- Nov 12, 2017
- 12,647
- Pool Size
- 12300
- Surface
- Plaster
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Pentair Intellichlor IC-40
I've already posted my first post, looking for help. But Leebo asked me to post some background about me. Here goes...
I'm looking forward to becoming an active member here. I'm convinced doing this myself is the way to go, more so after finding this site. Hopefully my first post will "pass inspection" soon, 'cause I need help right away (of course)!
I bought my current home about 2.5 years ago and inherited a 4-year-old pool. Never had a pool before. Decided to leave 100% of its care to the previous owner's guy, let's call him B (as in BRAT). One of the biggest outfits in town, I figured I could trust him. First couple of years were OK, though there seemed to be a big turn over in staff. New service guys all the time. I wondered what kind of experience each new guy might actually have. But the pool looked OK, so I had more important things to worry about.
But when the moving dust finally settled this year, I started upgrading the pool. EasyTouch, ScreenLogic, new vacuum and IntelliFlo. Cool stuff, though I was a bit put off by the "system" Pentair and dealers have in place. Your choice is no warranty vs exorbitant markup. I chose the latter. That first upgrade went well. I had some concerns about the installer B sent me, and then later about the knowledge of the weekly guy tweaking everything to optimum. It was then that I first started noticing some, shall we say, lack of understanding of the products I was sold. Worse offense was the sweep. It was now suction, converted from pressure, and just wasn't working as well (contrary to B's advice that "suction" is better). Oh, well.
Then I started thinking that the stinging I was feeling on my skin the day or two after B's weekly servicing could be minimized by going saltwater. B concurred. And they were happy to sell me the generator, etc. While they were at it, I wanted them to install an activator that would switch between skimmer and vacuum, hoping that both would improve by running independently. I felt the "shared suction" was compromising both.) They came out to check the water chem for the salt system and determined that it needed to be changed (too much solids? or something). So, trusting to the "pro" I said OK. Next advice was "since it's going to be empty, lets blast the tile and acid wash the plaster. It'll look great." That sounded like needed maintenance to my virgin ears, so I said "yes" to the acid (but "no" to the blasting, as each was $900 and the acid was all I could afford on top of everything else!).
So they upgraded the system, emptied the pool and washed the acid. Next thing I see is the owner of B in my yard talking to his crew. I go to investigate and complete horror ensues! Short version: they burned though the plaster in about 20% of the pool, right down to the plaster's aggregate, and fried most of the rest of it (pock marks and etching). B tried to claim "not our fault" due to some defect in the plaster. My position is: I don't care if my pool was made out of cheese, it was their responsibility to use no treatment (acid type/strength/duration/neutralizer, whatever) that would harm the plaster to that degree. They could have tested a small patch first. They could have done small sections at a time and stopped when the problem first happened. Nope. They blasted the whole thing before they spotted any damage. How is that even possible? How is that not B's fault/responsibility? He disagreed and basically walked off the job: didn't finish the system upgrade and wouldn't repair/replace the plaster. So we'll see how that all shakes out in court.
Meanwhile, my plaster continues to come apart in the following weeks, and I know I'm going to have to have it replaced, regardless of who's going to pay for it. I hire a plaster guy (PG) to replace the plaster. I go with his micro pebble, and try to recreate the Tahoe Blue plaster color from before, which I absolutely loved. That all went down last week. So far the pebble looks great. The color is perfect (I hope it won't morph too much, as I understand new surfaces can do the first few weeks) and now I'm in the middle of "start up." When B ran out on me, I hired a "new guy" (NG) to take care of the pool. So PG and NG have worked together before, so I figure the handoff between plastering and start up would go well. Well, Day 1 was last Thursday, and Friday, Day 2, was the holiday. NG got the pump going, sold me some new filter cartridges, tested the water and did a cursory brushing. That was it. PG and NG both vanished for the weekend, and I was left with the internet and a test kit to figure out how to handle these next most important days of a pool surface's life! So when I found TFP, and started understanding their underlying pool philosophy, suddenly everything clicked. Something I mostly already knew (from other remodel projects), but didn't want to face about my pool: if you want it done right, do it yourself. Fire everybody, and figure out how to care for my pool myself. And so here I am!
I like the sound of BBB. The logic of putting in only what is absolutely necessary, and doing the work instead of relying on shortcuts, chemical or otherwise, just makes too much sense. I know I can do this at least as well as the millennial dufuses that B sent me! I did use Leslie's this weekend to double-check my test kit. Again, all new to all that. But I've only bought their M-acid and CYA. Chlorine from Lowes. Nothing else so far has gone into the water. I'm fighting a slight TA spike, and trying to keep chlorine and pH in range while doing so. I think I'm doing OK, using MA and my idea of aerating. But it's pretty scary "learning" on a $9000 pebble job on top of a $70000 pool!!
Hat in hand here, any and all help most welcome. I know what I know, but what I know most is that I don't know it all! Not to proud to learn, not too proud too beg. Looking forward to working with you all!!
