Swimming Pool Information and Product News from www.realpooldeals.com

What no Phone Number on your website

2006-09-07T10:47:00.000-07:00

Ok let me start out right away saying that if you are buying online and there is not a phone number( A ecommerce forum on this subject), should you order from them? I say NO, thats my opinion!!!
There are a lot of companies out there in the webworld that try to run a complete web based business with no human possible contact. My reaction do not expect very good customer service. Realpooldeals.com puts there phone number on the top and bottom of every page on there site, ok there maybe one or two pages without but you get my point, if you need to talk to someone you can call.
Why do some companies not post phone numbers?? Hum let me think! Eh
It just came to me, most likely they do not want to deal with any problems, issues, complaints or just plain old-fashion human contact. It seems to me that this day in age that even if you are not in the office and a small company you can forward your phones leaving the hours of operation and if you can help the customer you would. BUT BUT(I REPEAT) UHHHH the World Wide Web!! What does this mean? How many domain names does this company have? How many bogus websites that are up for a year then disappear? UMM now I am understanding the no PHONE number thing on the website. In closing I have a cold today and felt like ranting on people who make my job harder because they are in it for the dollar now Scr%^ you later business which is not what Realpooldeals.com does or understands how some people wake up with themselves in the morning.
Well off to the Dennis and Melissa wedding tomorrow night so poolman might be a little off beat on Saturday but as for now I am out.
Poolman speaking his mind
OUT

Question or Comments

2006-09-01T12:44:00.000-07:00

Please tell us how we are doing and what we can do to do to improve.
thanks
poolman

You think these things are problems-PLEASE read all the way through and I think you will change your mind

2006-09-01T10:58:00.000-07:00

As the gasoline post this is not one of my regular pool posts. I received a e-mail today that has changed my outlook on things and I think it might help some other people also.

1)Make a order online and it is on backorder for a month and you can not believe this is happening to you.

2)Realpooldeals.com ships you the wrong item and you think we did it on purpose to make your life miserable.

3)UPS shows up with a item that is damaged and you think we or they did it on purpose.

4)You receive a defective item and automatically Realpooldeals ships defective items to make people angry because it makes us laugh here in the office to hear your reactions.

5)You place a order online and it goes on a truck with hundreds of other items and we have no way of stopping the shipping but you think we do this on purpose to survive.

6)We make a bad mistake and do not refund you on a return immediately but really we are taking your eighty dollars and living it up in Mexico and plan to retire.

7) I think you get my point and yes we understand the inconvenience BUT

Now all that being said I went to this website http://www.saralie.com/ today which I probably have only met this strong woman/wonderful mother once and it has changed my outlook on a lot of things in my life and I think it will also help you with your everyday life.

Also if you want to help out in anyway please contact Eddie at La notte
(630) 663-19208123 S Cass Ave. Darien, IL 60561 great food great fun!The smallest things in life go a long way so reach out whether its donations or prayers everything counts.
God Bless
Poolman Out
Chrsitopher Bull

Mark your calendars

2006-08-30T14:49:00.000-07:00

I don't often post random things but when some forwarded me a email I had to share it. If you have not heard this yet you will now. Thursday September 1st is being called "stick it to um" day for all citizens of the United States and Canada. What does this mean? Well all people of these two great countries are suppose to not purchase any gasoline. This will cost the oil companies over 4.6 billion dollars which would affect their bottom lines. So I have to say like everyone else should that Enough is Enough so "stick it to um" and enjoy a nice day by the pool. It worked fairly well last year so lets do it again like we did last summer!

Poolman is filling up today

Winter Safety Covers/Wear Guards

2006-08-14T14:38:00.000-07:00

We’ve been getting some questions lately from you our customers about safety covers. Yesterday we had a gentleman ask if he could use a standard, in stock cover size on a non-standard size pool. Of course you could do this but please consider these issues prior to making the decision to use a standard safety cover size on a non-standard pool size.
All safety covers are made with wear guards sewn into the underside of each connecting strap. This wear guard is positioned to protect the strap where it comes in contact with deck. This is an area that without the wear guard would fail in two to three years.
Here is a common scenario. Let’s say I have a 12’ x 25’ in ground pool and want to purchase a safety cover. I know safety covers are expensive. I see that the next standard size safety cover is a 12’ x 27’. I know standard sizes will be less expensive than a custom size safety cover and I want to save a little money. I purchase and install the standard 12’ x 27’ safety cover and everything seems to be in order. Rolling the hands of time forward its 3 years later and I close the pool and install the now, two year old safety cover. While installing I notice pattern has developed the mesh fabric in the long ends of the cover. I don’t pay this too much attention. Then here comes a heavy fall rain storm with lots of wind. I awake the following morning and see my failed safety cover lying in my pool. I know it has a 12 year warranty so I gather up the cover and send it back to the manufacturer and wait and see what they will do for me. A few weeks go by and it’s beginning to get cold so I call the manufacturer. After several minutes on hold I explain my situation, thinking I’ll get some sort of satisfaction. First thing they tell me is that the warranty is void. I ask why? They say that the wear pattern that caused this cover to fail was due to improper installation which voids the warranty. Did you read the warranty they ask? How do you know it was installed improperly I say? They explain they were born at night but not last night. Like Colombo they proceed to tell me my pool is 12’ x 25’ and the cover is a 12’ x 27’ and my pool is 2 feet to short for this cover and they know this all by the nature of the wear pattern in the fabric where the cover failed. However, they concede the sides were just fine and for $400.00 they would be happy to fix it so this could happen in another 2 years. I sigh defeated and hang up the phone.
So here’s the point; if you are just looking for a short term solution and are not worried about safety cover longevity or whether the warranty is voided we are happy sell you a standard safety cover for a non standard pool. But if you do care about longevity and your warranty not being voided it’s worth the extra time and additional expense to complete the measuring form so your cover fits, the wear guards are in the right position with respect to your deck and you and your safety cover enjoy years of peace of mind together.
As always be safe and think twice

