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.
It’s Not Too Late
It happens every year. A prospective pool buyer stops in to check out a pool for “next year”. They say it is too late to do get one this season because they’ll miss too much of this year’s swim season. A couple of points:
- Summer officially arrived on June 21 at 1:16 pm. That means there is a boat-load (or pool-load) of time left to swim.
- The hottest months are July and August. Anybody want to take bets on what month is the hottest? I’ll take July, with August close behind.
- School doesn’t start up until late August and a few places start in September. Do you want the kids hanging around the house watching TV and nagging you? C’mon—get them a pool and have some fun with them.
- Some people think they will be cheaper this fall or maybe even next year. Perhaps some people will find a season-ending deal, but we’ve already sold out of about 30% of our models and sizes. There may not be much selection left because the people that are swimming now got the pool they wanted and are using it NOW!
So, do you want to procrastinate for another year or do you want to cool off and have some fun? –Max
I Saw The Exact Same Thing At Walmart For One Dollar Less!
I would like to have a dollar for every time I have heard that, or that Kroger’s has liquid chlorine for 50 cents less per case. Lincoln proclaimed that “All men are created equal” and if this were the same for pool and spa chemicals then I would follow people to Walmart to get my chemicals as well. After working in the pool and spa industry for almost 15 years now I know that all chemicals are not created equal, and do have a definite shelf life. I also realize that the person who just put that gallon of algae remover on the shelf knows nothing more about that product than what is on the label. This is where we as pool experts working in a pool and spa retail store have the highest ability to accurately answer your questions. I though cannot answer questions about another product that was not purchased here. As I said previously all chemicals are not created equal and this comes down to concentrations, fillers, and composition. With the wide variety of chemical manufacturers on the market, and the different blends sold by these manufacturers it is impossible to know everything about every other company’s product. I think sometimes that customers feel we are not being helpful when they call in about usage of another product and we are not able to give them answers. Keep in mind this is kind of like calling a Ford mechanic and asking questions about a Chevy part, I understand that they are both car parts but there are enough differences that a question answered incorrectly could cause major problems, and be a source of much dismay.
A Scientific Look At Algae And Carbon Dioxide
Most of us look at algae as a horrible, disgusting, pain-in-the-neck that can easily ruin a summer. While this is, at times, true, we also need to remember that it is just a plant. As a science teacher, I love to take moments like this to refresh our brains on some scientific processes. The one I’d like to focus on this time is Photosynthesis.
Water + Carbon Dioxide + Sunlight à Glucose (sugar = plant food) + Oxygen
Swimming pools have all three necessary ingredients readily available for plants to be able to create their own food, and therefore, live. Water? Check (duh). Carbon Dioxide? Check (thank anything that breathes for that). Sunlight? Check (hopefully!). Plants, like all forms of algae, use those things to create glucose, for their food, and produce oxygen as a wonderful and necessary byproduct. Now, if we remove one of the necessary elements needed for Photosynthesis to occur, algae cannot survive. A new product that we have on the scene will do just that. Our new Tri-Tech tabs, and other coordinating chemicals, contain Sodium Tetra-Borates. Basically, as you use these chemicals, the Borates will build up in your water, ridding it of carbon dioxide. Without the carbon dioxide, algae cannot thrive. What’s the best way to quickly build up your Borate level, you ask? Well, the best way to accomplish this is to use the Pro-Team Supreme! While the initial dosage of 2 lbs. per 1,000 gallons is a little overwhelming, once you add it to your pool water, it will only come out through dilution or splash out. Because Pro-Team Supreme is just straight-up Borates with no additional chemicals, it will immediately spike your level, leading to less of a need for chlorine and an algae-free summer! This stuff is so good, even Disney World uses it to keep all of their pools algae free (without having to use as much of that harsh chlorine). Stop into Eastgate Pools today to ask us more about this new product, and remember, science is all around you!
How Can You Not Love Cincinnati?
