The Central Iowa Pool & Spa service team is one of the most knowledgeable and skilled in the industry with over 30 years combined experience. Once a year our team undergoes factory training and certification as well as attending trade seminars to keep up to date with the most current technology available.
Installation and completion of each project is only the beginning of our commitment to our customers. Whether its opening and closing your pool, or servicing your Sundance Spa, give yourself peace of mind and allow our specialists to take care of any problems that may arise.
“Oh, no…. Really?”
That’s almost always the thought that runs through my head when I see a pool looking a little hazy…or downright cloudy. Instantly I’m grabbing all of my testing supplies and checking to see what the problem could be.
First thought: How’s my filter system? Is there plenty of water flow? When did I backwash last? Are my skimmer baskets clean, pump running, and everything looking good? Always start there and make sure that isn’t the issue. Often, it is. Go ahead and backwash. Check that your returns aren’t sending air bubbles out into your water, too.
Next thought: my chlorine got too low somehow and now we have an issue…. If that’s the problem, a heavy shock might fix it. If the chlorine levels are just fine, though, the search is on. Make sure you’re testing for FREE chlorine and not just TOTAL chlorine. (Check here for more information on that.)
Check through the rest of your water balance. Is your water’s alkalinity at a good level? What about the PH? Not too high, right? Make sure you’ve got it in the 7.4-7.6 range and carry on.
If everything seems pretty okay with your water chemistry, and you’ve backwashed your filter, likely your water will clear up on its own in a day or two or three. If you’re like me, you’re not necessarily that patient. I’d like my pretty water back NOW!
Here’s what I do:
First up is a Filter Aid. It’s in the Soft Swim line of products by BioGuard but can be used with chlorine programs as well. Pre-mix it in some water, pour slowly into your skimmer. It will make your sand filter a LOT more efficient, allowing it to catch the very tiny particles that may be floating in your water and causing the haze. (Sidenote–it ALSO helps remove phosphates!)
Next is a good clarifier. I have two favorites right now…. I can’t help it, I like them both! The first is an old standby, Polysheen Blue. It clumps all of those tiny particles together to make them even easier for your filter to capture. Be careful to follow the correct dosing, though. If you use too much, you may end up with an even cloudier pool, temporarily. My NEW favorite is called Natural Clarifier. It has no artificial dyes or other ingredients, and uses Chitosan, produced from the exoskeletons of crustaceans (such as crab and shrimp). It’s completely safe to use, and you can’t overdose your pool, so if it’s VERY cloudy you can double or triple the dose for faster results.
Do those two things and give your pool a little time. 24-48 hours later you should have some sparkling, clear water. At that point, you’ll want to backwash, and stand around being impressed at all the gunk that your amazingly efficient filter system took out of your water. Be proud of yourself. (I always feel like super-woman when I clear a pool’s water up, even if I’ve done it a million times.)
I’ll go ahead and tell you: Good job!
Here are some other articles you may enjoy:
How, Why, and When to Clean Your Pool Filter
How Do I Get Balanced, Safe, Clear Pool Water?
Does it Matter Where I Buy my Chemicals?
Thanks, as always. Any questions, comments, trials and errors? I would LOVE to hear about them! Seriously. We’re here to help.
Jen Allen
Central Iowa Pool & Spa
jen@soakandswim.com
515-263-6900
We are the best pool company in Des Moines, Iowa. Aw, heck, we’ll go so far as to say all of Central Iowa. Big claim? Sure, but let me tell you why we think so, by listing:
Top 5 Things to Know about YOUR Pool Company!
1. We are Licensed & Insured. Why is this important? One–it protects YOU if there are any accidents or mistakes on the job site, and to be realistic, we must understand that things like that DO happen sometimes. On the other hand, it also means that this company is SAFE enough and EXPERIENCED enough to be able to qualify for and keep our licenses and our insurance. Make sure your pool company is trying to keep you safe.
