Finding Problems, Troubleshooting FAQ

How much will it cost me to have my pool cleaned?

This depends on the size, volume of water and the general use of your installation.

Advice: Never compromise on maintenance, health or safety for the sake of a few Euros. This is total false economy and will eventually catch you up.

What discount will I get for out of season cleaning, many people advise to only clean once per week?

None, we set a price for the full year, we clean twice per week (standard package) and the winter months here in Cyprus are quite short, but can also be quite dangerous for pools as heavy rainfall means overflowing, debris in pool etc., or if we get a warm spell this will promote early algae growth.

Advice: We or our clients don’t control the weather, poor winter maintenance generates problems at the start of the season which could lead to extra expense. Again, don’t compromise on maintenance.

I clean my own pool how often do I test my water?

Every time you clean.

Advice: Invest in good quality test equipment, the most common treatments from doctors come from people who maintain their own installation. Or get your water tested for you at least once per month.

How often do I run my pump and filter system?

Only the dimensions of your pool, volume of water, type of equipment will tell you this, it’s a mathematic formula calculation, information on request.

Advice: Standard pools need around 6 hrs constant running for the whole volume of water to run through the filter system. Again don’t compromise or guess, bring you pool info to our office and we will calculate exactly for you.

My pool water looks dull, its lost its shine!

There could be a couple of answers to this, particles of dust / grime sit suspended in the water and a simple use of a flocculent chemical or water polisher will do the trick. Don’t forget the age of the water could be a deciding factor as water goes stale with improper maintenance, balance and age!!

Advice: If you cannot repair this at your first attempt get professional help or you could end up spending a lot on different chemicals and find that your water is at the end of its life and needs replacing, this will be very costly .

How often do I put chemicals in my pool?

You must on a regular basis (at least twice per week) test your pool balance, this will tell you what chemicals to put in and calculations will tell you how much to put in.

Advice: Use only quality chemicals, E.U or USA products are generally regarded as the best. False economy on cheaper chemicals may not only be ineffective but could damage your installation.

Would it be beneficial to winterise my pool?

The verdict here in Cyprus is out on this one. As the winters are so short it will take 4/5 years to recoup any costs against purchasing winter covers etc. Personally from experience we would not winterise a pool, it rains hard here and pool covers need to be emptied on a regular basis which really negates the result of winterising as it still need maintaining in some form.

Advice: My experience would tell you not to winterise the pool especially if it’s a holiday home as time away from the installation may result in further unexpected damage.

Why do I need a qualified pool cleaner?

Only a qualified pool engineer can get indemnity insurance against his / her work. If there is an accident or illness in or around your aquatic facility and the client requires treatment then you could be in for a compensation claim. If your maintenance person is not qualified then the claim will fall back to you. The “ no win-no fee “ solicitors are very active in Cyprus due to the fact many operators are not qualified . Don’t leave yourself open , ensure your pool engineer is registered, qualified and insured . Don’t take their word for it ask for the qualification and sight of insurance. don’t take our word for it, check it out.

This is especially important if you are renting your property as clients will not think twice about making a claim!!

Advice: Protect yourself, Protect yourself, Protect yourself. Look at another scenario , its not a client who may make a claim but a friend or member of family. if they are infected with Crypto , Shigella or Giardia ( the most common forms of Bacteria in pools ) and are taken ill it could mean hospitalisation due to dehydration. Who pay`s ? what if they are not allowed to fly home until the illness is clear, who pays for the extra flights? Protect yourself !!

There is a lot of talk and advertising regarding Ionisers or Ozonators not needing chlorine and reducing running costs. Is this true?

Ionisers and Ozonators are simply 2 of the many forms of mechanical pool sanitisers. Yes they replace the majority of chlorine, but only if they are running your pump 24 /7 .. Once the pump stops running the water stops passing through the Ioniser or Ozonator and therefore stops sanitising . They are a very good form of Sanitisation but more commonly found in larger or commercial pools where the pumps run 24 / 7 , then they are very effective ” however “ If you use one in a residential pool where the pump only runs for the typical 6 hrs per day you must have at least 1ppm of Chlorine in the pool at all stages. This allows for total sanitisation when the pumps are inactive. Both the unit and the chlorine work in harmony to very good effect , but, your pool operator must be educated in pool water chemistry to know exactly how the whole system works or it could be a costly purchase.

Costs: If you use an ioniser or Ozonator correctly you will be running your pump 24 /7 so naturally the running costs will increase, but, you will be using far less chemicals so one will offset the other. This calculation can be done by your pool maintenance person who will be able to calculate via flow rates and pump power output the exact amount of electricity you will be using. Then you can calculate the extra electricity used against the reduced monthly chemical amount to find your exact running cost. If your current pool engineer cannot give you this basic information you need to evaluate their position and ask a suitably qualified person.

Advice: Automated pool sanitisers can be very effective but please consult a qualified person for a second opinion prior to purchase and only purchase if it’s a benefit to you, many people are trying different angles to sell products because they sound good without having the general knowledge of pool chemistry or pool operation. This advice applies to all aspects of your pool mechanical purchases, if in doubt always ask a suitably qualified person for a second opinion. For further information please call 26 623 342

The Pool People

The Pool People are highly trained and motivated professional pool maintenance engineers; each of whom, has at the very least, passed the PHTA (Pool & Hot Tub Alliance), formerly known as the NSPF® (National Swimming Pool Foundation), Certified Pool and Spa Operator (C.P.O®) course.