Medical reports often emphasize the importance of swimming as a recreational sport. Integrating swimming in your workout routine can dramatically transform your body from the inside out.

By swimming a few meters regularly, you are improving cardiovascular conditioning, endurance, flexibility, appearance, posture, and toning.

For people who enjoy jogging or running, but can’t avoid the aftermath of joint pain and injuries, the low impact of exercising in water helps prevent these occurrences.

To ensure that your pool is always functioning the way it should be when you use it to improve your health, contact McAllen Pool Sharks at 956-782-1515. Our team of expert technicians will keep your pool running like new.

If you are a do-it-yourself kind of person, or are having a swimming pool party, or simply feel the need to vacuum your pool in-between service calls but do not know how to do it we want to help you out.

Check this video out and let us know if it was helpful.

During this time of the year our swimming pools still seem pretty nice to take a dip in but the water is usually too cold for our comfort. This issue can be fixed by adding a swimming pool heat pump, gas, or electric heater.

If you are thinking of adding one of these heaters you might be wondering how this will affect your monthly electric bill.

Well, we have come across a chart that will help you decide which is right for you by comparing costs next to each other.

This chart has been provided by the U.S. Department of energy to help consumers make an informed decision.

Simply follow this link.

Once you have made a decision and would like a heater installed in your home, feel free to contact us here at Pool Sharks and we will send one of our professional installers to your home.

Winter is here, which is not much to say for the valley weather, however, we occasionally will hit below 32 degrees and will need to prevent our swimming pool equipment from freezing.

Do a walk-through to make sure that everything is in working order to begin with.

Your swimming pool water is safe if the top layer freezes, but if the frozen layer is over 1″ thick, it might break some tiles.

To prevent this you can purchase air pillows which absorb freezing water’s pressure therefore protecting your walls.

As a cheaper alternative, you may use half empty milk cartons held together with a rope.

In order to protect your swimming pool equipment from freezing it is best to leave it running all night in question.

The cost of electricity will be cheaper than trying to repair a broken pump, filter, or heater.

In order to figure out if your equipment has frozen you will need to very observant and watch out for straining that you might hear in the pump or filter.

If you hear buzzing that does not sound normal it would be best to open the pump or filter to inspect it manually for frozen water.

You will need to have that frozen water thaw out before starting up the equipment again. You can either wait it out or try to speed it up the process by using an handheld blowdrier, space heater, or electric blanket if you have one.

Don’t leave any of these heating solutions unattended as they may start a fire or damage your o-rings if it’s too close that they melt.

Once all the frozen water has thawed turn on your equipment and closely inspect it for drips or cracks in the swimming pool equipment or pipelines.

If you would like to have a professional inspect your equipment feel free to contact us here at Pool Sharks and schedule a service call.

We are happy to help you in all your swimming pool needs.

Owning a swimming pool brings a family together and memories for a lifetime. However, it comes with the responsibility of regular swimming pool maintenance.

Some swimming pool chores have to be done daily, weekly and monthly to maintain a healthy swimming pool.

It is easier to keep up with regular swimming pool maintenance than to pay for repairs due to negligence. With a little organization and time each of the following duties will help save you money and keep a healthy swimming pool balance.

Daily:

• Skim debris from pool

The good news is that there is only one thing to do every day. Doing this will prevent your pump, filter and motor from working extra hard if there is too much buildup after a few days.

Weekly:

• Test the pH and adjust
• Check water level and adjust
• Clean skimmer and pump strainer baskets
• Vacuum the swimming pool
• Brush the pool and concentrate on the tile

Keeping proper water balance is the foundation to extending the life of your swimming pool water. Do not make the mistake of solely relying on your swimming pool filter and pump equipment.

Monthly:

• Clean your salt cell or chlorinator
• Backwash and thoroughly clean your filter
• Stabilize your water using salt or stabilizer

Doing these three things monthly will help maintain your swimming pool in tip top condition by operating correctly and keeping a sanitary environment.

Following these basic daily, weekly, and monthly duties will help make your swimming pool a more enjoyable asset. However, forgetting to do them will cause problems that could turn out to be costly.

If you feel that your life is too hectic make sure that you hire a professional to keep your pool properly cleaned and balanced.

Here at Pool Sharks, our professionals have the right training and years of experience that are sure to provide you with the service that you expect.

If you would like more information regarding our swimming pool maintenance contracts, please contact us by phone, email, or our contact page.

Many pool owners take for granted the great advantages of swimming pool lights. From a stylish addition to a safety measure, here are some reasons to have and maintain swimming pool lights.

Proper lighting in the swimming pool is imperative if you are to take a swim at night. You will be able to make sure that you and your guests know where the deep end of the swimming pool is thus avoiding accidents. Also, you will be able to see where the edges are so you don’t bump your head against a wall, and if there are other swimmers in your surroundings you will be able to see those who may be in need.

Swimming pool lighting can be of special importance if you have young children in your hosuehold. You will be able to easily monitor anytime during the night if there is anyone inside your swimming pool.

Swimming pool lights can also help you if you are a night owl and decide to clean your pool at night. Many choose to do this since they can avoid the hot weather and sunburns.

As a stylish option, swimming pool lights come in a great variety of colors that can light up your pool party. If you have never had funky colored lights in your swimming pool, it may be time to spice it up.

These lights come in a great variety of colors that are sure to add some spunk to your pool, whether you have swimmers in it or just to have a cool focal point to an inside party.

If you would like more information on cost and maintenance of swimming pool lights please feel free to contact any of our experts at Pool Sharks whether at the office or while cleaning your pool.

Whether in the privacy of your backyard or in a relaxed social setting the health benefits of using a hot tub or spa can be reaped. You may think that a hot tub is just a luxury, however, you must know that they are often prescribed by professionals to relieve certain ailments.

