What to use, Vermiculite or Sand for the bottom of your vinyl liner pool?

Rule #1 :: If you are putting in an inground swimming pool, never use sand.  If you are talking to a builder who only uses sand, politely say thanks and escort him out of your house.  Using sand is easier, less expensive, less messy; but it is also just being lazy, suck in 1980, and not good for the end user.  Simply put, you are working with someone who isn’t concerned with making the best pool possible.

Strong Pool Krete is made up of Portland cement, vermiculite, and sand.  When all three are combined and troweled out, you get a strong smooth surface for your liner to lay on.  Pool Krete will setup and turn into a hard “cork board” for your liner.

When using sand under your vinyl liner is doesn’t hold its form as well as » Continue reading “Strong Pool Krete (Vermiculite) or Sand?”

Seems easy enough to most pool owners, but for new owners it might be a little confusing.  Maybe confusing is the wrong word, maybe new pool owners aren’t patient enough.

A self-priming pump, by definition, is a pump which will clear its passages of air if it becomes air bound and resume delivery of the pumpage without outside attention.

If you are firing up the pump for the first time on your new inground swimming pool or if you are just opening your pool for the year, you will have to prime your pool pump.

1. Make sure your pump is turned off and slowly open the lid of the pump.  The lid to the pump is more than likely clear.  Opening the pump lid slowly is important as it is more than likely under pressure.  When you open it, you will hear the air “hiss” out.
2. Make sure there is no debris or “stuff” in the basket of the pool pump, if there is remove it.  If you pump is old and the basket is starting to break or fall apart, REPLACE IT.  A broken pump basket will allow debris to get to the impeller of the pump . . . not a good thing.
3. If you have multiple suction lines (skimmers, main drains) close them all off but one.  I prefer to close all the valves except the main drain as the main drain will have less air in it than a skimmer line.  Now get a bucket of water (2-3 gallons) or a hose to fill up the pump with water.  The water will go into the pump and fill up going back down the plumbing line that has been left over. » Continue reading “How to Prime Your Swimming Pool Pump?”

Seems like everyone dreads getting that liner replaced, “we can wait one more year”.  It really isn’t that bad is it?

Over time an inground swimming pool’s vinyl liner will start to dry out, crack, rip, or shrink.  While that might sound like a horrible thing to happen, it really isn’t the end of the world.  Now don’t get me wrong, having a fiberglass pool that doesn’t use a vinyl liner is great but you have to pay for that upfront.

The biggest killer of vinyl liners, or any pool equipment for that matter, is unbalanced chemicals.  The more your chemicals fluctuate and “bounce” the more damage you do to your liner and equipment.  Vinyl liners and concrete pools constantly absorb chemicals, when they are balanced not much happens but when they bounce it starts to dry the liner out.

In addition to chemicals, the sun plays a large part on how long your liner will last.  People with automatic covers see their liners last longer as they always have their covers closed, the nice part of having a cover that closes in 45 seconds.  The less a sun can hit the liner the longer you will resist fading and drying out the top of your liner.

Removing and replacing a liner isn’t as » Continue reading “Inground Swimming Pool Liner Replacements – Not So Bad After All”

Kafko Manufacturing is the supplier of vinyl liners to Penguin Pools, and they have just released their 2009 patterns.

Kafko’s heavy-duty vinyl swimming pool liners are specifically designed to withstand the harshest environments. Our 100% virgin vinyl is manufactured with bleach resistant inks to help guard against fading, and to ensure a long lasting, like-new appearance.

• algae inhibitors to help aid normal sanitizers
• wide array of styles and custom designed shapes
• computer designed excellence, for a perfect fit every time
• Cold Crack Temperature Protection to -40F
• fungicide protection
• available in 20 gauge and/or 30 gauge, or as 30/20 blend
• industry leading warranty

Computer Automated Vinyl Cutting

Kafko strives to stay on top of the leading trends in the swimming pool industry. And now, with our computer aided automatic cutting machine, we have once again broken new ground. State of the art, computer driven technology, in conjunction with an experienced and skilled designing staff, ensures a perfect fit.
» Continue reading “New Vinyl Liner Patterns for 2009″

Penguin Pools is now offering excavation services to DIY Pool Builders.  Many customers have been asking for excavation help on their “do it yourself” inground swimming pool builds.  Once homeowners purchase their pool kit online, they need help excavating the actual hole for the pool.

The difference between an easy pool build and a disaster is in the pool dig itself.  If you over dig you will have a lot of stone or vermiculite to fill in, but on the other hand if you under dig you will have hours of hand carving to do.

Penguin Pools has been digging swimming pools for years throughout WI, MN, and nothern IL.  We have three different machines that we can use to dig your pool.

Our Big Machine :: » Continue reading “Swimming Pool Excavation for DIY Pool Builders”

IntelliBrite^® automated color-changing pool and spa lights feature LED technology is the wave of the future in energy efficiency, lifetime value, quality of light, and controllability. With IntelliBrite, combinations of individual colored LEDs are mixed and matched to achieve a vibrant spectrum of colors. These combinations are power sequenced to illuminate and cycle through colors at varying speeds, and in different sequences of color. Combined with a custom reflector and unique lens design, the IntelliBrite LEDs offers super efficiency while being the brightest underwater LED light available.

An Eco Select^™ Choice: LED (Light Emitting Diode) automated color-changing pool and spa lights are the most energy-efficient pool and spa lighting option available. Plus, they can last 30,000 hours or more, minimizing replacement cost and disposal.

