H2O Detective: The Case of the Mistaken Diagnosis
It was a hot day at the beginning of August and the store was finally starting to slow down a little after a long summer of extremely heavy customer volume. Harold Osborne II, A.K.A. H2O detective, had just finished up a standard water test and the next customer came up to the test station and held over her bottle. She was a rather small lady of about 5′ tall and in her mid thirties. She was wearing squared eye glasses and had short brown hair. She had a rather smart look to her and for some reason Harold imagined her in a college library studying for an exam.
“I am at my wits end. I am hoping that you can help me out. I’ve been taking my water sample to a different pool store and I have dumped over $100 in Phosphate remover to try and get my pool to hold chlorine and get rid of the algae and nothing seems to work. The phosphates have come down some, but I can’t get completely rid of them. I have a friend that brings her water here and she says that you guys are the best.” She said with a tone of exasperation.
“Tell your friend thanks for speaking so highly of us. I hope we can live up to the hype.” Harold started filling the sample tubes with water then reagents. By the time the reagents were dissolved there really was no need to run it though the machine, because after testing thousands of waters he knew what the results were by color. The tests were always nonetheless run through the machine and recorded into the store data base for future reference. He proceeded to type the customers information into the computer and run the test.
“It does show that there is zero chlorine in your pool, your PH is fine and your phosphate are a little high at 1300 parts per billion. How much chlorine have you been putting in and how often?” asked Harold.
“That’s exactly what I am talking about. This has been going on for over two weeks. I’ve put three treatments of phosphate remover in and I’ve been putting about two gallons of chlorine in the pool nearly every day for the last week and about once every two days prior to that and the problem doesn’t go away. I just can’t seem to get the phosphates down low enough to have the chlorine stay in the water.” She responded, rather despondently.
“Well, in my opinion you are treating one of the potential causes rather then treating the problem itself. The phosphates are not eating the chlorine, it is actually the chlorine is spending itself oxidizing the algae. The problem is, you have 20,000 gallons of water in your pool. If everything is going great and you just need a weekly shock, two gallons is the perfect amount. You, however do not have a perfect situation. You have a mildly bad situation and you need to treat it as such. I would recommend that you put in 8 bags of shock and some Eliminator to completely wipe out the algae.” Suggested Harold.
“8 bags of shock? That sounds like a lot.” Exclaimed the customer. “Can I try less? What about the Phosphates? They are still high!”
“The problem is…” retorted Harold, “this is science, and if you do the math, less just isn’t going to give you a positive outcome. One molecule of chlorine will go and kill one algae cell, the problem is, if you don’t kill them all off, they multiple at and incredible rate. If you don’t kill them all off at one time, the money you’ve spent on half measures are a complete waste of time and money, because by the time you do your next application the algae has multiplied back to the same level you were at the day prior. It’s better to take care of the problem once and for all. As far as the phosphates go, reducing phosphates is a tool, not an end all solution to fixing a problem or preventing a new problem from occurring. There are other weapons we can use to prevent algae, rather then phosphate removers. The problem with phosphate removers are, phosphates are naturally reoccurring and you will be constantly chasing after that ‘White Whale’ with little success.”
With a look of surrender the customer agreed to take Harold’s advice. She bought her chemicals and promised to follow up with a report and another water test in three days. There is very little Harold hasn’t seen in his line of work and this was no exception. As expected he had to really sell the answer he was suggesting, because it was going against what the customer believed and was told at a different establishment. He was confident that his solution would work and she would be in a lot better frame of mind the next time he saw her.
Inground Liner Rehangs
Not sure if you should get a new liner this year or next? You might want to think about doing it this year. Liner prices will most likely go up about 10-15%, so by buying now you will be saving some pretty good money. As for installs, we can try and install it this year but we could also hold off until next spring if you would like. All that we ask for is a deposit in the amount of the liner. Once it is is ordered it CAN’T be cancelled but we will make sure to hold you a spot this year or next, depending on weather!! Stop in and see one of our great sales staff today and you might find a set of patio furniture or pool table you have been looking for!!
Closing The Pool For The Season
Three recommendations:
1. Get any leaves out that are on the bottom. Some people say the heck with a few leaves in the pool. The fluids in the leaves can stain the liner. This is difficult to clean in the spring.
2. If you have an algae bloom, kill it before closing. Brush the liner real good, attack the algae with proper chemicals to kill it, and then close it up. You can always vac out the dead algae in the spring, but live algae will stain the liner too.
3. Do NOT winterize using strong doses of chlorine shock. A better choice is a specialty winterizing kit that does the work without hurting your cover. The problem with using shock to close is the elevated chlorine levels ‘gas-off’, weakening the seams of your cover and greatly reducing the life of the cover.
