If the only thing that you focus on when purchasing
items for your pool is the price point, this could be detrimental to your
budget in the future. Every aspect of the pool product should be examined and factored
in along with the price point. This is what I term Future Proofing your pool.
Buying a product that will last versus buying a cheap product that will need to
be replaced in a year or two.
I will give you a current example of this that I
recently came across. I really like the Pentair Rebel Cleaner and think it is a
top 3 cleaner for your pool. Recently I went to order some parts to rebuild one
and found out that Pentair does not have a kit for this cleaner. That means if
you purchase 2 wheels, a couple of important gears and a drive shaft you are out
over $200. That is 5 parts in total and does not include the turbine, the cam
or any of the internal gears nor the lower body shell. So technically after 4 years, the Pentair Rebel is a throwaway cleaner. Meaning it is cheaper to toss out
the old unit and buy a new one versus replacing parts. The problem is it is a
$400 throw away cleaner and not a $99 one.
Contrast this with the Hayward PoolCleaner, Aquanaut
cleaners which have what is called the Lower Body Conversion Kit. This is the
complete lower body of the cleaner with all the gears, turbine and two new
wheels. Essentially the whole bottom of the cleaner which makes it technically
a complete rebuild. They sell this for $120 so essentially you can rebuild your
Hayward cleaner every 5 years and keep the same unit running for several years.
Now that is what I am talking about, you just Future Proofed your suction side
cleaner by purchasing a Hayward PoolCleaner over the Pentair Rebel. Until
Pentair comes out with some type of kit, the Rebel will not be cost effective down
the road.
Let’s look at pool filters for a moment. Technically a
Sand Filter is a truly Future Proof filter and can last you 30-40 years. All
you need to do is change the sand ever so often and live with the lower
filtration quality, but if your looking for a one-time filter install a Sand
Filter fits the bill. The next filter I would suggest if you just don’t want a
Sand Filter is the Sta-Rite System 3 Cartridge Filters. The System 3 tanks are virtually
indestructible and will last for decades. The cartridges have an original
design that makes them very long lasting and durable. So if you're looking for a filter that is Future
Proof investigate Sand Filters or a good cartridge filter like the System 3
filter by Sta-Rite/Pentair.
If you want a Future Proof pool pump a Variable Speed
pump is your best option. Not only will these save you money on your electricity
bill but since they run at a lower RPM they will save on the motor wear and
tear. A standard single speed pump runs at 3450 RPM all the time causing
extreme wear on the coils and bearings. Since a VS pump runs at less than half
that speed for the majority of the time it will last 3 or 4 times longer than a
standard speed pump. So instead of replacing your single speed motor when it
burns out, spend the extra money and just upgrade to a VS pump. It is the best Future Proof pump out there.
I get asked a lot if a Salt Water System is better
then a regular chlorine pool and if your thinking about Future Proofing your the pool you may be surprised that I think a standard chlorine pool would be
better. A saltwater pool will cost you a lot more money and the only benefit
it offers is that you won’t need to add chlorine to the pool during the season.
The initial system may cost as much as $1,400 to put in, plus the initial salt
to charge the pool which is about $120. Then you would need a new salt cell
every 4-5 years at a cost of $400-$600. So that is around $2,000 for a 5-year
period. That can pay for a lot of liquid chlorine or tablets. So a salt system is technically not a Future
Proof investment although it makes your pool care more convenient. I suggest not investing in one for the reasons
I have discussed above but if you want one to make life that much easier, go
for it. Just be aware that a Salt Water System is contrary to Future Proofing
your pool.
These are just a few examples for you to ponder. The price point is not the only factor and you can also be misled by a builder or pool
sales person on a product like a saltwater system. Investigate the entire
product before you purchase it to see if it is truly Future Proof.
YouTube Video Index: http://poolmandave.blogspot.com/2014/03/swimming-pool-tips-reviews-how-to-video.html
– A list of all of my videos.
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