2. We are EXPERIENCED. Central Iowa Pool & Spa has been in business over 15 years, locally owned and operated. We make sure our staff is well-trained and certified in their work, whether it be our sales consultants, our technicians, our water testers and consultants, or our building crew. Our experience means we are confident we can give you great, expected results time after time, and that we can educate you best on how to take care of and enjoy your new pool that was expertly installed.
Mario Alba, Owner.
3. We LOVE Customer Service. If you Google this, it’ll pull up many images of smiling people talking on the phone. While we will answer the phone when you call, THAT is not the kind of customer service I’m talking about. I’m talking about truly caring for our customers, offering the most reliable products and service, and being willing to GO THE EXTRA MILE. Maybe that means a consultation after hours. Maybe it means stopping by your house to grab a water sample to help you trouble-shoot and issue. Maybe it means spending hours writing and putting educational articles on our blog. That’s okay–we’re here for YOU!
Katelin Eaton, Store Manager
4. We are BBB approved and APSP Certified. We’re all familiar with the Better Business Bureau–and we’re a member in top standing! You can check the internet for information on that anytime. We’re proud of our A+ rating and ZERO complaints on our record. We’re also proudly APSP Certified, which is the Association of Pool and Spa Professionals. They set the standards and expectations for the industry, not only in education but also in ethics. It takes a lot of work and proof to become a certified member in good standing, and we’re very happy to be one of those companies.
5. We are not the CHEAPEST. If you’ve ever been shopping for a big ticket item, perhaps a new car, you know that the cheapest one available is likely NOT the car you’re going to be happy with. That said, you can also tell when something is simply over priced. Here at Central Iowa Pool & Spa we strive to give you a fair price on the pools that we sell and build, but we do not offer bad products. This means if you’re looking for the cheapest option possible, you’ll want to look elsewhere. We want to work with you to get you the best QUALITY and FUNCTION for your money. This means we won’t be pushy about all the bells and whistles, but that we WILL make sure you have a pool that you will be happy with for many, many years to come. (And of course, if you WANT the bells and whistles, we’ll be happy to oblige!)
Just like a car, you get what you pay for. If you want quality, and something you can be proud of, please contact us for a consultation and we’ll talk about what YOU want to see in your backyard!
–The Central Iowa Pool & Spa Team
Meet the Staff!
PLEASE browse through the many topics and articles that we have available, and check out our website. We put a TON of information here so that YOU can find out what you need to know! Any questions? Just ask! We’ll get back to you quickly, and if it’s a topic that should be on the website, we’ll write it up!
Your filter system is the heart and soul of your pool. When it’s working well, it’s much easier to have the beautiful clean, clear, and safe pool water that we all desire. When your filter is dirty, you may find yourself constantly battling to keep the water balanced, adding many extra chemicals, and fighting cloudy water. So, how do you know when to clean your filter? Why do you need to clean it? And just how should you clean it, anyway?
First things first. Hopefully, you’re keeping an eye on the pressure gauge of your filter and backwashing when it goes 10-20 psi above where it sets when it’s clean. If not, you’re at least backwashing weekly…right? (Oh, golly….if you’re not, PLEASE DO!) Backwashing your filter takes all the layers of dust, bugs, algae, oils, who-knows-what off the top layers of your sand and washes it OUT of your filter. This needs done on a regular basis so that your filter can run efficiently. If it’s too dirty, the water flow will be slowed greatly. Circulation is the #1 key to keeping you pool water healthy!
Even if you are backwashing regularly, I recommend you do a chemical cleaning of your filter at least once a year. WHEN? This can be done in the fall when you close you pool, or in the spring when you open it.
WHY?! The chemical clean is going to strip any oils off your sand and pull out anything that might be stuck in those oils. I’ve seen the backwash water, afterwards, run nearly black before. Ew. Get that stuff out of your filter! If you know, logically, that you may get quite a bit of oils and the like in your filter, (for instance, if you use tanning oils, body oils, etc, or your family members do) feel free to clean it again mid-season.
