Eight Manufacturers Recall Pool and In-Ground Spa Drain Covers Due to Incorrect Ratings
Covers Pose Possible Entrapment Hazard to Swimmers

WASHINGTON, D.C. - The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, in cooperation with the firms named below, today announced a voluntary recall of the following consumer products. Consumers should stop using recalled products immediately unless otherwise instructed. It is illegal to resell or attempt to resell a recalled consumer product.

Name of Product: Pool and spa drain covers

Units: About 1 million

Manufacturers: A&A Manufacturing, of Phoenix, Ariz.; AquaStar Pool Products Inc., of San Diego, Calif.; Color Match Pool Fittings, of Surprise, Ariz.; Custom Molded Products, of Tyrone, Ga.; Hayward Pool Products, of Elizabeth, N.J.; Pentair Water Pool and Spa, of Sanford, N.C.; Rising Dragon USA, of E. Sweetwater, Tenn.; and Waterway Plastics, of Oxnard, Calif.

Hazard: The recalled drain covers were incorrectly rated to handle the flow of water through the cover, which could pose a possible entrapment hazard to swimmers and bathers.

Incidents/Injuries: None reported

Description: The recall involves various pool and spa drain covers that can be identified by the manufacturers' name and model information listed below.

Sold through: Independent distributors to professional pool and spa builders and installers.

Manufactured in: United States and China

Remedy: Pool owners/operators and consumers who have one of the recalled pool or spa drain covers should immediately contact the manufacturer to receive a replacement or retrofit, depending on their make and model. Except for kiddie pools, wading pools and in-ground spas, retrofit or replacement of installed covers are not required in pools with multiple drain systems or gravity drainage systems or for covers installed before December 19, 2008.

Consumer Contact: For additional information, consumers should contact the Drain Cover Recall Hotline toll-free at (866) 478-3521 any time, or visit the Drain Cover Recall website at www.apsp.org/draincoverrecall. Consumers with drain covers from Waterway Plastics should contact the firm toll-free at (866) 719-6044 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. PT, or visit the manufacturer's web site at www.waterwayplastics.com

Visit each firm's website for additional photos of recalled drain cover models.

1. Shopping like you are buying a car. Swimming pools are custom construction projects that are built by many individual trades and pool contractors with different standards. All pools are not built the same, unlike an automobile which is manufactured in a factory under controlled conditions. With a swimming pool, much of what you do not see will impact the cost of pool ownership.

2. Not asking enough questions. Do not assume every builder is going to give you an education or is capable of giving you one, for that matter. The more you know and understand the better buyer you will ultimately be. This helps you and your pool contractor. Do your homework. Your resources are endless, so use them!

3. Paralysis by analysis. This is when someone gets 10-15 or more estimates for swimming pool construction and then cannot make a decision because they have become so confused. Do your due diligence and get 3 or 4 estimates from reputable swimming pool companies. Then make your decision and go with it.

4. Not checking out the experience level, history, or background of a Contractor. What makes them qualified to build swimming pools? Consider the saying, “If you think the cost of a Professional is expensive, wait until you hire an Amateur.”

5. Shopping based on price. Usually if a deal seems too good to be true, it is! If you shop for price alone you are destined to be disappointed. Bottom line: you usually get what you pay for.

6. Shopping over the phone for a pool. It is impossible and a waste of time. Visit the swimming pool builder or have them come to your home to provide you with an estimate. Visiting a contractor’s place of business will tell you a lot about the type of business it is. If they don't have a place of business, don't panic just go check out some of their work and talk to references.

7. Assuming swimming pools cost less to build in the wintertime. We have seen increases in steel prices, concrete shortages, gas increases, and insurance premium hikes. Pools have not gotten cheaper as time goes on; swimming pools will never be less expensive than they are today.

8. Not reading contracts. Make sure you understand what you are getting into. Make sure everything is in writing. It is very difficult to cancel a contract with many contractors after the obligatory 3-day rescission period. The contract should protect you AND the contractor.

9. Focusing on the aesthetics and not the mechanicals of the project. Hydraulic design, flow rates, pipe size, pump and filter types, chemical management systems, and many other factors will make a difference in the ability of your swimming pool to stay clean and sanitized.

10. Not thinking about safety. Swimming pools can be a great place for recreation, exercise, and just enjoy the outdoors. They can also be dangerous. Make sure you know what your City requires for barriers and fencing. More importantly, make sure you protect the ones you care for, and protect the ones that cannot protect themselves.

Courtesy of  Kevin Woodhurst - Swimming Pool Industry Expert & Consultant

Vacless Initiates Partial Recall

By Rebecca Robledo 01/27/2011

Vacless Systems Inc. has recalled about 1,600 of its safety vacuum release systems.

The Sylmar, Calif., manufacturer is working with the Consumer Product Safety Commission to conduct a recall of some units of the Vacless Breather 1, model number SVRS10ADJ, sold between July and September of 2010.

Approximately 300 units have been replaced so far.

“The company is doing the right thing,” said CPSC spokeswoman Kathleen Reilly. “They need to be commended for making sure that they take care of this problem where it exists.”

Refer a friend and if they contract with us for new construction, renovation/masonry work or full service, we will reward you for your confidence in Rick Pinto Swimming Pools.

Rewards vary depending on the work we are contracted for.