Education

We here at Prestige Pools and Spas strive to be a source of information for all things swimming pool and hot tub related.  As a part of the education process, we try to cut through information that is laced with nonsensical “buzzwords” and double-speak that can be confusing, misleading or downright false.  Below are some of the features that tend to be the most over-sold aspects, or things that are purposefully vague, or somehow presented as they are differentiated between brands when there really are no differences at all…

Will the insurance company pay the entire cost of my hot tub or swim spa?  If you are entitled, the insurance company will have to pay the amount required to purchase a hot tub or swim spa necessary for your treatment.  You should check your insurance policy to see if it excludes the cost of purchasing a hot tub or swim spa.  This does not mean that the insurance company must purchase the largest hot tub or swim spa you can find.  After all, a hot tub or swim spa that can accommodate nine people is not necessary to treat the injuries of one person.  Since the difference in price between a large hot tub or swim spa and a small hot tub or swim spa may be small, you may be able to obtain reimbursement for most of the cost of your hot tub or swim spa, if not the entire amount

The therapeutic benefits that spa owners enjoy are vast. From physical to emotional stress relief, alleviating muscle pain to relief for arthritis, a hot tub can bring your health into focus. We have gathered the following information for educational purposes. While we suggest that you speak to a medical professional before beginning any new health regimen, a hot tub by Marquis may be just what the doctor ordered.

I admit- This isn’t going to be the sexiest blog, or even in the top 10 of interesting blogs.  But this is extremely important, as testing your pool water is the foundation of your swimming pool season success.  Staying on top of your water chemistry readings helps fend off any potential headaches related to pH/alkalinity/sanitizer imbalance.  But most pool owners do not know how to properly take a water sample for water testing.

The Hayward Goldline Aquarite salt system is the most common salt generator we sell at Prestige Pools and Spas.  Easy to operate and cheap (relatively speaking) to replace parts, its ideal for our in ground pool customers.  If you’re new to salt systems or by extension, new to your pool that has this salt system, or just need a refresher, here is a quick hit on a few of the Frequently Asked Questions associated with this system:

Its that time of year again (YAY!):  Time to remove that depressing pool cover, fire up your filter system, and get your swimming pool opened and running.   Okay now what?  This is is the point in which you take inventory of what you have, what you need, what you expect to need, and what you need to toss out.  Lets review:

“When do people normally open their pool?” is a question we hear a lot from people who are new to pool ownership.  The typical response is some form of “any time from March to June.”  That’s a four month window- I know.  But there are many pros and cons of an early pool opening.  Here is a brief breakdown of why you should (or should not) open your pool early:

@ease is a chlorine-based sanitization system (Yes- the term “chlorine” may have already turned you off but stay with me, you’ll want to hear this) that has the benefits of a salt system, the (no pun intended, kinda) ease of a tablet floater and price-point of a Nature 2 system.  Read more to hear about @ease from an unbiased source…

Even when your pool is shut down we are always looking towards the springtime and the opening season.  While well-intentioned most things we do (or don’t do) can be detrimental can cause long-term issues with your swimming pool.  Here are a few helpful tips to ensure your pool is properly cared for during the off season…

Valentine’s Day is around the corner and every year you’re bombarded with the same things:  Roses, chocolate, fancy dinner, teddy bears.  After a while, those things get boring (and in the case of chocolate, its unhealthy!) and you and your partner simply go through the motions.

Hot tubs are a great alternative to same old “Date Night” you’ve planned and executed since you were first dating.

Winter wonderland is a great description of the Christmas season when you’re singing a carol.  But it isn’t always the best description for snowy, icy, or downright dreary conditions that can wreak havoc on your backyard oasis.  Protecting your swimming pool, hot tub / spa, or swim spa from inclement weather can be daunting if you’re aware of what can go wrong.  Here’s a few tips to help you better understand the issues and remedies when weather hits that will cancel school…

Any construction project starts with information gathering.  Building an in ground pool is no different.  In the greater St. Louis metro area, central and southern Illinois, St. Charles and Jefferson counties, and the outlying areas, builders big and small have varying opinions as to which swimming pool is the best.  To figure out what is best for you and your family, we have compiled some basic questions, the answers to which will point you in the right direction.  After all:  Buying a new in ground pool should be the beginning of an extremely fun endeavor. 

Hot tub water chemistry goes beyond just balancing pH and alkalinity and making sure your preferred sanitizer is within range (for a look at our blog for Hot Tub Water Chemistry 101 click here).  Other items pictured above and further below may not just help with your overall hot tub experience but may also contribute to the long-term health of your hot tub and how long it lasts.  Here are a few products that you may want to keep in your products bin going forward…

Every year we make the mad dash for last minute gifts that we put off or forgot about.  It happens to us all at one point or another.  When this happens options can be limited.  But if the person you’re buying for owns an in ground pool or hot tub, here are some gift ideas that aren’t the same-old, same-old…

The water chemistry of your hot tub is the most important factor in determining its lifespan.  It is imperative that you learn the basics of water chemistry to ensure safe bathing conditions and keep the components of the hot tub from deteriorating prematurely. . .

Hot tubs are flat out fun and owning one is an enjoyable experience, especially when you live in St. Louis and get to experience 4 full seasons every year.   For the initiated, hot tub ownership can be entirely health-related.  For others in the know, its mainly for entertainment.  If you have tossed around the idea of purchasing a hot tub or are looking for ways to improve your health, your back yard or are just curious about hot tubs in general, here are 7 benefits to owning a hot tub:

For many, healthy living has become a priority.  Eating right and exercising daily is the foundation of lifestyle choices for millennials and baby-boomers alike.  Aquatic-based exercises are some of the most efficient ways to burn calories while reducing the amount of stress on the body’s joints and appendages.  Most outlets for swimming and exercising are in public pools, private in ground pools in your back yard and swim spas.