{HOW to Chemically Clean Your Filter: Purchase your cleaner–we recommend Quik Strip by BioGuard. With your filter system running normally, pour the bottle down the skimmer closest to your sand filter. Give it a moment for the water with the cleaner in it to reach your filter, then shut your system off. Let it sit for about an hour, then switch to backwash and let it run until you’ve got clear water showing in your site glass. This may take a few minutes–let it run! After that, make sure you rinse your filter before putting it back on it’s normal setting.}
I hope all of this helps! Feel free, PLEASE, to ask any questions or voice any thoughts that come to mind!
Here are a few other articles you may be interested in:
100 Reasons for Cloudy Pool Water
Cleaning with Enzymes: Natural Result
How Do I get Balanced, Safe Pool Water?
Thanks, as always!
Jen Allen
Central Iowa Pool & Spa
515-263-6900
jen@soakandswim.com
We’ve had an AMAZING start to spring here in Iowa, and it has many of us thinking about opening our pools! In fact, we opened our pools at the store a few days ago–it was so nice to get to work on them in the warm sunshine!
Some of you are new pool owners, some maybe just want a refresher on what to do, and perhaps some of you are just curious as to how our service team opens your pool every year. Remember–every pool is a little bit different. These are general guidelines to follow, but the specifics are up to you and your pool. Read on!
Opening a Pool
- First thing to do is to remove your cover. If there is any debris or leaves, remove that first as best as possible.
- Pump off any standing water from your cover. Make sure you aren’t pumping water from the pool itself by accident; this can happen if there is a hole in your cover.
- After removing the cover, be sure to clean it, let it dry, and store for the season. We recommend using BioGuard Stowaway. It cleans well, and allows you to even put your cover away still wet.
- Remove any freeze plugs, Gizzmo’s, and other items installed to protect against freezing, and re-connect all of your hoses with clamps. Double check that they’re plumbed correctly!
- Fill up the pool with new water, back to a normal operating level or even a little bit higher.
- If you didn’t clean your filter chemically last fall, make sure you do it now! We recommend BioGuard’s StripKwik if you’re on a chlorine system, and SoftSwim Filter Cleaner if you’re using a Biguanide.
- Now, start your filter system up, being sure to prime the pump before starting the motor. I normally backwash at the start, as well.
- Check for any leaks in you hoses, plugs, and clamps.
- Check the pool water itself. Hopefully it’s just as clean and clear as when you closed it. If there IS any debris, remove with a net or similar tool of your choice as best you can.
- Dirt, sand, algae, and other small debris should be vacuumed to waste.
- Once your pool is clean, we can worry about water chemistry.
- DON’T just throw a bunch of chlorine into the water–we don’t want to damage your liner.
- Give your pool 24-48 hours to circulate and filter–backwash as often as needed.
- After that, test your water thoroughly and add chemicals in the proper order to correct your water balance. We highly suggest bringing us a water sample to test forpH, Total Alkalinity, Calcium Hardness, etc. Be sure to follow the procedure they describe to avoid damage to your pool’s surface.
- Install handrails, ladders, etc. being sure to inspect them for wear and damage. If you apply car wax to the stainless steel rails, it will help protect them from corrosion.
- If you have a diving board, check it over! Make sure there are no cracks or other signs of damage, and that the surface isn’t worn smooth.
If this sounds like a lot to handle, you can ALWAYS call a pool professional to come out and open your pool for you. There are different options available, whether you want full-service (we’ll even take care of removing the cover and pumping water off for you), or a smaller service where you can do some of the easier parts yourself. There are always options!
Now it’s time to start enjoying your beautiful pool!
Other articles that may interest you:
WHEN Should I Open my Pool?
Does it Matter WHERE I buy my Chemicals?
Pool Service
100 Reasons for Cloudy Pool Water
As always–THANK YOU for reading! Your questions are welcomed and loved. Send them my way!
Jen Allen
Central Iowa Pool & Spa
515-263-6900
jen@soakandswim.com
It’s getting to be that time of year when people start wondering about opening their pool. Whether you have an above ground pool or an inground pool, it’s an important thing to consider! Living in Iowa like many of us do, it can be a tricky question! Earlier is always better if you want to get a head start on having beautiful, clean, and SAFE water once it’s warm enough to get in and enjoy it, but there are a few different factors to consider.
