Four Things You Need For Your Inground

Four Things You Need, In-Ground Pool Speaking

Better pools through better technology.

Fifty years ago, better technology led to an automatic chlorinator making pool chlorine easier to administer. Thirty years ago, the first rudimentary chlorine generator was developed. It required line splicing and wasn’t particularly easy to use or maintain. Twenty-five years ago, a dependable winter cover had become a safety feature, stretching tight across the water and keeping people safer in the off season. There was even a magazine ad that showed a baby elephant standing on one to show how strong it was. Of course, it didn’t help any during the actual swim season. And somewhere around twenty years ago, engineering brought about dependable robotic cleaners that quickly became one of the top items on in-ground pool owners’ wish lists.

Let’s examine some of these innovations that most in-ground pool owners would like to see added to their pool.

Automatic covers.

In short, they are amazing! They add a level of safety that is as easy as pressing a button and watching the cover slowly spread over the surface of the water. In the beginning, non-corrosive tracks were attached to the concrete deck around the pool. Outside the deep end there was a below-ground level chamber where the cover was stored when not in use. There were then two options. The closure (and subsequent reopening) could be done by a couple of people that manually pulled the cover down the track. It was tedious work and required some good effort. The second option was more user friendly. Push a button and the cover moved via a motor. The only drawback was the track system, which wasn’t particularly attractive.

Since those days, a new more aesthetically attractive option is a track installed below the surface. Call it recessed or under-track, it looks much nicer, it offers a cleaner, almost invisible look.

Done swimming for the day? Press the button and roll the track on. Meteorologist calling for inclement weather? Roll the track on and keep debris from getting in the pool. Furthermore, an auto cover will save water by minimizing evaporation and will reduce chemical consumption. And when the Eastgate Pools’ Service Department comes to winterize your pool, all they’ll need to do is add proper winter chemicals, winterize the filtration system and auxiliary components, and blow out the lines. That costs less than winterizations where we install a winter cover or attach a stretch safety cover used only for the off season.

The only drawback? If you want an automatic cover and track system, it is expensive to retro fit to an existing pool. So, if you are considering getting a new in-ground pool, now is the time to get the auto cover.

A chlorine generator.

A chlorine generator is one of the most desirable options for an in-ground pool. It may also be the dumbest thing ever developed by our industry. When properly used and maintained, an in-ground pool owner with a chlorine generator on their pool won’t need to spend money on buckets of chlorine tablets and liquid shock chlorine at the pool store.

Okay …what’s the process. Firstly, add the proper amount of top-quality salt to the pool. If it lies on the liner, that’s no issue as it won’t harm it and will soon dissolve. The goal is to get the salt level to the 3000-3400 parts per million (ppm) range. This may sound like a lot, but it is less than 10% of the average salt content of the Atlantic Ocean (35,000 ppm). Some swimmers say they can taste a bit of salt, but most don’t.

Now comes science and I’ll keep it simple. Hopefully. The chlorine generator is installed in the return line after filtration. There are titanium cells in the unit, covered with ruthenium and iridium oxides. An electrolytic process on the cells then separates the elemental components of salt (NaCl), which are sodium (Na) and chlorine (Cl). During the process, Cl is converted to hypochlorous acid. This is the working part of chlorine. The extremely cool thing is when the hypochlorous acid is used up, it re-bonds to the sodium. Thus, sodium chloride is available again to make more hypochlorous acid. In other words, the cycle continues with minor depletion.

Salt must be added occasionally due to the minimal depletion, but more so because of splash out, backwashing, and dilution via rainfall and subsequent manual lowering of water.

Robotic cleaners.

One of the best in-ground options was created many years ago with the advent of automatic pool cleaners. They basically replaced the need for hand vacuuming. At worst, they minimized the need. They occasionally missed spots that needed tending to by hand, and dirt that was removed went to the filter or a bag that swept along the floor, propelled by return water. These are still popular today, but the natural evolution of technology has led to the rise of robotic cleaners.

Robotic cleaners have several advantages over suction or return-side cleaners. Firstly, they are thorough and tend to vacuum away all the dirt. Secondly, many models have apps that you can install to your phone that control the robot. You can stop or start a cleaning cycle, set up a weekly cleaning schedule, and even ‘drive’ the cleaner for spot cleaning if there is an area it refuses to clean on manual control. Lastly and highly significantly, this is not just a cleaner. It is effectively a second filtration system. It reduces the amount of unwanted debris that the filter is usually responsible for, easing the load and making backwashing or skimmer basket dumps much less frequent. Dirt and debris are collected in an in-unit bag and are quite easy to remove. It takes about a minute.

At the heart of it, robotic cleaners are just cool. Eastgate Pools has a nice selection from Maytronics and Polaris and the pool pros there can help you find the one that best suits your needs.

Poolside comfort and shade.

When you get out of the water to rest and relax, you need a pleasant spot to do it. I recommend a great chaise from Telescope Casual; an American company family-owned since 1903. Specifically, investigate their Gardenella chaise. Constructed with extra-strong extruded aluminum frames and durable mesh slings, they hold up great around a pool. They are made so well, Telescope Casual even offers them for commercial applications. Plus, they look great and are available for special order if the color combo you want is out of stock at Eastgate Pools.

Now that you have your relaxation solved, there comes a time when you want to be by the pool but out of the sun. Now you need a pool-side umbrella. My recommendation is a market umbrella. They are big enough to provide a large area of shade which reduces the need to constantly adjust your location to ‘follow’ the shade. You will need an extra heavy base capable of supporting a freestanding umbrella. Don’t get one that is only good for an umbrella that slides through a table hole. They aren’t strong enough to support a freestanding umbrella. And if you have the room, consider a cantilevered umbrella with weighted base. It’s the ultimate in shade. Either way, remember to lower the umbrella when done using it for the day.

You can really accentuate the look around the pool by selecting a chaise and umbrella that complement each other. Eastgate Pools has an excellent selection. Ask their expert staff what type of fabric would be best in the direct sunlight. Personally, I find solution dyed acrylics to be the most colorfast thing out there, but it is also the most expensive so be sure to check out other options, too.

In summary…

Some things like an auto cover need to be installed when the pool is built. To do it afterwards is messy, time-consuming, and costly. Many other things can be added later, such as a heat pump. I didn’t mention them here because I decided to add the chaise/umbrella section as my fourth need. But they are a fantastic way to add swimming time to the beginning and end of the season so be sure to check them out. Whatever options you are considering for a new or existing pool, the place to start is Eastgate Pools. We’ve been around nearly a half century and have built thousands of quality in-ground pools in this area. As such, we are the only Greater Cincinnati in-ground pool builder that is a member of the prestigious Aqua 100 Hall of Fame. See us and find out why. We know pools and we understand the options.

Next time: Four Things You Need, Hot Tub Speaking.