News and Updates

Pool Closing Letters Have Been Sent Out

SignaturePools · Sep 16, 2010 ·

Signature Pools has mailed out the 2010 Pool Closing Letter to our existing and previous clients. You will be receiving your letter within a few days, and can schedule a pool closing on the form provided.

To be sure that your pool is closed correctly, and in a timely manner, please follow these pool closing guidelines:

1) Have all water pumped off of your pool cover
2) Have power turned on to your pool equipment
3) Have water temperature of pool set at a minimum of 65 degrees
4) Have winter cover on your pool deck or nearby so our technicians have it available for installation (only applicable if you have a winter cover)
5) Please unlock gates to pool area for easy access of our technicians

Many customer ask us: “When should I close my pool?”

Our answer depends on two things:

1. The weather- if we experience a mild weather pattern for the fall, many customers don’t mind keeping their pool open until the middle of October. In this case it is important to keep your pool water circulating during the evening hours in the event that it happens to fall below freezing overnight. If it becomes unseasonably cold in the early fall, many customers are likely to have their pool closed right after the Labor Day holiday weekend.

2. Energy Savings- Obviously, the cooler it gets outside the more you have to run your pool heater. Some customers don’t mind paying the extra cost to extend their swimming season into the late fall months. Also keep in mind that you will have to run your pool pump longer to ensure water is constantly circulating through the pool and equipment.

**Keeping you pool or spa open all winter is not recommended. We have seen customers try and keep their equipment running throughout the winter months and the risk is usually too great. Any sort of power failure or tripped circuit breaker will shut down the electric to the equipment- and it only takes a few minutes for water to freeze when exposed to the harshest of Midwest winters.**

Whether you have your pool closed down right after Labor Day or choose to keep swimming until the first signs of snow, the decision is ultimately up to you. Signature Pools is able to accommodate for your swimming season and we are available to close your pool whenever you would like. If you have questions about getting your pool closed for the winter or would like further information, please feel free to Contact Signature Pools or give us a call at 630.845.1145

Is it time to replace my cartridge filters?

SignaturePools · Aug 26, 2010 ·

This is a great question that I wish more people would ask! As I’ve said many times before, lots of our customers think that as long as their pool water is clear, everything is working great with chemicals and equipment. This can’t be farther from the truth! Although clean, clear water is one indication of a healthy pool environment, it is by no means the ONLY indicator. Checking chemicals and maintaining your swimming pool equipment on a regular basis is crucial to a safe and worry-free swimming season.

One indicator you will need to notice regularly is the pressure gauge on your cartridge filter. This tells you how much back pressure is being created by the system. As your filters get dirty, the pressure goes up. Once this pressure reaches 10 lbs higher than normal operating pressure, you know it’s time to clean the filters. After cleaning the filters, you can reset the ‘clean’ dial on the gauge- the ‘dirty’ indicator will point to 10 lbs higher than ‘clean’.

So when is it time to REPLACE the filters completely? When the pressure does not lower after cleaning.

Typically, you will get 3-5 seasons out of your cartridge filters before needing to replace them. Just make sure to keep up with cleanings throughout the summer.

If you have questions about your cartridge filters, or would like to schedule a service call to have them cleaned or replaced, please feel free to contact us at 630.845.1145 or send us an email here.

VGB Laws and Residential Fiberglass Pools: Is Your Pool Safe?

SignaturePools · Aug 10, 2010 ·

Lately I have noticed several articles printed in local newspapers and in online sources that talk about the Virginia Graeme Baker act of 2008 and how it relates to swimming pool safety. The law is intended to protect swimmers at a public pool from entrapment due to equipment suction. For details of this law and its requirements please visit HERE.

Many customers have asked about this law and how it relates to the RESIDENTIAL swimming pool industry. Here are are few things to keep in mind when considering the safety of your backyard pool.

The Virginia Graeme Baker act (VGB) does not currently apply to residential swimming pools at the national level. only public swimming pools are required to comply. However, some local municipalities may enforce portions of the law for backyard pools as well.