If you open your pool too early, with our crazy Iowa weather, you may end up with problems. A good freeze or snow can sometimes come out of nowhere, and if you’re pool is up and running, you risk water freezing in the lines or pump causing a BIG issue. If you wait too long to open you pool (especially if you haven’t added any winter shock or algaecide), you may take off the cover to discover that your once beautiful water is now starting to turn green. Or IS green. Or worse…black.
Best recommendation? You want to open your pool and get it going as SOON as you feel comfortable that our last big freeze is beyond us. Knowing Iowa, that may be March, it may be April. If you are planning some sort of event (say, Memorial Day weekend?), make sure that you also plan to open your pool AT LEAST three weeks in advance. It *may* take that long, or longer, to get your water clean and clear, unless you’ve kept up with some maintenance through the winter.
Right now, looking out the window, I can see our uncovered above ground pools sparkling in the sun…and just a tiny hint of green in the bottom. They’ll be getting a dose of algaecide and shock to help hold them through until we open them in a few weeks.
What are YOUR plans, and how are YOUR pools looking?
Any questions? Just ask! You can write here, or you can call our service department, especially if you’re planning to have US open your pool. Whether you’re here or one of our readers across the country: if you’re planning on having a pool company open your pool, call and schedule it early–many are booked far ahead.
Thanks for reading! Here are some other articles that may interest you:
Help! What to do with a Green Pool in Winter?
Does it Matter Where I Buy my Chemicals?
100 Reasons for Cloudy Water
Jen Allen
Central Iowa Pool & Spa
jen@soakandswim.com
515-263-6900
You went out to your Sundance Spa and you see that it’s not working and the display panel shows “—-”. This is the Watchdog error. What’s that mean? What do you do now? I’ve got some answers!
Most of the time, you ARE going to need to call a technician. BEFORE you do that, though, the best thing to do is shut off all power to your hot tub and give it at least 15 minutes for everything to reset. Go do that now, if you’re having this problem, then read on!
Alright. What causes the Watchdog error? MOST of the time, this is caused by a faulty temp sensor or flow switch, possibly a circuit board. On very rare occasions it could be the control panel or a transformer. It could also just be a power spike, which is why we want to give it a chance to reset before you call anyone out to work on it.
If it is the temp sensor or the flow switch, it will be fairly quick and inexpensive to replace, and those are the most common problems. A Sundance Certified Technician won’t have any problem replacing the faulty parts and getting you quickly back to enjoying your hot tub. When they come out, they will test different jumpers on your circuit panel to diagnose which component of your spa needs replaced.
Now that you know more about the Watchdog Error on Sundance Spas, go ahead and try powering your spa on again (as long as it’s been at least 15 minutes) and see how it does! If it’s working like normal again, don’t worry about it. If it goes into Watchdog again, call your local service tech–and don’t worry about it!
Thanks for reading!
Jen Allen
Central Iowa Pool & Spa
jen@soakandswim.com
Other articles of Interest:
FLO error on Sundance Spas
4 BIG Problems with Sundance Spas
I share my office with Eric, who is our technical lead. All day long, he’s on his speaker phone, talking to our technicians out in the field, making orders for parts, and talking with customers about what repairs are needed for their hot tubs or pools. We get TONS of calls, many of which we can’t help….because we are not the dealer for the tub in question.
We are a Sundance Spa dealer, and proud of it. We’ve worked with many hot tub brands over the years, and went with this one for a reason–it’s the best. Now, you came here to hear about problems, so let’s go over those! I actually had to do quite a bit of online research for this, so strap in!
1. LEAKS! I’ve read a bunch about leaking issues in Sundance Spas. Well…ones from 1994. If your 1994 Sundance Spa is finally leaking…I really wouldn’t count that as a problem. I’d be very happy if something I spent good money on almost 20 years ago was still up, running, and providing me with entertainment and therapy. In general, the only leaks we repair on newer Sundance Spas are ones that were caused by improper winterization. If you leave water in the lines when you shutdown your spa over the winter, you will have very predictable problems…with ANY brand of hot tub.
