POOL CLOSING LETTER
Feb 1st, 2024
Dear Valued Teddy Bear Customer:
As in past seasons, in 2024, customers may contact us as soon as the first Monday in February to schedule a pool closing. The dates fill quickly, so please contact us as soon as possible. Please take note of our cancellation policy later in this bulletin and be aware that we cannot schedule appointments for customers with past due balances on their account. Also, please note our policy on drop-in access step removal in the What To Expect section below.
Prior to your closing, it is recommended that you:
1) Bring a water sample to our lab to be sure your water is balanced
2) Vacuum your pool a final time. We do not provide a cleaning/vacuuming service and will close your pool “As Is.”
3)Take an inventory and inspect all winter accessories, including your winter cover. Give us at least a two business day notice should an accessory need replacing.
On the day of your closing, we will need unencumbered access to the following:
1) A safe pool area and outside sources of water and electricity.
2) All winter accessories must be easily accessible. For safety and liability reasons, all items must be available at ground level. We will not go into lofts, climb ladders or move any of your property to reach or store your pool equipment. Check in advance to be sure all needed equipment is on site. If we cannot find any accessory needed to close your pool, we will supply the missing item and you will be charged accordingly.
3) For their safety and ours, please be sure all animals are indoors while we are on site (Thank you for cleaning up any backyard "presents" that they may leave!). We are not responsible for any escaping animals.
SPECIAL INSTRUCTIONS FOR OUR CREW should be taped to the filter tank. Please do not assume that we will remember all your specific requests from seasons past.
WHAT TO EXPECT AT YOUR CLOSING
We will try to call you two business days in advance to confirm your appointment. Due to the nature of our work, we are unable to give a specific time for your closing so please plan your day accordingly.
We will conduct closings in the rain unless there is danger to our crews (i.e. lightning, severe weather) and as long as the weather does not impede our work. Should we need to reschedule, we will contact you as soon as possible.
DROP IN STEPS containing a maximum of 50 pounds of weighted material will be removed from pools. Customers are responsible for removing any excess weight from the steps prior to the closing date. This policy is designed for the safety of our employees who have been injured while attempting to remove drop in steps with excessive weight. Preventing injuries that could lead to short-staffing and the postponing or cancelling of closings benefits us all.
DE FILTERS will be backwashed and drained. The pump and motor will be disconnected when possible. There must be a backwash hose on site; otherwise, we cannot control the effluent. We do NOT disassemble DE filters.
CARTRIDGE FILTER tanks will be drained and cartridge media removed. There must be a backwash/drainage hose on site; otherwise, we cannot control the effluent.
SAND FILTER tanks will be drained. If possible, the pump and motor will be disconnected. We are not responsible for any freeze damage caused by a defective filter tank drain.
FILTER CLEANING will be offered for an additional $120 for DE filters and aboveground cartridge filters. Inground cartridge filter cleaning will be $140. We will take your filter at closing and return it after it is cleaned and inspected. Any replacement parts will be an additional charge. Please give us at least 48 hours advanced notice should you wish this service. This season, we will stop accepting filters for cleaning after October 20. On-site cleaning services are not available.
CHEMICAL KITS consist of an oxidizer and an algaecide. Please remember that despite the use of winterizing chemicals, a number of variables make it impossible to guarantee that your water will remain clean or clear during the off-season.
AUTOMATIC CHLORINATORS, out of safety and health concerns for our crews, should be allowed to run low of product as your closing date approaches. We will drain the unit and leave it outside to dry. Leftover chlorine will be put in a zippered storage bag and left on the equipment pad. It is your responsibility to properly store/dispose of any leftover chlorine. It is recommended that the chlorinator be bagged and left outside. Do not store the chlorinator or the leftover chlorine with metal equipment as chlorine vapor can corrode items such as motors, ladders and handrails.
INGROUND POOLS will have underground the lines blown out and plugged. Where applicable, antifreeze will be added to stair jet lines. (All other lines do not require antifreeze). We will remove suction and return fittings, skimmer baskets, weir doors, automatic vacuum fittings, ladders, drop in steps (see above), stair rails and dive boards if possible. We will secure winter covers in the appropriate manner. There will be an additional charge if we have to reattach safety cover springs, spring covers or make significant adjustments to the straps. We are not liable for covers that come off due to high winds or fall in due to excessive weight. It is the pool owner’s responsibility to secure the cover in the offseason.
