FAQ’s

Empty the skimmer baskets and Polaris bag as needed. In the fall and spring, the leaves can get so heavy that they can block skimmer flow. This will cause the pump to run dry, damaging the pump.

With outdoor pools Stabilizer (CYA) plays an important part in the effectiveness of the Chlorine. CYA acts as a sunblock for the Chlorine keeping it active in the water for a much longer period of time. Without CYA all the Chlorine put into a pool would be gone within hours in the Texas sun.

When CYA gets over 100 Parts Per Million it makes the Chlorine ineffective. The way to calculate the locked chlorine in a pool is CYA*.07=Locked Chlorine. This means that if a pool has CYA of 100 that pool will need a Chlorine level greater than 7 to have any active Chlorine in the pool. There is no product that removes CYA from a pool, so the only recourse to lower the CYA level is to dilute with freshwater or drain completely.

CYA (Stabilizer) enters the pool through the use of Chlorine Tablets that maintain the Chlorine level throughout the time between visits. Chlorine lasts 2 days at most even with CYA helping with the UV loss. Chlorine Tablets allow us to maintain chlorine levels throughout the week by using the blue floaters and inline feeders at the equipment. The only replacement we have that effectively eliminates tablets is the use of a chemical feeding system. This system removes Tablets by dosing the pool with the required daily Chlorine and Acid as needed, but instead of using tablets they use Liquid Chlorine.

A salt pool is a chlorine pool. Salt is broken down by the Salt Generator into two parts, one a highly Basic Ion, and the other is Chlorine.

You may see a Chlorine Floater in your Salt pool (Blue Floater) because the pool needs more chlorine than the salt system can generate. Some of the more common reasons a pool may not be generating enough chlorine are as follows: Run time is too short to produce enough chlorine; the Salt Cell needs to be cleaned; water flow is too slow for chlorine generation; the salt cell is too small for the pool. There are many other issues that can happen in a Salt Generator as well.

Make sure that the pump is running. You can check this by going out to the pool and seeing if the water is moving, or you can go back over by the equipment. If the pumps are off the water will freeze in the equipment and plumbing causing damage.

If you have a timer system, flip the on/off switch located on the right side of the timer below what would be the 5 on a normal clock. This should run your pump until the Timer reaches the end of its cycle. This means there was most likely a problem with the freeze guard and will need a Repair Technician to fix.

Halfway up the tile line, so that the skimmer is halfway covered. If the water is too high the skimmers won't function properly, and too low the skimmers will suck air, damaging the pump.

For repairs Hayden Pool Service is unable to do, we refer companies we have worked with and have had good experiences in the past. We do not accept any payment for the subcontracted companies we refer. Our only goal is to put our customers in touch with a company that can complete the job correctly.

All computers have freeze guard capabilities. This means at temperatures below or around 36-degrees Fahrenheit, the pumps come on regardless if they are programmed to run on a schedule or not. The computer also switches between pool and spa modes to make sure all the lines will have flowing water through them to reduce the chance of any water in the plumbing lines freeze.
- Pumps can be manually turned on by manually switching the computer to Service Mode. CAUTION: If the system has been off for a prolonged period in freezing temperatures, be mindful of the filter pressure as you manually turn on the pumps as lines may have frozen already. We advise to call us if you are unsure.

Skimmer baskets should be emptied as needed. CAUTION: Be sure to let as little amount of leaves as possible through the basket, none if possible, and into the plumbing lines as this may cause clogged plumbing or clogged pump baskets. We advise to empty the skimmers by hand, if it is full, before pulling out the basket to empty it. It is best to trash the leaves instead of leaving on the deck as it may be blown back into the pool.

The easier way is to see water coming out somewhere on the equipment or the plumbing. To find smaller or less visible leaks rub your hand along the plumbing to see if there is any moisture. If you see algae or a constant puddle around a piece of equipment that can also signal a leak.