Xstream II pool slide

2006-08-08T15:13:00.000-07:00

This time of year is all about diving boards and pool slides. I have recently have had a lot of customers inquiring about the Xstream II pool slide and the G-force pool slide. One thing I know is that its been like pulling teeth to get the G-forces in stock, its almost like they are just teasing us with them but if someone actually received one please let us know about installation and the ride. As for the Xstream II I have seen one and we have sold a plethora of them this year but really have not had much feedback, so please let your fellow pool owners and us know how it is working out for you.
As always slide safe
Poolman out

Swimming for the busy mom?

2006-08-03T11:53:00.000-07:00

Here is a great article that I was reading knowing many busy moms in my life I thought some people might be interested. Thanks Amber

Moms & Fitness - Tips for the Busy Mom by Amber Jonas

Some moms have a busy lifestyle. They cook, they clean, and they drive their children to classes. They teach, they referee, and the list goes on.
If you're a mom, you know how to get things done for everyone else, but chances are, you don't take time to take care of your self. While busy schedules keep moms on the go, moms find themselves without much time for fitness.
School schedules and car pools combined with household tasks and a full-time job don't leave mom much time for moms to get the full benefits of exercise.
Moms manage to squeeze in dentist appointments for their children and can make time to show up, without a moment to spare, at a class play, mentioned at the last minute. Super mom can somehow manage to find time to do the things she needs to do to successfully manage her schedule, keeping everyone happy.
The "I don't have time to exercise" isn't a good excuse. If you really want to find time for fitness and exercise, there are many things you can do.
Finding time to take care of your self, with plenty of rest and exercise, should be one of those things you do for yourself without hesitation. Schedule the time in your day planner or make a note on the dry-erase board your "me-time." Procrastination is a word that has no meaning for moms when it comes to taking care of your children. The same should apply for making time for fitness.
Diversify your fitness schedule to include solo walks, a quick round of tennis, or horseback riding with the one you love. Be creative in planning your schedule.
If you know on Monday you have to pick up one child at 2:00, but you have to pick the other one up thirty minutes later, make good use of the time between pickups. You could toss your walking shoes in the car, having them ready to slip on when you pick up the child at 2:00. Both of you could take a short walk while you wait for the second child. If your daughter has a practice 25 minutes across town at the high school, you could take your swimsuit and use the school's swimming pool to swim a few laps. Most schools don't mind you using the pool if you call ahead. Some offer free swims on certain days of the week. If your son's football practice is held over 45 minutes, continue walking around the track until you hear him tell you, "Mom, I'm ready to go now."
The important thing to remember is, because you are a mom, you may have to jump in and take advantage of a thirty-minute window to have time for fitness. Be prepared for those opportunities and learn to expect the unexpected, taking care to use those extra few minutes wisely. The results will amaze you.
About the Author
Thanks for reading. If you found this article helpful you can read more of my tips, information, and more articles on my website: http://www.thishealthylife.com

Indoor pool chemicals/UK study

2006-07-26T08:45:00.000-07:00

We have been doing a lot of business over in Europe lately so I started doing some random searches of pool products in the UK and found a very interesting article on chlorine. The article from Telegraph.co.uk in the UK talks about Asthma in children and the effects of pool chemicals.
So I did a little searching around on frequent websites I read and found more news on this topic at Webmd.com which also has a good article on this subject. I have been lucky not to ever have this disease and know one in my family has so if anyone has any information on there experiences with any doctors in the US on this topic I would love to know, keep researching and lets find out whether this is a cause of Asthma to help our young Americans.
Here are a few links to help out our children
Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America

American Academy of Asthma, Allergy, and Immunology

As normal swim safe

Update on Patriotic Family

2006-07-13T08:46:00.000-07:00

Here is a great link to view the flag pool and interview with
WJZ news out of Maryland http://www.wjz.com/seenon/local_story_191132143.html
Christopher

GREAT JOB GUYS!!!!!!