Pentair has finally gotten their act together and come up with an LED light, it came out in 2007 – 2008.  For years Pentair has only had the SamLight, which used a color wheel.  The SAm Light wasn’t as good, in my opinion, as Haywards ColorLogic LED and that is why Penguin Pools used them for years.  We don’t hide the fact that we use, and recommend, all Pentair products over any other manufacturer.

Now that Pentair has an LED light, we will use their IntelliBrite unit over the Hayward ColorLogic.  Truth be told, the units work the same and have the same “brightness” at night.  Since Penguin Pools uses Pentair pumps, heaters, filters, automation, salt generators, valves . . . adding their LED light only makes sense for the customer and us.

» Continue reading “Pentair’s New IntelliBrite LED Swimming Pool Light”

Why do pool builders always skimp or rush through the plumbing?  If it is done wrong or looks like junk, no one will be happy.  The worst part about rushing through it is, you only save about an hour!

Straight lines and having everything symmetric is always more appealing to the eyes, but not always possible.  Excessive use of 90 degree elbows will hinder water movement and add a lot of friction loss.

Penguin Pools builds and designs pools to meet Federal Guidelines for flow, turnover rate, entrapment protection, and placement of returns.  Differences in plumbing setups and equipment sizing will affect water clarity, chemical usage, and overall operating costs from month to month.

Lets try to make this simple.

• As water moves through pipes it creates friction, slowing it down . . . just like the air against your car as you drive down the road.
• Each 45 degree elbow slows the water down a little and even more so with a 90 degree elbow . . . just like taking a turn in your car.
• You can go faster down a straight road, but must slow down at a bend & even slower for a corner.

Each time the water slows down due to friction or an elbow, the less water you are moving though your filter and sanitation system.

Your pool water must turn over once (1 time) every 6 hours !!!

If something looks wrong, SAY SOMETHING.

There is no way this plumber or pool company got paid, how do you even think to plumb something » Continue reading “Swimming Pool Plumbing”

Automating your swimming pool does one primary thing, it simplifies everything.

Depending on the severity of your swimming pool and how many water and light features you have, will determine the size and cost of your automation system.  The more water features (fountains, waterfalls, spas, cascades, wet decks …) you have the larger the system you need with more relays.  While automating your entire swimming pool can be costly, there are ways to benefit from an automation system without getting ridiculous.

Penguin Pools generally puts a Pentair EasyTouch 4P automation system on each new build to help customers reduce utility costs.  By putting in an automation system you can control key components like when you want your pump and light to turn on / off , what temperature to set your pool at (provided you have a heater), or controlling your salt water system.  Manual timers work well to control your pump, that is until they fail and never turn the pump on (algae growth) or off (wasted energy).
By only running your pump enough to turn your water over 2-3 times day, you can save money rather than » Continue reading “Why Automate Your Swimming Pool?”

5 Years ago the Swim Spa market was small and custom.  No one wanted to spend $20,000 + on a spa when they could spend a little more and have a full inground swimming pool.  Times have changed!

People are more exercise and health conscience (or they want to be), plus they are looking to utilize every square inch of their home.  Older Swim Spas only allowed you to swim in place for exercise and rehabilitation.  As the hot tub market has expanded and grown, they have become more influential in the Swim Spa market.  Newer Swim Spas act and look like a large glorified spa.  You can use it to relax, party, or work out.  They come in different colors, shapes, sizes and can now have radios, tvs, or even fountains . . . a far cry from the old “box models”.

The most common and expensive seems to be provided by Endless Spas which has been around for years.  We (Penguin Pools) have installed many of these spas and they do a great job, however they don’t have any of the » Continue reading “Swim Spas Take Off as Space Becomes Smaller”

Penguin Pools is now offering fiberglass swimming pools from Viking.  Viking fiberglass pools are the strongest 1-piece inserts on the market.  While fiberglass pools are more expensive than vinyl liner pools, they have great benefits.

• Easier to keep Clean
• Less Chemical Usage
• No Worries about a Ripped Liner
• Quicker Installation

By partnering with Viking Fiberglass Swimming Pools, Penguin Pools can now offer our customers top of line Fiberglass pools for less.  Just like all of our Vinyl Liner selections, Penguin Pools is also showing all of our Fiberglass Pool Pricing.

By displaying our prices right online, there is no confusion on pricing.  Many companies will not quote a price over the phone or in an email, because they price the pool based on what they think you can afford.  Penguin Pools takes a slightly different approach, we tell you what you are going to pay.  Most companies don’t like that we do that, as that dictates the price for them when customer “shop around”.  Regardless if you are in Milwaukee or Minneapolis, the price on the site is the price you are going to get.

Take for example :: » Continue reading “Viking Fiberglass Swimming Pools”

Once upon a time, the only way to get a unique swimming pool was to have it made of concrete (gunite) and spend a boat load of money.  Free Form pools were exclusive to the rich and people living in Hollywood.   With the time (2 months) cost of a concrete pool, many people are moving towards building vinyl liner free form pools.

Vinyl liner pools are more economical and the technology has improved to the point that building a free form pool is no longer a problem.  Free Form pools take more time to build, but not much more than a standard pool.  Penguin Pools of Milwaukee & Minneapolis can build a “standard” vinyl liner inground pool in roughly 3 days.  In three days we will excavate the hole, build your pool, plumb it, set fixtures, and fill it with water.  The construction of a free form pool takes roughly 5 days as the excavation has to be very precise and takes twice as long.

Free Form Pool - Waterford, WI

When you consider the time that it takes between building a concrete (gunite) and a vinyl liner free from pool, the choice is simple.  » Continue reading “Free Form Swimming Pools are now Common Place”