Trinity Pool and Spa Care

(626) 869-7665

April will be over before you know it, and if your filter hasn't been cleaned it should be done before summer starts to reduce the risk of algae growth. Ask any questions you may have on this page and look for the answer to be posted back within 24 hours.

CALCIUM AND SCALE BUILD UP ON TILE This is the most common complaint among pool owners (aside from a flaky pool guy that lets their pool turn green). Even those with newer pools are not able to avoid this dilemma. Have you ever boiled a pot of water until the water is gone? Whether you have or have not, here is the result. You will notice white staining on your pot that is very difficult to get off. ... This is the same thing that happens to your pool. In SoCal especially, we have "hard water", meaning that there are lots of minerals in that clear liquid that comes out of the pipes in our homes. Evaporation is constantly happening in your pool and even more so in warmer weather. Are you seeing where I'm going with this? The water leaves but the minerals stay behind and cling to whatever surface they can leaving that white line or buildup mainly on your tile. Different types of tile determine the ease of which the scale can be removed. Glazed tile being easier and non-glazed stone tiles being most stubborn. Don't even get me started on trying to remove it from concrete. Of course the easiest thing to do is blame your pool man since he is supposed to keep everything perfect for you. After all, what are you paying him for right? Just consider this for a moment: your maintenance person comes to your home once per week to clean your pool (tile being included in that) and even with the toughest of tile soap will not be able to remove all that scale. Your pool water isn't only evaporating once a week is it ;) Here are some options to battle the problem. The first options are the ones with a price tag: Most pool techs have the equipment or know another tech that has the equipment to remove all that scale in one day either mechanically or chemically. Mechanically gets the best results and will run a bit more than chemically. The chemical route is with acidic types of scale remover. While these work, the results are not always consistent and can damage the glaze on the tile depending on its age, color and type. Now for the D.I.Y.ers, the cheapest way is to buy a pumice stone and work on your tile one section at a time. Once the scale is removed, using the pumice stone (even before you notice scale build-up) will help keep the tile looking its best. If you want to find out more about tile cleaning let us know. Thanks for reading and have a blessed day. Phil - owner

Saltwater Pools: First lets tackle the myth that a "saltwater pool" doesn't use chlorine. The "salt cell" or "chlorine generator" works in this manner; the dissolved salt in the pool water is passed through the cell which then, by electrolysis, removes the calcium and other minerals from the water leaving hypochlorous acid and sodium hypochlorite to be put back into the pool. Most people do not realize that these are already the main chemicals used by poolmen to disinfect th...e water. The up side is that there are less complaints of dry skin, eyes or hair in a properly maintained saltwater pool. Maintenance: The salt cell must be cleaned every few months to prolong the life of the cell and for maximum efficiency. The unfortunate side to cleaning is that it will eventually strip the coating off the titanium plates in the cell meaning the cell will need to be replaced. Depending on what you paid for your salt system, this can be costly. Protecting your salt cell: To counteract the often harmful effect cleaning the cell, many saltwater pool owners are switching to a hybrid system. By running an inline chlorinator along with the salt cell you get numerous benefits. One is that you can turn the production on the salt cell down which will prolong the life of the cell. Another benefit is the cell does not have to work as hard to produce the proper amount of sanitzer after heavy use, thus prolonging the life of the cell. For more information on salt systems or hybrid systems please visit our website and use the contact form. Thank you for reading and have a blessed day. Phil - Owner