Jessie, company friend, & Della Clement, Head of Sales and Operations on the Right
Fashion Faux Pas: an unfortunate error in fashion etiquette
The PoolHeatPumps.com team thought we’d mix it up a bit on Friday and celebrate “Fashion Faux Pas” day with yes, unfortunate errors in fashion! We wanted to share!
Lookin’ good ladies!!!!
Pool Cleaners – oh so many swimming pool cleaners. With so many different types of pool cleaners out there, how do you know which one is right for you? Here’s some info on the different types of swimming pool cleaners available.
Automatic Pressure-Side Cleaners
Automatic Pressure-Side Cleaners work off of water pressure coming from a circulation pump, or a booster pump, that drives the cleaner around the pool. The water pressure is also what forces the debris into the bag that collects it. The most beneficial part about a pressure-side pool cleaner is that it doesn’t suck stuff into your pool filter or pump basket, which allows more time in between cleanings. This is particularly helpful if you live around a lot of trees or have a lot of pool debris. One con of this cleaner is not being able to filter small particles through the bag and it doesn’t scrub the walls very well. Unlike suction-side pool cleaners, these ones don’t act like a moving drain.
Automatic Suction-Side Cleaners
Automatic Suction-Side Cleaners rely on suction to make them move around the pool and vacuum debris off of the pool floor. These cleaners act like a moving main drain. When the cleaner is underwater and sucking debris into it, it is also sucking water through your filtration system and into your filter and pump basket. Some suction side cleaners have the ability to “scrub” your pool walls, by agitating itself as it moves. This can possibly cut down on the number of times you need to brush your pool. It can remove much finer particles than a pool cleaner with a bag, so if you are in an area where large debris rarely gets into your pool, then a suction-side cleaner may be your best bet. If you live in an area with trees or large debris, your filter and pump basket may be regularly plugged unless there is a leaf trap installed. There is no need to install any additional plumbing or pumps for a suction-side cleaner so they are typically a lot less expensive to install. These cleaners effectiveness are reliant on a clean filter. Without a clean filter, your pool cleaner can suffer dramatically.
Robotic Automatic Pool Cleaners
Robotic Automatic Pool Cleaners are driven by electric motors inside the unit and must be plugged into an outlet. Robotic cleaners vacuum debris straight into its own filter by a separate pump inside the unit. It typically has some sort of computer chip that can diagnosis any issues with the cleaner and helps to “learn” the shape of the pool. Some have an optional remote control that allows you to maneuver the cleaner to spot clean anything it may have missed. Robotic pool cleaners are one of the best when it comes to small debris, sand and silt situations. It not only scrubs the walls, but also the tile line. They serve as a great supplemental way to circulate the water in your pool. While they are among the most expensive pool cleaner on the market (from hundreds to thousands of dollars), they can make a great investment in the proper situation. One con is that manufacturer’s recommend that you remove a cleaner from your pool each time you use it.
Elbow Grease
If you prefer a non-automated solution to cleaning, then there is the good ol’ elbow grease method – either scrubbing away with a swimming pool brush and net on your own, or paying a handy-dandy pool man to do it for ya.
Hope this info helps a bit, in deciding what pool cleaner works best for your situation. If you are in the market for a new cleaner, feel free to check out our sister company, AmazingPoolSupplies.com.
We are pleased to introduce our newest team member - Bethany Martin!
Bethany is assisting with website work, Bethany’s background in graphic design and website work is being put to great use!
We are very excited for the addition to the PoolHeatPumps.com team! We love our employees – and we love our customers – and are so excited to love our employees that love our customers!
Thank you to Pool&Spa News for this news article!
Pool accessibility has become a hot topic in Washington, D.C.
A second congressional bill addressing the Americans with Disabilities Act has been introduced.
On March 26, Congressman Mick Mulvaney (R-S.C.) introduced H.R. 4256, calling for a one-year extension of the ADA deadline for public pools. If passed, the bill also would allow portable lifts and sharing of lifts between vessels. It would prohibit lawsuits against pool and spa facilities for ADA violations alleged to occur between March 15, 2012, and one year after enactment of the bill.
“Congressman Mulvaney believes portable lifts and shared lifts are the best solution…,” said Mulvaney spokesperson Danielle McAdaragh. “It allows for lift accessibility and safety, as well as being more economically achievable…”
The bill has 26 original co-sponsors. Ron Paul (R-Texas) is among the most recognized, and Mike Ross (D-Ark.) is the only Democrat.
In early March, Mulvaney joined 67 members of Congress in a letter to the U.S. Department of Justice, which enforces the ADA, decrying its decision not to allow portable lifts or sharing. In addition, he took issue with the timing of the decision, which came 45 days before the deadline. “In that short time, approximately 309,000 pools or spas would need their own individual lifts,” McAdaragh said. The letter asked the DOJ to, at the very least, extend the deadline by six months.
“Once Congressman Mulvaney saw the strain placed on small-business owners who were rushed to [comply], and the concern for the safety of those using pool lifts, he decided to introduce [the bill],” McAdaragh said.
Though the Association of Pool & Spa Professionals is analyzing the language, its director of government affairs, Jennifer Hatfield, expressed support for the portable-lift allowance. “We believe that’s what the initial 2010 standards allowed for,” she said.
H.R. 4256 isn’t alone. On March 12, Sen. Jim DeMint (R-S.C.) introduced S. 2186, which would prohibit the federal government from enforcing the ADA standards on public pools and spas.
On March 15, the original compliance deadline, the DOJ granted a 60-day extension with a six-month reprieve being considered.
The issue has received coverage in the mainstream press, with outlets such as CNN and the South Florida Sun Sentinel discussing the pool requirements.
All this attention follows lobbying efforts by organizations from the pool, aquatics and hospitality industries. A key player has been the American Hotel & Lodging Association. It routinely conducts legislative “fly-ins,” whereby its members travel to Capitol Hill to meet with congressional representatives and senators. This year, approximately 250 AH&LA members met with about 300 legislators, with the ADA issue among its priorities.
Of the two bills, the second has been the most positively received. “It allows us to meet the requirements and needs of [people] with disabilities, but in a reasonable way,” said Kevin Maher, senior vice president of governmental affairs at the American Hotel & Lodging Association. “This legislation supports what we’ve been asking for all along.”
Still, given a truncated legislative season to accommodate this year’s campaigning, not to mention a glut of bills working their way through Congress, experts acknowledge it will be an uphill battle.
Though APSP and the AH&LA have not taken a position on the DeMint bill, they have expressed appreciation, saying it may have helped spur the latest activity.
Thank you again for Pool&Spa News for this article! Photo above also credited to Pool&Spa News.
