stallion-pools-and-landscape

Fall Swimming Pool Maintenance

Sun, 22 Sep 2024 19:30:20 GMT

1. Clean Leaves and Debris Regularly

Autumn brings a wonderful change of colorful leaves, but it can lead to leaves and other debris finding ways into your pool. In order to keep your pool sparkling, make sure to skim the surface often to remove fallen debri. Additionally, regular vacuuming will help remove leaves, dirt, and debris that can settle on the pool's floor.

2. Clean Your Pool Filter and Equipment

Your pool's filter is an important component in keeping your water clean and sparkling. Quarterly cleaning of the filter is essential, depending on the type of filter you have, and the amount of debris in your pool. In addition, be vigilant about inspecting your pool equipment for any signs of damage, and if you notice any issues, make sure to address them promptly.

3. Monitor Your Pool's Water Chemistry

The fall season temperatures fluctuate and that will affect your pool's water chemistry. Cooler temperatures can cause the pH levels to drop, potentially leading to algae growth and other water quality problems. Regularly test your pool's water chemistry and make adjustments as needed. Pool test kits are readily available at most pool supply stores. We suggest the taylor brand kits, but most kits test all the main areas needed to keep your pool nice and clear year round.

4. Winterize Your Pool

As the temperature continues to drop, it's essential to prepare your pool for the winter season. One common thing to do is to winterize the pool. To winterize your pool, you can consider draining a portion of the water and adding antifreeze to the remaining water to prevent freezing and damage. We also have clients that drain there pool completely for the winter months as well. Lastly, don't forget to disconnect and store your pool equipment properly. If you're unsure about how to winterize your pool, it's best to reach out to local service companies for professional assistance.

Winterizing a pool

Tue, 27 Aug 2024 15:24:26 GMT

We are starting to get alot of questions regarding existing pools and what is typically done for "winterizing" ??

Winterizing a swimming pool means to simply pull all the drain plugs on the equipment, and then to lower the water to the bottom of the tile. Swimming pools that are winterized in this manner do not typically have the plumbing lines blown out, nor do they have any anti-freeze added to the lines. Most pools have any type of cover installed over them (although some do). We do not typically winterize any of our pool builds, but this seems to be a more pressing question with all of the hard freezes we have experienced in the past few years

We recommend to follow these precautions for all of our clients and for those choosing not to Winterize a swimming pool in Texas.

1.) Make sure you have a freeze guard or freeze switch installed . What is this? Do i have one? This is simply a thermostat with a switch that will override the pool pump timer and turn it on when the air temperature gets down to a certain degrees. Most pools built within the past few years have these built in. All of our clients are built with the latest technology and our pool panels and are fully equipped!
What is most important is to set your freeze switch to turn on the equipment a few degrees higher than 32 degrees F. This is because freeze switches or guards are normally only accurate to within 3-5 degrees of the actual temperature.
Also note that it can save you money on electricity if you set your equipment to run at night during the Winter instead of the day. This is because it will run at night anyway on cold nights, causing you to have less total run time.

2.) Make sure any automated valves are working properly . Some control centers with automated valves will "cycle" the water by diverting it through different devices or the spa as a part of the freeze switch cycle.

3.) Check your heater to make sure it fires up without any issues . Remove any debris such as leaves or twigs from the top or surrounding areas of the heater to help prevent any risks of fire.

If you or anyone has questions moving into these winter months, don't hesitate to give us a call or check out our website @ https://www.stallionpoolsandlandscape.com/

What is the cost/benefits of the different type of pools?

Wed, 21 Aug 2024 14:19:04 GMT

The cost of building a pool varies on several factors, including the type of pool, size, location, materials, water features, and labor and construction costs. According to many reports, over 60% of new swimming pools are gunite while fiberglass and vinyl are below 15% and 30%. Stallion Pools and Landscape only builds inground pools in the Greater North Austin areas. Below is a break down of pool types.

