Hobert Pools & Spas answers some of the most popular questions asked by customers about pool service and maintenance. Please click on the + to reveal the answer and the – to hide it.

My Pool Light Is Not Working.

  • Check your circuit breaker
  • Check your GFCI and reset if necessary
  • Check the batteries of your remote system and ensure the settings are correct.

My Pool Is Losing Water.

Normal water loss is expected through everyday evaporation and notes that the rate of evaporation is generally greater in the summer. If your water loss is more than normal, contact our service department so that we can send a technician to assess the issue.

How Often Should I Clean My Filter?

  • When the pressure gauge increases 10 pounds or at least every 6 months.
  • If the pressure is too high or low, clean all of the debris from the baskets and the filter grids and ensure the gauge reads 0 when the equipment is turned off. If it does not read 0, the gauge will need to be replaced to get accurate readings.

How Do I Winterize My Pool in Preparation for Freezing Weather?

3 STEPS TO MAINTAIN YOUR POOL DURING FREEZING WEATHER

  1. Keep your equipment on.
    In general, moving water is less likely to freeze, that is why it is essential to keep equipment running and pool pumps circulating even during freezing temperatures.
  2. Check your pool pump, pipes, and lines.
    Do you notice any damage or cracks? If so, turn off your pool to avoid further damage. Do note that cracks in frozen pipes and lines will not leak until they start to thaw.
  3. Assess the surface of your water.
    The surface of your pool’s water could freeze. As the water freezes, it expands and can start pushing against the tiles of your pool causing them to potentially chip, break or fall off completely. It is important to keep water flowing for as long as possible to avoid potential damage caused by ice.

5 STEPS TO MAINTAIN YOUR POOL DURING FREEZING WEATHER AND A POWER OUTAGE

  1. Turn off your breaker.
    While you may not have power now, the first thing you should do is turn off all breakers to your pool so that when the power does return, you can assess your pool in a controlled environment before everything turns back on and causes potential havoc.
  2. Remove lids.
    Freezing water expands and it needs a place to go. To avoid cracking and damaging lids, we recommend removing pump pot and filter lids to avoid extra built-up pressure and provide extra space for any ice to go.
  3. Open all valves.
    Similar to removing lids, opening as many valves as you can, including the air relief valve on top of your filter, relieves pressure on the water that may be expanding within your equipment.
  4. Remove all plugs.
    Many of your plugs can also be removed to account for expanding water. Remove the pump pot plug, pump volute plug, the drain plugs next to the heater and the plug found at your dial valve. While most frozen plugs can be removed by hand, if needed, use a pair of pliers for extra leverage.
  5. Disconnect your motor.
    As an extra step of protection, homeowners can disconnect their motor from power, if able.

Your First 14 Days

  • Brush your pools 2x per day for 14 days
  • Keep your pool filter pump running 24 hours for 14 days

After 14 Days

  • Clean the pool filter
  • Test the water: Ph should be 7.2-7.26
  • Add salt if you purchased a salt system, but keep the salt system turned off and filter pump on
  • Turn on the salt system 24 hours after adding salt

Pool Water is Over-flowing

  • Turn on your pool pump
  • Attach a garden hose to the faucet located at the equipment and run the hose downhill away from the pool
  • Turn on the faucet
  • Drain until the water level reaches the middle of the tile and turn off the faucet

Water Chemical Balancing

  • Free chlorine is critical in maintaining an algae-free and bacteria-free pool. Using a pool test kit, chlorine should register between 1.0-3.0 (3.0 recommended during the summer months)
  • Ph maximizes the effectiveness of pool chemicals and should register between 7.2-7.8.
  • High PH requires adding muratic acid to the pool.
  • Low PH requires adding baking soda or soda ash to the pool.
  • Total alkalinity helps the Ph of the water stay balanced longer and should register between 100-120ppm, depending on the plaster surface.
  • Stabilizer is a conditioner that protects the chlorine from the sun and allows the chlorine to work longer. Stabilizer ranges between 40-100ppm.

Pool Pump Running without Water

  • The pool water level has dropped below the tile and your skimmers no longer get water, therefore the pump has “lost prime.” Fill the pump strainer basket with water and add water to the pool.
  • Failing to maintain proper water levels may cause the pump to burn out and fail.

Manual Pool Vacuuming

  • Remove the skimmer lid in the deck and remove the skimmer basket. The hole in the bottom farthest away from the pool is connected to the pump and is where the vacuum hose should be connected. Turn the pump on and manually vacuum your pool.