Cheers!
I'm looking forward to becoming an active member here. I'm convinced doing this myself is the way to go, more so after finding this site. Hopefully my first post will "pass inspection" soon, 'cause I need help right away (of course)!
I bought my current home about 2.5 years ago and inherited a 4-year-old pool. Never had a pool before. Decided to leave 100% of its care to the previous owner's guy, let's call him B (as in BRAT). One of the biggest outfits in town, I figured I could trust him. First couple of years were OK, though there seemed to be a big turn over in staff. New service guys all the time. I wondered what kind of experience each new guy might actually have. But the pool looked OK, so I had more important things to worry about.
But when the moving dust finally settled this year, I started upgrading the pool. EasyTouch, ScreenLogic, new vacuum and IntelliFlo. Cool stuff, though I was a bit put off by the "system" Pentair and dealers have in place. Your choice is no warranty vs exorbitant markup. I chose the latter. That first upgrade went well. I had some concerns about the installer B sent me, and then later about the knowledge of the weekly guy tweaking everything to optimum. It was then that I first started noticing some, shall we say, lack of understanding of the products I was sold. Worse offense was the sweep. It was now suction, converted from pressure, and just wasn't working as well (contrary to B's advice that "suction" is better). Oh, well.
Then I started thinking that the stinging I was feeling on my skin the day or two after B's weekly servicing could be minimized by going saltwater. B concurred. And they were happy to sell me the generator, etc. While they were at it, I wanted them to install an activator that would switch between skimmer and vacuum, hoping that both would improve by running independently. I felt the "shared suction" was compromising both.) They came out to check the water chem for the salt system and determined that it needed to be changed (too much solids? or something). So, trusting to the "pro" I said OK. Next advice was "since it's going to be empty, lets blast the tile and acid wash the plaster. It'll look great." That sounded like needed maintenance to my virgin ears, so I said "yes" to the acid (but "no" to the blasting, as each was $900 and the acid was all I could afford on top of everything else!).
So they upgraded the system, emptied the pool and washed the acid. Next thing I see is the owner of B in my yard talking to his crew. I go to investigate and complete horror ensues! Short version: they burned though the plaster in about 20% of the pool, right down to the plaster's aggregate, and fried most of the rest of it (pock marks and etching). B tried to claim "not our fault" due to some defect in the plaster. My position is: I don't care if my pool was made out of cheese, it was their responsibility to use no treatment (acid type/strength/duration/neutralizer, whatever) that would harm the plaster to that degree. They could have tested a small patch first. They could have done small sections at a time and stopped when the problem first happened. Nope. They blasted the whole thing before they spotted any damage. How is that even possible? How is that not B's fault/responsibility? He disagreed and basically walked off the job: didn't finish the system upgrade and wouldn't repair/replace the plaster. So we'll see how that all shakes out in court.
Meanwhile, my plaster continues to come apart in the following weeks, and I know I'm going to have to have it replaced, regardless of who's going to pay for it. I hire a plaster guy (PG) to replace the plaster. I go with his micro pebble, and try to recreate the Tahoe Blue plaster color from before, which I absolutely loved. That all went down last week. So far the pebble looks great. The color is perfect (I hope it won't morph too much, as I understand new surfaces can do the first few weeks) and now I'm in the middle of "start up." When B ran out on me, I hired a "new guy" (NG) to take care of the pool. So PG and NG have worked together before, so I figure the handoff between plastering and start up would go well. Well, Day 1 was last Thursday, and Friday, Day 2, was the holiday. NG got the pump going, sold me some new filter cartridges, tested the water and did a cursory brushing. That was it. PG and NG both vanished for the weekend, and I was left with the internet and a test kit to figure out how to handle these next most important days of a pool surface's life! So when I found TFP, and started understanding their underlying pool philosophy, suddenly everything clicked. Something I mostly already knew (from other remodel projects), but didn't want to face about my pool: if you want it done right, do it yourself. Fire everybody, and figure out how to care for my pool myself. And so here I am!
I like the sound of BBB. The logic of putting in only what is absolutely necessary, and doing the work instead of relying on shortcuts, chemical or otherwise, just makes too much sense. I know I can do this at least as well as the millennial dufuses that B sent me! I did use Leslie's this weekend to double-check my test kit. Again, all new to all that. But I've only bought their M-acid and CYA. Chlorine from Lowes. Nothing else so far has gone into the water. I'm fighting a slight TA spike, and trying to keep chlorine and pH in range while doing so. I think I'm doing OK, using MA and my idea of aerating. But it's pretty scary "learning" on a $9000 pebble job on top of a $70000 pool!!
Hat in hand here, any and all help most welcome. I know what I know, but what I know most is that I don't know it all! Not to proud to learn, not too proud too beg. Looking forward to working with you all!!
Cheers!
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BLASTED holes in your plaster?????? I bet they were having a meeting "how do I live through this???" kind of meeting!
You should fit in just fine here...
what an adventure you and your pool has been on! 
