It's that wonderful time of the year again. The weather is nice, the sun is shining, flowers are blooming, everything is green........including the pool that's been sitting neglected for most of the winter. No worries, a few hours on a Saturday morning should have it looking ready for another season.
First, if you are thinking that it's time for new cartridges, may I suggest using your old cartridges to get you through opening the pool. Let the old cartridges take the beating of cleaning up the algae and debris that has been gathering all winter long. Order new pool filter cartridges to keep your pool sparking clean during the pool season. Remember, rule of thumb is to clean the cartridges every two weeks with a garden hose or whenever the pressure gauge goes to 20 psi.
Check all your equipment for leaks. If you spot water leaking from your filter it's most likely because of your o-ring. If it looks like a very old rubberband - stretched and cracked - you may want to consider getting a new one. If it seems that the lid just doesn't want to go on correctly to give a water tight seal, you may want to try some silicone lubricant to solve the problem. Check your filter pressure gauge to ensure it's functioning. It is your guide for when to clean your cartridges. We offer a library of filter parts diagrams that cover most of the more popular filter models to assist you in identifying the filter parts you need.
The other critical piece of equipment to check is your pool pump. Turn it on and observe how it's working. Is it louder than normal? Do you see any leaks? If it is making some load noise you could be in trouble. Typically, the loud noise is the bearings in the motor. When water gets in there, they rust. As they move, the rusted bearings scrape against each other until finally the motor locks up. No noise, but signs of a leak should be addressed quickly. Most likely your shaft seal or some other gaskets need replacing. The shaft seal is the seal that protects the motor bearings from water. Identify the manufacturer and model of your pump and then look at our Shaft Seal Cross Reference guide to determine the shaft seal that you need. Shaft seals come in many different sizes. The size is determined by the impeller of the pump. Many people think the size of the shaft seal is determined by the motor. They are incorrect. You can also consider purchasing what many in the business call a "tune up kit" or "go kit". These are kits that contain the shaft seal as well as all the other o-rings and gaskets needed for a particular pump. Again, each pump manufacturer/model has it's own kit with specific seals, gaskets, and o-rings.
A thorough inspection of your pool equipment on a nice spring weekend, will go a long way to ensure your pool is in tip top shape for the upcoming season.
And if you're looking to maintain your pool on a budget, All Pool Filters 4 Less still has some of the best prices around. Fast shipping, quality products, great prices, and as always, friendly customer service. We actually answer e-mails and even answer the phone!
Enjoy your pool,
