My Sister’s New House
My sister just bought her first house after months and months of waiting to see if the bank would accept her offer and go through with a short sale. Once they accepted the offer, she was given about 3 days to get it ready for the appraisal. Normally this wouldn’t be a huge stress, but since the owner walked away from the house (and she happened to be scheduled to work those 3 days) it was quite a daunting task. Have you ever walked into a house and walked out feeling dirty? Let me tell you, it’s quite the experience. Maggots in the fridge (that whole thing was promptly thrown away), cobwebs on every fixture and in every corner, 2 unusable bathrooms, clothes in the closet, and feathers and bird droppings all over the place (apparently the owner had a parrot)…and that’s not even the half of it! Needless to say, the place was a mess. However, under all the filth and bad flooring…and wallpaper…there is incredibly potential on a great little piece of land. As I was helping her plan out her room designs, I couldn’t help but think of all the great products that we have that could fill her empty rooms. I think a game room sounds like a fantastic idea…right sis? J We have some awesome pool tables at killer deals right now. She could get 2-in-1 or 3-in-1 card tables, air hockey, foosball, or possibly even a bar! I know she likes to tan sometimes too—she could even get her own private tanning bed or booth from us at some really good prices. I think I’m a great room planner, don’t you? She might be a little preoccupied with getting her bathrooms to work right now, but I’m thinking big picture here.
Next decision…pool or spa…or possibly both!
Feel The Heat!
I don’t know what my problem is, but I can’t seem to ever get warm in the wintertime. Long johns, three pairs of socks, gloves, scarves, fleece jackets, coats…you name it, I probably wear it…and I’m probably still cold. I really with that we had a policy here at work that allowed me to use some of our products while I’m working. I’m surrounded by things that could warm me up during the cold winter months…or chilly fall and spring days…or cool summer nights. What can I say, I must have poor circulation. Our spas always look so enticing. Not only would the warm water keep the chill off, but the various jets would give me a nice therapeutic massage. Man, that sounds perfect right about now. Or if I didn’t want to get wet, I could warm up and detoxify in one of our infrared saunas. A nice gentle warming would give me a lot more energy. Maybe I want to warm up and look a little better too. I could lay in one of our tanning beds for a few minutes to warm up AND get a little summer glow. I’m already sick of having pasty white legs. Those all sound great to me. Sometimes, though, I want to stay bundled up, but also have some extra heat in the room I’m in. That is when our Eden Pure Quartz room heater comes into play. I can actually use this one while I’m working too! I can’t tell you how many times I’ve stood by it to get some warmth after or front door slides open and introduces a new puff of cold air. This heater is great on your energy bill, and the thermostat does a great job regulating the heat in the room. Just ask the guys in the service department here. Their office in the warehouse stays nice and toasty because of this heater (and the boss man doesn’t mind what it does to the electric bill…if he even notices at all).
Come to think of it…maybe I’ll buy some of these products for my own home. Okay, time to go do some jumping jacks to get my blood moving!
I’m Soaking In WHAT?!