ABOVEGROUND POOLS will have skimmer plates and winter plugs installed. We will remove return fittings, skimmer baskets, weir doors, drop in steps (see above) and automatic vacuum fittings. Underwater lights will be removed, where applicable. We will inflate expansion pillows and secure winter covers with a cable and/or water bags where appropriate. NOTE: The pillow’s sole purpose is to create a pocket on the water’s surface which allows ice to expand toward the pillow rather than toward the pool wall. The pillow does NOT need to be centered or fully inflated to be effective. There will be a charge should you request that we return to reposition, re-inflate or replace a pillow. We are not liable for covers that come off due to high winds or for covers that fall into the pool due to excessive weight. It is the pool owner’s responsibility to secure the cover in the offseason. Pool owners in high wind areas may wish to further secure their covers with wind clips. Please give us at least three business days notice should you like the cover clips (.69 each) installed at closing. It is suggested that round pools use between 36-60 clips, depending on size, while oval pools generally need between 66-78 clips.
WATER BAGS will be partially filled to allow for ice expansion. We are not responsible for water bags that deflate or lose water. We will charge for any water bags that need replacement. We will NOT use bricks, rocks, cinderblocks, wood, bottles, jugs or the like to secure winter covers as they can damage your pool. We will not be liable for any damage caused by their use.
LOWERING WATER before we close your pool is NOT recommended unless your pool has a caretaker in-floor cleaning system with a leaf trapper or an Aqua Genie skimmer. Not only will you save time and money, but maintaining the water level at normal height allows for a better installation and fit of your winter cover. If necessary, it is the customer’s responsibility to lower water prior to our arrival. Teddy Bear Pools does not lower water.
SAFETY COVER owners are responsible for lowering the water AFTER the closing and BEFORE the first hard freeze. Teddy Bear Pools does not and will not lower the water for you. Depending on the manufacturer, a gap of no more than 12-18” between the water and either the coping or the cover is required. This will allow room for rain and melting snow to drain into your pool while lending enough support for any snow load. Please refer to your cover warranty, as failure to follow this requirement MAY VOID your warranty. Mesh safety cover owners may add algaecide (not chlorine) to your water before the freeze and after the thaw by pouring the product directly through the cover. Please be sure to rinse off the residual from the cover afterward.
REGULAR WINTER COVER owners should regularly inspect the cover and remove any accumulated water and/or debris during the offseason. Also, check water bags to make sure they are holding water and keeping the winter cover in place. Teddy Bear Pools will not assume responsibility for covers that fall into the pool or cause damage to the liner due to water/debris/snow/ice left on the cover. We are not liable for covers that come off due to high winds or covers that fall into the pool due to excessive weight. It is the pool owner’s responsibility to secure the cover in the offseason. For those customers that use a leaf net over their winter cover, please remember that it is designed to be emptied of leaves on a regular basis during the off season. Failure to do so will make the removal of the leaf net more difficult in the spring due to excessive weight. It is solely the customer’s responsibility to remove debris from the leaf net prior to a pool opening.
ORDERING REPLACEMENT WINTER COVERS should be done as soon as you are aware of the need. It is highly recommended that you inspect your winter cover well before your closing date. Inventories of regular winter covers begin to diminish as early as August.
ADDITIONAL CHARGES will apply if you are not prepared for your scheduled closing or if there are any missing or damaged parts or accessories that are required to properly close a pool. Any repair work performed, including significant adjustments to safety cover straps, will be an additional charge.
CANCELLATION/RESCHEDULE POLICY – Out of courtesy and to avoid an $85 cancellation/rescheduling fee, customers must contact the Service Department directly via email at [email protected] with at least a three business day notice prior to your scheduled date. Phone calls to cancel/reschedule will not be considered proper notification. Please note that business days do not include weekends or holidays. This time frame gives us adequate opportunity to refill the vacated spot.
PAYMENT IN FULL is required by the day of your closing as it is a COD service. If you will not be home, please leave a check taped to the filter tank or you may call us at least two business days in advance (413-594-2666 Ext 129 or 123) to prepay with any major credit card. You may also pay with your credit card on this website by clicking on the “Pay My Bill Online” tab. It is not necessary to know your invoice number to prepay online. We will send your credit card receipt by email, so please be sure we have your updated email. You also may send your payment through the mail. Our crews are not allowed to close your pool unless payment is available or has been made in advance. Gift certificates and promotional coupons such as Bear Bucks are only for use in our Chicopee retail store and cannot be applied toward any service work including closings.
SUSPECTED LEAKS should be addressed well BEFORE your pool is closed. Do not delay in contacting us if you believe your pool is losing more than one-quarter inch of water per day. Off season leaks can have catastrophic consequences. Please keep in mind that our service department shuts down by the end of October and resumes the following April.
LINERS OUT OF TRACK need to be addressed well BEFORE your closing. Our closing schedule does not allow the time it takes to put most liners back in track. Additionally, the cooler end of season temperatures make it more difficult to make the repair.
IMPORTANT REMINDER: If you encounter any problems or have any concerns regarding your closing, please call us within 48 hours so that any issues may be addressed promptly.
Thank you again for choosing Teddy Bear Pools.
Ted Hebert
President/Owner