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!

 

Caring and Cleaning for your Gunite Pool

Caring and Cleaning of your Gunite Pool: Best Practices

Our second most popular question we get (the most popular being “How do we get one of those beautiful gunite pools?”) is “what’s the best way to care for and clean my gunite pool?”

Cleaning and maintenance for any type of swimming pool is vital, but it is especially important with gunite pools. While Living Waters Gunite Pools & Spas can certainly handle any of your cleaning and maintenance for you, it’s helpful to refer to the below guide to help you understand what goes into caring for your gunite swimming pool. Adhering to these tips will help keep your pool clean as part of a regular maintenance schedule, allowing you to enjoy your backyard Cape Cod paradise for many years to come!

 

Gunite is a porous material, so it’s important to note that algae tend to breed quickly, which has the potential to mess up your Cape Cod pool’s water and make it unmanageable. To minimize that risk, making sure your pool’s sides are vacuumed and cleaned daily will help keep that gunite pool’s water fresh and clean.

 

Here are some gunite swimming pool maintenance tips to consider:

 

Cleaning of Debris

Before getting started into any major pool cleaning steps, it’s extremely vital to skim any debris and any other particles floating in your gunite pool. Some debris will float, while other types of debris will settle at the bottom of the swimming pool. Before doing anything else with your pool, make sure all debris is out first! Start by scrubbing the pool’s walls and the pool floor as well. Make sure that you use swimming pool manufacturer-recommended vacuums and cleaners (if you don’t know what they are, we can help provide this cleaning service for you).

 

Getting the Best Filter

A vital part of your gunite swimming pool maintenance is having a good quality filtration system. This will play a major role in keeping your water clear and clean. The role of the filter is to remove debris and harmful chemicals in the pool water. If your pool is older, or if you have a consistent issue with algae, that would be a sure sign that your filtration system needs upgrading.

You might also want to get your gunite inground pool inspected by our gunite swimming pool maintenance technicians. We’ll replace your filters or sand used in your equipment. It could be that a simple repair might be all your pool needs to greatly improve the quality of your pool’s water.

 

Chemical Balancing

If your pH level of your pool water is not adjusted correctly, the risk of a swimming getting skin rashes could be greater than normal.  An incorrect pH balance could also corrode pool equipment over time. An idea level of calcium hardness and alkalinity is what determines a well-balanced pool environment. Most pool balancers are available in the marketplace, just make sure to follow any instructions presented on pool balancing packs to make sure any chemical balancing is completed successfully.

 

Algae, Algae, Algae

If algae are left unchecked, a small colony can quickly turn into a large infestation. To prevent algae growth in your Cape Cod gunite pool, use algaecides properly. Make sure you add them to your swimming pool on a weekly basis to keep levels in control. If your pool does have algae, our expert Cape & Islands pool technicians can recommend products that will quickly get rid of algae. However, do note that adding algaecides to the water may leave your gunite pool as unusable for a few days.

 

Cape Cod Gunite Swimming Pool Maintenance: Conclusion

Gunite pool maintenance is a recurring task that gets more towards perfection with a bit of practice. The key is to follow steps accurately, and it’s extremely important to protect yourself while you’re cleaning your Cape Cod pool. Make sure that you are wearing protective clothing and gloves while using any tools or chemicals and be sure to follow all instructions provided with chemicals to the letter. Otherwise, not following instructions or failing to wear protective gear could be detrimental to the health of your swimming pool and the swimmers in it.

If the idea of cleaning, filtration, performing chemical balances and dealing with algae seems like a daunting task, worry not! That’s where our Living Waters Gunite Pools & Spas expert technicians can step in to take care of any of these items for you. We take the worry, stress, and effort away from you and provide you the utmost quality care so that you can sit back and enjoy that Cape Cod backyard pool paradise! Give us a call today at (774) 368-4221 for a free estimate!