Just obtain a spa from a friend? Just find a killer deal on a used spa in a local listing? Here’s a friendly tip – clear out the lines before you soak in the tub for the first time! Even if the surface of the spa is spotless, oftentimes things can remain in the lines in the various bends and twists. If your
spa is used, it is very likely that remnants off of the previous owners are lurking in the lines. The second you fill up the spa and turn it on, the waste from the previous owners will be introduced into your “fresh” spa water. Sounds gross right? Right. Fortunately, there is hope! There is a product we sell called Swirl Away. Fill up the tub, add the proper amount of Swirl Away and let it run. This chemical will get rid of all the unwanted waste and buildup in your lines without hurting the spa. Drain the spa, scrub down the surface, and you’re set! You can now rest assured that the next time you fill your spa and soak in the nice, relaxing, warm water, you won’t be bathing in someone else’s gunk! – Stacey
The Battle Of The Scum Line
A constant complaint we hear from our spa customers is the issue of the never-ending battle against scum lines on their tub. The dirty truth is that YOU are creating that scum. Oils off your body, makeup, lotions…you name it, they all contribute to that beautiful scum line. Fortunately, there are a few ways that you can prevent it. First of all, shower off before you soak in the spa. By washing away many of the days dirt and grime, along with a lot of the oils on your skin, you can help reduce the amount of “scum” introduced in your spa. Second, check your weekly chemical routine for a clarifier. Oftentimes, clarifiers can actually make that scum line worse because of their oily consistency. If those two tips still don’t work then we have a couple products on our shelves that can help you out. The first thing is our SunSorb. This is a foam cutout of a sun that you can float in your spa. It will do a great job absorbing a lot of the oils in the water that create the scum. You can simply set it on the side when your tub is in use so it does not get in your way. The best thing about this particular item is that you can actually reuse it! Rinse it out really well with running water and throw it back in the spa for another use. Our other product you can use is called Spa Pizazz. This is a natural enzyme that, when added weekly, will do wonders for your spa water. Not only will it cut back on the scum line, it will actually keep your water clearer. A small amount added once a week will work miracles. Just remember not to add too much! A little will go a long way, and in this instance, too much can have the opposite effect that you want. Any of these tips should greatly help you win the frustrating battle against your scum line. -Stacey
How To Spot Quality
It’s that time of year where game tables become a hot commodity once again. I would say our biggest seller, other than a pool table, is the infamous air hockey table. The tricky thing about game tables is that often times it is difficult to spot quality. Sure, you want a table to look pretty, but if you want your table to last you’ll need to look for more than just aesthetics. First and foremost you want a good, durable playing surface. Tables with a smooth, thick surface will allow for your optimal game experience. The smooth surface will allow the puck to glide easier across the table, while the thick top will provide a more durable table with less chance of warping. Air distribution is also a very important factor to consider. A table with air channels will provide the most even distribution of the air through the holes in the surface. This will help keep the puck from getting stuck in bad spots on the table, allowing it to glide even easier across the surface. Finally, you want to make sure the structure of the table itself is sturdy enough to sustain hours of vigorous play! We have plenty of quality options here at Eastgate Pools at many different price points. Please feel free to stop in and ask for our help in picking out the right table for your family. We’ll even let you test it out for free! -Stacey
Bursting Your Solar Cover Bubble
Every once in awhile, I’ll get a call from a customer who is concerned about their solar cover “popping.” They describe it as the bubbles bursting and falling off into the pool water. Unfortunately, issues like this are not covered under the manufacturer’s warranty because it only covers seam separation. However, I do have some helpful advice to extend the life of your cover. First and foremost, the most common issue contributing to solar cover deterioration is water chemistry. If your water is out of balance it can damage the cover that is resting on the surface. The main culprit of this is your pH level. If your pH is too low it becomes acidic and will eat away at the cover. If the pH is too high it will be very basic and can disintegrate the material. Either way, it’s not a good thing. Chlorine can also cause damage to your cover if the level is too high. Any time a pool is shocked with liquid chlorine, the cover should be removed and left off for at least 24 hours. By allowing the chlorine level to drop back to a normal range, you are avoiding unnecessary damage to your cover. Along with chemical damage, the sun itself can actually hurt the solar cover as well. The little white plastic cover that comes with the solar cover is meant to protect it from the sun when the cover is off of the pool. Rolling up your cover and letting it just sit in the sun will cause it to literally bake itself. The bubbles will “burst” and the cover can actually melt together. Always clean off the cover and allow it to dry for a brief time. Roll or fold the cover, cover it with the white plastic, and store it out of direct sunlight/heat. By following these guidelines you can avoid unnecessary wear on your cover. – Stacey
Sick of Vacuuming Your Pool?
Correct me if I’m wrong, but chances are that at this point in the swim season you are already sick of vacuuming your pool. Trying to hook up that unruly hose to your filter can be a real hassle and backwashing is no walk in the park either. Unfortunately, if your pool is really dirty there’s no way around the manual vacuuming. However, for simple everyday spot cleaning we have some great battery operated vacuums you could use. Our two options right now are the Aqua Broom and the Pool Buster Max. Both cleaners simply attach to your telescoping pole and away you go. By catching the debris in a small mesh bag, you eliminate the need to use your filter during vacuuming and won’t lose any extra water to backwashing. Think of all the extra time you’ll have to enjoy the company of your family and friends by your beautiful Eastgate pool.
