Maintenance for Your Gunite Pool: Keeping Up To Date Year-Round

Maintenance for Your Gunite Pool: Keeping Up To Date Year-Round

Having a gunite pool as part of your outdoor space offers infinite recreation possibilities, but it does require regular maintenance and care to keep it in optimal condition. Proper gunite pool upkeep is vital to ensure your pool remains beautiful, safe, and in perfect functional condition for many years to come. Living Waters Gunite Pools & Spas, the premier gunite pool designer, builder, and maintenance company on Cape Cod & The Islands, stands ready to provide experienced maintenance services to your exacting standards and needs, making sure that your gunite pool remains in top condition.

Understanding Your Gunite Pool

Gunite pools have a well-earned reputation for their flexibility of design as well as their durability. Gunite pools are constructed using a mixture of cement, sand, and water, and sprayed over a rebar framework to create a long-lasting and solid structure. Their versatility in design and shape makes them an extremely popular choice for homeowners. However, routine and consistent cleaning and maintenance are mandatory to enjoy the benefits of your Cape Cod gunite pool for many years. Living Water Gunite Pools & Spas expert technicians understand all aspects of the unique construction of gunite pools, and offer services tailored to maintaining the integrity of your gunite pool’s interior.

Routine Maintenance Checklist

Keeping a gunite pool in tip-top condition involves many different routine tasks, including brushing, skimming, vacuuming, and making sure that the chemical balance of the pool water is maintained. Living Waters Gunite Pools & Spas provides a plethora of maintenance packages that cover all these required tasks so you can enjoy your pool without having to endure the hassle of day-to-day upkeep yourself.

  • Brushing & Vacuuming: To ensure that algae growth doesn’t occur, Living Waters’ expert technicians routinely brush the pool’s gunite interior, which disrupts any algae formation. Our state-of-the-art, industry-standard best practices are used to vacuum up all debris and algae from the pool floor, ensuring your pool water Is and remains crystal clear.
  • Skimming & Removal of Debris: We also provide regular skimming and cleaning services so that your pool remains free of bugs, leaves and other types of debris. This keeps your pool looking great and ensures your filtration system is clog-free.
  • Cleaning & Maintenance of Filters: Pool filters are vital for keeping water safe and clean. Living Waters offers routine pool filter cleaning and maintenance; this includes cartridge, sand, and DE filters. Result: your pool filtration system ends up running efficiently, maintaining water clarity and prolonging the life of your equipment.

Water Balance & Chemistry

Making sure that the chemical balance of your pool water is hands down one of our top priorities for proper gunite pool maintenance. Our expert pool technicians at Living Waters Gunite Pools & Spas routinely test and adjust the levels for chlorine and pH, ensuring that the water in your pool is always balanced and safe.

  • Chlorine & Sanitization: We maintain all proper chlorine levels in your pool, effectively preventing algae and bacteria bloom. We also offer alternative sanitization methods, (i.e. saltwater systems), tailored to your exacting preference.
  • Testing & Balancing Pool Water: Living Waters Gunite Pools & Spas uses professional-level testing kits to keep an eye on your pool’s chlorine and pH levels. We adjust the chemical balance to prevent any damage to the surfaces of your pool and to ensure a safe environment for swimming.
  • Shock Treatment: For pools that may require shock treatment, Living Waters provides up-to-date interventions to restore chemical balance, especially after heavy use or when addressing algae blooms. Our many years of expertise ensures that your pool inviting and safe.

Consideration for All Seasons

Depending on the season, gunite pools require different types of care. Our seasonal maintenance services at Living Waters Gunite Pools & Spas include everything from pool openings in the spring to pool closings in the winter, with our goal to ensure your pool is maintained and ready for use when needed.

