To help ensure your swimming pool is clean and clear for your family and friends to enjoy, focus on two areas:

• Maintaining or adjusting the chemical balance of the pool water.
• Removing debris and foreign particles from the swimming pool.

The chemical balance of swimming pool water cannot be maintained by adding pool chemicals only when we remember to. Pool water needs to be tested on a regular basis and adjusted in accordance to the results. The most common chemical used is chlorine. If used in large quantities, or if not maintained properly, chlorine may irritate the eyes and skin of swimmers. A swimming pool owner should also be aware of the proper maintenance instructions for the chemicals and follow the manufacturers’ instructions when applying chemicals to the pool.

To remove unwanted substances from your swimming pool, many rely on a water circulation and filtration system. Regular brushing and vacuuming of our swimming pools helps ensure a minimum of foreign material in the pool water. In addition, you also need to clean the filter itself and replace the filtration medium when necessary. A swimming pool filtration system uses the same basic principle of passing water through tiny channels. Particles larger than these channels are trapped and separated from the main body of the water. This process continues until all of the channels are blocked. At his time, the filter must then be cleaned and the cycle repeated.

Debris and suspended matter usually find their way to the bottom of a pool and may need to be removed by vacuuming.  You may want to consider vacuuming as part of your regular maintenance. The swimming pool vacuum operates in a similar manner to the common household vacuum, except it draws water through the vacuum head instead of air. There are two ways this may be accomplished:

• One method employs a jet of water supplied by a garden hose to power the suction which draws the dirt into the head to be trapped in a cloth bag.
• The other method uses the suction power supplied by the filter which draws the debris and suspended matter from the pool floor for removal through the filter. When there is a considerable amount of debris to be removed, the filter valves should be adjusted so that the vacuumed water will bypass the filter and run to waste.

Don’t feel overwhelmed. Let QwikBids get you the service professionals who can take care of this or any other project you want done. QwikBids providers are already prescreened. In addition, you can remain anonymous until you choose a company with the best fit!

In addition to being the busiest time of year, the holiday season is the most popular time to entertain and make merry with family and friends.  Seek out decorating inspiration that’s simple, yet adds warmth, cheer and style to your home!  Some simple ideas to make your home more festive…

Holiday Greenery:  Add holly berries, evergreen boughs, and pine roping to banisters, doorways and centerpieces.  Fill a large bowl with colored glass ornaments for tabletops and mantles.  Easier still, faux evergreens are great looking, re-usable, and easy to find at craft stores. 

Holiday Scents:  Use pine, gingerbread, sugarplum or peppermint scented candles or potpourri. Even grocery stores offer candles and “plug-in’s” with seasonal scents. 

Holiday Table Wrapping:  Linens, placemats or runners add holiday flair to tables.  Turn functional items like chairs, doors, banisters and plant containers into decorations by “wrapping” them in fabric and bows.  Buy green, gold, red, blue, or silver linens without holiday themes and think about all the other occasions in which you can these!

Holiday Sparkle:  Use bead strands and candles to create a holiday glow. String the beads on light fixtures or over window treatments and watch them twinkle!

Holiday Sounds:  Have a diverse selection of festive holiday tunes to set the mood for a party – or even for yourself!

Decorate and Forget It!

The most important part of the party should be spending quality time with family and friends.  Keep the holiday displays on the mantle instead of the dinner table so you won’t need to re-arrange for every meal.  Get your decorating done early and simply, so you can sit down and enjoy the season!

Amy Wolff, CID, is nationally certified in the interior decorating profession through Certified Interior Decorators International (CIDI).

The staff had a wonderful time at the Arizona’s Ultimate Women’s Expo at the Phoenix Convention Center. We had an exhibitor’s booth awaiting us when we arrived. We’re getting good at this so set up went very qwik this time around!

In our industry, we have found that the bulk of consumers that generally use services to locate quality service providers are overwhelmingly women. So we didn’t want to miss out on the opportunity to put on display the ease and convenience of using QwikBids for their next home project. We got their attention! The busy woman is looking for ways to avoid having to endure the task of looking for a service provider. Do you need landscape in the Metropolitan Phoenix area? Do you need swimming pool repair or maintenance? Is your roof in need of repair? Demonstrating how QwikBids takes the pain out of locating a service provider that will treat customer’s right, was relatively easy.

We handed out literally thousands of our cards, and explained to all who we are and how we not only benefit consumers and service providers, but also charities. Attendees were very adamant in saying what a great idea QwikBids is and how they plan on utilizing our service on their next home project!

The Expo went on for two days. The first day, Valerie Bertinelli spoke about empowerment, and her battle with weight loss. It was a very heartfelt speaking engagement, and a very crowded one. Women from around the Valley applauded Valerie for her courage and determination.

Speaking of courage and determination, the second day of the Expo presented Olivia Newton-John (who was accompanied by her new husband, John Easterling). Olivia expressed her battle with cancer, and the resulting victory overcoming it. According to her, a new lease on life and outlook in the future has forever been changed. She is reaching out to women globally in an effort to raise awareness of cancers that plague women from every walk of life.

