COVERSTAR pool cover

tawnlun · Postby **tawnlun** » Fri 26 Jun, 2009 13:25

I live in Indianapolis too and just set an appt for Coverstar to come out because my cover won't open or close. Does anyone else know who could work on this? It doesn't sound like I want to use Coverstar! Thanks

juno1996 · Postby **juno1996** » Fri 26 Jun, 2009 22:11

Sorry, I don't know who else to call. But I should start researching it because

1) I'll never call Coverstar again and
2) I'm sure my Cover will require repair in the not-too-distant future.

If you still use them, expect a 2-person crew to show up - that's $70/hour per "technician" (think Monkey + Wrench). There's a $22 travel charge and $60 visit charge. There's $1.54 tax on the travel charge. With a one-hour minimum charge, you'll be looking that $223.54...that's assuming they can perform the work in 1 hour and will not require any parts.

In my opinion, if you've already provided them your credit card and they arrive at your home, you're screwed.

When I spoke with the owner, he said these guys have "specialized training" and he has to pay them high wages because he can't offer them work in the winter. By the appearance of the crews that I've seen though, I'd say they spend their winters down south with a traveling carnival. :thumbup:

Please let us know how it turns out for you.

sln · Postby **sln** » Sun 28 Jun, 2009 11:19

I have had the same problem. After two years the rope has broken. I refuse to call the local coverstar
dealer. He is the brother of the owner of pool city and both are worthless.The quality of work is pathetic.
When my cover was first installed it would not open, called and complained to pool city. Waited days and
fixed it myself. A week later coverstar fools show up tested the cover and said there was no problem. I advised them I fixed myself a week ago, idiot just looked at me and left.
I have found someone else who works on them. I will check with him and see if it okay to give his number out.

juno1996 · Postby **juno1996** » Sun 28 Jun, 2009 15:34

Wow - that would be very thoughtful and much appreciated.

Commenting based on my own experience and view, it seems that pool companies in particular think they can provide the minimum customer service, lowest value and then charge basically anything they want. Since I've had a pool installed (and especially when we were going through the construction ordeal), it's all been about missed appointments, flat-out lies and rip-offs when dealing with the folks in the local pool industry. Maybe pool servicers just think pool owners are made of money and don't care?

Consumers need to speak up. I'm glad to see that when you now Google "coverstar pool covers", this page is the 5th link that shows up!

So, yes, if you could send me the name of an honest servicer, it'd be much appreciated.

ScaredOfPools · Postby **ScaredOfPools** » Thu 02 Jul, 2009 23:32

I live in MD and my wife wants a pool but I don't. I've heard horror stories from others about pool installation as many people who work in this industry are over priced morons after our money. Given this, it doesnâ€™t surprise me that there are horror stories about Coverstar pool covers.

If we get a pool, then I want a pool cover rather than a fence. However, I know these things are maintenance nightmares. What Iâ€™m trying to figure out is if Coverstar is really any worse than other pool covers. They advertise about how special their ropes are so it doesnâ€™t surprise me that they cost a bunch to replace. It also doesnâ€™t surprise me that there are a bunch of monkeys out there that do it wrong the first time then charge an arm and a leg to fix it.

If you guys had to do it again, would you get a different pool cover, a different contractor or no pool cover at all? :?:

sln · Postby **sln** » Mon 06 Jul, 2009 18:40

The cover system is very good and it is now supplied with improved and stronger ropes.
The problem here in the Indianapolis is the installers, poor and slow service.

Frustrated in Fishers · Postby **Frustrated in Fishers** » Tue 07 Jul, 2009 17:53

I guess I need to add my 2 cents worth when it come to the local Coverstar rep for the Indianapolis area. About a year after we had our pool installed I started seeing seperation of the cover at the "welded" seams that run from side to side the width of the pool. I called to ask about the warranty and was told that I would need to supply them with a credit card number to schedule any type of service call. That should have been my first signal of who these people are.

