News – Page 2 – THE COOL POOL by Certikin

CalderaSpas:
a good investment for holiday lets

Looking to inject the X factor into their holiday cottage business, Ruth and Gordon Christopher installed two beautiful CalderaSpas hot tubs and it proved to be one of the soundest business decisions they ever made.

Holt Farm is an independent, family owned business set in the stunning Herefordshire countryside, offering luxury accommodation in four holiday cottages.

Two years ago, owners Ruth and Gordon took the decision to install two Caldera Vantos hot tubs. “They were installed in January in a cold winter,” says Ruth. “We had the best swim ever a couple days later because it was snowing which gave it such a magical feel. Some guests, who have not used a hot tub before, think you have to have fine weather to use one so I love telling them about how the best times are the dark, the snow and the rain!

“We chose two seven-seater hot tubs between our four cottages and it works well for us as they are situated on outdoor patios. They are strategically placed as most of our customers book at least two cottages so we have great flexibility to give them at least one cottage with a hot tub. Then in quiet times we can offer a hot tub to customers whose cottage might not have an adjacent one – they are usually delighted by the added value to their booking.”

So why Caldera? “We were attracted to the brand’s price and superb quality. Plus, the sales team at our local retailer, Three Counties Pools & Spas, recommended Caldera because the hot tubs are robust and economical to run. What really clinched the deal for us was attending a seminar at Three Counties, and they invited customers who had already installed Calderas and their testimonials were very encouraging.

“The hot tubs have proved a real boon to business,” says Ruth. “Potential customers are always looking for an added value fun facility when they make their booking and the hot tubs fit the bill perfectly and have broad appeal. Hen and stag parties love them as well as the big birthday gatherings, reunion groups and walkers. We find our customers use them all times of the day and night. Small families and couples enjoy them too for relaxing – more in the evenings rather than in the day. The great beauty of a CalderaSpas hot tub is that it is not seasonal. The majority of our guests stay for weekend breaks but families who book longer stays in the school holidays use the hot tubs all week long. And of course, mid week walking groups love relaxing in one after a long day in the hills.

“Maintenance takes just a few minutes per day; refilling is more lengthy but having two tubs is good in that they can fill simultaneously! For us, getting the Caldera hot tubs has been a great investment and we’ve not looked back.”

Emma Garrett of Three Counties Pools & Spas says: “CalderaSpas is a brand which offers both peace of mind to owners and dealers. The brand’s reputation for build quality and design provides reassurance in providing a reliable, durable and efficient spa – ideal for the holiday let industry.”

OC-1 Filtration Media:
the future of swimming pool filtration

Unlike traditional methods that use entrapment, OC-1 Filtration Media works through settlement and harnesses advances in pump technology and variable speed pumps/controllers. The new British manufactured filtration media has some exceptional benefits – by replacing commonly used media (such as sand and glass) with OC-1 it is possible to reduce the head loss in the filtration system; filter with a constant flow (regardless of debris entrapment) and, most remarkably, significantly reduce running energy costs whilst still filtering to the equivalent standard as it can be used with a smaller pump or a variable speed pump or controller.

Why YOU should switch to OC-1

Reduces energy consumption – OC-1 maintains constant flow rates, even when the media becomes dirty. Never experience heating/salt chlorinators/heat pumps going out on low flow again. The constant flow means pumps can be run at lower speeds, thus saving energy.

Huge capacity for debris collection – OC-1 offers over 20 times thecapacity of sand or glass.

Reduced requirement for backwashing and a more efficient backwash – Reduces water consumption, chemical usage and heating. There is no need to backwash on start up with new installations.

Lightweight – Can even be shipped inside a filter, easy to handle and super quick and easy to install.

Less Maintenance – reduces pressure in the system, extending the life of equipment.

Suitable for ALL installations – domestic or commercial, outdoor or indoor, new installations or existing filters.

Recyclable at end of product life.

Payback typically 6-12 months.

Don’t just take our word for it – OC-1 has been independently tested by Cranfield University and IFTS Institut de la FIltration et des Techniques Séparatives.

Accu-Tab:
easily the best chlorine feeder in the world!