2. Problems with Electronics. I have read quite a few complaints about circuit boards failing after 5 or six years. Personally, I find that to be pretty exceptional. How many appliances in your home put wires, connections, computer parts, right next to hot steaming water, chemicals, and condensation….and are just fine for 5-6 years? To me, this says excellent craftsmanship and the kind of repairs you would EXPECT to do on a long term appliance or product.
3. Customer Service/Warranty. Sundance Spas has been around for 32 years and their warranty covers pretty much everything on the spa, 5 years parts and labor, and 10 years on the shell! So, it always surprises me when I hear something negative about the spa brand being associated with bad warranty or customer service. I will tell you right now, the Sundance Spas company is very helpful and reliable. If you see bad reviews, I would question whether the issue came from Sundance or from someone’s local dealer. Here at Central Iowa Pool & Spa, we’ve been servicing, selling, and helping the Des Moines area for over 15 years. We take pride in our work, our product, and our service. You won’t hear those complaints from OUR customers, and you won’t be making them yourself.
4. So NOISY! I have to laugh when I read these complaints online. Our jets are noisy. Well…yes, I suppose. We’ve got a couple of high powered pumps pushing water through creatively designed jets, possibly up to 74 in your hot tub….that WOULD make some noise, I suppose. If you want a hot tub that is noise free, I recommend you just fill up your bath tub and soak in that, really. A hot tub is meant to have jets, and for therapy, the water needs to have some pressure behind it! That is going to make some noise, no matter what hot tub brand. That said, if you want a more relaxing, conversational time in your tub, there are many controls within a hands reach that you can use to lower the water pressure and therefore reduce the noise that is surrounding you. 
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I refer to this often, but purchasing and owning a hot tub is a lot like looking for or owning a new car. The oil will need changed, you’ll need to replace the tires eventually, new spark plugs, new wiper blades, new brakes….we accept that as common repairs and maintenance, but people seem to expect that a hot tub with motors, heaters, circuit boards, etc, just won’t need any maintenance or repairs. It’s not true, and it doesn’t make any sense to think that way.
Just like a car, think about having a technician come out and check things over for you once a year or so. Perhaps in the fall, to prep for winter. Like the furnace in your home, have it checked before you need it and before an electrical failure could cause a larger problem. You wouldn’t purchase a car from a dealer you didn’t trust, so make sure you trust and respect your spa dealer as well. If you maintain your spa and keep your chemicals balanced, hopefully in 20 years all you’ll have to complain about is needing to replace a rubber hose that is leaking, too.
Any questions or comments? Just ask!
–Jen Allen
jen@soakandswim.com
Other Pages of Interest:
Sundance Spa Models
Sundance Spas VS Hotspring Spas
Sundance Spas VS Jacuzzi Hot Tubs
Problems with Salt Water in Hot Tubs
We Have the Best Hot Tubs in Iowa!
What is this FLO error on my Sundance Spa?
I hope everyone enjoyed the holidays! We’re enjoying shorter hours in the store this week to help celebrate, but I’m finding more and more time to write! Today’s subject: FLO error.
Our technical team gets quite a few calls through the year on this. “My display is flashing ‘FLO.’ What’s that mean?” There are a number of things it could be indicating. Some of them are simple, and you can take care of them yourself! Some of them may require a skilled technician to come out and work on your spa for you.
1. The first thing to do if you have a FLO error is to remove your filter and clean it. A FLO error is going to indicate something is wrong with your circulation system, so start with the simplest problem: your filter. Even if you think it should be fine, give it a try. Sometimes we can’t see the problem with our eyes.