We will be glad to answer any questions you might have about winterizing your pool. Just call or stop in. –Max
New Item . . . EZ Drain Covers
New for us this year is the EZ Drain cover. This cover takes the aboveground pool cover to the next level. Traditionally aboveground pool covers take a beating when there is too much water on top of the cover. The opposite can be just as much of an issue when the wind whips the cover up and down. With the EZ Drain cover you have a mesh center that allows water to pass through a drain that is connected to your pool return fitting. The cover maintains just the right amount of water on the cover and saves you the unnecessary waste of dropping your pool water level for winter. In addition to these great features, the cover also boasts the highest thread count of any of our winter cover options at 15 strands by 15 strands per square inch. All of these features will help extend the life of the cover and save you the hassle of draining water from your cover during those cold and miserable days.
Craig
Clean Your Skimmer Basket And Save Yourself Some $!
It’s simple. Leaves drop from the trees and the wind carries them to your pool. The filter does its job and sucks the leaves into the skimmer basket. They build and build, and water flow is reduced. The pressure from the motor cracks the skimmer basket and the leaves travel on their merry way to the basket on the front of the motor. The pressure re-builds and that basket cracks, allowing the leaves to get pulled into the impeller housing where they clog it. Now no water is going through the system and the motor continues to run.
What are you out? At the minimum, a basket or two. Pretty minor expense, but if the motor is allowed to run with little or no water going through it, you may burn out the motor. Big problem and big expense!
The solution: When leaves begin to drop, check your basket every morning and every evening and empty it. It only takes a minute but it could save you hundreds of dollars. –Max
We Are Still Booking Installs!
We are closing in on the end of the traditional swim season, but there are still plenty of reasons to go ahead and buy an inground or aboveground pool. We are still running great promotions, including 10% off all of our inground package specials. With material costs seemingly always on the rise it is next to impossible to predict where pricing will go next year, but we are currently offering running at pricing comparable to 2006 prices. With aboveground pools there are a number of closeouts available on special purchase Horizons and Ultra 8s. These are both durable and high quality pools with very inclusive package specials. If you want it installed there are deals there too, but you can always choose to do your own install…and no it won’t affect your warranty in the least. So if you are thinking about a pool for next year it might just be worth your time to look into doing something sooner rather than later. Stop in and we would be happy to tell you about any of these great late season promotions.
Craig
Safety Cover Patches And Parts
Do you have small hole in your safety cover? If so we can help you out. We carry patch kits that will help from making that small hole into a giant one. The patches are made of the same material that your cover is. It is not recommended for patching anything over 3”. They come in Solid blue, green or green mesh. We also carry extra grommets and springs. We also carry the installation bar, which is used to take on and off the springs. Stop in and see us for any of your safety cover parts today. – Tim
Service Area
Regrettably I have run a few inground pool appointments this year where the customer opted to go with someone closer to them for fear that Eastgate wouldn’t be able to prioritize them with an install or for potential service down the road. Obviously this was a disappointment to me, but more importantly it got me to thinking that belief might be something that keeps others from calling us. Let me assure you that nothing could be further from the truth. Eastgate Pools services a very wide area from Maysville to Batesville and if we felt we couldn’t provide the level of service that we pride ourselves on we would absolutely say so. The fact of the matter is that we probably cover a wider area than another other pool builder in the tri-state area. Couple that with the fact that our service department is here 12 months out of the year and I have no reservations in saying that you can expect the highest level of service available anytime you choose us for your pool, spa, and casual furniture needs. Service is a big part of why we have been honored with the Aqua 100 award eight times. So if you find yourself on the West side or in Indiana don’t hesitate to give us a call. I can promise you no one is more eager to earn your business than Eastgate Pools and you won’t regret your decision. Hope to see you soon!
Craig
Safety Covers
Although it is scorching hot right now, you might want to think about ordering that safety cover you have been putting off. This time of year our manufacturer is slammed, so your order could take up to 4-6 weeks, which if you order right now would put you into the end of August. If you wait another month or so we could be talking about the end of September before we would see it. And for some that may be too long!! So don’t waste anymore time and stop in to see us today!!
What’s A Pool Without The Toys?
Okay—so you have a pool. But what about the goodies that go inside? You know—TOYS! Eastgate Pools has a complete line of pool toys, floats, lounge chairs, and mats. But these are the ‘common’ things. How about pool golf? Got it! Underwater skateboard. Yep—we have that too. In fact, we have a really nice selection of uncommon things that go perfectly with pool fun. How about a remote-control Water Soaker or an inflatable pool slide? Maybe you are an aerial acrobat. So how about a small plane that does loop-d-loops—underwater!
