A new craze is sweeping across the UK called ‘dipping’. Dipping involves identifying private homes with outdoor swimming pools and then ‘dipping’ in the pool, without permission, when the owners are away at work or on holiday.

Police in Dorset have reported illegal pool parties, or dips, having been arranged using Google earth to identify suitable locations and social networking services like Facebook to coordinate party-goers.

Pool owners have reportedly returned home from work to find their prized swimming pools full of empty beer cans. Some have even been woken up by early morning dippers splashing about in their back garden swimming pools.

Police have warned pool owners to be vigilant this summer as the dipping craze appears to be gaining momentum. They also remind potential dippers that entering private property to use the swimming pool without permission is trespassing which is a criminal offence.

We had a customer in the shop today which has prompted this small article.

They recently purchased a spa from another local company which was delivered and installed about one month ago. They were given a chemical starter kit which contained all the essential pool / spa chemicals required and shown how to use it.

The spa had clearly been sitting around in a warehouse for quite some time and had been water tested by the manufacturer before it left the factory. What happens with spas and hot tubs in this situation is that water gets retained within the pipework from the water test and can develop some bugs / algae / etc.

The customer filled the spa up and just started using a normal dose of chlorine without shocking it first and as such the entire family (and some friends!) have come out in horrible boils, spots and rashes ALL over their bodies. One of their girls is said to have over 1,000 spots all over her body. Upon going to the doctors they were told it was caused by the water.

The mistake here was that you must always ensure you flush through you pipe work with a shock chlorine in the water on the first time you fill a spa / hot tub to ensure that all the nasty bugs have been killed! Only once it has been shocked should you then start you chlorine / bromine treatment and finally climb in!

Shock chlorine is readily available in granular or liquid form – it’s not worth risking it.

Swimming pools are becoming ever subject to the rise in costs being put on us by the fuel companies. With oil prices shooting through the roof, electricity and gas constantly being increased and no end in sight for it how do you heat a swimming pool efficiently?

Well, at 1st-direct we have made an advanced application which calculates the estimated running costs of a swimming pool based on its location, size, shape, water table, covers etc to help high-light what you might be in for when the bill comes through. We can also size you correctly with these factors to ensure you swimming pool is getting the heating it requires to keep it at your desired temperature.

When looking at a standard 30′ x 15′ swimming pool you will see below an example of how the current methods compare. These are based on standard variables around an outdoor pool, used for 6 months per year with a solar cover off for no more than 4 hours per day:

LPG – £1,800
Economy Night Rate Electric: £888
Oil – £987
Natural Gas – £560
Heat Pump – £410

Looking at these figures you can see some variation in heating methods. It’s clear to see though that the cheapest way of heating your swimming pool is via what’s called a heat pump.

Swimming pool heat pumps have been around for quite a while now but had some bad press around them some 10-20 years ago. This has now all changed with developments in the product and we now can’t stop selling them!

They go official by the name of ‘Air Source Heat Pumps’ which means they source the energy from it’s ambient air rather than directly from a traditional source such as gas, electric or oil. The way they work is very similar to air conditioning but in reverse. The units consist have car radiator type panels on them with a centrally position fan (electric operated) which draws air into the units over the fins on the panels. The heat is then collected by the fins and transfered into the pool water using the help of a compressor and heat exchanger. What this in effect means is that you can heat your swimming pool effectively and to just the same temperatures by simply paying for the electricity to power little more than the fan.

These units do rely on ambient air temperatures and respond better on warmer days. A standard heat pump such as our Heat Perfector / Fairland range will operate down to around 5 degrees centigrade at an efficiency of 5:1. You put £1 of electricity in and get an equivalent £5 of heat put into your swimming pool – fantastic! Some units will go as far as 7:1 on a hot day. For people who like to swim in their pool during the winter we have the calorex range (selected models) which can handle temperatures down as cold as -15 degrees centigrade and still perform effectively.

With units costing typically between £900-£2,000 you will very quickly recover the initial outlay and save money in the future when heating your swimming pool. You are also safe in the knowledge that you are using a massively ‘green’ product which is having far less impact on the planet than other methods of heating.

Call now and one of our team will gladly talk you through the benefits and also accurately size which model is best suited for your size of swimming pool.

More information and pricing available by click – Swimming Pool Heat Pumps 

Has your swimming pool developed a slightly green tinge? Can you see green growth on the walls or floor of your swimming pool? If you can you probably have Algae which should be treated straight away.

It is also worth noting that not all swimming pool algae is green. If you see black spots on your pool walls or floor these may be caused by black algae. This is one of the most difficult to get rid of.

You may also encounter yellow algae, sometimes called mustard algae. This tends to cling to the pool walls, particularly in shady areas. Like black algae, it can be very difficult to eradicate.

Algae spores will get into your swimming pool carried on the wind, in rain water and even carried on peoples swimming costumes. An imbalance in water treatment chemicals, warm weather, sunlight and maybe the presence of nitrates in the water can encourage the algae to bloom. Most commonly, poor filtration and water sanitisation are at the root of many algae problems.

Treatment for swimming pool algae starts with cleaning the pool. Organic material, such as leaf debris, can contribute towards algae growth. Swimming pools need to be regularly brushed, even if they look clean, to remove microscopic bacteria and dirt from the pool walls and floor.

Next on the list should be addressing the acidity and alkalinity of the swimming pool water. The pH of your swimming pool water should be in the range from 7.2. to 7.4 for water treatment to be effective.

After cleaning and addressing the pH balance of your swimming pool water you are ready to attack the algae with an appropriate algaecide. If you are unsure of what to use then you should consult the swimming pool experts at 1st Direct.

Once treated with an effective algaecide you will need to shock your pool water to remove chemical residue. Shocking or ’super chlorinating’ significantly raises the chlorine levels for a short time ensuring that any living bacteria are completely destroyed.

Next you should look at your pool filtration system. Backwash the sand to clean it or, if you have a cartridge system, change the cartridge.

Once you have managed to return your swimming pool water to a useable state it is important to establish a regular routine for testing and inspecting the swimming pool water to ensure that it remains healthy.

A recent tragic swimming pool accident in the United States has resulted in a $7 million settlement from the insurers of the apartment complex and the swimming pool maintenance company. The settlement is intended to help pay for the costs of the medical treatment needed by Lorenzo Peterson, 15, whose arm became stuck in the drain at the bottom of the swimming pool.

Lorenzo was trapped underwater for a full 10 minutes by the force of the pool’s suction pump. Six people had tried, unsuccessfully, to pull the boy from the six-foot-deep water. He was finally rescued when a police officer managed to switch off the swimming pool pump.

Lorenzo had been playing in the deep end of the pool with a friend. His friend had managed to remove the pool drain cover because the fastening screws had become rusted and loose. The attorney representing the Peterson family said that “A simple rod with a hook fastening the cover could prevent this from happening again.”

Lorenzo suffered irreversible brain damage and is currently receiving neurological rehabilitation. The insurance settlement will help to cover the costs of his treatment.

This tragic accident was only one in a series of pool tragedies that have occurred in recent times. As swimming pool ownership increases in the U.K. it is important for everyone who owns and operates a swimming pool to be fully aware of the regular maintenance and inspection needed to keep their swimming pool safe.