Trouble-shooting Your Automatic Pool Cleaner
When it comes time to open pools in the spring, we get lots of calls from customers saying that their automatic pool cleaner is not working properly. More often than not, the cleaner seems to get stuck in a pattern where it only cleans part of the pool. Here’s a helpful hint: when you store you cleaner for the winter, don’t roll up the hoses if you can avoid it. If the hose is actually a series of small hoses that slide together, separate them and keep them straight. If you have a single hose, try and avoid rolling it up. If you have to, unroll it in the spring and let the sun warm it before rolling it back up the opposite way. Pool hoses are a lot like your garden hose-they develop memories and if they aren’t given a case of pool amnesia, they won’t let the cleaner go everywhere. Cold water contributes to the stiffness so the cleaner always works a little less than perfect in cold water. Lastly, remember that an automatic cleaner is designed to keep a clean pool clean, not to clean a filthy pool. If you had a cover disaster and your pool is loaded with debris, vac it out by hand first. It will extend the life of your automatic cleaner and in the long run, your pool will get straightened out quicker and with less hassle. -Stacey
More Bang For Your Buck
Times are tough and people everywhere are looking for ways to save money wherever they can (at least I know I am). While I’m sure many of you already know about (or are even already a member of) our frequent buyer program, I wanted to make sure that EVERYONE knew about this great opportunity to save some money. 
This program costs you absolutely no extra money. How the program works is this: For every dollar that you spend on chemicals and accessories in our store, you will receive a point. Everytime you reach 250 accumulated points on your account, we will send you a $20.00 gift certificate good for one year on any other chemicals or accessories in the store. There is no limit to the amount of gift certificates you can receive and your points will roll over from year to year. You most likely are already spending money for the upkeep of your pool, spa, patio furniture, etc. so why not get a little gift from us as a thank you for your loyalty. If you’d like to become a part of our program, mention it the next time you’re in the store and we’ll get you set up in less than five minutes!
A Rainbow of Colors
A customer of ours recently brought up a great point that I thought would be nice to share with you all. She recently had our service department come out and re-felt (re-cloth?) her pool table. They had chosen a much lighter felt color than they had previously and were shocked when their chalk left blue streaks all over their table. She, like many others I’m sure, didn’t even realize other colors of billiard chalk even existed. Those hideous marks can easily be avoided by purchasing some billiard chalk closer to the color of your felt. Black, burgundy, green, tan…we have a wide variety of different options that you can choose from to make that particular issue virtually disappear. Already have some of those chalk marks? Don’t scrub it! Like carpet you will only grind the color in further and mess up your felt. Simply use your table brush or a lint roller to try and pick up as many of the colored flakes as possible.
ALL HOT TUB FILTERS ARE NOT THE SAME
There is a common misconception that all spas use the same filter cartridge. Turns out there are several HUNDRED different ones. A hot tub manufacturer might even have one cartridge on a particular model and a completely different cartridge on another so it’s not good enough just to know the hot tub’s manufacturer. But there is a way we can help. We try to stock about thirty of the most common filters. If you got your hot tub from us, we almost always have what you need in stock. If you got your tub elsewhere (boo!) we are still able to help. Simply measure the old filter. We need the height, diameter of the entire cartridge and diameter of the hole. We also need to know if it is closed on the top and if it screws in at the base. Better yet, bring us the old filter and we will do the measuring for you. We might have it in-stock and if not, we will be happy to order it for you. -Stacey
A Cure for Cabin Fever
I don’t know about anyone else but there’s nothing worse than being stuck at home with nothing to do. (Our recent winter storm definitely confirmed this!!) Well if you want to get the kids away from the computer or the xBox, a game table can help. Whether your game is foosball or air hockey, pool or poker, you can get these from Eastgate Pools & Spas and you don’t have to spend a fortune. And there is no rule that says you have to play poker on the poker table. Maybe your choice is pinochle or Euchre. And there is no law against setting up the Monopoly game on the table either. – Stacey