  • Pool Openings for Spring: As part of our maintenance packages, Living Waters  will handle the entire opening and start-up process in the spring, from debris removal to cleaning and inspecting pool filters, balancing of pool chemicals and ensuring that your pH and chlorine levels for your pool water are ready for the forthcoming season.  
  • Pool Closings for Winter: Our pool winterizing services ensure your gunite pool is wholly prepared for the colder months. We add winterizing chemicals, lower water levels, and cover your pool securely to protect it from any freeze damage or debris.
  • Tips During the Off-Season: Even in the off-season, Living Waters Gunite Pools & Spas offers routine maintenance checks to make sure your pool cover stays secure and is free from any potential algae growth or debris.  We offer this proactive care to also make sure that the pool opening in the spring goes smoothly.

Common Issues Addressed

Even with the best of regular maintenance, gunite pools may sometimes encounter staining, algae growth, and issues with surface wear. That’s where Living Waters comes in: with our gunite pool experts that are equipped to address these challenges in a timely fashion, ensuring your pool remains in top optimal condition.

  • Discoloration & Stains: If any stains appear on your pool’s gunite interior, we can diagnose its cause and provide professional services for stain removal. We work to monitor and adjust the pool’s pH levels and chlorine levels to make sure there are no staining and discoloration issues moving forward.
  • Algae Growth: Living Waters Gunite Pools & Spas helps prevent algae growth by maintaining optimal chlorine levels and regularly brushing your pool’s surfaces. Our prompt treatment services, including algaecides and shock, should algae appear, will keep your pool clear and healthy.
  • Surface Wear & Cracks: We offer regular inspections that look to detect surface wear or cracks in your gunite pool. Our prompt repairs and resurfacing services can also keep any minor issues from escalating into major problems, ensuring your pool remains a beautiful and safe retreat.

 

Top Gunite Pool Professional Maintenance Services

Yes, it is true that a homeowner can potentially handle many aspects of maintenance on a gunite pool. However, it is highly recommended to have a gunite pool company like Living Waters Gunite Pools & Spas provide professional services that takes away that burden from the homeowner. From routine care and maintenance to more complex repairs, we offer a full selection of services to keep your pool in tip-top condition. We have years of experience in pool maintenance (in addition to our custom pool design and construction), ensuring that every area of your pool’s care is handled professionally and in full.

 

Year-Round Peace of Mind Is the Best Reward

Maintaining a gunite swimming pool properly and consistently requires dedication and attention to detail. With Living Waters Gunite Pools & Spas, you can enjoy your pool without the stress of regular upkeep.

We provide a full range of maintenance services year-round, including pool openings, pool closings, routine maintenance, and professional repairs to keep your gunite pool pristine.

Whether you’re looking for routine maintenance, or if you are looking for a renovation or brand new gunite pool project for your yard, Living Waters Gunite Pools & Spas has the commitment and expertise to design, build, and upkeep your pool so that it remains functional and beautiful throughout the year. Contact us today at (774) 368-4221 or at info@capecodpooldesign.com and put your trust in Living Waters to take care of all your gunite pool needs, so that you can focus on enjoying your luxury outdoor pool area!

Tips to Extend Your Summer Pool Season

Tips to Extend Your Summer Pool Season

While we still have plenty of wonderful Cape Cod summer weather left, it’s also a good idea to be mindful that at some point, our summer’s long nights will be replaced by the cool breezes of autumn.

Cape Cod and southeastern Massachusetts residents will trade their marshmallowey S’mores and bathing suits for apple cider and pumpkins. Before you know it, preparations for winter will start to happen as our Barnstable County, Martha’s Vineyard, and Nantucket neighbors begin to pull their windows shut, pack away their shorts, and wave goodbye to the migrating birds.

But fret not! Winter isn’t here yet, and fall is still some weeks away…and that is awesome news for all the warm weather fans out there!

For our Cape & Islands gunite pool owners, there are a few checklist items to keep in mind to be sure you can extend the summer season for your pool without having to head south:

Optimizing Your Gunite Pool Water Temperature

Just because it’s August doesn’t mean you have to start thinking about doing a polar plunge in your pool…you only need to make sure the temperature in your pool is maintained. While you don’t need to turn your pool into a sauna, you can raise the temperature up enough to cancel out any chill from the autumn air. How to do so, you ask?

