Pool Cleaning Procedures & Policies:
Weekly Full Service
Weekly service consists of skimming the surface to remove leaves, bugs and floating debris; brushing steps, walls and seats; netting or vacuuming the bottom of the pool as needed; and emptying both skimmer and pump baskets. Chemical readings will be checked and maintained weekly and chemicals will be added as needed.
Pool Cleaners
Pool cleaners are strongly encouraged. If you do not already have a pool cleaner in your pool and authorize the installation of a pool cleaner, one will be installed for you and the monthly service fee could be reduced. Pool cleaners allow your pool to stay cleaner in between weekly service visits and allow you to enjoy your pool more.
Filter Cleanings
All filters will be cleaned as needed when the filter pressure is 8 to 10 lbs over the filters clean starting pressure or there are signs of suction loss. Typically, filters need to be cleaned 2 to 4 times per year depending on how much use the pool gets and by how much dirt and debris gets into the pool throughout the year. Filter cleanings are not included in your monthly service charge and will be billed at the time the filter is cleaned. NOTE: If you prefer to clean your own filters please let us know.
Invoicing
Invoices will be sent out on or around the 20th of each month and will be due by the 15th of the following month. After two consecutive months without a payment, service will be reduced to chemical only. If customer account becomes three months late, we have the option of discontinuing service or collecting your monthly fee prior to the start of each month. YOUR STATEMENT WILL NOT REFLECT PAYMENTS RECEIVED AFTER THE 20TH OF THE MONTH.
Repairs & Additional Charges
POOLRX – Every year in April, you will be invoiced $84 for the PoolRX. Inside the PoolRx unit, which is install in the pump basket in your pool, there is a metal rod with Silver, Copper and Zinc in a special configurement, which creates a unique and patented mineral formula. When in contact with water, the minerals dissolve out of the PoolRx unit and circulate through your pool, breaking down your pools algae and bacteria. Once spent, the minerals then regain their ionic charge as water re-passes through the PoolRx unit that is in your pump basket. The mineral combination of PoolRx forms a stable natural mineral content in the water, which kills algae and bacteria and viruses but is completely safe for humans.
PHOSPHATES – Phosphates are tiny microorganisms that build up over time in your pool from dirt, leaves, debris and even your fill source water can contain phosphates. Phosphates are basically food for algae to grow. When the phosphate levels get too high, where high chlorine levels or super chlorinating the water does not take care of algae, then a bottle of phosphate remover will need to be added. When a bottle of phosphate remover is added, the filter pump will have to run for 24 hours continuously and in most cases, the filter will have to be cleaned soon after. The phosphate remover will be billed to your account.
REPAIRS – Smaller repairs like replacing o-rings, baskets and pool cleaner parts will automatically be replaced ($50 or less), and billed on your next invoice. Larger repairs like installing new equipment or replumbing equipment will be done after an estimate has been given and been approved by the customer. With any new equipment installation or any other larger repairs ($200 or more), a deposit may be required. During busier times of the year, certain repairs or installations could take up to two weeks to schedule based on work load and ordering parts and materials.
SERVICE FEES – There will be a minimum service fee of $65.00 for diagnosing equipment problems. If the diagnosis process is more involved and takes more than an hour, the service fee may increase. Once the problem has been found, a quote for parts and labor will be given to you in addition to the service fee. However, the quote will take into consideration that we will not have to spend additional time taking the equipment apart if it is still apart after the diagnosing process is complete.
Service Day
The day your pool is serviced will be determined by our nearest existing service to your location at the start of pool service. Once your service day is determined, we will do our best not to change it, but a shift in business may affect the service day and you will be notified of any permanent change. Occasionally, your pool may be serviced on a different day without notice to accommodate for time off while still providing service to you.