…Says Eddie O’Neill of Port Talbot pool contractors, Pioneer Maintenance Services. Eddie has been installing Certikin’s market leading Accu-Tab system for the past 12 years and says its unique performance outstrips all other chlorine feeder water treatment systems.

“It is no exaggeration to say that Accu-Tab has totally transformed the business of pool water maintenance and safety. It is super user-friendly and simple to maintain,” says Eddie about Axiall’s calcium hypochlorite system, exclusively distributed in the UK and Ireland by Certikin. “There’s little or no maintenance issues compared to other water treatment systems so there’s few service costs.

“The beauty of Accu-Tab is that it can cope with any workload – from a hospital hydrotherapy pool to a 50-metre Olympic pool. The system really shows its true colours considering there is free summer swimming and heavy loads in most pools in Wales. When a bus trip arrives, some conventional systems cannot cope which is a worry for the manager and public health.”

pioneer-accutab1 — Wales National Pool, Swansea

Eddie should know having installed the Accu-Tab system at the prestigious Wales National Pool in Swansea. The 50-metre competition pool was used for training in the run up to the London 2012 Olympics and was, at the time, the subject of a Certikin case study. Five years on the system is still going strong and the pool maintenance staff are more than happy with its performance.

To cope with the needs of the 50m and 25m training pools, Pioneer installed an Accu-Tab 3075 PowerBase chlorination unit. The system consists of a PVC base, 4ft by 2ft, with a 20-gallon polyethylene tank mounted on the base. The Accu-Tab dry tablet chlorinator, holding 25kg Accu-Tab tablets is mounted on the specially designed tank. The tank has built in level switches and is connected to a special Burkert solenoid valve, all of which is operated on 24 volts which is very safe. The system is wired to the chemical controller, which also controls a Lowara 240 volt, booster pump. All the electrical controls are wall mounted at eye level for ease of access and the whole system is corrosion resistant.

The Wales National Pool Sports Manager for Facilities, Richard Akers says: “Accu-Tab replaced an outmoded method of chlorinating water which was costly, both in terms of chemical consumption and maintenance and service repairs, and we are as happy with it today as when it was first installed.”

“It saves such a huge amount of time. The duty manager simply has to refill the chlorinator with the large 3-inch Accu-Tabs, which take about 10 minutes a day. With the old system we had to gown-up in overalls and face masks and go through the messy daily ritual of hand dosing the granular calcium hypochlorite into the mixing tank (which caused a lot of dust and fumes) and mechanical agitation to dissolve the granules before injecting the solution into the pool water.

With the Accu-Tab system staff wear an apron, gloves and small facemask. It is also a much cleaner procedure. It has eliminated all hazards and, furthermore, blockages are non-existent and it is very economical!”

Richard concludes: “This safe and reliable dosing method has made the workload of the pool maintenance staff so much lighter and I am delighted to report that the water quality is superb. We are complete converts to the Certikin Accu-Tab system!”

Eddie adds: “With no corrosion on the system, no chlorine dust, no overflowing of chemicals, no bund, no mixing tanks and equipment, no injectors to block, no metering pumps to default, no hoses to block/burst or blow off, no danger of chemical splashes – using Accu-Tab really is a no brainer! We have installed the system on every school pool in Swansea and have recently received an enquiry to supply a unit at TV and film Bay Studios in Swansea.”

Cleanliness and style:
the keys to a successful “pool party”

The arrival of summer and the start of the swimming season deserves to be celebrated in style. Follow these tips to plan the pool party of the year!

An impeccable pool
A basic requirement for the success of any pool party is clean, clear water that invites guests to dive right in. So make sure that your party won’t soon be forgotten: get your system in top condition and clean all dirt that has accumulated on the floor of the pool.

A number of pool-cleaning options are available, though few are as effective as automatic pool cleaning robots, including the Dolphin E10. This light small robot is ideal for all types of small pools including above ground pools. It gives crystal clear cleaning results with all surface active brushing action. It has an effective easy-to-use filtration system with efficient dirt collection.

Create the right atmosphere
If you truly want to impress your guests, it’s just as important to pay attention to the area around the pool as the pool itself. Outdoor lamps are your greatest allies and can create a unique atmosphere that immerses your guests in a magical fusion of water, light and colour.