Splashing Through The Snow: Take Advantage of Winter to Prepare Pools For Summer

As the colder weather arrives, most people are looking forward to colorful foliage and preparing for the holidays. Those operators with seasonal facilities have likely already closed them, or will be closing them for the season shortly. Indoor facilities may even see a decline in patronage due to fewer people traveling during the colder months. Ironically, this is a great time to be thinking about your pools and spas.

This is a real opportunity to consider repairs, replacements, or updates that you may want to perform in the spring. Some purchases to evaluate are pool/spa covers, chlorine generators, and new energy efficient products. These items not only aid in pool operations, but also offer cost-effective savings in the long run. Preparing now allows plenty of time to allocate enough money in next year's budget to cover these expenses.

Pool Covers

Pool and spa covers come in different shapes and sizes. For the winter, a safety cover with the proper pool-cover anchors is recommended for outdoor pools. A safety cover not only prevents intruders from gaining access to a pool over the winter months, but also provides an operator a greater likelihood of returning to a clear pool at opening. Newer, advancedgrade mesh safety covers are woven in a way that helps reduce the chances of algae growth over the winter. Essentially, this helps reduce chemical consumption when the pool is open in the spring because the water is already clear, which also saves money.

Some pool and spa covers are used for energy conservation. These covers- known as "solar covers"-assist in retaining heat generated either by the heater or through natural sunlight. The theory is that collecting heat during the day and maintaining it overnight requires less energy to be used the following day, which helps save on energy costs and presents a more temperate pool in the early hours for bathers. These types of covers are great for both indoor and outdoor spas.

Chlorine Generators

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