With things like Graeter’s Ice Cream, Skyline Chili, Hudy Beer, and did I mention the weather. Where else in the world can you get at least 3 if not all 4 of the seasons in one week? Alright so seriously, the ability of the weather to turn on a dime is one of the most maddening things about this city, along with the traffic on I-275 north in the morning. It is however weather changes like this that make the need for a solar cover that much greater in this area. The mid to upper 80′s mid week to the 50′s at the beginning of the next, by using the solar cover the warmth that was created by the sun is trapped in the pool by the solar cover instead of floating off into the atmosphere. For those of you with heaters you are even more familiar with the need for the solar cover, looking out your window on a cool morning and watching the heat that you paid for to put in the pool rising off as steam. Granted adding a solar cover is not going to raise the temperature 20 degrees in a day, but you could honestly expect 3-5 degrees on a warm sunny day. This is where the high need of a solar cover comes in. The warm water is less dense than the cold water and rises to the top, and as such is what evaporates at night. By putting the solar blanket on it will trap that heat in your pool water. I realize solar covers can be bulky and difficult to be removed or put on by one person, and that is where a cover reel would come in handy. The ability to simply turn a crank and wind the cover up is kind of a dream come true. The other option is a liquid solar blanket which creates a “skin” on the surface of the water that cannot be seen, felt, or tasted but does prevent the evaporation of the pool water. I invite you to stop in and speak to one of our sale associates about which heat retention system is right for you. Hope to see you soon.
What To Look For In An Aboveground Pool
It is a common question to hear a customer ask what they should look for in an aboveground pool. I always answer them with a question and ask what they want out of the pool. It may be tough to narrow down to a few items what you should look for but I’m going to give it a shot for you.
It is very important to have a large steel frame that will give you proper support and strength. Some pools come with a lot of plastic components and you want to try and avoid these because they get brittle and break. Watch out for those cheap pools you see that have the tiny toprails or those blow up rubber pools. The last thing to remember is you want to make sure that you buy your pool from Eastgate Pools & Spas and not from one of those fly by night guys down the street.
Ever Expanding Solar System
I am always in awe of our ever expanding solar system. Don’t worry, I am not going to start quoting Carl Sagan, I am speaking of the solar heat systems available for pools. When I started here at Eastgate Pools in 1997 there was only one real solar heating option with that being a solar cover. I have though during my tenure here seen many advances from chemicals that are added to the pool to provide a non-evaporation blanket, to panels and bubbles to harness the sun’s energy and convert it to heat. Openly admitting that I am the world’s largest coward as it pertains to cold water, water temperature is a huge factor on whether I will stick more than a toe into the pool. That being said I also am a fan of alternative energy sources, and when it comes to pool heating it gets no better than the sun. Just some food for thought for those that are cold water cowards like myself who want some warmer pool water.
Permits and Pools
One of the more commonly asked question I hear is “Where do I get my permits, and which ones do I need”? This is kind of a tough question to answer, because it does vary from location to location, and what type of pool you are putting in. For instance if you are putting in an Inground pool and live in Union Township, Clermont County you are required to get a zoning certificate from the township and an electrical permit from the county. There are so many nuances to the ordinances that vary from location to location that it is impossible for us to know exactly what is required in your location. For specific requirements for your area please contact your township or municipality of residence for all of the details required for your area.
Water Temperatures Are Rising
It is getting to be that time of year again. The birds are singing, trees are starting to get leaves, and the air and water temperatures are starting to warm up. As a kid this was the most exciting time of the year for me as this meant my dad and I were going to be going fishing again soon. As an adult I am just as excited about the coming of spring because I can now share the same joys and excitement of fishing with my children. For those of you who are pool owners, especially those of you who have mesh covers on the pool, this means something else. As the air temperature rises so do water temperatures in the pool, and this can be an issue if the pool is still closed. I know there are reasons that you as the pool owner do not like to open too early from trees around the pool that drop things into the pool, or just the fact that the water will not be warm enough to use the pool for another couple of weeks. I do however implore you to get the system up and running and chlorine into the system. As the water temperatures rise and the sun shine through the cover the odds of you having to clear a green pool at opening are dramatically increased. You can get the system up and running below the cover to keep debris out and still circulate the water to get chemicals into the system. If you have questions on how to do this please contact the store and we will be more than happy to guide you through the process.