Inground Pools (average base price - $75,000): These cost more because they are built with higher quality construction materials which makes for a more durable long term project. They are also flexible on designs because of all the options are "custom" and readily available. Cost can range from $75,000 or more, depending on a multitude of factors including the size, shape, and materials/features. Concrete pools add by far the most value to a homes resale far above other types of pools.
Fiberglass Pools (average base price - $50,000): These pools are pre made and are installed in the ground. They can cost $50,000 or more, depending on size, materials, and features. They come in very limited shapes, which eliminate the ability to customize them to your preferences. These pools are far less durable long term compared to a gunite/inground pool.
Vinyl Liner Pools (average base price - $40,000): Constructed with a vinyl liner over a frame, the upfront affordability may be attractive, but take into consideration the potential ongoing costs down the road. For example, it's possible the liner may need replacement every 5-10 years. This adds to long-term costs. They are also susceptible to tearing, staining, and to algae growth

We would like to note, that these are estimates and actual cost can vary significantly up or down. Another big consideration is the warranty offered by installers of these various pool types.

Additional cost factors include:

Pool Size: Larger pools will cost more than smaller pools due to the increase in construction materials.
Pool Features: Water features like waterfalls, slides, bubblers, lighting, heating systems, and automation will absolutely increase the cost.
Site Preparation: access and slope to the site as well as rock, soil and major grading can impact the cost.
Location: Local building codes, permits, and labor costs widely from one city to another.
Landscaping: The area around the pool might need landscaping, which can add to the overall cost. Find a builder that can offer you a turnkey project.
Business Rating: The pool builder's reputation and experience can vastly vary the cost. Cheaper options are not the best quality. Check for signs of wall thickness, steel thickness and spacing, engineering, and lastly ratings on google. Make sure to the company is rated high with descriptive reviews to protect yourself on your investment.

When getting an estimate for building your pool, try to contact reputable local pool contractors for quotes. If you are planning to install a concrete pool, feel free to check us out on our website listed below. We've built 100's of beautiful pools and make a point to stand out with our second to none communication and attention to detail.

https://www.stallionpoolsandlandscape.com/

Why build pools moving into the fall?

Wed, 14 Aug 2024 14:11:15 GMT

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Summer is finally coming to a fast ending as is the long lazy pool days that some of us have had the pleasure of enjoying the past few months.

That is, if your home has a pool. If you're planning to build a pool on your property to enjoy next summer, on the other hand, now's the time to dive in.

While installing a swimming pool in the fall may sound counterintuitive, it makes complete sense when you consider the realities of contractor supply and demand, weather conditions, landscaping, and other factors. Don't believe us? Check out a few reasons this season is the prime time to get cracking on a pool.

1) Major Savings $$ - The busiest time for pool contractors is typically right after the christmas holiday and early in every year. Why is that? Most people had gotten through the stress of the holidays and can finally breath and focus on some luxuries for the rest of the year! So why is it slow after summer? Most customers are not thinking a year ahead, but maybe weeks to months ahead. Pool builders are looking to continue sales and this is your best bet to get the most savings you can on your project! Supply and Demand is always a thing!

2) Drier dirt makes for easier digging! - Nothing makes excavation a pain like soggy wet dirt and soil. Spring and summer showers always tend to delay and slow up the construction process! In contrast, the drier months of fall and winter make an excellent time to start digging!

3) Longer recovery time for your access and yard - To build a pool, you've gotta tear your lawn to shreds. That means that even once your pool is done, it will be sitting on a huge, ugly patch of dirt. You'll need to replant, then wait for everything to grow in, which means it will be awhile before your pool looks pristine—especially if it's built in the spring or summer. But building a pool in the fall gives your yard plenty of time to bounce back. That gives your lawn four to six months to recover and regrow. I know for our company, This gives us plenty of time to consider and plan all landscape and irrigation options and to assure we have your pool and yard ready and pristine by the spring months!

4) In the fall/winter months you are rarely using your yard anyways! - Kids are in school, the weather is typically cold and windy, the grass is dying and not getting cut. If your yard is filled with contractors and machines, and dangerous trenches and holes, wouldnt you want that to be done while you dont use your yard? Take advantage of the inside months and have your pool done for outside ones!

