For those that enjoy the exercise benefits of swimming or those who simply like to relax in the pool then an appropriate water temperature is essential. Too cold and it’s no fun for anyone. Too hot and the individual won’t occupy the pool for any length of time. This is why swimming pool heaters are so crucial to ensuring a consistent water temperature, and the enjoyment of the users. These heaters enable the user to feel the warmth of heated water throughout the year, many of which are also usable indoors.

The real beauty of swimming pool heaters is that quality operators will tailor them to meet your dimensions, which ensures they are a cost-effective heating solution that is neither too electricity hungry or inadequate for your pool area.

There are a variety of swimming pool heaters and associated products available, namely Heat Pumps, Natural & Propane Gas Heaters, Oil Heaters, Inline Electric Heaters and Heat Exchangers. These should be sourced from the leading manufacturers, including Calorex, Certikin, Electro, Thermalec and Vaporex.

Heat pumps are available for a range of pool sizes, and they absorb heat and moisture from the outside air in temperatures ranging from -15 to 40C, and upgrade this energy to a more usable form of heat through their unique refrigeration cycle. As well as these heat pumps, highly efficient oil-fired and in-line electric heaters are also available as pool heating solutions.

And while these heaters can be expensive in terms of initial outlay, they are incredibly cost-efficient in the long-term savings they can generate. But for a more economical option look no further than a heat exchanger. This are linked to the house boiler so that heat can be supplied to the pool when it is not required for the house.

In terms of powering your heater an array of natural and propane gas powered swimming pool heaters can be supplied by high-quality operators, as well as dehumidifiers which help to keep the air around your pool free of water vapour and condensation - which is especially important for indoor pools.

Swimming pool chemicals are some of the most important products to purchase for a pool, not just from a hygiene point of view but to ensure that the swimming pool is kept in good condition and the water level remains consistent. This is particularly vital for outdoor pools, where weather and external conditions can have a severe effect upon the swimming pool. There is one company that specialises in the retail of a wide selection of equipment, from chemicals and pool covers to mechanical cleaners and items for saunas.

The Swimming Pool Store have specialised in products for swimming pools, saunas, spas and hot tubs for many years. All of their employees are incredibly knowledgeable when it comes to the most suitable chemicals for indoor and outdoor pools, so even customers that know nothing about this aspect of the pool can feel confident that they will purchase the right products for their needs.

Most people know that chlorine is essential for any pool, to kill bacteria, viruses and micro-organisms before they can be passed around to the various pool users. This is vital as the water in a pool is constantly re-used. However, many pool owners are not aware of the other swimming pool chemicals available.

The Swimming Pool Store split their chemicals into four different groups; prevention and cure, chlorine, bromine and water balance. The products under the prevention and cure tag include; algicides and clarifiers. These prevent the build up of algae and they maintain the clarity of the water by improving the filtration of the pool, essential for outdoor pools.

To purchase chemicals from this specialist retailer, simply visit their website and add your chosen products to the shopping basket. If you want to learn more about swimming pool chemicals and how to use them, take a look at the downloads on their website or contact their team by filling out their enquiry form.

Some simple steps to follow to ensure your pool is clean and healthy for the summer. It is important to maintain your pool’s cleanliness for optimum performance throughout the summer.

