ABOVE GROUND POOL PROFESSIONALS

19 YEARS OF PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

IN

ABOVE GROUND POOL INSTALLATIONS

863-661-2655

New Pool Owner Customer Information:

Above Ground Pool Professionals recommends that you set up an appointment with the office to Open and Close pool. This way you could be home to watch the proper way to close and open your pool. Then you can decide if you would like to do it yourself or relax and let us professionally service your pool, as we know that your time is very important.  You have made a great investment for your leisure and we would like to see it last for many years of enjoyment.

We hope that this information provided would answer all of your questions and help you with all of your pool needs. If there are any other questions please do not hesitate to ask the installer or call the office, as we would be glad to be of help.

Customer must fill pool only with the use of a garden hose.

Do not fill with the use of a fire hose or water truck, as this would be too much stress on the liner causing it to tear or split on the seam. This will void your liner and installation warranty.

Fill Pool only with direct sunlight.

The sun will heat the liner allowing it to stretch properly as the pool is filling.

Any buckles in the pool wall will push out as the pool is filling.

These buckles are normal and are from the use of a vacuum to help eliminate any wrinkles on the bottom or the liner.

Customer is to remove any slack from the floor of the liner with the use of a soft bristle broom.

When the installation is complete there may not be enough water to cover the entire floor of pool due to water pressure and the size of pool. To install the skimmer and return the vacuum must be shut off, thus any place where there is not water on the floor of liner may wrinkle. To remove wrinkles customer is to wait until the entire floor of pool is covered with water and use a soft bristle broom (such as a kitchen broom) and pull any slack towards the wall of pool. This must be done with less than 1 inch of water on top of the wrinkle. Once the wrinkle is pulled out the water weight will keep it flat.

What looks like wrinkles on the wall of the liner are packing folds this is normal and will stretch out as the pool is filling.

Do not place dirt or grass against pool wall until 2 weeks after pool has been filled.

This will allow the pool to expand and find its own settling point. Most people use either white rocks or wood chips. This will help to prevent damage to the pool that could be caused from trying to maintain grass height with a lawnmower or weed-wacker.

You will see wetness on the outside of pool.

This is normal and is from wetting the sand (if used as an alternative to pool base) to help compact. You will also see wetness due to condensation on the pool wall. Normally you will see wetness approx 1 to 2 inches away from the tracks of pool, in some areas normally in front of an upright it may be up to 6 inches away. This is because the condensation on the wall falls into the track, which will run along the bottom of the track and exit at the lowest point.

 Please note that that these areas should only be damp and not a puddle of water.

If there is a puddle of water on the outside of pool make sure that there is no other source, which would cause the puddle (such as the hose falling out of the pool, sprinkler system, washing machine or gutter drainage, rain etc.). If no other source is present then the liner might be defective (seam separation). Call the office and they will send a representative to inspect the liner. If the liner is defective AGPP will submit the report to the retailer from which you purchased your pool. They will give you another liner and Above Ground Pool Professionals will return and change the liner. This warranty is in effect until 90 day’s after the installation of the pool. Note that if a liner were defective it would normally become apparent within the 2 weeks after the installation.

Proper water level

The proper water level is ½ to 2/3 up the skimmer. There are 2 skimmer screws to the left and the right of the faceplate inside the pool. The optimal height is up to the second set of screws. As long as the water level is in between those 2 screws you are at the proper level.

Skimmer will leak due to weather changes.

This will become apparent in the spring and fall due to the constant expansion and contraction, due to weather changes. If skimmer should leak customer is to tighten screws (using the appropriate size screwdriver, normally a #3 or #2 Phillips head) ¼ turn each until leak stops.

Customer must place a bath matt under the bottom step of the in pool ladder.

This is needed to protect your liner from holes due to the ladder rubbing against the liner from people getting in and out of the pool.

AGPP recommends that you use a Rubbermaid bath matt (the kind that you would use in the bathtub with the suction cups this will adhere itself to the liner and will not float away.

In pool ladder must be sitting on the floor of pool and not against the wall.

Keep vacuum head 6 inches away from the wall.

Do not allow the sides of the vacuum to rub against the sides of the wall. Unless you have a vacuum head with a rubber bumper the vacuum head will be made out of plastic and if it rubs against the liner wall it will scratch the liner and put holes and slits thru liner causing water loss. Also if you have a twig caught in the bristles of the vacuum bristles and you come close to the sides of the pool the twig may also scratch and tear the liner. Before vacuuming and dirt or algae around the perimeter of the pool should be pushed away from the sides using a pool brush or preferably using a rag while someone is in the pool.

Other helpful information

Filter Hookup.

Teflon tape all ports before installing on pump and filter if necessary. Secure pump to the base, if provided. Place the filter on a flat surface, level ground if necessary. Placing the filter on patio blocks or any other solid surface is recommended but not always necessary. When filling sand filters be sure the pvc pipe inside is covered with duct tape or a plastic cup before placing the sand (must use filter sand provided from your pool retailer) inside filter and fill ½ to ¾ full.