Here are a few instances where plaster is recommended to be replaced:
1. Thinned out and chipped where the gunite (concrete shell of the pool) is exposed.
2. Rough and etched where it the surface is no longer comfortable to sit or walk on and algae can easily grow in between the crevices of the plaster surface.
3. Poor aesthetic and mottling/staining.

Unstabilized chlorine (granular or liquid form) only lasts 36-48 hours. Having a chlorination system that supplements chlorine in between visits is vital to keep the water sanitized and keep algae from growing. The most common types of chlorination systems are: floaters and in-line erosion feeders that use stabilized chlorine tablets, salt generators that produce chlorine from salt, and automated feeding systems that measure and dispense different forms of sanitizers, including liquid chlorine.

We will work around the Holliday. Your pool will still be cleaned but the cleaning may take place the day before or after the holiday. The office would be happy to give you more specific information if you would like, please give us a call.

All our repair technicians have the appropriate training and electrical licensing to work on your pool equipment electrical. In certain situations where a master electrician is needed to complete a job, we can refer one to you.
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What is the difference between DE, cartridge and sand filters?

DE filters use diatomaceous earth, or other similar products, as a filter media that help collect dirt and debris in the water that pass through the filter. Cartridge filters does not use any media and collects dirt and debris directly on to the filter elements. Sand filters use sand and gravel to filter the water.

If a blood cell is the size of a golf ball, DE filters can filter out golf ball sized debris, cartridge filters can filter out soft ball sized debris, and sand filters can filter out volleyball sized debris at the smallest.

Although, upgrade in technologies, like hybrid cartridge filter elements and glass media for sand filters, have closed the gaps between differences in micron filtration among the kinds of filter, choosing the correct filter will depend on setup of the pool system as a whole.

Manufacturers recommend DE filters to be taken apart and cleaned once a year. Cartridge filters are 2-4 times a year, while sand filter media replacements are 2-5 years in between. Sand cannot be cleaned and reused.

These are only recommendations and additional cleanings in between scheduled cleaning services depend highly on bather load and backwashing cycles for DE and sand filters. Increased frequencies in cleaning also depend on contaminants that are introduced to the pool water that is being filtered, which include tanning oils and sun blocks, oil-based fence stain over sprays, waste and organic matter, soil and yard wash in, etc.

Calcium deposits build up inside the cell during the chlorine generation process. Manufacturer recommends cells be cleaned twice a year but, in our experience, cells need to be cleaned up to 4 times per year.

We recommend running the pool (circulating the water) 8-10 hours during the hottest parts of the day during the hotter months to prevent algae from growing, and 4-6 hours during the coldest part of the evenings during the cold winter months, just in case the freeze guard does not activate.
Summer months: 8am-6pm
Winter months: 12am-6am

Pool sweeps are recommended to run 2-3 hours within the runtime of the pool. If the runtime hours change between the Summer and Winter months, the pool sweep needs to coincide with the changes.

The pool sweep pump is generally wired to not turn on if the main pump is not running. If this is not the case, please call us to correct the electrical for the pumps.

It can be both hazardous and costly. Leaves and other obstructions can cause the pumps to overheat and rust. The accumulation of debris around the equipment also encourages animal nesting which can cause unrepairable damage to the heater and other larger equipment. The best equipment pad is clear at least one foot around all of the equipment to allow airflow and deter pests.

Cloudy water is a filtration issue. Either there has not been enough circulation of the water through the filter, or the filter itself needs to be serviced. Chemistry adjustment and organics in the water can also contribute to cloudiness but if the water is not filtered thoroughly, water clarity will be an ongoing problem.

If the spa is elevated, most likely a check valve has failed and the water in the spa equalized with the water level of the pool. In some cases, spa suction lines may have been left open as well.

Your pool may be leaking if it loses more that 1-inch a day, or if the chemicals aren’t holding. You may also notice a higher than normal water bill if your pool has an auto fill. Please give us a call and we can refer a leak detection company.