Atlantic Splash & Aquatic Services LLC
240-498-2583
Frequently Asked Questions
PAYMENT TERMS AND CONDITIONS FAQs
1. How do you send your invoices? All invoices are sent electronically to the email address(es) you provide to us with your contact info.
2. When do you send invoices? We send invoices at the completion of the service rendered or at some agreed upon stage during a contract project. Our Maintenance Program clients receive a monthly invoice for the prior month’s service.
3. When is payment due? Payment is due upon receipt of the invoice.
4. What types of payments are accepted? We give you great flexibility with payment types to give you a wide range of choices. So you can choose any of the following:
*pay by credit card online through a payment link on your email invoice
*pay by credit card by calling into the office with your credit card number and we’ll process the transaction through our office software.
*pay by bank check online (ACH) through the payment link on your email invoice
*pay by check by simply sending a check through the mail
5. How do you handle my credit card number and how secure is my transaction? We are a member of the Intuit Payment Network and they handle all the security and online transactions for us. After you provide your credit card number, it is encrypted and we only have access to the last 4 digits. No others have access to this information so your number can't be copied or stolen from our software (QuickBooks).
SERVICE RATES FAQs
1. How much do you charge for a service call? We charge $125 for the first hour of a service call and $100 for each subsequent hour. An assistant, if required will cost an additional $35 per hour. Any equipment, parts, materials and supplies will be in addition. We do not charge for "trip time", travel time, or any fuel surcharges.
2. How do you charge for Openings, Maintenance, and Winterizations? We bundle a group of service items into a package and you pay the package price. You can see these various packages under the "Services" menu at the top of each page.
SCHEDULING FAQs
1. I want my pool to be scheduled for opening, what’s my next step? Call or email us to set up your appointment. We may contact you in advance if you are already a customer because we want to give you priority. However, don’t assume you’re on our schedule unless you receive either an email confirmation or a verbal confirmation on the phone.
2. Why can’t you give us a specific time for your service appointment? That is generally too difficult because of the unpredictable time each service call can take as well as estimating traffic times and impacts from weather.
3. It’s raining outside today, are you still coming? Maybe, while we work in a drizzle and light rain, we do not work in a steady rain or any thunderstorms. Electric, plumbing and equipment installation work done outside will only be done if its dry outside.
4. Do I need to be home for the service appointment? That depends. If we can access the backyard and associated equipment, then you don’t need to be home. If necessary, we arrange for house access in advance with many clients with simple time coordination (Wednesday morning between 9-11 for example), lock-boxes, or house staff
OPENING FAQs
1. My pool is open but the water is still green, murky, and generally unready for swimming. What do I do now? You have a few choices in this situation. You can be patient and wait for the water to improve while we monitor the pool with periodic filter cleanings, vacuuming, and chemistry adjustments. These additional visits cost time and money, but will eventually return your pool to normal. We also advise some clients to drain and clean their pool to expedite the entire opening process. This step adds substantial cost to the opening but will quickly get your pool water in good shape.
2. So when can we go swimming? I tell clients that if the water is generally blue and you can see a coin well enough on the bottom to determine whether its "heads" or "tails", then the water is should be good enough to swim in. You'll also want to make sure that the basic chemistry is in balance. You can always call to ask us whether you can go ahead and swim.
3. My pool has been vacuumed so why is there still debris in the water? A good pool cleaning will remove 90-99% of visible debris, but rarely 100%. A pool filled with debris and pollen in the spring can take 2-3 cleanings before its ready for use.
4. Why was my pool water dirty when the cover was removed; it seemed fine last fall when it was closed? Your water was probably fine last fall, but substantial debris can accumulate in the pool during the off-season. Some leaves can sneak through during autumn and dust and some pollen can also enter the water. But the real trouble can start in early spring. As the weather warms up in March, the water can turn bad quickly as the sun gets stronger, the temperatures rise, and pollen levels start rising. The load can be too much and your water turns bad. The solution is to have our Winter Watch Service. We look after your water through the winter and monitor its condition to keep your opening smooth and short.
MAINTENANCE PROGRAM FAQs
1. What day will be my “normal” day for pool maintenance? We generally service pools as follows: Northwest DC on Wednesday, Bethesda & Chevy Chase on Thursday, and Potomac on Friday. We can make exceptions as the need arises but that’s our general schedule.
2. We’re having a party and want the pool to be perfect, any extra steps? Yes!, just as you’re planning for the party schedule, make sure to include us in your calls and preparations. If we know in advance then we can schedule your maintenance for the day before or even on the morning of your event. Please don’t wait until the last minute to call because it will make everything more difficult.
3. How do I know if you have been to the pool for your maintenance work? We leave a service form in your mailbox or a door hanger note card to let you know we were there. In the next year, we will graduate to a date and time stamped email to send you as we wrap up our work.
4. My water doesn’t seem right after the big storm last night, anything I should do? Please call us right away to come over and check on everything. The equipment may need servicing or the water chemistry may be out of whack. So call! Summer storms are a leading cause of water turning green.
WINTERIZATION FAQs
1. You just closed the pool, anything I need to do before you open next spring? Yes, although your pool requires far less care over the winter, it still needs some attention periodically to make sure everything goes smoothly in the spring.
2. What types of things do I need to pay attention to if I’m going to look after the pool myself? Frankly, you should have us monitor the pool with our Winter Watch Service, but if you want to do the work yourself you need to monitor and adjust the following 5 items:
*
Water level- this level must remain below the tile level during the winter months when ice can form on the water surface.
Water level- this level must remain below the tile level during the winter months when ice can form on the water surface.*Water quality – the water must remain clear enough to see the bottom of the pool from the deep end.
Water quality – the water must remain clear enough to see the bottom of the pool from the deep end.*Water chemistry – Try to keep a residual amount of chlorine in the water to combat any contaminants that enter the pool.
Water chemistry – Try to keep a residual amount of chlorine in the water to combat any contaminants that enter the pool.*Cover intact – Make sure the cover remains properly anchored to keep its safety features in place.
Cover intact – Make sure the cover remains properly anchored to keep its safety features in place.*Equipment checkup – Inspect the equipment area to make sure there are no drips or leaks and that all equipment and timers have not been altered.
Equipment checkup – Inspect the equipment area to make sure there are no drips or leaks and that all equipment and timers have not been altered.