Auto-fill or auto-FLUSH

Have you ever wondered why some products have names that are somewhat different than the products actual function? In the swimming pool industry, the best example of this is found with the “Auto-Fill”. What does that sound like to you? Is it something that you leave open and will automatically fill your pool only when needed? Well…not exactly.

First, we need to look at how an “auto-fill” works. In the simplest form, it is not too dissimilar to how your toilet tank fills up to a certain level and stops after you flush. (Tell the truth, you just thought “don’t swim in my toilet, don’t pee in my pool”, right?) When the pool water level drops, the auto-fill sensor/bobber/etc triggers the release of tap-water from an already open spigot. If you’ve ever watched kids, dogs, or even playful dads and uncles goof around in the pool you’d probably agree there is one common behavior…splashing!!! To use a more illustrative term…waves. (No, this is not a shameless plug for our company name.) We all learned in elementary school that waves have peaks and troughs. Well when these troughs reach the auto-fill, what happens? With every trough the auto-fill is squirting a little bit of fresh water.

Although it may not seem like a few drops here and there can have an impact on your 15,000 gallon pool, consider this…last Saturday’s cannonball contest not only splashed out a few dozen gallons of chlorinated, balanced pool water, but with an auto-fill in the “on” position, could have introduced hundreds of gallons of non-chlorinated water to your now formerly balanced pool chemistry. This not only increases your water bill, but also means you now need to re-introduce chemicals back into your pool for the water to remain properly balanced. Quite literally, money is being poured down the drain!

Now that we have a better understanding of how an auto-fill works, we can look into using one for the power of good. Are you going to drop a hose into the pool and wait there until the pool water reaches the desired level? I didn’t think so. Human nature these days is to get as many things done at the same time as possible. Unfortunately what ends up happening, some things get forgotten…like turning off the hose. With an auto-fill, you can fill the pool, run those errands, and not worry about over-filling and flushing those much needed chemicals out of your pool…just remember to turn it off before next Saturday’s pool party!!!

Now that is a pool of information. However, there is an easier way to determine if your pool equipment is running at optimal levels and have your pool looking better than ever. Hire a certified pool professional to manage your pool’s cleaning cycle and service the equipment. Mention this article when you contact us to receive a free estimate.