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.
EdenPURE or Infinity Heater?
What one should you choose?
It’s pretty simple—take your pick. They are both great heaters. Lets look at the similarities.
- Both are infrared heaters. They don’t rob your home of moisture like traditional coil heaters.
- Both are totally safe to use and cannot start fires.
- Both are lightweight, allowing you to easily move them from one room to another.
- Both are economical and operate for about 6-8 cents per hour (depends on your supplier’s rate).
- Both are easy to use.
So what are the differences?
- Infinity offers a digital read-out
- Infinity offers a ‘sleep-timer’ feature, where the heater will automatically shut off after a length of time you determine.
- EdenPURE Gen 3 is manually controlled and the USA1000 units have a remote. Infinity has a remote.
- EdenPURE has a black, plastic, molded frame. Infinity has a furniture grade wooden cabinet.
- EdenPURE warranty work must be performed at the factory. Save the box and send it back to them. Trained Eastgate Pools Service department personnel service Infinity heaters, in-store.
I own one EdenPURE and I love it. I’ve had it five years and it still works great. I have since purchase two Infinity heaters and they both work great. I chose Infinity because I really like the digital read-out. Ultimately, it’s your call but I don’t think you can go wrong with either heater. –Max
H2O Dectective Series: The Case Of The Haze
It was a cold day in December. A day right after Christmas and the store was quiet. The change from Christmas music to the standard Muzek 1980′s hit parade was an unexpected welcome to the employees swapping jokes around the front counter.
The day was cold, but not cold enough to turn the slight moisture falling from the sky into snow. A man of about 50 walked through the sliding doors and removed his over sized hat and walked toward the front counter. “I need to speak to the water expert.” he exclaimed as he reached into his coat pocket to remove his water sample.
“I can help you.” Said a voice reaching out over the counter. Harold Osborne II was an old hand in the pool and spa business. He had been in the business his whole life and had literally forgotten more then what most in the business would ever learn. Harold didn’t take any particular pride in this point. He understood that he gained this knowledge from a lifetime of retail sales and at the end of the day, he had become a solid retail sales associate in a niche market and that was about it.
“What kind of problems are you having Mr. Hamilton?”, asked Harold as he noticed the customers name on the test bottle.
“My spa was crystal clear and I adjusted my chemicals and it turned cloudy instantly.”
Harold led him back to the water test station and did the standard run up of chemical tests that every customer expects. The tests were not really needed, as Jeff had a good hunch what the problem was before running the tests.
The tests came back and everything was in the exact range they were supposed to be in. Harold asked, “Let me guess, did you add PH increaser to your hot tub right before it went cloudy?”
“Well, yes I did.” mentioned Mr. Hamilton.
“That’s just what I expected. The problem with the water is the PH was increased too quickly. Tap water from the faucet has a lot of calcium and other dissolved solids that are in the water. When you increase your PH too quickly, it takes the calcium out of this dissolved state and makes it a solid again and that’s what the haze is from.”
“What do I have to do to fix it? Is it time to drain the spa? I just drained it a few weeks ago.” Complained Mr. Hamilton.
“You shouldn’t have to drain the spa. Add about 10 ounces of Stain and Scale Remover and that should convert the calcium back into a liquid and by doing so, remove the haze from the water after a day or so. After doing this, it’s a good idea to follow up with the weekly maintenance dose of the Stain and Scale Remover. It’s a good product and will prevent you from having excessive build of calcium in your plumbing and on your heater.” Harold was starting to get in his preaching mode. This is what he was good at and often went on far too long, to the point of boring the customers with information beyond their general need.
Harold went and showed the customer the Stain and Scale Remover on the shelf and the customer left. Another problem solved. But, Harold knew that there would always be another case to solve. Not many problems were too difficult for Harold, but he was looking forward to the challenge.
Pool Cues And Supplies
You may not think of Eastgate Pools when you think of pool cues and billiard playing accessories . . . but you should! We have a great selection of pool cues from such well-known manufacturers as McDermott, Dufferin, Viper and Mikerak, and Minnesota Fats, as well as, several others. We even have a very nice selection of NCAA approved college logo cues. So whether you need a cue for under $10 or are looking for one that costs several hundred dollars, we have a wide variety to choose from. And we’ve got all the goodies that go with them, from soft and hard cases for your cues to tip sharpeners and chalk in just about any color you can imagine.
- Max
Chlorine Tablets Make Great Christmas Presents!
Imagine the joy that special someone will feel when he (or she) unwraps that beautiful package to find . . . Chlorine tablet! For the pool owner, it’s usually the number one expense for the pool every year, so why not get a gift that’s not only lovelt, but practical! And right now, Eastgate Pools has all remaining buckets of chlorine tablets on sale.
So whether it’s birthday or anniversary time, the recipient will be impressed with your thoughtfullness and will appreciate the gift that keeps on giving (until the bucket is empty).
And for Christmas? Add some alkalinity and pH controls and you’ve got shopping covered. Stop in today and we’ll help you complete that list.
