Hi All,
I'm glad I stumbled across this forum. Thanks in advance for whatever answers you might. I just spent hours on the phone talking to different pool companies and would like some of your thoughts, if you don't mind.
I just moved into a new house in Long Island, NY, a few months ago with a pool, which was closed a week after I moved in. I want to upgrade the pump to a VS and add a pool heat pump. Currently there is no heater. I've read through online what I could and have been calling local pool places for installation quotes.
I have a 20'x40' pool which is pretty old, with a single speed pump. I know that Island Recreational uses their own Chinese knockoff VS pumps, Blue Torrent, although it's hard to find real reviews about them. Otherwise other people have suggested either Pentair or Hayward, mid-range models, although it's $400 more to buy/install. But how long are pumps designed to last anyway? How long do the big name brands last, on average?
Evidently Blue Torrent even manufactures their own pool heat pumps? About $2000 less to purchase/install as compared to Pentair. I know that I need the largest heat pumps out there, at least 130k BTUs to heat a pool of my size, even without any spa attached.
One company suggested that I may as well upgrade my old sand filter system and have convert the pool to salt water to save on installation costs ... but I think the old sand filter still works? But it is all rusted, as you can see below.
If I do upgrade to a salt water system, I'm guessing that I should also install a zinc anode to protect the ladders and diving board? But is it worth upgrading? There seems to be lots of opinions on this, especially considering that all of the components need to replaced at an expensive cost every 4-6 years.
I want to learn how to maintain the pool, but don't know if I should just hire someone for the first summer to open/close/maintain. Would maintenance be easier with a salt water pool? From the intro threads I seem to need a testing kit for pH, etc. Island Recreational is even throwing in a robotic ibot pool vacuum, lol ... which should make my job maintaining easier?
I'm also guessing that I should buy a solar cover, but someone had mentioned using a liquid cover. Do any of you have any experience with this, especially on Long Island, NY?
And how much should I be paying to purchase/install a name brand heat pump and VS pump ... and maybe the salt water converter?
I'm glad I stumbled across this forum. Thanks in advance for whatever answers you might. I just spent hours on the phone talking to different pool companies and would like some of your thoughts, if you don't mind.
I just moved into a new house in Long Island, NY, a few months ago with a pool, which was closed a week after I moved in. I want to upgrade the pump to a VS and add a pool heat pump. Currently there is no heater. I've read through online what I could and have been calling local pool places for installation quotes.
I have a 20'x40' pool which is pretty old, with a single speed pump. I know that Island Recreational uses their own Chinese knockoff VS pumps, Blue Torrent, although it's hard to find real reviews about them. Otherwise other people have suggested either Pentair or Hayward, mid-range models, although it's $400 more to buy/install. But how long are pumps designed to last anyway? How long do the big name brands last, on average?
Evidently Blue Torrent even manufactures their own pool heat pumps? About $2000 less to purchase/install as compared to Pentair. I know that I need the largest heat pumps out there, at least 130k BTUs to heat a pool of my size, even without any spa attached.
One company suggested that I may as well upgrade my old sand filter system and have convert the pool to salt water to save on installation costs ... but I think the old sand filter still works? But it is all rusted, as you can see below.
If I do upgrade to a salt water system, I'm guessing that I should also install a zinc anode to protect the ladders and diving board? But is it worth upgrading? There seems to be lots of opinions on this, especially considering that all of the components need to replaced at an expensive cost every 4-6 years.
I want to learn how to maintain the pool, but don't know if I should just hire someone for the first summer to open/close/maintain. Would maintenance be easier with a salt water pool? From the intro threads I seem to need a testing kit for pH, etc. Island Recreational is even throwing in a robotic ibot pool vacuum, lol ... which should make my job maintaining easier?
I'm also guessing that I should buy a solar cover, but someone had mentioned using a liquid cover. Do any of you have any experience with this, especially on Long Island, NY?
And how much should I be paying to purchase/install a name brand heat pump and VS pump ... and maybe the salt water converter?
