If you own a swimming pool, chances are you work with a company that helps you maintain it. However, even if you have a reliable pool technician, it’s good to know a few basics about pool maintenance. Additionally, you may have questions about how to improve your swimming experience or lower the associated utility costs. Here are five things to ask your pool technician: Read more

One great advantage of owning a hot tub is that you can use it any time of the year. No matter the season, a hot tub can be a refreshing spot to socialize with friends or relax after a long day. But that’s only true if your spa is in good repair. Below, you’ll find eight tips for hot tub care and maintenance that will enable you to take full advantage of this fun feature of your home. Read more

Spring is in full swing and summer is just around the corner. If you want to be ready for fun in the sun, you’ll need to get the ball rolling on your backyard building projects. Whether you’re installing a patio or a pool, you can benefit from Helpful Expertise® provided by industry professionals. We talked to six Diamond Certified Expert Contributors to gain insight on various aspects of backyard building. Read more

Planning to install an in-ground swimming pool? The first thing you’ll need to do is find a good swimming pool contractor. When interviewing a contractor, it’s common to ask about things like licensing, scheduling and price. However, there are a few questions many homeowners don’t think to ask, but should. Here are five examples: Read more

If you’re a pool owner living in or near the Greater San Francisco Bay Area, it’s time to start thinking about winterization. You’ve likely heard of people who drain their pools for the winter, or perhaps you’re one of them. But should you drain your pool for the winter in Northern California? Is it really necessary? If not, what does pool winterization entail? For that matter, is it ever necessary to drain a pool? To get answers to these and other questions, we spoke with Mike Doucette, general manager of Roger’s Pool & Spa Service Inc. in Sebastopol.

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Earlier this week, we posted an article featuring five questions you should ask your pool technician. One of these questions was in regard to chlorine alternatives for pool sanitation. As mentioned, a popular chlorine alternative in use today is the method of salt chlorination. To learn more about salt chlorination, watch this informative video by Shane Toland of Classic Pools.

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With Tim Lindelli of Herb’s Pool Service, Inc.

In January, swimming is likely the last thing on your mind, but if you have plans to install a pool this year, it ought to be the first. Why? Because a swimming pool project takes a long time—longer than most homeowners realize. “Every spring, we get calls from homeowners who want to have a new pool built by summer, and they’re upset when we tell them that isn’t likely to happen,” says Tim Lindelli, project manager at Herb’s Pool Service, Inc. in San Rafael. “Due to the lengthy process involved, if you want to be swimming in your new pool by June, Read more