I got my appointment scheduled and the service tech did acknowledge that it appeared that it was a problem with the cover and also told me that the manufacture did have some problems with a "batch" of covers. He did his little service report and left. Within a few days I was contacted by Coverstar in Indianapolis to tell me that they would be able to do a pro-rated replacement of my cover for just a little over $1900. I certainly challanged this price and asked for the name of the factory representative so I could speak with him directly about my cover. The CS person that I was talking to said she did not know who that was but she would get back to me. The next day a manager at Coverstar Indy called me to talk about my cover and why I needed to talk to the rep. I told him that the price they wanted to do a prorated warranty replacement was way out of line and I wanted to talk directly to the factory rep to express my concerns. The mananger then ask me what I was expecting. Without hesitating I told him I expected it to be replaced NO CHARGE. Long story short now..... after a long debate I got the manger to cut the replacement cost in half. He never did devulge the name of the Factory Rep. I am convinced that they were able to get the cover as a no charge warranty replacement and were trying to maximize their profits.

Frustrated in Fishers · Postby **Frustrated in Fishers** » Tue 07 Jul, 2009 18:03

I have a few more examples of dealing with the people at the Indianapolis Coverstar service center. Last year I had a rope break on the cover that was replaced under warranty. I called to see if the rope was under warranty. Of course it wasn't. They replaced the rope charged me for the service and wanted to also bill me for a trip charge of $60.00. My home is no more that 10 minutes for Coverstar's office so you can imagine my response to this charge. After again talking to the manager he agreed to wave the service charge and told me that it was a mistake. He said they only charged a trip charge for calls over 50 miles. I just wonder how many "mistakes" they make daily that are in their favor?

Last week the rope broke that they replaced last week. Do you think it's covered under warranty? NOT A CHANCE !!!

MY advise is to find someone else to service your pool cover in the Central Indiana Area.

I would like to know the name of the service person that someone else from the Indianapolis area talked about in a previous post here. I need to replace the rope on the motor side of my pool cover.

Feel free to email me at: MT61938@hotmail.com

bcgreene1 · Postby **bcgreene1** » Sun 12 Jul, 2009 00:51

OK Pool Buddies....Thanks for all your replies to my COVERSTAR pool cover rope problem. I finanlly located a manufacturer of the type of the rope used on the automatic cover and it is stronger than the ones that COVERSTAR uses. I have it on order. Also, I have made some tabs. As soon as the rope gets here, I am going to sew the tabs on the ropes and install it. I will keep you informed. As you know, your pool will open without the ropes. So I have tied a rope to the metal tube and put the switch in free wheeling and you can close the pool by manually pulling the rope. I know this works with my 31X16 pool. This will give you a temporary fix. And the H*** with COVERSTAR !!!

tadilllac · Postby **tadilllac** » Tue 14 Jul, 2009 10:39

bcgreene1 wrote:I finanlly located a manufacturer of the type of the rope used on the automatic cover and it is stronger...

Aaaarrrg! The rope on my coverstar just broke this morning and the pool/cover is less than two years old! BCGREENE, who's the manufacturer of the rope you chose? Can you post pics of your repair?

awd · Postby **awd** » Sun 19 Jul, 2009 13:14

The first thing to always check is the breaker and or the GFI that provides power.

Illinois · Postby **Illinois** » Sun 19 Jul, 2009 13:43

I need to purchase a set of plastic glides/slides that mount the pull rail. Does anyone know of a online source for Coverstar parts? Thanks Alex

poolcovers · Postby **poolcovers** » Sat 08 Aug, 2009 08:57

If you're in the central indiana area, try calling Automatic Pool Covers, Inc. 317-579-2000.
We have been servicing and installing automatic covers since 1978, and since 2003, we have been manufacturing them as well.
We work with the most honest reliable pool builders in any given market, or we fire them.
We're not perfect, but we sure strive to be.

spaul100 · Postby **spaul100** » Fri 14 Aug, 2009 17:52

My daughter had her Aquamatic rope break. It's clothesline rope, dacron braid. I'm a sailor and can't believe we aren't using a couple of sailing rope fibers with low stretch and strength of steel. Even these "specialty ropes" aren't as expensive as the clothesline ropes from pool dealers. I'm investigating these lines now and how to sew it back into the cover. The cover by the way isn't made to b e repaired so I'm investigating a splice technique from the electrical world and sailing tricks. If anyone is interested I'll be glad to post back what I find.
If anyone on the forum has advise I'd appreciate it.

ylwiron · Postby **ylwiron** » Mon 17 Aug, 2009 17:30

Does anyone know where to purchase a new motor for a Coverstar? Mine runs fine if it is not hooked up to a GFCI, but apparently since they never installed a drain.... the sealed motor has absorbed a trace amount of water tripping the GFCI. Coverstar want $1500 for new, and $900 for rebuilt!