Your Above Ground Pool-Keep the Cover Pumped Off
It is VERY important that when excess water collects on the cover that you pump it off. Some people use a siphon hose and some choose to buy one of our electric cover pumps. Either way, it is imperative you get as much water off the cover as possible when the thaw occurs. On a standard size pool, one inch of water can weigh between one and two tons and the stress placed on top rails is tremendous. Don’t be surprised if your water level seems to drop in your pool too. This can be from two sources: One, displacement from water on the cover will force water out of unplugged skimmers and returns. Then when the cover is drained off, the pool is lower. Secondly, if you have a small hole in your cover, you will actually pull water through the cover from underneath. In effect, you are pumping your pool dry without realizing it. If this happens it might be time for a new winter cover. -Service Department
Service Department Hours
Don’t forget that we are open year round to take your calls and schedule appointments. We offer a Service Manager and an in store Service Coordinator to take care of any needs you may have. Service hours are M-F 8am to 5pm and Saturday 8am to Noon. We are now scheduling for Pool Openings, so give us a call to get the date you are looking for! Prime dates go quickly so we encourage you to schedule your opening early. And after all, aren’t you ready to get that ugly cover off? Service
YOU WANNA SAUNA – BUT WHAT KIND?
There are two basic types of sauna. The first is a Finnish sauna and it is a steam sauna. These are primarily for outdoor use. Put them inside your home and you had better have a very good dehumidifier to pull water vapor out of the air. Personally, I wouldn’t put one inside at all. 
The second type is an infrared sauna. It produces no water vapor and is safe and easy to use inside. It also doesn’t require as high a temperature as a Finnish sauna so the comfort level is a little higher. In most cases they are also easy to put together AND to disassemble. This way when you move, you can take it with you to your new house. You’ll want to! Saunas and hot tubs are two portable items that our customers tend to take with them when they move. Personally, I’d use them as closing tools for the home sale, then I’d recommend coming back and seeing us again for the newest, latest model. –Max
Water Chemistry Expert
Greetings My name is Chet and I am Eastgate Pool’s resident water expert, the man who answers questions about your water’s chemistry. I started in the pool business in 1980 and have worked for Eastgate since 1997. I have worked in every phase of the pool business – from sales to service, but my one real love is solving water chemistry problems. Every pool is different and each has its own unique water qualities and potential problems. It is my job to analyze your water and find solutions to problems you may be facing. Even better, with regular testing, I’m sure I can prevent the problems from ever happening. If you are having a problem bring me a water sample. I’ll go to work and help you get back to water that looks so clear you want to drink it. Come on in and I’ll give you all the help you need. In a future blog I’ll explain how to bring me a proper water sample so we can get the best and most accurate results.
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
