FAQs

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Do you have brown water? Does your water have a salty taste? These are all issues caused by soft water. Most people will love using soft water, as tasks can actually be performed more efficiently with it. Soap will lather better and items will be left cleaner. Glasses will sparkle and hair will look healthy. The shower curtain will be scum-free. Clothes and skin are left softer. In addition to time, this can also save money, as less soap and detergents will be used. Since appliances have to work less hard, soft water can also prolong the life of washing machines, dishwashers and water heaters. Energy bills are noticeably lower when in households with water softeners.

Soft water is surface water that contains low concentrations of ions and in particular is low in ions of calcium and magnesium. Soft water naturally occurs where rainfall and the drainage basin of rivers are formed of hard, impervious and calcium poor rocks.

Because soft water has few calcium ions no soap scum is formed in normal washing. Similarly, soft water produces no calcium deposits in water heating systems.

Issues Soft Water can Cause:

Soft waters are aggressive to metals and cause corrosion. Consequently the tap water turns brown. Leaks and burst pipes may be the results.

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Do you have a bitter taste in your drinking water, an unpleasant smell, or tub staining? These are all issues caused by hard water.

Hard water is to blame for dingy looking clothes, dishes with spots and residue, and bathtubs with lots of film and soap scum. Even hair washed in hard water may feel sticky and look dull. Hard water can take a toll on household appliances as well and use up more energy. The elements of hard water are to blame for all of these negative factors, as soap is less effective due to its reaction to the magnesium and calcium. The lather is not as rich and bubbly.

Most natural waters which may come from your home well cause damages in pipes, boilers and other installations such as hot water heaters. Some contain dissolved minerals, mainly calcium and magnesium salts. These types of water are classified as hard water.

Issues Hard Water can Cause:
Hard waters form scale in pipes and boilers. This leads to a decrease in water pressure and an increased energy demand and bills. Clogged pipes may have to be replaced and heating coils may overheat and fail. Hard water can be “hard” on both your house and you.

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When using any chemical products, read labels carefully and follow directions precisely. Chemicals protect you when they are used correctly in your pool or spa but may be hazardous if mixed or spilled.

Please observe the following guidelines:

1. A responsible person should handle pool chemicals. Keep out of reach of children.
2. For products requiring measuring, use a clean, dry, plastic scoop (or scoop provided in container). Do not interchange scoop or place wet scoop in container of chlorinating product, dedicate 1 scoop per product.
3. Use exact quantities specified, not more. Chemicals need to circulate for hours before retesting.
4. Never mix chemicals together. Add products separately and slowly. Most importantly Follow Directions that are listed each product label.
5. Never add water to chemicals. Add chemicals to water.
6. Handle all chemicals, liquid or dry, with care. Store products in a cool, dry, well ventilated place.
7. Always keep chemical containers closed when not in use. Replace cap on proper container.
8. Don’t inhale fumes or let chemicals come into contact with eyes, nose or mouth.
9. In case of contact or if chemical is swallowed, follow emergency advice on product label or call doctor or local Poison Control Center (800-222-1222).
10. Don’t allow chemicals to stand on concrete or wood decks. Clean up any spillage carefully and
    dispose of in a safe manner - we recommend washing into pool.
11. Don’t smoke around chemicals.
12. Many chemicals such as chlorinating products are corrosive and should not be stored near metal products like bicycles, lawn mowers, cars, lawn furniture, etc.
13. We recommend broadcasting powder products across the deepest part of the pool with the pumps running in such a fashion that nothing rests on the pool floor.

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1. Representative water samples: Water samples should be taken at least 18” below the water surface and away from the return line. Insert a clean plastic bottle, bottom-side up, to the required depth and turn the bottle top side up to get a sample of water for testing.
2. Proper sample volume: To get accurate measurements, make sure the sample size is correct. All water samples will display a curvature at the surface of the water in the test cell. Always fill the cell so that the low point rests on the fill mark. Have the fill mark line at eye level when filling the sample container.
3. Match your colors: Matching colors in colorimetric determinations is done by holding the comparator up to northern light.
4. Swirl . . . swirl . . . swirl: Proper results depend on either color comparisons or detection of a color change (endpoint). For this to happen, reagents must be thoroughly mixed in the water sample.
5. Correct drop size: When adding any reagent drop-wise to a water sample, hold the dropper bottle
   vertically (straight up and down). Holding the bottle at an angle while adding reagent may distort the
   drop size and lead to inaccurate results.
6. Prepare for the next test: After testing, flush out sample cells with tap or fresh sample water to avoid any residue from interfering or contaminating the next test.
7. Always follow manufacturer’s instructions.
8. Record your test data in a notepad for future reference and when possible record water temperature.

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* Maximum for gunite pools
**Maximum for vinyl pools

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It’s key to know your pool or spa’s volume in gallons as this will help you to determine the amount of treatment chemicals to add. To find out how many gallons of water your pool contains, use the formula that best applies to your pool:

First - Calculate the average depth:
Deep End Depth + Shallow End Depth = Depth ÷ 2 = Average Depth (in feet)

Second - Calculate Pool / Spa Volume:

• Rectangular or Square Formula
  Length x Width x Average Depth x 7.5 = Total Gallons
  
• Circular Formula
  Diameter x Diameter x Average Depth x 5.9 = Total Gallons
  
• Oval Formula
  Long Diameter x Short Diameter x Average Depth x 5.5 = Total Gallons
  
• For Pools with Irregular Shapes or Sloping Sides
  Long Diameter x Short Diameter x Average Depth x 5.5 = Total Gallons x .85 = Adjusted Total Gallons