Geothermal Heat

Imagine that you have a Yeti or similar travel mug. Have you ever watched someone at a coffee shop heat up your travel drink container before pouring coffee into it? If you have a material already heated around that liquid, what happens is that mug gets conditioned which keeps your beverage consistently warmer and for longer periods of time.

Think of your gunite pool in much the same way: almost as a heat sink that retains its heat from the ground around it. As we head from late summer into early fall, this geothermal heat retention keeps the water temperature in your pool warmer than the air temperature outside of it.

The Science of Keeping Heat Consistent

The more scientific term of this is known as “temperature homeostasis” …let’s use a home as an example. During cold or winter months, it’s normal to have a temperature setting on a thermostat change based on if a family is home or out for a time. As you know, making sure the temperature change stays minimal is crucial because more energy is consumed trying to raise temperature more than 5 degrees rather than keeping to a consistent temperature. Many families use this same tactic to maintain a more consistent temperature in their homes. Much is the same with your gunite pool: when working to extend your pool season by raising the heat of a pool, make sure it’s on a timer to keep it consistent, or that any changes in temperature are in small increments at a time. The result being that this will leave your pool at a more acceptable and higher temperature that is more efficient and cost-effective rather than drastically changing it up and down every time when you’re not using it. 

Consistency is key!

“But I don’t HAVE a gunite pool…”

“That’s great advice, but I don’t have a gunite pool” you may say.

That’s where Living Waters Gunite Pools & Spas comes in!

Now, it may seem counter-intuitive to consider purchasing a gunite pool after the swim season is over, but in all honesty, NOW is the perfect time to plan for one!

What if you don’t have a pool?

Living Waters will continue to be installing gunite pools over the next few months, and our busy schedule already has us planning for 2025 projects, so right now, today, is the time to get your backyard pool project booked! This is also the perfect time to note the different nuances in your yard, and these thoughts are fresh in your mind while you are thinking of them. For instance, if you wait more than a few months, you may forget where in your yard the sun shines the most, where the ideal spot for a deck or part of the backyard would be best for lounging, where leaves tend to gather, etc.

These are all important details that help to determine what shape, size, and area of your backyard is best for gunite pool construction. Thinking about that dream gunite pool can keep warm weather thoughts to keep you going through the cold nights as well!

Understandably, this can seem like a lot to consider, almost to the point of being overwhelming. But don’t fret, Living Waters Gunite Pools & Spas works with you every step of the way, from design to build/construction and maintaining your Cape Cod gunite pool year-round!

Your Dream Pool Project Starts with One Small Step

There’s only one step you need to do, and that’s to call us today at (774) 368-4221 or visit our website at www.capecodpooldesign.com and start the process with a free estimate! Then you can look forward to enjoying that pool through all four seasons!

 

How an Inground Gunite Pool Can Transform Your Entire Outdoor Space

How an Inground Gunite Pool Can Transform Your Entire Outdoor Space

On a hot summer day, the ability to have access to cool, refreshing water in your own backyard is priceless. A gorgeous pool can bring the whole family together and help the space come to life not just during the summer, but year-round.

But there is a lot to consider when deciding on a long-lasting, aesthetically appealing swimming pool.

A perfect pool is the key to transform your outdoor yard area into a gorgeous Cape Cod pool oasis, but it is vital to consider options that work for your space, taste, and budget.

At Living Waters Gunite Pools & Spas, we specialize in one specific kind of pool that we consider to be the very best: an inground gunite pool.

What Makes an Inground Gunite Pool So Unique?

An inground gunite pool is a pool design that utilizes a rebar framework sprayed over with concrete.