Ramuc Paint

2006-07-11T11:49:00.000-07:00

Some people call and joke around about the paint colors we offer and why would someone want a red pool. Well I am telling you today what you can do with some Type A Chlorinated Rubber Dawn blue, white, red, and dark blue so here is what Cathy of Maryland painted on the bottom of her pool.

I guess I should tell the whole story on this order because in her mind this was probably never going to get finished . It started with the dark blue and the red being dropped shipped which took longer then we wanted which was not as bad as the five gallons of dawn blue showing up at the house damaged. We obviously have no control over this but I guess four of the gallons were open and turned out a little messy when opening the box. So then while we waited for the claim the dawn blue went on backorder and then it took forever for Cathy to get the paint. We at realpooldeals.com thank Cathy for her unbelievable patients (though we think she still wants us on a stake) and for sending us this beautiful patriotic photo that took many long hours and awesome talent. So next time you have a question about what can I do with Ramuc Paint here is a example and one long painful story for our customer and us, so thanks again Cathy and as always swim safe.
Christopher/Poolman

(If you have a a great pool paint job please send us your photos)

Buzzing around

2006-06-30T09:40:00.000-07:00

Well I have some good ideas sometimes and then I do not think all the time so here goes,
One thing I do every year when getting my pool ready is look under the top-rails for wasp nests, this year yes I did the same but I did not do it properly or I guess you could say I did it in a dumb way. DO NOT stick your face right under the rail because getting stung in the forehead hurts! Step back a little and give it a glance which I did after the fact but did find three nests I sprayed to protect everyone else, I look about every two weeks and usually find one or two, just a little helpful safety tip from the poolman. Have a great 4th of July weekend and I hope the rain stops so I can actually get in the pool.
Poolman out
christopher

Gorilla Floor Pad

2006-06-22T11:59:00.000-07:00

This is new floor pad which is a geotextile that was developed to protect trash dump liners where any cut would be a catastrophe. The main call I always receive is will this stop nut grass and the answer is yes, I have not found anything that will penetrate this pad.
Another question: Do I still need to put sand down before I put in my pad?
Answer yes I strongly recommend the two inches because the floor pad which is only about 1/8 of a inch thick will not give you a great deal of cushion on the bottom of your pool. So I guess the bottom "liner" here is use the Gorilla floor pad and save yourself money on replacing your liner.
swim safe
Christopher

Problems with my pool

2006-06-05T15:19:00.000-07:00

Ok I have not been able to write to my millions of readers for a while but hear goes, Ok so I was trying to get my pool going this weekend and the PH was down and I could not get it at the right level. After staring at my wedding cake steps I realized that inside of them was more algae then I could imagine. So after almost breaking my back trying to get them out I went ahead and hosed them down and put them back in and guess what two hours later the water was sparkling with help from a little Blue Wave shock and some Blue Wave PH increaser. So finally my three year old got to swim this past weekend safe and I will be back tomorrow with my Deluxe alarm system install experience!
Christopher

Getting ready to swim, should have winterized better

2006-05-23T14:24:00.000-07:00

Ok I know I am in the pool business but even I slip up with my pool every once in a while, ok alot. Well I started cleaning my pool by getting my leaves out (Winterizing your pool) with the leaf rake and after hours of doing this I went to the vacuum. This seemed the right time to do this but who could know I missed half the leaves and my hose and my pump were clogged, after un-clogging constantly while being very angry for the slack job on the closing I finally got the leaves out. I went out the next day to set up my automatic cleaner and to my suprise the water was a dull green today, mostly because of all the rain and the lack of running my pump. Oh well time to get some chemicals in there because I need this thing open this weekend. We will see what happens
christopher

Want to be on our WebPage?

2006-05-19T08:00:00.000-07:00

Realpooldeals is now excepting photos to put on our website!!! If you have purchased a product anything from a pool, automatic cleaner to a float send us your digital pictures and you can be on one of our pages. Get the kids on the float or dad/ mom relaing on there new floating lounger, we are also looking for new pool owners setting up there new pools. Pictures of the digging to the liner installation to finally a nice cool dip in the pool! Please write to us and tell other pool owners your experiences the good and the bad to help everyone ejoy as allways a great fun, safe and happy swimming season.
Could you be the next thumbnail???
Send all Photos to
cbmaxcare@yahoo.com
Be safe
Christopher

Pool Alarms

2006-05-19T07:17:00.000-07:00

Let me tell you a little before I start here I have a 24' round above ground pool and a daughter who will be three in september. I am going to pick a pool alarm soon because its about that time here in Chicago to get the pool going, I am very familiar with the above ground pool eye alarm and the turtle alarm but want to hear any pros and cons on both. If you own any of these alarms or have advice to which one would be suited for my situation this year that would be great, I know both products like the back of my hand but have never seen live in action so please help and allways enjoy a safe swimming season.
Christopher/poolman

Welcome

2006-05-18T09:26:00.000-07:00

I am looking for pool owners,lifeguards and anyone who can contribute to my new blog talking about swimming safety and great new pool products!
Welcome
christopher