much the same here..part of the reason is that the only local pool store darn well knows it, charging 40% more for their chems than places online and in bigger centres. so, i get that..but i don't get lack of knowledge in a specialty store..just not acceptable, especially at the price of pool/spa product. a mistake could cost someone hundreds if not 1,000's of dollars. my beef goes back to last year for 2 issues.

1) i needed a new screw for my pool light (they do my close down and had not left it anywhere i could locate after closing). i went into the store and the owner was not there and sure enough the one guy who was there knew nothing about screws for lights, even though i had the model #, manufacture and they had supplied. he gave me about 3 , none that fit. so i steer clear when he's the only one around.

2) their are a couple of different guys who close the pool and each do it differently in terms of what they disconnect..i do my own setup so it's always a bit of a "ok.what did they take apart now" game. not a big deal, but last year whomever did it cut through a pipe with a saw. i told the owner when i setup in may about this and he said 'why would they have done that?" i said darn good question, why dont' you ask THEM? he gave me parts to fix it up but no note left or nothing..he speculated a fitting may not have come apart which i quickly squashed as a theory.

i've just redone my plumbing which was likely about 13 years old and redid it with minimal joints (only joints on pool side of pump are at the pump itself and on the 2 valves (all those big knurl quick release joints)

anyone cuts a pipe this fall, i'm going "postal on the pool store"