Make the most of the season by following these simple guidelines

chris@poologics.com (Christopher Bartik) — Thu, 20 Jun 2024 18:31:37 GMT

The new season is a great reason to make and keep resolutions. Whether it’s eating right or cleaning out the garage, here are some tips for making and keeping resolutions.

Make a list

Lists are great ways to stay on track. Write down some big things you want to accomplish and some smaller things, too.

Check the list regularly

Don’t forget to check in and see how you’re doing. Just because you don’t achieve the big goals right away doesn’t mean you’re not making progress.

Reward yourself

When you succeed in achieving a goal, be it a big one or a small one, make sure to pat yourself on the back.

Think positively

Positive thinking is a major factor in success. So instead of mulling over things that didn’t go quite right, remind yourself of things that did.

Keep in touch with site visitors and boost loyalty

chris@poologics.com (Christopher Bartik) — Thu, 20 Jun 2024 18:31:37 GMT

There are so many good reasons to communicate with site visitors. Tell them about sales and new products or update them with tips and information.

Here are some reasons to make blogging part of your regular routine.

Blogging is an easy way to engage with site visitors

Writing a blog post is easy once you get the hang of it. Posts don’t need to be long or complicated. Just write about what you know, and do your best to write well.

Show customers your personality

When you write a blog post, you can really let your personality shine through. This can be a great tool for showing your distinct personality.

Blogging is a terrific form of communication

Blogs are a great communication tool. They tend to be longer than social media posts, which gives you plenty of space for sharing insights, handy tips and more.

It’s a great way to support and boost SEO

Search engines like sites that regularly post fresh content, and a blog is a great way of doing this. With relevant metadata for every post so search engines can find your content.

Drive traffic to your site

Every time you add a new post, people who have subscribed to it will have a reason to come back to your site. If the post is a good read, they’ll share it with others, bringing even more traffic!

Blogging is free

Maintaining a blog on your site is absolutely free. You can hire bloggers if you like or assign regularly blogging tasks to everyone in your company.

A natural way to build your brand

A blog is a wonderful way to build your brand’s distinct voice. Write about issues that are related to your industry and your customers.

Tips for writing great posts that increase your site traffic

chris@poologics.com (Christopher Bartik) — Thu, 20 Jun 2024 18:31:37 GMT

Write about something you know. If you don’t know much about a specific topic that will interest your readers, invite an expert to write about it.

Speak to your audience

You know your audience better than anyone else, so keep them in mind as you write your blog posts. Write about things they care about. If you have a company Facebook page, look here to find topics to write about

Take a few moments to plan your post

Once you have a great idea for a post, write the first draft. Some people like to start with the title and then work on the paragraphs. Other people like to start with subtitles and go from there. Choose the method that works for you.

Don’t forget to add images

Be sure to include a few high-quality images in your blog. Images break up the text and make it more readable. They can also convey emotions or ideas that are hard to put into words.

Edit carefully before posting

Once you’re happy with the text, put it aside for a day or two, and then re-read it. You’ll probably find a few things you want to add, and a couple more that you want to remove. Have a friend or colleague look it over to make sure there are no mistakes. When your post is error-free, set it up in your blog and publish.

New Pool Showcase

Wed, 19 Jun 2024 18:34:21 GMT

We just finished this lovely pool out in Cedar Park, Texas.

This homeowner was a referral from an old client of ours, and wanted to make sure they had one of the best boutique builders around.

We started our initial meeting with talks of having a large grotto and area to jump for all the kids. We were able to come up with a design with a future slide cut out and pack in a massive grotto with jump rocks as well.

Our client wanted more then just a pool/spa and wanted some landscaping, lighting, turf, irrigation, quite a bit of marble pavers.

As shown in the pictures above, we delivered with such an elegant project.

#poolcontractor #poolbuilder #poolconstruction #outdoorliving #landscaping