Swim spas have gained in popularity and are no longer a quirky concept in the pool and spa industry.  As this facet of the industry is still relatively new, questions persist as to what a swim spa is, what it can it do and what are the benefits for the user.  Prestige Pools and Spas, St. Louis’ exclusive Catalina Swim Spa dealer, would like to help you understand why a swim spa in your back yard may be the right decision to suit your exercise and entertainment needs.

How cool are hot tubs?  If you think about it- You’re buying an unending source of foot rubs and back massages. This experience should be fun.  Scratch that- This experience should be outstanding.  The purchase of a new hot tub would be great if you could walk right up to the local hot tub dealer and say “I’ll have one hot tub, please.”  If only it was that easy.

Pool covers have evolved a bit over the years from the standard “tarp” covers to the ever-popular Safety/Solid Spring covers that most new in ground pool construction installs today.  If you are considering getting a new winter cover you may want to first decide what the best is for you in your situation.  Here is a quick summary of the two most common types of winter covers in today’s marketplace and how they’re installed.

Closing your in ground pool is the most important aspect of owning a pool, in our opinion.  The amount of things that can go wrong (and more importantly, the cost of fixing these things) can be staggering if your pool is not properly closed.  Virtually every aspect of your pool must be accounted for before the winter arrives and its effects are felt.  Do you know what to do? 

That black algae that no matter how often you brush and shock it, it won’t come up.  The odd rusting of your fiberglass steps, that couldn’t possibly be rusting as they’re not made out of metal.  The weird yellowing of your return jets and skimmer faceplates.  A purple “I don’t know what” at your water line.  What is this stuff?  WHY is this stuff? What do I do?

Its so darn hot outside.  Luckily, you have an in ground pool to cool off in.  But now that it the heat is routinely reaching 90, 100 degrees Fahrenheit, that pool is starting to look pretty good to you more frequently, and probably to your friends and neighbors as well.  This puts a lot of stress on your pool.  However, your increasing swimming habits are not just the only thing putting stress on your pool and its water chemistry:  Heat and UV rays are as well.  And that can cause many issues.  Here are some helpful tips to get you through the unbearable summer heat without your in ground pool turning into a cloudy or green mess…

As the market for hot tubs is beginning to pick up to pre-2008 numbers nationwide Prestige Pools and Spas has brought on 3 new hot tub product lines to better compete in the St. Louis market. 

Leaving your in ground pool unattended on its own is never a good idea, especially in the summer heat.  Salt systems have done much in the way of establishing a safety net for home owners in regards to water chemistry, but nothing is better at preventing water imbalance and algae outbreaks than regular testing. 

The most common action to take when expecting a heavy bather load is to increase your sanitizer level.  As most in ground pools are now salt-based, “Superchlorinating” (Hayward) or “Boosting” (Pentair) 24 – 36 hours prior to your event should be adequate (Increasing your chlorine output on your automatic chlorinator will also suffice if you’re using standard tablets).  However, if the bather load is heavier than anticipated it may help to add shock after swimming has finished for the evening. 

Two components make up the ENJOY! system: Mineral tablets and “Once-A-Week” shock packets.  The mineral tablets (active ingredient: Silver) are what a call the “passive sanitizer” in that it will keep the water clear during the day-to-day usage.  These contain no chlorine and is why ENJOY! is a more natural substitute to chlorine.  The tablets are dissolved in the skimmer and will last one month.  That’s it.

Conventional wisdom dictates that most pool owners should point the jets up to create vigorous ripples in the water.  After all:  When we mix batter we whisk the bowl thoroughly in all manner of directions.  This does not necessarily translate when it comes to your pool and how water is circulated.

Your skimmer(s) are designed to skim surface area.  When there is tension on the surface you have created more surface area for your skimmer(s) to skim and lengthening the overall process of skimming.  Tension in the surface will also encourage faster evaporation and greater chemical burn off.

Energy efficiency is not just inquired about in today’s world; it has become an expected feature in most goods in today’s marketplace.  As more consumers are leaning “Green,” manufacturers are responding with products that are environmentally friendly or at the very least more affordable to operate with a longer life span.

Cleaning up green water is a chore.  There are many reasons why it happened (went out of town on vacation, remnants from over the winter, you binged an entire season of your favorite show on Netflix all week, or it just floated in your pool and populated rapidly) but most people will just shock their pool.

Hot, cold, rain, shine.  The springtime is great for blooms and weddings but it can wreak havoc on the water chemistry in your newly opened swimming pool.  When you are dealing with inconsistencies with the weather – and its unpredictability- it can be both costly and frustrating.  While there are no sure things when it comes to water chemistry, here are a few tips that may help you survive the springtime:

Over 90% of new in ground pool constructions include a salt system as its sanitizer.  Furthermore, every year we convert a large number of traditional tablet-based in ground pools to salt systems.  So why are salt systems becoming the dominant sanitizer method for in ground pools in St. Louis?

Take off your cover, fill your pool, fire up your filter system and get to swimming.  Wouldn’t that be great if it was that easy to take your pool from dormant to crystal clear and ready to swim?

There is no preferred date for opening your swimming pool.  Each month of the spring presents its own unique opportunities and pitfalls when considering the right date to open your pool.  Trees shedding gumballs, helicopters, etc. and flowers covering every surface with pollen can frustrate homeowners into preferring to wait to uncover your pool until a date closer to summer. 

“…they [Prestige Pools] have been a great company to deal with every step of the way.” 

–Gary & Tina V.  

“After much research and shopping, my husband and I bought a swim spa from Prestige Pools and Spas in Sunset Hills.” -Eric & Patti L.