Holidays/Vacation/Time Off
There will be a few times throughout the year that your pool will not be serviced to allow time off for holidays, vacation, training or emergencies. Most of these days off, without service, will be during the off season. Your service consists of four service calls for a typical four week month, which is a total of 48 weeks. Time off accounts for the other 4 weeks in the year. If service is provided during the 4 weeks not used for time off, there will be no extra cost for service. Advanced notice will be given to each customer either through your bill or in an e-mail. If your service day is on a holiday (i.e. Memorial Day, Labor Day, etc.) you will receive service the day before or after. We take off Thanksgiving week, as well as, the week between Christmas and New Years so our employees can spend time with their families. When a pool is scheduled to not be serviced we add as much chemical as is safe to the prior week so your pool remains balanced. We will also add any needed chemicals when we return.
Inclement Weather
Service may be altered during bad weather. During windy weather, the normal amount of time will be spent on servicing your pool. Please keep in mind that it is our goal to clean your pool as quickly as possible, but it could take 2-3 visits to remove all the leaves from the pool. Occasionally we experience wildfires and often times they come along with high winds. When this happens we will spend the first couple visits getting all the leaves out and once we have accomplished that, we will vacuum the ash out of the pool. (Note: ash clogs up the filters much faster than dirt so your filter will need to be cleaned again after the pool has been completely cleaned after wildfires.) During rainy weather, service may be reduced to checking chemicals and emptying both pump and skimmer baskets. Depending on how hard it is raining a judgment call will be made by StarBright Pools whether to reduce service to chemical check or not. In extreme cases when rain is very heavy, service may be canceled for that week. Your cooperation and understanding is appreciated during inclement weather.
Referral Rewards Program
For every new customer that you refer to StarBright Pools that signs up for service, you will receive one month’s service for free after that new customer has made their first full month payment.
Customers Responsibilities
1. Pay monthly bills on time. Each statement is mailed to you on or around the 20th of every month and we ask that you pay by the 15th of the following month. You expect us and we have committed to showing up to service your pool every week on time, we expect that you will pay us every month on time.
2. Maintain the proper water level in your pool. There are two rules of thumb for what the right water level is. If you have an overflow drain built into your tile line, you’ll want to keep the water about ½ inch below that. If you do not have an overflow drain, you’ll want to keep the water level high enough so that 50-60% of the tile is under water.
3. Remove the pool cover prior to us servicing your pool. It is probably best if it is taken off the night before your service day or at the very latest, first thing in the morning. If the pool cover is not removed by the time we service your pool, we will not service the pool, we will only check the chemicals. If you require us to service the pool at another time later in the week, an additional charge may be required.
4. Provide a clear path to your pool and equipment area. This includes keeping side yards free of clutter and obstacles for safe and easy entrance. This also includes picking up after your pets. Please refrain from using equipment areas for storage. We need access to the equipment as well as a clear visual to detect any problems or leaks.
5. Have a reasonable expectation. This is essential for us to have a good relationship with our customers. There are many factors that influence the overall condition of your pool. A few examples are extreme winds, fires, and rain. During heavy winds, we could easily spend two to three times our normal amount of time to service your pool. However, if we did this, we would not be able to get to all of our customers so we will allot the maximum amount of time possible to get your pool working as efficiently as possible and still be able to provide service to everyone. We also ask that you be understanding that not all pools are the same and service needs and requirements vary from pool to pool and from season to season. The amount of time spent servicing your pool will be determined by what the pool needs that week, not based on how long it took the week before.
6. Run your pump every day? We understand that everyone wants to conserve energy, however, during the spring and summer months (approx. April through October) when the temperature is hotter and the pool is getting more use, you’ll want to run your pump a minimum of 8 hours per day. During the fall and winter months when the weather is colder and the pool is not being used as frequently, you can shorten the run time to 4 or 5 hours per day. It is important that you do not reduce your pumps run time shorter than 4 hours. Anything less will not allow the pool to circulate or filter properly which results in algae and bacteria growth that chlorine alone cannot kill.