• If your pool was closed down for the winter months and maintained correctly over the winter then the process of opening up your pool can be achieved with the minimum amount of work, as when the cover is removed carefully you should be presented with relatively clean pool with clear water
• Depending on what cover you have had in place over the winter months whether it be a Winter Debris Cover, Solar Bubble Cover or an Automatic Pool Cover the debris that is no doubt present on the cover surface will need to be removed, this can be done by sweeping it to the pool edges and carefully removing by hand.
• If the pool was covered by a winter cover then this can now be carefully removed further cleaned and placed back into its protective bag that was supplied with the cover to be placed in storage ready for the end of the season. If a solar cover was kept on over winter this can now be rolled back onto the roller. A little debris and dirty water may go into the pool water at this point but do not worry this is perfectly normal and will cause no problems whilst opening up the pool.
• If plugs have been used to bung off the pool outlets or empty drums were placed in the pool over winter then they can now be removed.
• Using a Deep Leaf Net and a Flat Leaf Net attached to an Extendable Vacuum Pole remove any surface debris and any leaves that may be on the bottom of the pool. If you find that you are left with a dirty mark along the water line don’t worry as this can simply be removed using Fi-Clor Tile & Liner Cleaner. Do not use household cleaners for this task you may damage your pool surface and affect the water balance.
• If any pool side equipment such as Swimming Pool Ladders or Diving Boards were removed then they can be reinstalled at this stage, please note before the bolts are relocated into the existing holes ensure all the holes are free from debris and lubricated accordingly.
• The filtration equipment within the plant room should have been decommissioned when the pool was closed down at the end of last season and will now be required to be reconnected ensuring that all O rings are lubricated with a silicon lubricant, all drain plugs are fitted back into the Swimming Pool Pump, Pool Filter and the Swimming Pool Heater.
• If required the pool water level may need to be topped up, the ideal level for this is halfway up the Pool Skimmer mouth. The Pool Pump will now require to be primed, this is done by ensuring the ball valves on the pool lines are still closed first, remove the pool pump lid and fill with water. Once this is done make sure the filter valve is set to filtration. Then turn on the pump and simultaneously open up one of the ball valves to ensure flow through the pump. Once the pool pump is drawing water correctly, slowly open up the remaining ball valves, one at a time, until the pool pump is drawing on all the lines. It is good practice at this point to check for slight leaks on the filtration system that may need attention. Please note - if the water level is above the skimmer at the start of this operation, then set the filter valve to waste then lower the level down to the ideal point, then reset back to filter once this has been achieved.
• Run the filtration system for a minimum of 6 hrs.
• The pool can now be vacuumed using the correct Vacuum Head or Automatic Pool Cleaner.
• Once the pool has been vacuumed a backwash on the filter must be carried out for at least 3-5 minutes to ensure all the debris has been removed from the Pool Filter and it can now run at is optimum efficiency. Once the back wash is complete the pool may need topping up with fresh water.
• If your solar cover has not yet been prepared in the previous stages then it should be done at this point making sure that it is serviceable for another season and is clean and free from any algae or staining.
• Chemicalisation is the next step of opening up your pool, we recommend that the pH level is the first point of call as the sanitiser will not work to its full capacity if the pH level is out of balance. The ideal range of the pH on a pool should be between 7.4 - 7.6 ppm. If the water is out of these ideal parameters they can easy be adjusted by using pH Increaser or pH & Alkalinity Reducer. Please refer to the manufacturer’s guidelines on the reverse of the container for the recommended dosing.
• Once the correct water balance has been achieved you will now need to shock dose the pool. The ideal product for this would be Fi-Clor Superfast Shock as the granular particles are so fine that it can be added directly to the pool unlike the other forms of Granular Shock which needs to be pre-dissolved in a bucket of warm water before adding to the pool. The reason for shock dosing is to kill all algae and bacteria that may be present.
• The filtration system now needs to be run for a minimum 12 hours to ensure the shock has time to mix with the entire water content of the pool.
• Once the above is completed an Algicide must now be added to the pool water to keep any algae from forming within the pool over the coming months we would recommend using Fi-Clor Multi-Functional Algicide or Fi-Clor Ultra Concentrated Algicide.
• Now that the basic pool opening procedure has been completed the normal pool operating routine can now commence remembering the ideal chlorine level is between 1.5 – 3 ppm and the ideal pH level is between 7.4 – 7.6 ppm. These levels can be simply monitored by using our Aquacheck Water Testing or our other pool testing systems

Although the above is a comprehensive guide you may experience some unexpected problems, please do not hesitate to contact a member of our team at sales@theswimmingpoolstore and we will be happy to help.

Despite the weather in the UK, a large number of homeowners have a swimming pool installed in their property, whether for their own personal use or as an added feature of a rental holiday home. Unfortunately, due to the misconception that there are very few private pools in the UK compared to elsewhere in the world, it can be very difficult to find all of the equipment that is required to maintain a pool. There is one online company that specialises in swimming pool supplies; they provide chemicals, covers, cleaners and many other products to keep both indoor and outdoor pools in great condition.

The Swimming Pool Store is a true one stop shop, their comprehensive range of products are designed to cover all of a pool owner’s requirements. Whether they are looking to purchase cleaning products or games, shoppers will be sure to find all that they need at the most competitive prices through this online store.

Chemicals are an essential product for the hygiene of any swimming pool; many pool owners have very little experience dealing with these products and may be nervous about purchasing swimming pool supplies online, as they believe that they will receive little help or support. With many years experience working with a range of equipment and well-known brands, their team are able to offer advice and guidance to pool owners, to ensure that they purchase the most suitable products for their requirements. The Swimming Pool Store also have a number of resources available to download from their website.

Purchasing online is really easy, customers simply need to add their chosen products to their shopping basket and proceed to checkout. Always trying to make their website easy to use, they accept a range of payment methods including PayPal, Maestro, Mastercard, Visa, Solo and Switch. To take a look at the wide range of swimming pool supplies on offer, visit their website.

Whether swimming in a public or private pool, hygiene is of the utmost importance. For this reason the cleaning of a pool is very important as debris in the water can have an effect on the chemical usage if left for a period of time. Fortunately, The Swimming Pool Store, a pool equipment retailer, stock a swimming pool cleaner to make life that little bit easier when it comes to pool hygiene and cleaning. Installing one of these products means that pool owners will not have to worry about cleaning the pool on a regular basis, instead letting a machine do the work for them.

Their range of automatic swimming pool cleaners is very comprehensive and consists of basic suction cleaner’s right through to state of the art electronic units that can memorise your pool layout. They have models to suit every budget and all are fully backed up with the swimming pool store’s technical support helpline giving the right advice for the right products. Nearly all of the cleaners available will work on existing pool systems; however some require a boost pump. But don’t worry if you’re still not sure then feel free to contact us for the best advice in the marketplace.

The Swimming Pool Store only specialise in equipment for swimming pools, so customers can rest assured that they are extremely knowledgeable in that area. As well as an automatic swimming pool cleaner, they supply chemicals, pool fittings, covers, lighting and accessories.

If customers need extra support when choosing an automatic chemical system, there is a selection of documents on their website that detail how to use the products most efficiently. Customers can also contact a member of their team if they require any further help.

If you have just had a swimming pool installed and don’t want to worry about cleaning it then purchasing an automatic swimming pool cleaner could be the ideal option for you. Customers can purchase a unit from just £315. Customers can purchase through their website using a number of payment methods including, PayPal, Visa and MasterCard