Next Level Water Care
Jacuzzi® hot tubs already are some of the simplest spas to maintain. Between our powerful CLEARRAY Active Oxygen™ UV-C and Ozone system, exclusive @ease SmartChlor™, but the question remains: how else can we make water care for your hot tub even easier?
By harnessing the power of our SmartTub™ system, we are excited to partner with Sutra for the most robust, total water management system in any hot tub, by any manufacturer or brand. Sutro now integrates with SmartTub™ to provide water care measurement and chemical instructions from within the SmartTub™ app! Tarson Pools and Spas is proud to be one of the first Jacuzzi® dealers in the US to offer this partnership. Simply pair your mySutro account to your SmartTub™ app, and it's that simple!
The Sutro monitor will test your water 3x per day, every day, without any intervention or action from you and will report back the results of those tests to your SmartTub™ app, and to Tarson so that we can provide better service for you should you encounter any water care issues. Sutro uses reagents instead of probes like other products, so it is the most accurate consumer water chemistry monitor on the market. Sutro measures the water temperature and tests for: Free Chlorine (fcl), pH, and Alkalinity. Aside from the initial $600 investment in the monitor, the service is $29/mo which covers auto-replenishment of fresh reagent cartridges every month from Sutro directly
Don't have SmartTub™ in your Jacuzzi® hot tub? No problem! We can add SmartTub™ to any spa manufactured after 2016. If you'd like to be part of our product trials for our first rollout of the Sutro + SmartTub™ system, please call or text us at (315) 291-8800 and ask for Allen!
Closing Time. This pool won't be open 'til sun or heat come
Sadly, it’s that time again. The temperature is beginning to drop and it’s time to close your pool for the season. If you couldn’t make it to our pool school, we’ve got you covered. The winter ❄️ can be really brutal in upstate NY thats why it is important not to miss a single thing when closing a pool. Here are a few major things Tarson Pools service team takes care of to ensure you get the most out of your pool for the years to come ☀️!
1) Vacuum and Test 💨
The cleaner your pool is when it’s closed, the cleaner it will be when it reopens. Leaving debris and leaves in your pool increases the risk of staining and results in a higher demand for chemicals, so be thorough. Check your water chemistry to ensure it is balanced. We can do it for free here at Tarson in 5 minutes. Doing this will optimize your water balance and make sure you are getting the full potential out of your chemicals.
*If your water is green or discolored, address this before closing your pool.
2) Add Winter Chemicals 🧪
Once the water is tested and balanced, add your winter chemicals as directed. In most cases, the pump should be on. DO NOT add the chemicals into the skimmer. Allow the chemicals to circulate for 2-4 hours before continuing the process.
3) Remove Hardware 🔧
Remove all ladders, toys, diving boards, etc. Reduce wear by placing them in a dry, safe environment so you can enjoy them next season.
4) Drop the Water Level
Change the valve in front of your pump to select the Port 2 setting (the main suction line) and then set your filter to the drain (waste) position. Drain the pool water level 2-4 inches below the bottom of the skimmer.
* If you choose not to drain the pool water level, use a Blowout Extension. It allows you to reduce the force taken by the skimmer when the water freezes.
5) Filtration and Circulation Removal 🔁
Disconnect the filter, pump and heater from their lines and pull the plugs so they can drain. Store the pump indoors and use a Pump Protector to prevent seals from going bad. DO NOT place the sand filter indoors. The sand filter often weight hundreds of pounds. If the sand in the filter shifts it could result in the internals of the filter breaking. DE filters should be cleaned and acid washed before being stored indoors.
6) Blow Out Lines
Select the Port 1 section on the valve to blow out the skimmer line. Using a blower or shop-vac, blow into the valve to push all of the water out of the skimmer lines and return lines. The air will come out of the closest return line first, so plug the line with a 1.5” winter plug then move on to the next. Now that all of the lines are blown out, add nontoxic antifreeze. Use a minimum of 1/2 gallon for every line. For the main drain, which cannot be blown out, use a full gallon of antifreeze.
7) Cover Pool
Place the cover over your pool so that it comfortably fits flat on the water. You don’t want your cover to be tight or strained because this may lead to tearing. Place the water bags inside of the designated straps (on inground pools) to weigh down the cover. Fill the water bags half way to leave room for expansion. Place them end to end to avoid wind moving the cover. For extra weight, spray an inch or two of water on the cover.
Help the longevity of your pool with proper balancing
A number of factors determine the longevity of your pool liner. The average life of an in-ground pool liner is about 8-10 years. With good care, you can increase their longevity, even 20 years or more. Assuming that the liner fits and was installed correctly, the most important factor is water chemistry. Keep the water in balance and properly sanitized. It might sound simple, but keep the pool clean! Usually, your pool only needs a few minutes per day, but it is an important few minutes. THE most important factor that determines the life of your pool liner is water chemistry.
Special coating protects vinyl liners that make them withstand the extreme sun, temperatures and constant exposure to treated water but you can help maintain your liner life by following these steps:
– Keep Proper pH levels: Proper pH levels are between 7.2 and 7.6, which should be tested daily. When your pH level drops below 7.0 this can cause your liner to discolor, swell and create unwanted wrinkles. Having a pool with a higher than 7.6 pH level accelerates the aging process of your pool.
– Careful with Chlorine: Chlorine abuse is major cause of liner degradation. Keeping your pool’s chlorine level too low will not kill enough of the bacteria in the water. While chlorine levels that are kept too high can attack your liner and cause bleaching. It is important to note that if you are using granular chlorine dissolve it completely in a bucket of water first before putting it into your pool. Never allow chlorine to come in contact with your liner before it has been dissolved. It is a best practice to run your circulating pump for a minimum of four hours after the addition of chemicals.
– Water Levels: Although your pool liner is coated to protect against the sun, it is extremely important to keep your pool full of water at all times. When the water level of your pool gets low it exposes your liner to the sun that can lead to drying out and shrinking.
– Keep your Liner Clean: Your pool will develop a “bathtub” ring above the water line. It is important to keep this area clean as these contaminants that include body oils, suntan lotions and airborne contaminants can get “baked” onto your liner causing it to crack and dry out. To clean this area you should talk with us about what products will work best for your liner. DO NOT use CLR or household cleaning products.
– Chemicals: More is not better when it comes to chemicals. Do not add more chemicals than needed to your pool. This can cause your pool liner to disintegrate and also can be very expensive.