Cow Falls In Pool; Could Have Been Udder Disaster.

SPARTANBURG, S.C. (November 18, 2009)–A South Carolina woman heard a giant splash in her backyard and discovered that a 650-pound cow had fallen into her swimming pool.

WSPA-TV reported that the cow fell into Kathy Wydareny’s covered pool Monday night.

The Anderson, S.C. resident said the cow belongs to her neighbor.

Wydareny was startled by a “giant whoosh” and took a flashlight out to investigate. She called 911 after spotting the cow.

Five men from the country rescue team used a sling to pull the cow to safety.

Wydareny believes the cow got loose and just kept walking, not realizing that the pool cover wasn’t actually solid ground.

The cow is doing well.

Wydareny hopes her homeowner’s insurance will cover the damage to her pool.

Your pool is an investment. With regular care and maintenance, it’s a source of backyard fun for years to come. But what if you live in an area that faces strong lines of thunderstorms or even hurricane threats? Is there anything you can do to help safeguard your investment? There certainly is. Read more in our Storm FAQs below.

It’s very important to do what you can before the storm arrives. Start by removing the debris from the pool – anticipate that you may lose power and get anything out the pool that could ’spoil’ after a few days without the electricity-powered filter.

After removing any debris, don’t forget to chlorinate the pool, ensuring that you circulate the chlorine properly. If you anticipate that the power may be out for a while, consider adding a floating chlorinator to the pool to deliver a low, constant chlorine dose.

If you don’t have ample enclosed outdoor space (like a pool house or shed) you can store some of your pool-related items, including aluminum furniture, in your pool. See below for more specifics on this.

Make sure you turn off any electrical connections to the pool, then cover it. After all… you just got it nice and clean – why leave it wide open for the debris, leaves, sticks and bugs that may be getting tossed around in hurricane-force winds? This is the time that most owners wish they’d purchased a slightly higher quality pool cover — in addition to a cover being sturdier and more reliable, most of the mid- to high-end covers can be properly installed and fastened within 10 minutes—great for situations like this, where time is of the essence.

Remember, doing ’something’ to protect your pool is always better than doing nothing at all. After making sure that family and loved ones are safe, do the best you can.

Somehow, the power has managed to stay on during this storm. Should I let the filters run?

To avoid potential damage to the filtering system (and to yourself, running out in the middle of a storm!) it’s better to leave the filters turned off until the storm has passed. As long as the pool has been cleaned prior to the storm, the post-storm cleanup shouldn’t be that bad — and even a potentially dirty pool is no reason to put yourself in harm’s way.

What about sinking all the outdoor stuff in the pool? I’ve heard you can do that.

Contrary to popular belief, submerging everything in your pool isn’t always the best advice. Some things CAN be placed in the pool, but it’s best to check with your pool manufacturer to know what’s safe to sink, and what isn’t.

One good rule of thumb is to ask yourself, ‘Would the chlorine damage it?’ before sinking something to the pool floor. The plastic white stacking chairs pass the test (as does your aluminum furniture), while something like a canvas and wood umbrella wouldn’t. If you can’t sink it, make sure to remove it from the outdoor area and bring it inside somewhere – otherwise, you’re chancing a grill or a kid’s toy turning into a dangerous projectile, capable of causing all kinds of damage during heavy winds.

The storm has knocked out our water, too; can we use the pool for drinking water?

It’s definitely okay to use pool water to flush the toilet during an emergency, but most experts agree that pool water isn’t suitable for drinking, cooking, or even shaving. The type of chlorine used in pools just isn’t made for human consumption.

If you’re reading this article, you probably haven’t run out of power or water yet! So take a moment now to either bottle your own water, (which can last up to six months if bottled properly, e.g. tightly sealed, and in light filled spaces) or add bottled water to your grocery list. Having a supply of bottled water on hand in case of any emergency is always a good idea.

The storm is over – What can I do while I’m waiting for the electricity to be turned back on or the professional pool help to arrive?

We’ll give you one guess. You’re right! Get all the junk out of the pool. Use your regular pool cleaning tools to get out any debris that may have entered the pool during the storm.
Don’t forget to clean the filters — a storm produces more debris that usual in your pool… and your filters weren’t really designed for such a major mess. Clean up what you can with a net, and if you have to get in the pool to get debris out, make sure that you wear shoes.

After you’ve cleaned, super-chlorinate the pool and circulate continuously until the water’s color looks close to normal. Keep the water “shocked” until power or help arrives, but don’t let people or pets in the pool while it’s in this state.

Q: Please discuss 5′ x 5′ strapping vs. 3′ x 3′ strapping and the proper uses of each?

A: The question you ask refers to the width in the cross grids of strapping. 5′ x 5′ strapping is used on symmetrically even safety covers with reasonably smaller square footages which do not entail too many custom dimensions. This helps keep the cost of safety cover material lower. Once an application grows in square footage and takes on more complicated design, it is necessary to produce the safety cover in a tighter grid, 3′ x 3′ sections, to ensure a proper fit.

For your custom cover we will give you a quote with the appropriate strapping space.
Here is a link to our custom safety cover measuring form . Fill out and fax in to get a free quote. If you prefer the 3′x3′ spacing just mark it on our form.

Q: We get a great deal of calls at www.pcpools.com where customers have been told using a standard size winter safety cover on a non-standard size swimming pool is okay. What are your thoughts about this practice?

A: Attempting to put a stock safety cover on a custom shaped or sized pool brings several factors into play. The safety cover overlap may not be sufficient in certain areas to maintain the standards, and in other areas, an improperly sized safety cover may overlap too much into grassy areas or flower beds where it cannot be properly anchored.