Connect hoses and secure with clamps from the bottom of the skimmer to the front of the pump (if a basket was supplied with the pump install to the front of pump and secure with a clamp, connect the skimmer hose to the front of the basket), from the top of the pump to where it says pump on the filter and a hose from the return to where it says return on the filter. If supplied connect the backwash hose to the port on the filter which says backwash. Install pressure gauge if it has not already been installed for you, make sure the threads have Teflon tape. Diatamatious Earth filters must have the recommended amount of DE placed into the skimmer as the filter is running to allow the DE to collect and adhere into the filter. When you first turn on your sand filter you will have to have the setting to rinse, this will allow all of the floating particles to exit the filter thru the waste line preventing it from going into the pool. Then turn the handle to filter. Whenever changing the settings on your filter be sure to turn the pump off, Do not operate with the pump on as this can damage your filter. When you turn on your filter you will need to note what the pressure gauge reading is (it will normally be at around 15 PSI) which ever this reading is it will be your optimal pressure as your filter is free of dirt and debris. When your pressure drops 8 PSI your filter is dirty and needs to be backwashed, let the water run until the water starts to come out clean and clear. Before changing the setting back to filter, put the setting to rinse for about 30 to 60 seconds then turn handle back to filter. You will then notice that the pressure will increase back up to its optimal setting.

Above Ground Pool Professionals can assemble and hookup your filter for a minimal charge of $50.

Pool Chemistry

Be sure to adjust the PH, Alkalinity and Chlorine levels to specifications using a tester and necessary chemicals.

When adding chemicals for the first time. (You can bring a jar full of water to your nearest pool store and they will test it and tell you exactly what chemicals to add and how much).

The first adjustment that should be done is the PH, (allow filter to run for 1 to 3 hours and recheck), Second is the Alkalinity, the correct alkalinity level will stabilize the ph (allow filter to run for 1 to 3 hours then recheck) and Third the pool should be shocked (high concentration of chlorine) to bring the Free chlorine level up to the recommended level (run filter for 12 to 24 hours then recheck). If you use a granular shock be sure to mix it in a 5 gallon bucket of water and allow it to settle, then walk around the pool slowly pouring in the liquid, any granules should be remixed and the same procedure followed, anything left should be discarded outside the pool in a suitable spot. The use of a liquid shock is recommended, as it will not have to be mixed. Do not allow anyone in the pool if the chlorine level is high. Your PH and Alkalinity must be within specs for the chlorine to work properly. Chemicals should be added to the pool just before dusk and the filtration done at night, this is to allow full chemical concentration during filtration as the sun dissipates the chemicals during the day. To help stop the sun from reducing the chlorine level in the pool a stabilizer should be used, such as cynuric acid. When the pool is chemically balanced the average filtration time is 3 to 6 hours depending on the size of the pool. Filter should be set on a timer to allow it to turn off and on automatically. Test the water twice a week and record changes and chemicals added this would allow you to find out the routine. Chlorine tablets should be either placed in the skimmer basket or in a chlorine dispenser as the pool is filtering. Tablets should be removed from the skimmer basket when the filter is not running to prevent chlorine concentration buildup that could stain the liner around the skimmer. You will know when to shock your pool when testing the water. If your chlorine level is good but your free chlorine level is low then it is an indication that the pool needs to be shocked.

Patching Liner.

If you should ever have to patch liner make the patch twice the size of the hole. Make sure the patch is round or oval shaped (do not cut in the shape of a square or rectangle as one of the corners could be entangled on an object and be lifted up causing water to leak thru), apply pool glue to the patch (if you have an over the wall liner you should use the liner from the outside of the pool) making sure the pool glue covers the entire patch. Place the patch over the hole making sure that the entire patch is flat and no edge is lifting. If any edge is not staying down apply glue to the tip of your finger and apply to the patch as needed. Check the patch within 2 minutes to ensure that all of the edges are flat.

Above Ground Pool Professionals does offer this service for a minimal charge of only $50, which includes the inspection of the liner and up to 4 patches. Please ensure that the pool is clear and clean from debris and algae prior to your appointment.

Please note that during the middle of the summer season you will lose water from evaporation.

This is a normal occurrence you can experience from ½” to 1” of water loss in 1 week due to evaporation, children splashing, and filter backwashing. This amount will normally occur when the temperature is in the high 80’s to 90’s, less when it is colder.

Determining water loss.

Before suspecting a hole in the liner be sure that there is no leaks in the filter system. Check for leaks while the filter is on and off. Check all ports, hoses, clamps, screws, filter and pump body.

If you are unsure if you are losing water from a hole in the liner place a band-aid or piece of tape on the wall of liner at the water line just before dusk. Make sure that the water is stable. Check the water level in the morning to see if it has dropped.

If water level has dropped check for any leaks in the filter system if none could be found discontinue using the pool to see if water level falls below the return. If water level stays just below the skimmer or return and does not drop any further after a couple of day’s check the liner at water level for any holes if none is found there is a leak somewhere in the filter system. Pool will have to be refilled to the proper level and filter rechecked.

    Above Ground Swimming Pool Contractor Specializing in Swimming Pool Installations. Serving all of Central Florida. Polk County, Hillsborough County, Orange County, Osceola County, Pasco County, Sumter County, Hardee County and Highlands County.

  Send mail to Info@AboveGroundPoolProfessionals.com with questions or comments about this web site.
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Last modified: August 22, 2007