Is your swimming pool builder knowledgeable and up to speed on the requirements of the law, and can he provide your residential pool with the same safety systems now required for public pools? Signature Pools and Spas uses several ‘layers’ of protection to ensure a safe swimming environment for our clients. Dual wall drains have replaced single floor drains, approved safety covers are used on all of our suction outlets, atmospheric vacuum release systems and SVRS pumps are available on all of our pool equipment systems.

Here at Signature Pools we strive to educate our clients on all facets of their swimming pool project and industry developments as a whole. If you have questions about the safety of your fiberglass swimming pool or equipment, please feel free to contact us. Even if we haven’t built your pool we’d like to help. Call us today at 630.845.1145 to find out more or to schedule a consultation for your very own Signature Pool and Spa.

Controlling your fiberglass pool with the Iphone, Ipod Touch or Ipad: How cool is that?

SignaturePools · Jul 28, 2010 ·

We here at Signature Pools spend plenty of time marveling at new technology and how it is effecting the world around us and the swimming pool industry in particular. Staying informed on upcoming deveopments in the installation and care of swimming pools is pivotal to our success and is part of what sets Signature Pools apart as an industry leader.

One of the most exciting developments we have seen lately is the ability to control your pool equipment remotely- anywhere in the world you get internet access through your Iphone, Ipod Touch or Ipad. Pretty incredible! Pentair Water has developed the ScreenLogic Mobil App available free from the Apple App Store.

The abilities of the system are not limited to just a few controls. You can adjust the water temperature of your pool or spa, turn on lights, jets or water features, slides, or even video monitor the pool area from remote cameras. There is also a history feature which allows you to see previous settings for the pool, spa and air temperature along with lighting and other circuit control history.

The best part of this technology is that it’s available as a retro-fit on Pentair’s IntelliTouch panel. You will need transponder at the control panel, a wireless router and internet access in your home. Check out Pentair’s Website for more details on the system or feel free to contact Signature Pools at 630.845.1145 if you would like the system installed with your in ground swimming pool.

How do I balance pH in my fiberglass swimming pool?

SignaturePools · Jul 6, 2010 ·

Part of what we do at Signature Pools, along with building fantastic in ground fiberglass swimming pools, is teaching our clients about the importance of maintaining their pool water chemistry. Many people have the impression that fiberglass pools are COMPLETELY maintenance free, and because of a salt water chlorine generating system, they don’t need to test or balance other pool chemicals. Although it is true that fiberglass pools are much easier to maintain than concrete or vinyl in ground pools, there are still a few things to keep an eye on throughout the week.

pH LEVELS ARE CRITICAL TO THE CLAIRTY OF YOUR POOL WATER AND LONGEVITY OF YOUR POOL EQUIPMENT.

By far the most important factor in keeping the overall health of your pool is the pH, or degree of acid or base in the water. pH is measured on a scale from 0 to 14 with 7 being neutral.

Pool water pH is best kept in the 7.2 to 7.8 range. When pH remains below 7.2, the water is considered to be corrosive and can damage metals in the equipment such as heat exchangers or lights. It is also more difficult to keep chlorine in the pool because it becomes much less stable and is consumed faster than would be used at normal pH levels.

Keeping the pH higher than 7.8 will increase the tendency to form scale or cloudy water. Calcium is an unstable mineral and when pH is high, the calcium has a hard time dissolving in the water. High pH will also reduce chlorine effectiveness resulting in the need to maintain higher chlorine levels to achieve proper sanitation. Be aware that using a salt water chlorine generator will naturally increase the pH of your pool water and will need to be adjusted more frequently than when using stablized chlorine.

If pH levels are low, sodium carbonate (pH Up) is added to raise the pH. If the pH is high, ph Down is used. pH Down comes in two forms: liquid acid (muriatic acid) or dry acid (sodium bisulfate).

By keeing a close watch on your swimming pool pH levels, you will have a more enjoyable, safer, and easier to maintain environment in your backyard! If you have further questions about the pH of your pool water, or would like any other information about maintaining your pool, please feel free to contact us or call Signature Pools and Spas at 630.845.1145