This practice has been going for some time and especially for consumers with a tight budget. While they may save money up front buying a standard safety cover for a custom type swimming pool is not a good practice. For example if a customer had 16′ x 32′ kidney shaped swimming pool and purchased a standard rectangle safety cover. At first, when installed properly, the safety cover would look great. As soon as the weather of fall and winter sets in the deterioration of the safety cover has already begun. Here’s what happens. The safety cover strapping of an Arctic Armor safety cover is made with a very dense polymer, called strap wear guards, these wear guards are sewn directly into the the bottom of each cover strap to protect the strapping that comes in contact with the pool deck. Without the wear guards lining up properly in relationship to the pool size and surrounding decking, as in our pool’s example, the cover will fail within 3 years. The normal buffeting of the safety cover that occurs on a non-wear guarded cover strap will snap the strap right in half and the safety cover has failed. Continuing along with our pool example, the customer will assume the safety cover comes with a 12 or 15 year warranty so they call the cover manufacturer to inquire about there warranty. They send the safety cover back to the manufacturer for inspection. The factory then lays the failed cover out on the factory floor. Low and behold they see the outline of a kidney shaped swimming pool on standard rectangle safety cover. The safety covers warranty is null and void. Unfortunately, it’s like when an elephant sits on your fence!

Here is a link to our custom safety cover measuring form . Fill out and fax in to get a free quote.

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• Works on in-ground pools UP TO 20′x40′ in size and up to 10′ deep!

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Check out the The World’s Most Amazing Hotel Pools.  Breathtaking views, spacious, romantic, and even wildlife.

Even if you can’t go, they are very nice to look at.

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As the owner of a swimming pool you want beautiful clear blue water without the hassles. PcPools.com offers a complete line of high quality chemical products that will simplify pool care and make your pool water sparkle. PcPools.com has the information you need to keep your pool water clean from spring start-up to winter closing.

PcPools.com offers complete easy to use New Pool Start-Up Kits. These pool chemical kits are formulated with just the right amount of chemicals to set your pool up quickly and easily.

Easy Pool Care Guide for Pool Maintenance

Now that your pool is up and running, follow our Easy Pool Care process to ensure clear, brilliant pool water.

Need Help or Advice?

This guide is designed to educate you about PcPools.com programs and some of the products we carry. In the event of pool water questions or problems please contact us at 1-877-727-6657 for expert advice and simple solutions.

Great recipe idea for a summer pool party – Sticks & Spice Poolside Grilling Party

Shared via AddThis
Do you have any ideas for a summer pool party – let us know

Where can I buy parts for my Raypak heater?

Raypak sells its products through distribution. Raypak does not sell parts directly via the Internet. If you’re having difficulties locating parts, Raypak has a few sources you may consider for parts and pricing listed below.

Commercial Parts

800-666-7665
Commercial Pool Parts

Parts Depot
www.poolparts2u.com
800-799-5106

Manufacturer’s Referral Service

888-448-0208

Where can I obtain service in my area?

Raypak does have warranty service information listed out on the website. There is a service locator for Gas Fired or electric units, just key in your zip code.

How do I winterize my heater?

Heaters that are installed in a freezing climate and are shut down for the winter, please observe the following procedures;

1. Turn gas valve and manual gas valve off. Turn off electrical supply to the heater (applies only to electronic ignition heaters).

2. Open the drain plug located in the inlet/outlet header, (under water pipes at the inlet/outlet header).

3. Remove the heat exchanger inspection panel on the side opposite water piping to gain access to the drain plug on the return header. Open the drain plug on return header.

4. For heaters made before 1998, with a Pressure Switch Tube Assembly, (copper tube), You will need to disconnect the pressure switch at the header connection. For heaters made after 1998, there is no need to disconnect the Pressure switch.

How do I know the date of manufacture or model of my heater?

The heater’s model and serial numbers are located on the rating plate found on the inside of the unit. To locate the rating plate, first loosen the door screw. Remove the door(s), pull up and out. The rating plate will be either a gold or silver color with the Raypak logo. The serial number will have 10 digits. The date code is found in the first four digits of the serial number, for example, a unit made in April of 2001 will have the first four digits read as 0104.

The model number will have both numbers and letters, such as: PR-335B-EN

How can I convert my heater from Natural gas to propane?

Most Raypak swimming pool and spa heaters can be converted from one gas type to another, by simply purchasing a conversion kit listed in the Illustrated Parts List for that unit. Some complications may apply if your heater is equipped with electronic ignition. Please contact the factory, or your local Raypak Representative for more details. Conversions should be performed only by an “Experienced Gas Professional”.

Many states now also require a specific license to work on gas appliances. Check with your local utility provider for details.

What is the efficiency of my heater?

Raypak’s pool and spa heaters run at about 81 to 83 % Thermal Efficiency, (the amount of energy that actually heats the water). Raypak’s residential appliances have the highest efficiency that we can provide without creating rapid wear from the corrosive effects of condensation.

Pool products that have efficiencies in excess of 95% are also available from Raypak. These products are available through our commercial pool distributors. These are commercial grade appliances, and are not normally found on residential applications. High efficiency heaters are much more expensive than typical residential heaters, like the Raypak RP2100 series of heaters.

Where can I obtain a wiring diagram for my heater?

First look in your installation and operation manual. All our manuals have the diagrams for millivolt, and electronic ignition published within them. These are available for download in our document library.

Specialized wiring diagrams for wiring heaters to draft inducers, or other control devices are readily available from either the tech support group or the applications engineers. Contact the factory at 805-278-5300 for more information. Be prepared to have the exact model number and serial number with you when you call or Email the factory.