Do you have clay as your soil base?
Do you have a high water table?
Do you just have water issues?

Water takes the path of least resistance and will essentially find any gap around your pool to fill into.  If you have a high water table or a soil base that doesn’t allow water to run through it easily, you can get what is called a “floating liner”.  When the ground water pressure is more than the water pressure inside the pool, it essentially pushes the liner off the vermiculite bottom.

The pool water in the pool didn’t have enough pressure to hold back the ground water.  While this can happen to anyone that doesn’t have enough water in the pool, it can also happen when your pool is completely full of » Continue reading “Sump Systems – The Correct Way to Prevent a Floating Vinyl Liner”

Vermiculite is the preferred base for vinyl liner swimming pool bottoms as they require a smooth, level, & nonabrasive base.  Strong is the leader in vermiculite (pool krete) for the swimming pool market.  Strong premix pool krete is easily applied and gives a perfectly formed bottom so the liner will not slip or wrinkle.  All of the pools that Penguin Pools builds in the Milwaukee, WI  and Minneapolis, MN area, have vermiculite bottoms.

Along with just doing vermiculite bottoms on all of our inground vinyl liner pools in WI, MN, & IL, we also apply it with a special mixer and pump from Strong Manufacturing.  The mixer and pump give us a perfect consistency throughout the entire pool so we don’t have to worry about some areas being too dry or wet.  The time that it takes » Continue reading “Strong Pool Krete Mixer & Pump – Vermiculite Mixer for Pool Bottoms”

When it comes to inground pools, nothing changes the look from ordinary to exceptional like a good set of steps.  While most vinyl liner swimming pools come standard with fiberglass walk-in steps, they very common.  They don’t look bad and are extremely durable, but they have become common place over the years.  Also, walk-in steps aren’t idea for undertrack auto covers as they need to be perfectly square.

This step is perfectly functional and will last for 30+ years, however it doesn’t jump out and say “look at me”.  While white walk-in steps are common, you can dress them up by » Continue reading “Custom Steel Inground Swimming Pool Steps”

Everyone wants an inground swimming pool build to go smoothly, but things always come up when you least expect it . . . usually when you start digging.  The biggest variable is usually what you are going to find once you start digging over 3′ in the ground. 

Penguin Pools often comes across rock or bad fill in many newer subdivisions.  Builders take fill from one site and put it on another site until they don’t have any more sites to hid the fill.  Rock and buried construction trash makes building an inground pool very challenging.  When building a vinyl liner pool, the walls have to sit on virgin ground so there is no worry about settling.  When you hit soil or earth that doesn’t hold its form / collapses, you need to find away to create virgin soil.  » Continue reading “Building an Vinyl Liner Inground Swimming Pool on Rock”

Getting a custom dig or layout for your inground swimming pool isn’t hard  & shouldn’t cost you more.  Do you want your pool 8′, 6′, 3′ deep?  Depth really shouldn’t matter all that much for your pool builder.  Most builders consider 8′ deep a standard inground pool depth, anything less will take less time to dig and dump the dirt.  While depth is just one aspect of your pool, the amount of shallow end is your other main decision.

Many inground pool builders don’t give customers the options to maximize your shallow end.  You may think that the amount of shallow end doesn’t matter, but think about it.  How often do you stand in an inground pool and not have to tread water?  Most people jump in, swim a little bit then go to the shallow end or a part of the pool that they can stand.  Face it, we aren’t all Michael Phelps in the pool and we need to stand.

» Continue reading “Custom Swimming Pool Digs, Depths, & Dig Specs”

Penguin Pools of Milwaukee, WI is now pleased to announce that we are offering and installing the full line of Harmony Outdoor Living Products.  Harmony Outdoor offers modulated outdoor living spaces made from Unilock Pavers. 

By having your designs pre-built, we can install them quicker and for less money than if we built the whole thing from scratch.  You can combine fireplaces, wet bars,  grills, benches, tables, firepits … the options are endless.

These units really transform and inground vinyl liner pool into something great.

If you have any questions or would like Penguin Pools to give you a free estimate, don’t hesitate to contact us directly.

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”