If your pool's total alkalinity is reading low, baking soda is the most cost-effective fix. For a 10,000-gallon pool, raising alkalinity by 10 ppm takes roughly 1.5 pounds of baking soda - here's the exact math and how to add it correctly.
Closing an inground pool with a cartridge filter takes a few extra steps compared to sand or DE systems, but it's very manageable as a DIY job. This guide walks through every step in order, with real numbers for chemicals, water levels, and filter storage so nothing gets missed.
Closing a fiberglass pool for winter isn't as simple as draining it down and throwing on a cover. Leave too much water and your skimmer cracks; leave too little and the shell can shift or pop. Here's exactly where the water level should sit and why it matters.
A 12x24 above-ground pool holds between 5,000 and 7,200 gallons depending on wall height. That number is the starting point for every chemical dose you add all season. This post walks through the math, then shows you exactly how much chlorine, shock, and pH adjuster to use.
Choosing between trichlor and cal-hypo shock at pool closing time is more than a brand preference - the dose and timing differ for each. This post gives exact amounts for a 20,000-gallon inground pool and explains which type makes more sense for a winter shutdown.
Figuring out how much antifreeze a pool with a heater and two skimmers needs is trickier than the basic one-quart-per-line rule suggests. The heater adds extra plumbing volume, and two skimmers mean two separate lines to protect. This post walks through the math with real numbers so you buy exactly what you need.
A heater bypass line adds real pipe volume that most antifreeze guides completely ignore. This post walks through exactly how to calculate how much antifreeze your inground pool needs when a bypass is part of the plumbing loop, with worked examples by pipe size.
Adding the right amount of DE powder before closing a pool protects your filter grids all winter. This guide breaks down exactly how much to add by filter size, with a worked example and the most common mistakes pool owners make at closing time.
A 12x24 inground pool holds roughly 10,800 to 14,400 gallons depending on depth - and that number drives every chemical dose you add. Get the volume wrong and you're either under-treating or wasting product. This guide walks through how to calculate your exact gallonage and what it means for chlorine, shock, alkalinity, and stabilizer.
Replastering a pool that has a fiberglass step insert costs more than a plain shell, but the exact number depends on step condition, finish choice, and whether the steps need to be replaced entirely. This guide breaks down every cost layer so you know what to expect before the contractor shows up.