Spring Clean Up

Spring is in the Air

I wanted to come up with a catchy title for this issue but settled on the above. After all, it is what is about to happen and there’s no need to overly hype it. Recent 70°-plus days have everyone’s cabin fever raging. Take advantage of the veritable heat wave and do some prep work to get ready for consistently warmer days. Sure, it’s inevitable that cool days are still to come, but so what! Do what we can, when we can, and that’s now.

Get that hot tub ready to rock & roll!

If you’re one of those people that shut down the tub for winter, note this: It is no longer winter! Get that cover off, get it cleaned up, and get it filled. And if you gutted it out and used it throughout the winter months, two things. Firstly, good for you! Secondly, if you haven’t changed the water this year, now is the time.

Either way, it’s a good idea to flush the plumbing lines to remove organic, chemical, and mineral buildups. I recommend using either Purge or Jet Blazt. Also, a small regular dose of Stain & Scale helps prevent a recurrence.

Finally, don’t forget to clean that filter cartridge. It can get seriously foul when left in an empty tub and might need to be replaced. Especially if it is covered with mold or mildew. If it looks frayed or just won’t clean up properly, replace it! If salvageable or if it just needs regular cleaning, try FC-5 spray cleaner or Simple Blue Filter Cleaner tablets. Follow directions and remember to rinse the filters thoroughly when finished. All in all, it’s a very simple and easy process. But there is one big ‘don’t do this!’ Don’t take the filter to the local car wash and clean it under high pressure. It can and likely will tear the filter apart.

Tidy up the outdoor furniture.

If you covered your outdoor furniture for the winter months, you’re a step ahead of the crowd that didn’t. All you may need is a quick and easy cleaning. To bring back the new-set cleanliness I recommend using Feron Clean. Eastgate Pools has been carrying this cleaner for decades because it works great and is easy to use. If you didn’t cover your furniture for the winter, you may first want to clean it with warm water. This will get the surface crust off. I would avoid using soap or bleach. Soap residue can be difficult to get out of chair fabrics. Plus, it becomes a nuisance to clean off wooden or concrete decks. As for bleach, it can fade certain fabric compositions and damage some frame surfaces. Of course, you can go straight to the Feron Clean for the whole project. However, the water bath will get the primary layer off first.

Speaking of furniture covers, they are very handy to have when pollen starts falling like winter snow. Put one on when you first notice that greenish tint on outdoor surfaces. It makes it easy to keep furniture clean and readily usable. I recommend a cover that goes over the table and chairs, all in one.

In-ground pool owners:

There isn’t much prep work to do right now for in-ground pool owners. However, two things are very important. Remove debris from the cover. Eastgate Pools sells a Giant Leaf Rake that’s perfect for the job. Then pump off excess water, making sure you aren’t drawing pool water through the cover. Succinctly, be aware of the pool water level to make sure you aren’t accidentally draining the pool. I also recommend opening the pool as soon as you are spending time outside. There are good reasons to do this. You only need to run the filter minimally and this costs just pennies a day. Also, it helps to have the pool ready when you want to swim. And if you have a heater, that might be very soon! Lastly, there is the aesthetics factor. Which would you rather sit outside and see: an ugly winter cover or clean, clear rippling pool water?

Above-ground pool owners:

Everything above applies to you, too. However, there are a couple other preparatory steps you should take. Start with a close inspection around the pool near the base of the wall. Remove any debris that may have accumulated, such as leaves and twigs trapped against the wall. Gently rake them away, making sure you don’t scratch the wall. Abrasive scraping can damage the wall’s protective coatings.

Next, examine the wall below the skimmer and return-line wall port. If you see water line stains on the wall it may be time to replace gaskets. Failure to do so could result in major repair issues. In short, like any other gasket, they can wear out. Pool gaskets age due to oxidation from chemicals or bad water pH. They are quite inexpensive and moderately easy to replace. Our knowledgeable sales staff can guide you through the process.

In summary.

Cabin fever sufferers, unite! It’s time to return to the great outdoors! I hope you have a great, fun-filled time in your backyard oasis. The time to prepare is now.