Posts

Common Pool Pro Mistakes We ALL Make

Image
Pool service pros don’t usually get in trouble from the complicated stuff, they get burned by the “easy” tasks they’ve done a thousand times. This episode breaks down common pool service mistakes that quietly create expensive callbacks, angry customers, and real liability. The central theme is simple: build habits that prevent failures when you’re tired, it’s hot, and your route is stacked. For any pool technician running weekly pool maintenance, the risks aren’t just water chemistry and equipment, they’re decisions made in the moment that can flood property, damage equipment, or turn a manageable pool problem into a week-long recovery. The biggest liability trap is filling a pool for the customer. Turning on a garden hose, fill line, or auto fill feels like good service when water is low and the pump is sucking air, but it’s also one of the most common causes of damage claims. If you forget and the pool overflows, that water can head into a house, a neighbor’s yard, or structural area...
Post a Comment
Read more

Pool Products That Died — And Why

Image
The pool industry is full of big ideas, small companies, and sudden acquisitions that can either protect a product or erase it overnight. In this podcast, we unpack why certain pool tech brands disappear and what pool service professionals should watch for when a manufacturer gets bought. The core lesson is simple: a great concept is not enough if the pricing, messaging, and support model don’t match how pools are actually owned and maintained. Pool equipment acquisitions often promise innovation, but they can also create confusion, strand customers with unsupported hardware, and damage long-term trust in pool technology. A clear example is Hayward’s acquisition of the Fin floating smart pool monitor. The concept of automated pool water monitoring is attractive, but the execution matters: Fin mainly tracked ORP and pH (plus temperature), then leaned on scanning test strips for other values. That left a gap for anyone who expects a complete water testing picture such as free chlorine, t...
Post a Comment
Read more

Are Single-Speed Pumps Really BANNED?

Image
People keep asking whether single-speed pool pumps are banned across the United States, and the honest answer is more nuanced than the rumors. The Department of Energy (DOE) rules don’t show up like a “you may not install this pump” sign for every situation. Instead, they hinge on energy efficiency metrics, especially the Weighted Energy Factor (WEF), which sets a minimum efficiency performance level for dedicated pool pumps. That distinction matters because it explains why homeowners still see certain one-horsepower single-speed models for sale, while higher-horsepower single-speed options feel like they vanished overnight. The practical impact of the DOE pool pump regulations is that most single-speed pumps above roughly 1 HP cannot meet the required energy efficiency standard. Manufacturers reacted by stopping production of many 1.5 HP and 2 HP single-speed pumps, so the “ban” often shows up as a supply problem rather than a homeowner getting cited. Existing, working single-speed pu...
Post a Comment
Read more

The Fastest Way to Vacuum Pools on Your Route

Image
If you run a pool service route, pool vacuuming can quietly become the most time-consuming part of pool maintenance. The key isn’t just moving faster, it’s choosing the right vacuuming method for the pool, the debris type, and your business model. One of the simplest upgrades is language in your service agreement: “vacuum when necessary.” In areas where most pools already have suction side cleaners, this shifts you from full vacuuming every visit to smart spot cleaning. It also protects you from being obligated to drag out a hose at every stop, while still keeping water quality and appearance on point.   At the same time, perception matters in the pool cleaning business. Many customers equate visible vacuuming with “the tech did something,” especially when you have employees. Even if you brush, skim, test chemicals, and inspect equipment, a client may still complain if they never see vacuum lines or a cleaner pass. That’s why you need a clear standard: either a lightweight vac...
Post a Comment
Read more

How I Started My Pool Business — 2,000 Episodes Later

Image
Hitting a milestone like episode 2000 is a good excuse to get brutally practical about what really makes a pool service business work. The clearest lesson from decades in the field is that most early struggles come from one root problem: pricing that does not match time, effort, and chemical cost. When your pool service pricing is too low, you end up “spinning your wheels” with long days, heavy driving, and little profit. A pool route is only valuable if it produces steady margin, not just busywork. If a job pays less than a basic hourly wage after fuel, supplies, and travel, the business model is broken, even if the calendar looks full. Profit also depends on choosing the right services. Weekly residential pool service accounts are the bread and butter because they create recurring revenue and predictable scheduling. By contrast, one-time pool cleanups often turn into a dead end: you show up for a pool party rush job, do the work, get paid once, and never see the customer again. Filte...
Post a Comment
Read more

Pool Guy’s Guide to Choosing the RIGHT Pool Pole

Image
Picking the right telescopic pool pole sounds simple until you live with the decision every day on route. We break down what actually matters for pool service pros and serious homeowners: storage length, backyard maneuvering, reach for vacuuming, and how the locking system feels after hundreds of cycles. A three-piece pool pole often wins when you drive a compact or mid-size truck because it collapses closer to six feet instead of leaving a long section sticking out of the bed. That shorter collapsed length also helps in tight side yards and crowded pool pads where an eight-foot pole can bang walls, planters, screens, or even windows.   A long-time go-to aluminum option is the SkimLite Dually 9018, a three-piece pole that collapses to about 6 feet 8 inches and extends to roughly 17 feet 6 inches. That extra reach sounds small on paper, but it can be the difference between vacuuming a 16-foot-wide pool from one side of the deck versus having to reposition and redo passes. For l...
Post a Comment
Read more

The Most UNDERRATED Pool Cleaner? Polaris 360

Image
If your pool vacuum keeps clogging and your floor never stays clean, the problem may not be your effort, it may be the wrong type of automatic pool cleaner for your debris load. The Polaris 360 return side pool cleaner is one of the most underrated options for pools that get heavy leaf debris, seed pods, and clustered plant waste that overwhelms a suction side cleaner. It runs from a standard return line, so you do not need a booster pump like a traditional pressure side cleaner. That one detail opens a niche solution for homeowners and pool service techs who want pressure-cleaner style pickup without rebuilding the equipment pad. The key benefit is simple: a larger debris opening and a top-mounted bag that can handle the messy stuff that plugs the throat of most suction pool cleaners. To choose the right cleaner, it helps to understand the difference between pressure side cleaners with a booster pump and return side cleaners like the Polaris 360. A booster pump pressure cleaner uses a...
Post a Comment
Read more