GENERAL FAQ

When typically do people open and close their pool in this area?
The typical summer season in this area is Memorial Day to Labor Day. This does vary depending on whether you heat your pool and what water temperature you enjoy. Why do I need to signed service contract and submit a deposit to get my pool opened? Since the pool opening season is so short, we need to be as organized as we can to schedule openings. We do the contract to make us more efficient in the scheduling of the service routes.

I don’t understand water chemistry of a pool. Can I bring in a water sample for you to test?
Yes. We offer free water testing at our stores.

I don’t want to use normal chlorine in my pool. Are there alternatives?
Yes. We offer several alternate sanitizing systems: Baquacil, PristineBlue, low chlorine mineral purifiers, and several other systems.

My pool seems to always be cloudy. I’m running my filter a whole 4 to 5 hours a day. What could be wrong?
Several things could be wrong, but running a pool only 4 hours a day will usually not be enough time to thoroughly clean the water. We recommend 8 to 10 hours a day (depending on the pool and filter size) and always recommend running it non stop if the pool ever gets cloudy. Also check you pH. That can affect the clarity of a pool.

The water in my vinyl pool is green and the pool is extremely dirty. Is it ok to drain ALL of the water out, scrub the liner, and refill the pool with new water?
Absolutely not! A vinyl pool should never be drained. A vinyl liner is designed to be installed and held in place by the water. If you drain the pool, the liner will shift, and if the liner has lost its flexibility, it will be permanently damage. Never drain a vinyl pool unless you are installing a new liner, or having it professionally reset.

My pool seems to be losing water. I know it hasn’t rained for several weeks, and it has been extremely hot. How much water loss is normal?
Evaporation and splash out are the biggest sources of water loss. In a typical summer week, with no rain and normal pool use, you should expect to lose around 1” to 2”. This can vary greatly depending on humidity, temperature, wind, and use. Evaporation tends to increase in late summer. Hot days, and cool night will speed op water loss. If the water loss is constantly over 2” a week, it probably is a leak.

Ok, I know I have a leak in my vinyl pool. How can you find it, and can it be fixed?
Yes a leak can be found and fixed. If a pool is leaking, it is either in the liner, or the light/plumbing fixtures. We offer a complete electronic leak detection. We pressure test the plumbing, and use an electronic device that can literally find a pin hole in the liner. If the liner has a hole it can easily be repaired, depending on the age and elasticity of the liner.

My liner seems to have air under it and is not in place. I just recently changed the landscaping around my pool, and noticed the water seems to be lying near the pool after a heavy rain and not draining off.
A liner will float and reset itself with wrinkles, if the grading is not done correct or maintained. Many people will buy decorative gravel around the edge of the concrete and not allow for runoff. This can and will cause your liner to float. Any landscaping around a pool should keep the drainage of the water away from the pool a top priority.

I have seen pool products and chemicals on the internet. Why should I buy from Gritz?
There are several reasons:
• Our prices are very competitive with online retailers. In fact we beat most online retailers prices.
• Better quality chemicals. Less fillers and higher chlorine percentages.
• Fast, friendly, personal service
• Short lines, easy parking
• Local family owned business that supports the community. We are sponsors for Brandywine Y, Caln A.A., Chester County Stars Girls Softball, to name a few.
• We accept most major credit cards: Visa, MC, Amex, Discover

I am winterizing and closing my own pool this year. Should I lower the water level to below the inlets, and how do I winterize the pipes?
The water level of a vinyl pool should not be lowered for the winter. We have an overflow built into most of our pools to allow the water to flow out. Winterizing the plumbing (blowing the lines) is different on every pool and sometimes difficult to do. We suggest having us do it for you.