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River Pools & Spas Blog
The most educational swimming pool blog in the country, providing fiberglass pool articles and videos, as well as information on inground concrete and liner pools.
Well, it's that time of year again, folks. And after the winter we had here in Virginia, I say good riddance! But with the warmer weather, the ‘swimming bug' will soon be affecting all of us. (That is, if it hasn't already done so.) In fact, as I write this article and sit in my car at a parking lot in Yorktown, Virginia, the temperature outside is about 93°F degrees on April 7. Wow, now that's what I call skipping spring!
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The following is a guest post from Mike Harper, aka The Pool Care Guy. Flocculant may sound like the white fluffy stuff you spray on your fake tree at Christmas, but it's actually a really useful chemical you can use to clean up a cloudy pool. In fact, it's probably the fastest way to clear up a pool that you can’t seem to get clean with your filtration system. But in case that’s not enough information for you, let’s talk about it a little more.
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Don't blindly wonder if a fiberglass, concrete, or vinyl liner pool is right for you. Our educational ebook does a deep-dive comparison of the 3 types, all while noting the advantages and disadvantages of each.
Testing your pool water for the first time? It can feel intimidating, especially if you never had a good chemistry teacher to build up your science confidence. But don’t worry! At River Pools, we know pools, and we’re here to help.
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Fiberglass Pool Information | Pool Maintenance | Swimming Pool FAQs
Lifespan matters for just about everything. As an exotic pet owner, I check how long a snake breed is expected to live before adding that snake to my menagerie. As a laptop buyer, I check user reviews for the real-time battery life before purchasing that model. So how long will your fiberglass pool last?
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Fiberglass Pool Information | Pool Maintenance
We say “Don’t drain your pool.” Then we say, “At some point, every pool will need to be drained.” So, fiberglass pools: to drain or not to drain? That is the question. Yes, I know this Hamlet-style pondering can be confusing. But are we contradicting ourselves? Not quite. To keep your pool living its best life, don’t jump on the drain train. Problems can happen if the groundwater around an inground swimming pool is higher than the water in the pool, no matter what type of pool it is.
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Fiberglass vs Concrete vs Vinyl Liner | Pool Maintenance
If you're considering an inground pool, you're probably wondering what the pool will look like in 5, 10, or even 20 years. At River Pools, we've been around a while and understand how the different types of inground pools weather over time…specifically, when and how the surfaces of inground pools fade.
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Fiberglass Pool Information | Pool Maintenance
Double double, toil and trouble / fire burn and gelcoat bubble… Wait. Why are there bubbles in my pretty, pretty fiberglass pool gelcoat? How did they get there? Who can I yell at about it? First of all, don’t yell. It’s not nice for anyone. Second, let’s take a chill pill and discuss these bubbles—osmotic blisters.
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Pool Maintenance | Swimming Pool Accessories
Time for a shout-out to the unsung heroes: pool pump and filter systems! Your pool pump circulates the water to distribute the chemicals and filter out particulate matter from the water to keep the water clean, pretty, and safe. It’s doing you a solid, but it can also be a giant energy hog thanks to all that work. (Plus, extended hard work could wear the pump out sooner than expected. We don't want that. After all, extended hard work is the worst.) So how can you get all the benefits without spending extra money on electrical costs you don’t need?
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Pool Maintenance | Pool Videos
We recommend cartridge filters for fiberglass pools with salt water systems. They work the best and are easy to clean.
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Pool Closing/Winterization | Pool Maintenance
The joys of summer: pools and convertibles. My best friend has a red Mustang convertible named Sally (i.e., Mustang Sally). In the summer we love to drive with the top down to get Slurpees. However, with a heavy heart, she has to cover Sally up for the winter. Likewise, you should bundle up your pool during the chilly months. We know it’s a sad day. We won’t judge if you cry a little.
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