Chris Myton

Ensure pipework is protected

When building a pool it is very important to ensure that all pipework is properly protected from damage once the surrounding earth is replaced. Over the years, as the ground settles, unprotected pipes can easily become damaged. If your pool company takes a short cut then the repairs to broken pipes around your pool can be very costly and inconvenient to repair.
Chris Myton

Winterising your pool filtration system

​If you have a property in the Martina Franca area and are being charged €500 to winterise you pools filtration system then please call us. This service should be done as part of your pool closing process and costs your pool company nothing at all apart from half an hours work. It is a very simple process and uses a few euros worth of chemicals and should be included in the normal pool closing which costs €200. Companies will make it all sound very confusing, complicated and expensive…….it isn’t. If you would like to learn how to do it yourself then please give us a call and we will be happy to show you as well as give you the products you need.
Chris Myton

Cyanuric acid

Cyanuric acid is a chemical that is added to dichlor and trichlor pool products to help stabalise the chlorine in outdoor swimming pools. Cyanuric acid forms a weak bond with free chlorine in the pool water, protecting it from the sun’s ultraviolet rays to reduce chlorine loss. If levels of cyanuric are too low then the free chlorine is quickly destroyed by the sun’s UV. If the levels of cyanuric are too high then the effectiveness of the free chlorine is reduced and it becomes and ineffective sanitiser for your pool. The time it takes to kill bacteria in the water is longer and the chlorine is less effective in keeping the water clean and problems such as increased cloudiness and exceeding combined chlorine limits can occur.
Ask your pool company what the level of cyanuric acid is in your pool and how they test for it? It should be done on a weekly basis and adjusted accordingly.
Chris Myton

Chloromines

A clean, clear, correctly balanced, healthy pool should not smell in the slightest of chlorine. If there is a strong chlorine smell coming from the pool then it is an indication that something is not as it should be. It isn’t however what most people believe the problem to be. It isn’t because the level of chlorine is too high, in fact it’s opposite and the smell is caused by a compound called a chloramine.
The three types of chloramines are monochloramine, dichloramine, and trichloramine which are formed in the swimming pool when chlorine reacts with sweat, urine and other nitrogen compounds in the water.
Monochloramine is the product of the first part of the reaction between chlorine and ammonia and is not much of a problem as it acts as a disinfectant itself. Monochloramines in turn are converted into dichloramines and trichloramines and these two are the compounds that produce the strong chlorine small and can irritate they eyes and nasal passages when their levels rise. Trichloramine has a high toxicity level, is insoluble and is therefore likely to exist in a vapour form which being four times heavier than air sits just above the water level where bathers are breathing.
These compounds are known as combined chlorines and it is important to ensure that their levels are monitored and correctly maintained otherwise your pool will become very unpleasant to swim in.
Chris Myton

Prevention is better than cure – how to guarantee a perfect pool

It’s good practice to check your pool on a regular basis throughout the winter. At Puglia Pools we visit all our clients pools every three or four weeks (and after heavy storms) to ensure the cover is still in place, water bags are full, pool level is not too high and to test the water chemistry. Prevention is better than cure and helps to guarantee a perfect pool as soon as it is opened in the spring.
Chris Myton

Total Hardness

Total hardness is one of the water parameters that you need to check regularly to ensure you keep you pool in perfect condition. Total hardness is the measure of dissolved minerals such as magnesium, Sodium and Calcium in the water and is also known as Calcium hardness when referring to pools. High levels of Calcium hardness result in scaling of pumps, pipework and filtration equipment. If the level is low then the water becomes corrosive which results in etching of the pools surface and corrosion of metals in the system which can in turn create staining on the pools wall and floor.
Chris Myton

Swimming pool lighting

In general pool lamps are very simple to replace when they blow and the pool water level does not need to lowered. The light units are attached to the housing in the pool wall by a length of cable that allows the unit to be lifted out of the water and placed on the side of the pool while the bulb is being changed.
A replacement 300 watt bulb is normally priced at around €30 to €45 and fitting is less than an hour per bulb.
All pool bulbs are 12volt so there is a transformer that reduces the mains supply usually found in the pool room. On occasions these may need replacing but again this is a very simple job. Prices start at around €70 depending on the make of transformer and replacement is again less than an hours work.
​When building a pool make sure this type of lamp is installed as we have seen types used that really should not be in a swimming pool.
Modern LED lights run on around 20watts rather than 200 or 300watts of the tungsten versions so even though they are more expensive to buy the cost of running them is much less.
Chris Myton

Recommendations

Just recently we have found out that there is a company going around telling prospective clients that they have been recommended by us or that they have worked with us before. This is not the case and we would certainly not recommend them for any work. If anyone contacts you stating that they come recommended by us then please let us know so that we can speak to our lawyers.
It also appears that this and other companies regularly visit, or have contacts within the local communes who inform them of new project applications so that they can then go directly the property owners and pitch their offer of work. While I think this is pretty underhand it seems to be common practice here, as is stating that various works don’t need authorisation or planning and that the client is being over charged by the incumbent company and could save money if they moved. The client then only finds out that this advice was wrong when they come to sell or have more work done legally and face a huge cost to get everything sorted out.
We are currently working with a client who after having a property restored 10 years ago has just found out that not only is the pool that he had built, not legal, neither is half the house. We are looking at possibly 18 months to 2 years and a cost of €40,000 to get the whole mess resolved for him. 
Chris Myton

ISOBLOK pool construction

The ISOBLOK pool system is a type of polystyrene block that is designed for quick and simple pool construction. There are several advantages in using these rather than concrete blocks or cast concrete structures. The blocks are light and therefore quicker and easier to transport and install. The isothermic properties provides two layers of insulation which will help reduce heat loss to the surrounding earth and keeping the pool warmer. Another advantage is that with this system you do not get the thermal difference at the water line that causes cracks in cement pools as the cement changes temperature at different rates. ISOBLOC are suitable for most types of pool finish and can be manufactured to any shape or design you would like.
Chris Myton

The importance of PH

​Maintaining the correct level of PH in your pool is very important as it directly affects the ability of chlorine to sanitise the pool water.
When chlorine products are added to water they react with it to produce two different compounds. One of these compounds is very efficient at killing bacteria while the second is around 100 times less efficient. The higher the PH of the water the larger the amount of the second, less useful product is produced and therefore the less effective the chlorine is.
The PH level must not be reduced to far as an acidic water is not good for bathers, liners or pool equipment in general even though it produces much more of the useful chlorine compound. Therefore, a PH level of 7.2 to 7.4 is considered to be the best at producing the most amount of useful chlorine from water that is pleasant to bathe in and doesn’t damage pool equipment.
PH should be tested every time your maintenance company visits as it can constantly change. The total alkalinity of the water dictates how stable it is and how much the PH will fluctuate. We have come across many pools where the PH is far below acceptable levels which leads us to believe that quite a few maintenance operatives simply chuck in a couple of litres on every visit in the assumption that the PH has risen. If the water is stable then the PH will remain stable and adding litre after litre of acid will just keep on dropping the PH to unacceptable levels.