These are just a few of the fun items that can keep the kids happy and entertained—and you too. –Max
Keeping Your Pool Algae Free
It is the time of year when some customers run into algae issues. There are several contributing causes:
1. Low pH water will oxidize chlorine much quicker than pool water properly balanced. The rate can be dramatic—twice as fast, or even more. With low pH, it’s hard to keep any chlorine in the water.
2. Low stabilizer. Hey—it’s hot out there and the sun is bright. Without proper stabilizer levels, you will burn through chlorine. Stabilizer, also know as conditioner, is intrinsic to having clear water as it helps ‘hold’ chlorine in the water. Without proper levels you are destined to have a green pool. Low stabilizer=No chlorine? Algae will bloom.
As the water temperature rises, your chlorine need will grow. For every 10 degrees of water temperature rise, beginning with water temperature of about 70 degrees, you will need about 25% more chlorine in the water. Quite simply, chlorine gasses off at high rates as the water heats up. Right now, most pools have water temperatures in the high 80’s or even into the low 90’s. Pools with a water temperature of 90 degrees will need 50% more chlorine than when the water was just getting comfortable back in late April or early May. Adjust accordingly.
Investing In Your Pool’s Well Being
What’s new at Eastgate Pools? Well, if you own a pool or spa, you might be interested in knowing that there is lots of “new” to be found at the test center. Within the last week, we have taken delivery of our second brand new, state of the art test lab. The first new lab arrived and went into service a few weeks earlier, replacing an older model. The addition of this second lab gives us the ability to serve two customers simultaneously, meaning shorter wait times on those really busy days when it seems like everyone decided to have their water tested at the same time.
These water test labs are the very latest technology available from Palintest, and they will help insure accurate results that will help us to help you keep your pool or spa water clean, clear and safe. These new labs are costly, but we consider them an investment in your pool’s well being. At Eastgate Pools, we are committed to being your pool or spa professional. Try getting a state of the art water test at those big box stores where they don’t know pool water and they certainly don’t test it!
Debunking An Aboveground Myth…#2
The vast majority of our customers that have shopped around for aboveground pools come in to the store looking for a resin pool because that is what they have heard is the best. Well, you won’t get that same endorsement here. The argument is always that resin won’t rust like steel. The question you should immediately ask at that point is why is the wall made of steel then? The reason…steel is stronger. The same applies for toprails and uprights. While it is true that resin doesn’t rust it does chalk, discolor, crack, and warp. If properly protected through hot dip galvanization, and other methods steel will provide you with a much more durable and long lasting pool than resin. Not all resin is bad, but gas assist injection molded resins are far more expensive to produce and that is not what you are going to get with pool “specials”. Our inground pool manufacturer uses the story of bridges to explain why steel is superior and I have to agree. You don’t often see bridges made of plastic. Consider the fact that we have installed over 3200 steel wall inground pools and never replaced a single panel in almost 32 years. If that isn’t validation, I don’t know what is.
Cutting The Grass
I hate to cut the grass and I know that I am not alone in this feeling. It’s always hot and I seem to spill gas on some article of clothing no matter how careful I am. Don’t get me started on weed eating as it takes as long as mowing the grass. The only positive I ever get out of cutting my grass is when I’m done I know that I am going to be able to jump in my pool and cool off. My recipe for a perfect day of mowing the grass always ends with me jumping in my pool and enjoying cooling waters.
Thomas
Debunking An Aboveground Myth
I will be the first to admit that I am a fan of stainless steel products. My kitchen is appointed with stainless appliances and my grill has stainless burners and they are perfect for these applications. With aboveground pools it is quite common to find a stainless steel panel where the skimmer and return are located. Given my appreciation of stainless products you would likely assume that I think this is the way to go…that would, however, be incorrect. The argument for such a panel is that the gaskets at the skimmer and return are the most likely area on the pool wall to fail and that the stainless panel won’t rust. This is partially true, but the stainless panel is actually the weakest part of the pool wall as it isn’t corrugated like the rest of the pool wall. On our Oceanic and Endeavor pools this replaceable panel is the same material as the rest of pool wall because it providers greater strength and durability. When you are trying to retain thousands of pounds of water weight it is incredibly important to have a strong pool at all points. On these Sharkline pools that panel also matches the rest of the pool design so you don’t have an unsightly stainless panel sticking out like a sore thumb. Some of our pools don’t use these panels and honestly there is nothing wrong with that either. As long as you don’t have leaking at those gaskets you shouldn’t ever have a problem there. Think of it this way, if the pool is so well built why would you ever want to use a different material at one location? I will let you be the judge there.
