the chlorine being more effective if the pH is kept closer to 7.2. The average salt levels are usually in the 3000-5000 ppm range, much less than the ocean, which has salt levels of around 35,000 ppm.[5] In swimming pools, salt is typically poured across the bottom and swept with the pool brush until it dissolves; if concentrated brine is allowed into the return-water system it can cause the chlorinator cell to malfunction due to overconductivity.
Salt water chlorination produces an excess of hydroxide ions, and this requires the frequent addition of hydrochloric acid (HCl, also known as muriatic acid) to maintain pH.[6]
The benefits of salt systems in pools are the convenience and the constant delivery of pure chlorine-based sanitizer. The reduction of irritating chloramines versus traditional chlorinating methods and the "softening" effect of electrolysis reducing dissolved alkali minerals in the water are also perceived as benefits. For some people that have sensitivities to chlorine, these systems may be less offensive.
Disadvantages are the initial cost of the system, maintenance, and the cost of replacement cells. Salt is corrosive and will damage some metals and some improperly-sealed stone. However, as the ideal saline concentration of a salt-chlorinated pool is very low (<3,500ppm, the threshold for human perception of salt by taste; seawater is about ten times this concentration), damage usually occurs due to improperly-maintained pool chemistry or improper maintenance of the electrolytic cell. Pool equipment manufacturers typically will not warrant stainless steel products damaged by saline pools. Calcium and other alkali precipitate buildup will occur naturally on the cathode plate, and sometimes in the pool itself as "scaling". Regular maintenance of the cell is necessary; failure to do so will reduce the effectiveness of the cell. Certain designs of saline chlorinators use a "reverse-polarity" method that will regularly switch the roles of the two electrodes between anode and cathode, causing this calcium buildup to dissolve off the accumulating electrode. Such systems reduce but do not eliminate the need to clean the electrolytic cell and the occurrence of calcium scale in the water.
As chlorine is generated, pH will rise causing the chlorine to be less effective. Many systems with chemistry automation can sense the rising pH and automatically introduce either CO2 or hydrochloric acid in order to bring the pH back to the target level.Automation systems will also manage levels of sanitizer by monitoring the ORP or redox levels of the water. This allows only the needed amount of chlorine to be generated based on the demand.
Sodium bromide can be used instead of sodium chloride, which produces a bromine pool. The benefits and downsides are the same as those of a salt system. It is not necessary to use a chloride-based acid to balance the pH. Also, bromine is only effective as a sanitizer, not as an oxidizer, leaving a need for adding a "shock" such as hydrogen peroxide or any chlorine-based shock to burn off inorganic waste and free up combined bromines. This extra step is not needed in a sodium chloride system, as chlorine is effective as both a sanitizer and an oxidizer. A user would only need to "super chlorinate" or increase chlorine production of the cell occasionally. That would normally be less than once a week or after heavy bather loads.
Pool suction-drain injury, also known as suction entrapment, occurs when the drain of a wading pool, swimming pool, hot tub, or fountain sucks in a swimmer's jewelry, torso, limbs, hair or buttocks. In some cases of buttocks entrapment, victims are disemboweled. In the United States, 147 incidents were documented between 1985 and 2002 of which 36 were fatal.[1] In 1982, the Consumer Product Safety Commission reported that five children were disemboweled by drains in wading pools and urged pools to install covers on drains.[2][3]
A standard 8 inches (20 cm) main drain can develop up to 350 pounds (160 kg) of force, which could hold a person underwater in tight grip until the suction is released. This can drown the entrapped person, despite the rescue efforts of multiple adults.[4]
One way to make drains safer is to install shut-off valves and dome-shape drains that are less likely to create a suction effect with the human body, as required in the United States by the 2007 Virginia Graeme Baker Pool and Spa Safety Act. And as a result of that cases nowadays are extremely rare to nonexistent.[5]
| Name | Date | Incident |
|---|---|---|
| Carol Parker | 1957 | A 13-year-old in Prattville, Alabama was sucked feet-first to her hips into a drain of a municipal pool and remained stuck under nine feet of water despite two lifeguards' efforts. She was able to escape the drain when a pool bystander turned off the pump.[6] |
| Valerie Lakey | 1993 | In Cary, North Carolina, 5-year-old Valerie Lakey was disemboweled by a kiddie pool when her bottom became stuck to the drain. Neither turning off the pump nor the strength of four adults dislodged her. The drain cover manufacturer, Sta-Rite, claimed the cover was improperly installed. Lakey survived without most of her small and large intestine and received a $30.9 million settlement from Sta-Rite ($25 million), Wake County, Medfield Area Recreation Club, and others ($5.9 million combined). It was the largest personal injury verdict in North Carolina history and a landmark case of lawyer John Edwards, later a Senator and vice presidential nominee.[7] |
| Virginia Graeme Baker | June 2002 | The seven-year-old granddaughter of former US Secretary of State James Baker died of suction entrapment due to a faulty drain cover and died in her mother's arms at the bottom of a hot tub.[8] The United States Congress passed a pool safety act under her name in 2007.[5] |
| Abigail Taylor | 2007 | The six-year-old died in 2008 nine months after her injury despite subsequent surgeries. Scott and Katey Taylor, her parents, lobbied for the Virginia Graeme Baker Pool and Spa Safety Act, which was passed the year of Abigail's injury.[9] |
| Salma Bashir | 2008 | During a holiday with her family, she was disemboweled while in the kids' swimming pool. As of the time of the report, she was fed by a TPN bag and was waiting for a multiple organ transplant.[10] After getting a small intestine transplant, her body rejected the organ and six months later it was removed, as was her large intestine and gall bladder. She died on January 1, 2024.[11] |
| Evan Pappas | 2018 | Survived an entrapment of 7 minutes 40 seconds in a lazy river in South Carolina in 2018.[12] |
They do an outstanding job installing beautiful pools and transforming backyards. Winston is exceptional, his communication is top-notch, and he ensures every detail is perfect. Highly recommend!
Winston Farzan has done excellent work for me several times. He's been able to tackle many different jobs at once. I save jobs for him knowing that I can depend on his expertise!
Awesome. I watched a small backyard turn into a backyard oasis. The other options for a smaller pool were either fiberglass or refurbished containers. This is an actual concrete pool with automation. Looks great and I love it!
Professional installers ensure that the pool is properly leveled, securely installed, and complies with local codes. They also handle permits and can provide warranties for peace of mind.
Nashville pool builders typically handle the entire pool construction process, including design, excavation, installation, and finishing touches like decking and landscaping. They also offer maintenance and repair services.
Fiberglass pools are a great choice in Nashville due to their quick installation, durability, and low maintenance needs. They are well-suited for local climates and offer long-lasting enjoyment.
The price depends on the size, shape, and features, but fiberglass pools in Nashville generally start around $35,000 and can go up depending on customization and installation complexity.
Costs vary based on pool size, material, and added features like lighting or waterfalls. Site preparation, local permits, and labor expenses also impact the final price.
The timeline depends on the pool type. Fiberglass pools can be installed in as little as a few weeks, while concrete pools may take several months. A reliable contractor will provide a clear schedule.