2. If that doesn’t work, you can try cleaning and refilling your hot tub, as there may be a calcium build-up in the lines of your spa, causing slow water flow. (This is part of why we encourage use of a stain and scale product.) BEFORE you empty the tub, use a cleaner such as Spa Purge or Aqua Finnesse Spa Clean tablet. Let it run for 20 minutes or longer with all of your jets running and the filter removed–this should go a long ways towards dissolving any gunk and build-up in your tubes and filter system. Drain, refill.
Still have the FLO error? If it’s still there, it’s time to call a technician. This could indicate that there is something more extensive wrong, though it could still be a fairly easy, inexpensive fix, such as:
3. Flo Switch/Sensor
or
4. Circulation Pump
or
5. Circuit Board
The only way to really be sure of those things is to have one of our certified technicians out to run some tests and diagnose what’s wrong. Then, they’ll have you fixed up and soaking in hot water again in no time.
Any questions or comments? Just ask!
–Jen Allen
jen@soakandswim.com
Hello!
I’m Jen, and as many of you know, I am one of the newest workers at Central Iowa Pool this year. I’ve had a great time with this amazing group of people, who have all worked really hard to pass their knowledge to me! Mario has taught me a countless amount about Sundance Spas, Kate has poured a TON of water care knowledge into me, and Eric (as well as others on the maintenance team) have done wonders in teaching me not only how things work, but why we need them. One place where my knowledge was lacking was pool installation, so I talked to Brett Kurth, of Kurth Construction. He does all of our pool installations for us, and he is letting me come out not just to watch and take photos/videos, but also to HELP!
We’re installing a 21′ round above ground pool with an overlap liner. This was day one, and due to a couple of difficulties with equipment (as is bound to happen from time to time on any job), we didn’t get it all done in one day. I’m okay with this–it means I get more time to process the knowledge and help out!
Today we did some very important things. The first thing to do is get the ground level for the pool. This part of the process sounds so easy, it’s deceiving! How difficult can it be to get the ground level and place your stones, right? Looking at the backyard, the owner thought it was pretty level….however, once we broke out the equipment and really checked it, we found out we’d need to come down almost two feet on the side closest to the deck in order to get to level ground. Luckily, the pool we are putting up is one that can be buried up to two feet, so it won’t need any special landscaping. The digging took quite awhile, and produced a big pile of dirt! More than I had expected!
After getting the ground leveled, we brought out the paving stones and laid them in place, using the basic parts of the bottom of the frame to make sure everything was sitting just right. Then, using the lazer level on a tripod, checked each stone to see how much we needed to dig into the ground to get them level with each other.
Then the digging began! Very precise digging. Some needed to go down 1 3/4″, some 2″. Then each one would be measured again, checked for height and level and stability. We also either dug down, or added some dirt, in between each stone to make sure that the frame piece would be supported without any buckling or raising.
When I left for the day, they were finishing up this process. Tomorrow, we’ll place the bottom of the frame, get the sand set, and put up the frame and walls! Look for more updates, and photos!
–Jen Allen
jen@soakandswim.com
Contact Us!
It’s that time of year! The kids are back in school, the days are getting cooler, the leaves are starting to turn golden….and you’re getting ready to close your pool! We get a lot of calls and emails with people asking for help closing their pool, and for a good reason! A pool closed incorrectly can lead to many problems, including broken pipes, cracked filters, structural damage, and the huge chance to open in the spring with a very green pool! All of these things can be very costly, whether you’re having to replace equipment or buy 25 pounds of chlorine to clear things up!
There are many good guidelines on the internet to help you close your pool, but it can be difficult to explain as every pool is a little bit different. Not every pool is plumbed the same, not all filters are the same, etc.
A basic rule of thumb is to make sure every pipe is drained and plugged, and to put in an appropriate dosage of algaecide and shock for the number of gallons in your pool, but unless you have done it before or are very confident, we highly recommend letting one of our service people come out and close the pool for you! If you’re home, you’re welcome to watch and learn.
There are many steps and procedures to do correctly to end up with a beautiful pool opening, and that’s what we want! We want you to take the cover off in the spring to see clear water, and we can help!
Call Eric to schedule: 515-263-6900
–Jen Allen
jen@soakandswim.com
Contact Us!
