Table of Contents

Acknowledgments     xvii
Introduction     xix
The Pool and Spa     1
How It Works     1
How Much Water Does It Hold?     3
Square or Rectangular     3
Circular     5
Kidney or Irregular Shapes     7
Parts per Million (ppm)     8
Types of Pools and Spas     9
Concrete and Plaster     11
Vinyl-Lined     12
Fiberglass     15
Above-Ground Pools     15
Wood     19
Pool and Spa Design and Construction     20
Plans and Permits     21
Excavation     21
Plumbing     27
Steel     27
Electrical     28
Gunite     28
Tile     28
Rock, Brick, or Stone     30
Coping, Decks, and Expansion Joints     31
Equipment Set     32
Cleanup     32
Plaster     33
Start-up     34
Basic Plumbing Systems     37
Skimmers     37
Main Drains     41
General Plumbing Guidelines     43
PVC Plumbing     47
Plumbing Methods     50
Copper Plumbing     53
Plumbing Methods     53
Miscellaneous Plumbing     57
Sizing of Plumbing     58
Advanced Plumbing Systems     61
Manual Three-Port Valves     61
Operation     61
Construction     63
Maintenance and Repair     64
Motorized/Automated Three-Port Valve Systems     66
Operation     67
Construction     67
Maintenance and Repair     67
Reverse Flow and Heater Plumbing     69
Unions     70
Gate and Ball Valves     71
Check Valves     72
Solar Heating Systems     76
Types of Solar Heating Systems     76
Plumbing     78
To Solar or Not to Solar?     80
Installation     82
Maintenance and Repair     85
Water Level Controls     85
Pumps and Motors     93
Overview     93
Strainer Pot and Basket     96
Volute     97
Impeller     98
Seal Plate and Adapter Bracket     100
Shaft and Shaft Extender     101
Seal     102
Motor     103
Types     104
Voltage     105
Housing Design     105
Ratings     106
Nameplate     106
Horsepower and Hydraulics Equals Sizing     108
Hydraulics     108
Sizing     118
Maintenance and Repairs     119
Strainer Pots     119
Gaskets and O-Rings     120
Changing a Seal     122
Pump and/or Motor Removal and Reinstallation     133
New Installation     135
Replacing a Pump or Motor     137
Troubleshooting Motors     139
Priming the Pump     142
T-Handles     145
Motor Covers     146
Submersible Pumps and Motors     146
High-Volume Pump-Out Units     146
Low-Volume Pumps and Motors     147
Cost of Operation     148
Booster Pumps and Motors for Spas     148
Basic Electricity     149
Electrical Terms     149
Electrical Theory     150
Electrical Panel     152
Circuit Breakers      153
Wiring     156
Gauge and Type     156
Ground Fault Interrupter (GFI)     157
Switches     159
Safety     159
Testing     161
Something Better     163
Filters     165
Types     165
Diatomaceous Earth (DE) Filters     165
Sand Filters     169
Cartridge Filters     173
Makes and Models     174
Sizing and Selection     174
Backwash Valves     179
Backwash Hoses     182
Pressure Gauges and Air Relief Valves     184
Sight Glasses     185
Repair and Maintenance     186
Installation     186
Filter Cleaning and Media Replacement     188
Leaks     199
Heaters     207
Gas-Fueled Heaters     207
The Millivolt or Standing Pilot Heater     211
The Control Circuit     212
Natural versus Propane Gas     221
Electric-Fueled Heaters     222
Solar-Fueled Heaters     223
Heat Pumps     225
Oil-Fueled Heaters     227
Makes and Models      228
Selection     228
Sizing     228
Cost of Operation     232
Installation, Repairs, and Maintenance     233
Installation     235
Repairs     246
Preventive Maintenance     267
Additional Equipment     269
Time Clocks     269
Electromechanical Timers     269
Twist Timers     273
Electronic Timers     274
Repairs     275
Remote Controls     277
Air Switches     278
Troubleshooting     280
Wireless Remote Control     281
Hardwired Remote Control     283
Flow Meters     289
Diving Boards, Slides, Ladders, and Rails     291
Diving Boards     291
Slides     295
Ladders and Rails     297
Safety Barriers     298
Automatic Pool Cleaners     299
Electric Robot     299
Booster Pump Systems     300
Suction-Side Systems     309
Lighting     309
Standard 120/240-Volt Lighting     310
Low-Voltage Lights     318
Fiberoptics      318
Covers     320
Bubble Solar Covers     320
Foam     323
Sheet Vinyl     323
Electric Covers     324
Water Chemistry     329
Demand and Balance     330
Components of Water Chemistry     331
Sanitizers     331
pH     347
Total Alkalinity     349
Hardness     350
Total Dissolved Solids (TDS)     350
Cyanuric Acid     351
Weather     352
Algae     353
Forms of Algae     354
Algae Elimination Techniques     355
Water Testing     362
Test Methods     362
Chlorine     365
pH     367
Total Alkalinity     368
Hardness     369
Total Dissolved Solids (TDS)     369
Heavy Metals     369
Cyanuric Acid     370
Test Procedures     370
Langlier Index     371
Water Treatment     373
Liquids     373
Granulars     374
Tabs and Floaters     375
Mechanical Delivery Devices      375
Salt Chlorine Generators     377
Cleaning and Servicing     383
Tools     383
Telepoles     383
Leaf Rake     387
Wall Brush     388
Vacuum Head and Hose     388
Leaf Vacuum and Garden Hose     390
Tile Brush and Tile Soap     392
Test Kit and Thermometer     393
Spa Vacuum     393
Pumice Stones     394
Pool Cleaning Procedures     394
Deck and Cover Cleaning     394
Water Level     396
Surface Skimming     396
Tiles     398
Equipment Check     399
Vacuuming     400
Chemical Testing and Application     408
Brushing     408
Winterizing     409
Temperate Climates     410
Colder Climates     410
Special Procedures     419
Draining a Pool     419
Breaking-in New Plaster     423
Break-in Step by Step     423
Leak Repair     428
Leak Detection Made Easy: Four Tests     428
Patching and Repairing     432
Remodeling Techniques      440
Plastering and Replastering     441
Fiberglass Coatings     444
Inexpensive Pool Face-Lifts: Paint     445
Acid Washing     450
Remodeling the Deck     456
Water Features     459
Fountains     459
Koi Ponds     460
Installing a Koi Pond     464
Rockscapes     468
Waterfalls and the Vanishing Edge     471
Commercial Pools     475
Types of Commercial Pools     476
Volume Calculations     477
Slope Calculations     477
Bather Loads     479
Bather Displacement     479
Commercial Equipment     480
Surge Chamber     480
Slurry Feeder     481
Filter     481
Gas Chlorinator     483
Chlorine Generators     484
High-Capacity Automatic Chlorine Feeders     485
The Commercial Equipment Room     487
Safety Equipment     487
Toss Rings     492
Life Hooks     492
Thermometers     492
Dehumidification of Indoor Commercial Pools     493
Health Issues      494
50 Things Your Pool or Spa Can Do for Our Environment     499
Chemicals     499
Energy Conservation     500
Water Conservation     502
Recycle     503
Miscellaneous     504
Labor Reference Guide     507
Glossary     511
Reference Sources and Websites     539
Index     545