The hot water in a hot tub or spa creates a much needed relaxed and rejuvenating state for your body. It loosens up your cramped muscles, relieves pressure on nerves and soothes aches and pain away.

The steam also helps you breathe better by loosening up congestion and therefore providing your body with more restorative oxygen.

Soaking in a hot tub or spa can also increase the efficiency of your circulatory system.

When you are immersed in hot water your heart has to work less to pump blood throughout your body. The volume of blood in your chest cavity and your heart will increase and your heart rate enjoys a bit of a slow down creating a state of deep relaxation.

This deep relaxation comes from the dilation of blood vessels that not only help prevent headaches but also helps you to fall asleep quicker since you are in a relaxed state.

There is also evidence that having a nightly ritual of soaking in the hot tub about 90 minutes before bedtime has its benefits. The National Sleep Foundation states, “soaking in hot water, such as a hot tub, before retiring to bed can ease the transition into deeper sleep”.

If you are looking into a hot tub or spa for fun and social reasons now you have added benefits that will help you stay healthier too. All of the benefits mentioned above seem to come together beautifully to give you a soothing therapy that can be enjoyed at the end of long hard day.

If you find yourself with an ongoing swimming pool algae problem, you are running your equipment the appropriate amount of time, have plenty of chlorine, and your pH and alkalinity levels are balanced your water should be tested for its level of phosphates in the water.

In the search for treatment of your recurring algae problem, you might find yourself wondering, “What are phosphates and how do they get in my pool?” Well they are compounds of the nonmetallic element phosphorous and are an essential nutrient for plant growth. Sound familiar? Well, according to the lake and pool industry, nitrates, phosphates and carbon are primary foods for algae growth. These phosphates enter your pool water in different ways but mainly through vegetation, rain or water run-off, tree bark and other organic matter.

In order to find out the concentration of phosphates in your swimming pool water you can use liquid tests, tabs, and test strips that will give you an accurate reading. If you find that you have above 5000ppb, parts per billion, in your swimming pool water you would need to drain and refill your pool. If your results are anywhere from 1000ppb to 5000ppb, your best option would be to give your swimming pool a phosphate treatment.

A phosphate treatment is the removal of phosphate nutrients in the pool water that algae likes to feed on. Phosphate treatments are based on lanthanum, a rare earth compound that reacts with the phosphates and precipitates them from solution. This drastically reduces the phosphate concentration in the water. Using a phosphate treatment in conjunction with your chlorine or other sanitizers will add another layer of algae control for your swimming pool.

Removal of phosphates from your swimming pool is important in maintaining a healthy water quality. Periodically, your swimming pool should be tested to make sure that the phosphate levels are depressed since swimmers and other sources are the source of new phosphates. Regular maintenance can reduce and aid in chlorine performance and efficiency, and best of all, no algae problems.

If you think you might have a phosphate problem, feel free to ask one of our qualified technicians to test your water and if a problem is found to treat it appropriately. Here are Pool Sharks we are happy to help all of our friends.

Painting a plaster swimming pool is not an uncommon method of rejuvenating your backyard escape. However, much thought should be given to the benefits and disadvantages of such procedure.

The first thing that must be done is determining your current swimming pool finish. Is it plaster? How old is it? Is it paint? What kind of paint and how many layers is it?

Once you have established your current swimming pool finish, you must decide to re-plaster your swimming pool or repaint.

We are often asked that question and our answer has much to do with the desired finished quality. Here are some determining factors regarding paint that will allow you to make an informed decision:

1. Durability and Wear: There are different qualities of paint out in the market today. Your choice will determine how long that paint job will last. Higher quality paints, which are also the most expensive, will only last up to 5 years. Paints come in a broad range of prices. Like everything else, you get what you pay for in quality and longevity.
2. Maintenance: Pool paint starts chipping off the plaster after some time, it varies depending on the quality of paint you used, meaning that you will have to drain the pool more often to repaint or touch up. Old paint that is chipping creates not only cloudy pool water but also your pool equipment, pumps and filters, will clog easier. This raises the maintenance of your filter from twice a year to every month or every other month. That is not to mention the harder your pump is working.
3. Ease in Cleaning: Pool paints can harbor algae at a higher rate than plaster, this will not only cause a dirtier pool that is harder to clean but also a slippery surface, which can be dangerous for a pool bottom.

When making a decision for your swimming pool surface we can conclude that painting your swimming pool is a second hand choice to re-plastering. It may be half the cost, but in turn, it will also only last half as long, on a good day. The few dollars that you would be saving in the short run, you will be spending in the long run.

Here at Pool Sharks we are constantly looking for the best choice for your swimming pool

1. Pool Sharks has built a team of service professionals with expertise in every aspect of swimming pool care, maintenance and repair.
2. Every pool is unique. We’ll customize a scheduled program specifically tailored to your backyard.
3. Reliable service, count on us to be there on time and schedule.
4. We offer the longest warranties in pool equipment in the South Texas area, from Laredo to Corpus Christi.
5. Pool Sharks offers SEVEN days a week, 24-HOUR a day emergency service.
6. Our complete pool cleaning program offers: brushing pool walls, floor and tile, cleaning skimmer and pump baskets, vacuuming pool, backwash filter, and hose down pool deck.
7. Our pool service cleaners and technicians are state certified.
8. Pool Sharks is trusted by top insurance agencies for claims and warranties because we are knowledgeable and dependable.
9. Over 100 years of combined experience.
10. Values we strive for:

a. Leadership – Highly effective, lean and fast-moving company.
b. Integrity
c. Accountability
d. Passion – Committed in heart and in mind.
e. Quality – What we do, we do well.