How could we not applaud both Valerie and Olivia? The entire gang loved it!

This is just the beginning for QwikBids, a business that’s in the business of helping others and showing all other businesses that profits are not the only issues that need to be addressed. As many of you already know, QwikBids is modeled for charities as well. The recession has affected everyone, so it’s a breath of fresh air knowing that when you use QwikBids, you’re giving back to the community.

It seems we are in recovery, and we’re bouncing back! Stay tuned for more events the QwikBids team attends. And if you see us, drop by and say hello!

 Once again, QwikBids hit the road to spread the word about a unique way for consumers and service providers alike to come together. The destination this time was the Maricopa County Home & Landscape Show at the Maricopa County Fairgrounds in Phoenix. The mood was cheery, and the smell of food cooking was everywhere. We found our referred service providers are able to handle all Phoenix landscape needs!

We got situated rather quickly, then settled into the routine of meeting consumers and the many service providers that came out to show their stuff. We had more visibility this time around, so we were busy! Thousands of consumers were in attendance, wanting to get the most for their money during these recessionary times. These consumers represented the many homeowners looking for home improvement ideas. Yes, consumers want to spend money!

We explained to consumers (and service providers) what we were all about, and they knew we would come in handy for their upcoming projects. There was one that was interested in using our service but also owned a business. So they are not only a consumer using QwikBids, they are also now a service provider on our site. Awesome!

I had the crew by my side, and as always we had tons of fun. The bid requests have picked up as a result, meaning business is picking up for our service providers. The three days at the show were a success, and look forward to attending many more.

Next up is the American Cancer Society Charity event in Goodyear (we are a sponsor), then we will be attending the Arizona’s Ultimate Women’s Expo at the Phoenix Convention Center October 17^th and 18^th. Come on down and visit our booth, I would like to meet all of you personally!

 Commitment to satisfaction doesn’t show itself every day, but at QwikBids, things are a little different. We believe that through registration with us, Service Providers are stating the obvious, “We’ll do whatever it takes to not only provide quality, but competitive pricing as well.

It came as no surprise then, a consumer was so impressed with their contractor they just had to let us know; and so, QwikBids wants you to know too!

“MS” writes, [The company I chose] “was fantastic. They were prompt, clean and did a fantastic job. We had several schedule changes and they were willing and able to accommodate us at the very last minute. I would recommend them to anyone who needs perfect craftsmanship at a very competitive price.”

Keep them coming consumers!

QwikBids is more than happy to share these experiences with our readers, Service Providers, and of course, customers who use our unique system to get the job done right!

In addition to being the busiest time of year, the holiday season is the most popular time to entertain and make merry with family and friends.  Seek out decorating inspiration that’s simple, yet adds warmth, cheer and style to your home!  Some simple ideas to make your home more festive…

• Holiday Greenery:  Add holly berries, evergreen boughs, and pine roping to banisters, doorways and centerpieces.  Fill a large bowl with colored glass ornaments for tabletops and mantles.  Easier still, faux evergreens are great looking, re-usable, and easy to find at craft stores.
• Holiday Scents:  Use pine, gingerbread, sugarplum or peppermint scented candles or potpourri.  Even grocery stores offer candles and “plug-in’s” with seasonal scents.
• Holiday Table Wrapping:  Linens, placemats or runners add holiday flair to tables.  Turn functional items like chairs, doors, banisters and plant containers into decorations by “wrapping” them in fabric and bows.  Buy green, gold, red, blue, or silver linens without holiday themes and think about all the other occasions in which you can these!
• Holiday Sparkle:  Use bead strands and candles to create a holiday glow.  String the beads on light fixtures or over window treatments and watch them twinkle!
• Holiday Sounds:  Have a diverse selection of festive holiday tunes to set the mood for a party – or even for yourself!

Decorate and Forget It!

The most important part of the party should be spending quality time with family and friends.  Keep the holiday displays on the mantle instead of the dinner table so you won’t need to re-arrange for every meal.  Get your decorating done early and simply, so you can sit down and enjoy the season!

Amy Wolff, CID, is nationally certified in the interior decorating profession through Certified Interior Decorators International (CIDI). 

By Guest Author Amy Wolff, C.I.D.

When you are starting a new design project, the first thing you must do is assess the bones of your space.  The bones of a room are the shape and details that are a part of its structure.  Unless you are remodeling, there are limits on what you can do with the shape and architectural interests of a room.  The best thing to do is to enhance the positive elements, and downplay the negative elements.

The bones include the ceiling, all walls, archways and shapes of doorways, doors, built-ins, fireplaces, moldings and baseboards, and unusual elements such as stonework or tongue and groove walls.

We must also consider the function of the room to determine which features should be embellished, accented, hidden, or played down.  Many homeowners find this easier to do with the help of a professional.