- Max
Debunking A Spa Myth
I will fully admit to not remembering everything I have said on this blog over the years, but just the other day I was faced with a spa request that is always tricky to explain. I had a customer walk in and say they wanted a small spa with lots of jets. Now, I understand that people are wanting more than just a couple of jets in a spa, but I think there is confusion out there that more jets equals better therapy and that simply is not the case. Jet count is important, but effective movement of water through those jets is even more important. All spas mix air with water and the air mixture is equal to every jet. Because of this smaller jets tend to have a higher psi and aren’t quite as effective at delivering the heat and massaging benefits of true hydrotherapy. Many manufacturers take advantage of consumers just looking for a high jet count by using a great deal of these small jets that may look impressive but fail to truly deliver the therapy they are supposed to provide. Since very few people actually wet test the spas they don’t really get a fair comparison of a spa that does things the right way and one that uses smoke and mirrors (or excessive jet counts). Hopefully that all makes good sense, if not stop in and I will be happy to show just what I mean…and I will be sure to show you exactly why the products we carry do things the right way.
Craig
Toying With Decorations
Dos As filmed by Charles, a sales professional here at Eastgate.
The Great Eastgate Music Debate
We have a little satellite radio tuner here that we play in the store. In my time here we have played stations with steel drums and Jimmy Buffett, 80’s tunes, adult contemporary, and 70’s hits…which is really just a bunch of Disco music. I guess I’m just one of those people that cannot block out background noise, but I wish we could find a station for customers to appreciate while not driving those of us that are here five days a week insane. Christmas music is here, which means I will have a reprieve from the mundane, but that station tends to be even more repetitive. Anyhow, I suppose I’m just venting a bit, but ultimately I’m curious as to what our “audience” here at Eastgate Pools & Spas would find most pleasing. I know you never what to play music that is too risqué, but I’m always wondering what our patrons really would enjoy. Let me know what you think and it might your own personal soundtrack playing next time you stop by!
Craig
Watching It Rain…
waiting for it to turn into snow.
Ugh. I’m not one of those people that “just love winter”. Personally, give me an inch of snow on Christmas day and I’ll then be happy with 60 degrees and cloudy the rest of the winter. I heat my home with propane and I do not look forward to the monthly re-fill and the subsequent bill that mysteriously and magically appears three days later! I think that if you look up the word ‘sucks’ in the dictionary, there will be a picture of my propane tank right next to it. But I have found a way to keep the bill down a little. Actually a lot…and I can still stay warm. I use two of our room quartz heaters in different areas of my house. I have an Infinity heater in my bedroom and an EdenPURE in my son’s room. This lets me turn my thermostat way down at night and everyone is still comfortable while sleeping. They pour the heat out and operate for about 6-7 cents an hour. We know that is correct as we have a meter set up here at the store and have done the calculations. That’s half of what my ‘95% efficient’ propane furnace costs me. It’s easy to figure: “95%” means only 5% of the gas is not being used to generate heat. At $2.50 a gallon, 5% is 12.5 cents.
Save some money—get an EdenPURE or Infinity quartz heater and turn your thermostat back. –Max
Super Hot Tub Deals!
If you’ve been considering a hot tub purchase, you should stop in as soon as possible. We just made a special purchase of hot tubs from Four Winds Manufacturing. These are display tubs from Home Shows and State fairs. They are all brand new and carry full manufacturer warranty. There may be some small cosmetic scratches on the cabinet or a mark or two on the shells, but these are some great deals and you can save thousands on some models. Priced in lower to mid-range price points, these are pretty much upper-end spas—big, with lots of options such as backlit jets, digital perimeter lighting, stereos, iPod connections, and water show fountains and waterfalls. Each is unique and each is a one-of-a-kind.
Stop in before your neighbor stops in and gets your hot tub! –Max
Fall Switcheroo . . .
Every year in October you can expect to see some major changes in products shown in each of our showrooms. Just a couple of weeks ago I took off my salesman hat and helped to move the bulk of our casual furniture to our second showroom and we loaded up the primary showroom with all the fun game tables for those cold months indoors. There are still countless options for casual furniture, several fire pits, and plenty of patio room options to be had. We are loaded to the brim with options for every category so please stop in and we will help you find just what you’re looking for.
Craig
Super Hot Hot Tub News
If you’ve been considering a hot tub purchase, you should stop in as soon as possible. We just made a special purchase of hot tubs from Four Winds Manufacturing. These are display tubs from Home Shows and State fairs. They are all brand new and carry full manufacturer warranty. There may be some small cosmetic scratches on the cabinet or a mark or two on the shells, but these are some great deals and you can save thousands on some models. Priced in lower to mid-range price points, these are pretty much upper-end spas—big, with lots of options such as backlit jets, digital perimeter lighting, stereos, iPod connections, and water show fountains and waterfalls. Each is unique and each is a one-of-a-kind.
Stop in before your neighbor stops in and gets your hot tub! –Max
It’s That Time Of Year
It is that time of year where our main showroom returns to indoor activities and our second showroom becomes the center for outdoor furniture. This is also the prime time of year for our thrifty customers to look at the tremendous specials on one of a kind or closeout items. No matter what type of item you may be looking for, this is the time of year the item may be sold as demo or closeout for some deep savings. I welcome you into the store to find the items that you can’t live without at prices you won’t believe.
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!!