Because gunite pools are extremely substantial, these are high-end pools that essentially last decades – and in the long term they are way less expensive to own than other options. They can be renovated and kept up over the decades and are designed to truly last indefinitely.

Even commercial properties (i.e. hotels, condos, apartments) that are invested long-term in their pools have the vast majority of inground gunite pools.

We believe greatly in this creed: a well-designed Cape Cod gunite swimming pool is yard art. More than that, it’s a whole outdoor living space.

Thus, Living Waters Gunite Pools & Spas have chosen to focus exclusively on inground gunite pools, not only because of their flexibility and durability but because it allows us to be clear experts in the field by specializing in this specific area.

An inground gunite pool for your Cape Cod, Martha’s Vineyard, Nantucket, or South Shore home is a customized engineering product that can be tailored to every exacting need…hence, why we strive to execute the dreams and visions that our clients must make a reality in their outdoor spaces.

Gunite Inground Pools As a Specialty

With Living Waters Gunite Pools & Spas, designing and constructing these functional and beautiful aquatic landscapes has been a family passion for many years.  We are a local Cape Cod family-owned business that takes great pride in our work.

Founder Rafael Ribeiro and his team are dedicated to being the best at what they do. These inground gunite pools on Cape Cod and the Islands can transform an entire outdoor living space and assist to create a one-of-a-kind luxury environment for families to enjoy.

If You Can Imagine It, We Can Create It

Living Waters Gunite Pools & Spas can create outdoor living spaces that design the pools of our client’s dreams, taking into account all budgets and sizes.

The vast possibilities for designs are just about infinite. These Cape Cod gunite pools can be strictly tailored to shape, depth, and a plethora of other options. With inground gunite pools, the cost is based on square footage and perimeter footage, plus any other amenities our clients wish to have, such as decking, lighting, water effects, spas and cabanas, outdoor kitchens, and even surrounding landscaping and masonry…the sky is the limit!

In short, there’s no need to feel stuck with a traditional vinyl generic pool if you prefer to have something more suited to your tastes and that complements the aesthetics of your property.  

Inground Gunite Pool Options to Consider

When considering all the options available to you for your perfect pool, there are several factors to think of— functionality, size, aesthetics, etc.

The key factor that we suggest to all customers is to also include an attached hot tub or spa. There are massive benefits to this kind of add-on.

On Cape Cod, we can enjoy long and warm summers, but by adding a hot tub to your inground gunite pool, the timeframe for outdoor activities in the pool area gets greatly extended. With the relaxing and therapeutic heat of the hot tub, you can continue to enjoy the space into late fall and even the winter!

And because inground gunite pools are so versatile, there are many other options to consider.

These include:

  • Vanishing edges or infinity pools — These exotic-looking pools appear to make water disappear over the horizon. It’s then caught in a basin and recirculated.
  • Pebble or tile interiors — Depending on your preferred look or feel, there are different interior options to choose from that will complement the rest of your outdoor space.
  • Self-cleaning systems — These works much like a sprinkler; filtered water pushes debris out of the pool, and the system is almost invisible.

Pools are for Cooling Off…BUT Inground Gunite Pools are a Step Above

While all pools essentially serve the same function, functionality and aesthetics make all the difference between whether a family gets to enjoy their poolscape, or letting it sit unused.

At Living Waters Gunite Pools & Spas, we believe beautiful spaces are crucial to the whole process, and that our gunite pool areas are not just used as something you cool off with.

Regardless of one’s budget or size, the key factor is that the gunite pool fits into the entire outdoor space in a way that makes it enjoyable for everyone. Taking the stress and worry out of yours, we’re able to implement an entire vision that considers all elements of a luxurious upscale outdoor living area.

From fire pits to pools to patios to water effects, we can build a space that offers a veritable oasis for the entire family — transforming a formerly boring and unused backyard.

Summer is here, so contact us at this link here or call us directly at (774) 368-4221 for a free quote if you would like to start your process TODAY and explore all the ways that your outdoor area can come alive!