FAQ’s

First and foremost, our experience, dedication, and customized service levels definitely separate us from the competition. Aside from that, our chemical process is also different. At 4EverClear Pools, we use a different treatment process than most pool service companies. We service pools with liquid chlorine. Scott, a retired chemical engineer, has fine-tuned this treatment method creating a very effective process that provides a more pleasant experience for swimmers. Liquid chlorine allows us to avoid the additives and other things found in chlorine “pucks” or tablets. This also means there is no regular brushing required for our service! So keep in mind with our service you will not see any pucks or tablets in your skimmers or feeder (if you have one). We ask that you not put any tablets or other chemicals in your pool. If you see any algae (rare with our process) – or anything out of the ordinary – please email/call the office and we will take care of it!

No – however - we let all new customers know that our pricing is geared for year-round service. We service pools 50 weeks each year. You enjoy the same low monthly price all year. Please note that if you sign up for service in the summer and then want to cancel in the winter, a minimum re-start fee of $300 will be charged if you want to come back the next spring. Plus at that time you will be required to sign a 1-year contract. However – our customers love our service so much that you won’t even think about canceling in the winter! On a year-round basis, our Essentials Service is typically less expensive than what you will spend to maintain your own chemicals – without any of the hassle, or trips to the pool store! And we have an algae-free guarantee!

YES of course! You should stay out of the pool for one hour after your technician has serviced your pool. If for some reason he has to add an unusual amount of chemicals that day, or stabilizer, he will leave a red door tag with a note that swimming should be delayed for 4-24 hours. But this is rare. We ask that you glance at your back door when you get home on your service day - just to see if there’s a red door tag. If your water level is low, or the technician noticed a problem with your pool, he will leave the red door tag on the back door with a note.

On the 1st visit, the technician will put a timecard in your timer box. Each week he will date and put the time he is there. The same technician will take care of your pool each week. If you aren’t sure if he’s been there yet that day, check the timecard. We also maintain detailed records of your chemicals, so you are always welcome to email/call the office and get your readings for that week.

YES, we do! And for the same low monthly price!

Typically in our experience, pools are very commonly low on stabilizer. Stabilizer (cyanuric acid) -- also called conditioner -- acts as a sunscreen for your pool. It helps your pool water hold chlorine better. It’s also one of the more expensive chemicals we use. On the 1st visit, the technician will perform several tests on your water - including testing your stabilizer level. Your start-up fee includes these additional tests, and the chemicals necessary to get your water balanced. We have found that $65 typically covers what we need to add on a 1st visit. Sometimes, if your balance is way off, the start-up fee will be higher. If that’s the case, we will get your approval before the technician proceeds. On the 1st visit, the technician will also calculate an LSI reading. LSI stands for Langelier Saturation Index (LSI) and parameters of this calculation have been adopted by the National Plaster Council as part of the chemical process to ensure the overall balance of your water is not corrosive or scale-forming.

Our normal weekly visits and pricing include testing and balancing of your chlorine, pH, alkalinity, and stabilizer. These are considered the “normal” chemicals that need to be tested/adjusted weekly (stabilizer only needs to be tested/adjusted periodically). When your pool is built or replastered, other chemicals are also added to the water - which includes a sequestering agent, calcium chloride, etc. When we perform an LSI reading, if we find that your hardness (calcium chloride) is dangerously low, we will discuss that with you prior to making any adjustments as there is a nominal cost associated with adjusting hardness levels. Please keep in mind – once the hardness level has been adjusted it should not ever need to be adjusted again until the pool is replastered. Other events that could possibly incur extra fees include: accidentally draining a large amount of pool water, accidentally overflowing your pool, hurricanes, other acts of God outside of our control, replastering.

NO – please do not add ANY chemicals at all. This can cause inaccurate test results and lead to other problems. We do not store any chemicals at the poolside. Our service tech will complete all necessary testing and add any required chemicals during each weekly service visit.

Adequate filtration is just as important as balanced water chemistry. We will provide the proper water treatment but you must see to it that your pool is properly filtered. It is important that each and every drop of your pool's water is pumped through the filter three times each day to assure that it has been properly and adequately filtered. To accomplish complete filtration of the water we recommend the following filtering times:

• Sand filter: 12-14 hours per day
• Cartridge: 10-12 hours per day
• D.E.: 8-10 hours per day (10-12 hours per day during the summer or if pool activity is heavy)

Increase the time by 50% if you have a solar heating system. Allow longer filtration periods if the pool activity is heavy.

It’s extremely important to contact us BEFORE you replaster. We do have a local company we can recommend that we have been working with for over 10 years. We also keep a list of plaster companies that our customers have had poor experiences with. We can give suggestions on our experience of plaster finishes that hold up well in the long term. And most importantly - we *must* coordinate your chemical startup with your replaster company. Ideally, we prefer to do your replaster chemical startup. Most plaster companies do not specialize in pool water chemistry; their job is to replaster the pool and move on to the next one. We know how important it is for the longevity of your plaster to make sure the initial chemical startup is performed correctly. Many people don’t realize the impact an improper chemical startup can have on the plaster months/years down the road. We are constantly learning and striving to improve our processes, and we have attended many education classes on replaster chemical startups. Our Operations Manager is an NPC Certified Start-Up Technician and he personally oversees all replaster chemical startups.

The most common cause of cloudy water is inadequate filtration. Increase the filtration time and the problem should resolve itself. If it’s still cloudy after 24 hours, please email/call our office.

You may have heard that chlorine causes eye irritation. This is actually not true. Eye irritation is actually caused by:

1. Inadequate filtration (most common cause)
2. Ammonia introduced into the pool water by means of urine. One small child urinating in your pool can cause very heavy eye irritation for up to 24 hours
3. Organic material introduced into your pool by adding freshwater before swimming
4. Leaving a pool blanket on your pool during the day. Water needs to be exposed to air. Please remove the blanket during daytime hours
5. Perspiration in the pool--always shower before and after swimming