The very best way to begin a good diagnosis of a room is to remove most of the furnishings.  Of course, it is often not feasible to remove the furnishings from your room – but sometimes just removing the accumulated accessories and then rearranging as you bring them back into the room helps.  Don’t be afraid to seek the help of an interior decorator who can see things with a “fresh eye,” ask the right questions regarding how you want to use the room, and even provide a project plan that will enhance the function, feel and look of the room.

If you are starting a new design project for a room, and you are not planning to remodel the space, you will have a better result if you remember this: The bones are there to stay, and you must design or decorate with the bones in mind first.

For the sake of training and learning, QwikBids staff will follow a bid request by a customer from start to finish. More and more, we are seeing consumers catch on to the QwikBids idea, and what a difference it has made for them. Simplicity is king!

A consumer had a frustrating leak in which they tried to remedy themselves. Now, QwikBids encourages consumers to save the extra buck in these hard times by doing it themselves if it is feasible. But this consumer was done trying to deal with the problem (maybe more important things to do?). Here was the description of the project:

“Problem 1:  Flexible line underground which has many drip lines off it keeps getting leaks. We fix one leak and it leaks further down the line. There does not appear to be a pressure control on the valve. Need pressure reducer installed at valve and 3-4 feet of tubing replaced near end of line. Must remove granite/dirt and replace in both areas.

Problem 2:  Another valve is leaking either around the solenoid or the valve lid.  Probably needs a part replaced.”

An irrigation leak in the Valley, especially during this time of year, is definitely a problem. So of course, the consumer wanted it bid on quickly and the project started right away. Within a few days, we were happy to see a consumer that realizes the value of QwikBids. He wrote, “Quick response. Fixed my irrigation system the next day. Used good quality parts that will last. Went above and beyond by checking the whole system and setting timer. Very nice and knowledgeable gentleman.”

Need we tell you more? It speaks for itself! This consumer also chose to donate $10.00 Arizona Animal Welfare League (awarded to the charity of choice because of feedback to the provider).

Go to QwikBids today for the project you have either been putting off or the repair that needs to be done quickly!

QwikBids encourages all consumers and service providers to write in about their experiences with us. So when a consumer called in to the corporate office this morning, it was a pleasant surprise.

Erin Gort, an Account Specialist with QwikBids, took the call. Erin says the consumer, who remains anonymous per QwikBids Privacy Policy, wanted to let us know how his experience was going and had a few questions. “I’ve received compliments over the phone before, but never to this extent,” she says. “He stated how much he loved our concept. He was pleased that we were so much easier than the Yellow Pages because service providers and quotes came to him.”

The consumer, Erin tells me, had 6 service providers bidding on the project, giving him many choices.

The consumer went on to tell Erin that he found QwikBids in an Ahwatukee Foothills News newspaper article and thought he would try QwikBids out. “He said after his experience with us, he is telling everyone, how it works and how easy it is,” Erin adds.

When I sat down to speak with Erin more about the consumers and service providers, she was all smiles. “Everyone I’ve talked to loves the concept, whether it has been a consumer or registered provider,” Erin says of QwikBids. “It’s really working and catching on!”

If you’re a regular reader of ours, you have realized by now that QwikBids stands behind the greenest ways of saving energy, not to mention environmental preservation. No, we’re not over the top with it, but we do believe every single person has to play at least a small role in making things better for our environment. 

Having softened you up with that piece, we would like to touch briefly on heating your pool. No, we’re not speaking of the electric or gas type of pool heaters. We are constantly exploring ways in which to avoid those resources, so this brings us to solar water heating. Now before you cast in the myth of being too expensive and stop reading, you may want to rethink this technology rather than dismiss it. Point is, employing this feature to your pool system, knowing what we know, would be a smart idea.

Let’s start with some of the benefits. We know that energy is saved and pollutants are eliminated, but how about extending the swim season when the system makes the pool 10 degrees warmer? You’ll get more out of your investment. A good tip when the water gets too warm: Simply run the solar heating system at night.     

When it comes to cost for a new solar heater and its maintenance, opinions widely vary. But for the purpose of reducing greenhouse gasses, it is the best. The pollutants created to generate electricity (if you were to use an electric heater) and pollutants from gas heaters, are very significant. These two facts alone should be enough for anyone to consider renewable energy.

To get started, it would be best to get a specialist. They intimately know the fundamentals of pool plumbing, and how a solar heating system will perform best when installed. The installer will size the pool to get the approximate square footage of the water’s surface area. This will determine the square footage of the solar collector needed to efficiently heat the water. Other factors, such as region of the country, whether you cover the pool when not in use, and whether the pool is in the shade all or part of the day are also considered. The installer will then determine the best place to mount the collector, which is best installed at a 30 degree angle east or west of due south.

Don’t feel overwhelmed. Let the professionals at QwikBids get you the service professionals who can take care of this or any other project you want done precisely and in a timely manner. QwikBids’ providers are already checked out for you, from licensing and insurance, to references and background. Plus, you remain anonymous until you choose the company with the best fit!