Swimming Pool Tips and Reviews

Doing pool service and taking care of your own pool is different during each season of the year. Winter time in some areas means the pool is closed and covered. In my region and in areas where the temperatures do not get into the freezing territory the pool will stay open all year round. So, taking care of a pool in the Winter is vastly different than taking care of a pool during the Summer. One thing that we must deal with in the Winter is the weather and the wind and rain can be an issue. The Santa Ana Winds will blow in my area from October through February and these winds can reach gust up to 60 mph making a real mess of the pools. You need to be very proactive when it comes to leaves and dirt in your pool. The leaves from the wind can easily clog your skimmer and pump basket causing your pump to work very poorly. If left unchecked your pump can even burn out due to lack of water flow. So be ready to scoop out the leaves and empty the skimmer and pump baskets. Any di

The Zodiac Ranger is a very underrated suction side cleaner with a rock bottom bargain price point. It only has one moving part and that is the diaphragm in the head of the cleaner. If the Diaphragm gets clogged or torn, the cleaner will simply stop moving. The diaphragm is easy to change and access if you know the simple steps to get to it. Since the Diaphragm is the only moving part it makes sense that if the cleaner is not moving then it is a problem with either debris clogged in the Diaphragm or it has a tear in it. The Zodiac Ranger is great with debris, but large rocks, larger acorns and other objects can get wedged inside the Diaphragm and stop the cleaner. I wouldn't advise sticking a screwdriver or other object in the mouth of the cleaner to try and dislodge any debris as you may damage the Diaphragm. Simply take the cleaner apart to access the Diaphragm and remove the debris. One question that I get asked often is if it is okay to use generic Diaphragms or

In this article, I will address all the aspects of Dogs and your pool from dogs swimming in the pool to dogs pooping in the pool and everything in between. We love our dogs and they are a big part of our families and lives. Pools can be fun and dangerous for our pets. Dogs swimming in the pool I have many service accounts where the dogs love to use the pool and I have walked back to find them swimming around and living it up in the pool. I have heard that one dog is equivalent to 20 people or 10 people swimming in the pool and while I think those numbers have inflated a dog using the pool does affect the water chemistry. Get a pool with 3 or 4 dogs swimming in it at once and chances are the water will get swampy quickly. They have more body oils then us, the fur can clog the skimmer basket, pump basket and just about anything in the pool. The dog hair to me is the biggest issue. If enough hair gets into the pool pump it can shut things down pretty fast and create poor circ

One of the things that make your life easier out there on your pool route is using a premium pool pole. I carry three different poles in my truck, and I will go over them here in detail for you so that you can choose the right pole for your use. I really can’t pick one over the other as I like the features of all three, but they are all different and they are all excellent poles. This is probably the most unique 3-piece pool service pole (Tri-Pole) that I have ever used.  The Primate 3X Pole is also the most compact and lightweight pole that I have used also. It collapses down to 6 ft and extends to 15.6 ft and weighs only 2 lbs. 4 oz.  Oh, and it is made from Carbon Fiber making it 3 times stronger than a standard aluminum pole. For me, the main selling point of the Primate 3X Pole is how light this pole is! It weighs just 2.4 lbs. so you barely even feel like you are holding a service pole. It is amazingly light and easy to carry and use.  After using it for a week

Setting goals in life are critically important for success. If you have no idea where you are going, chances are you will not get there. Like a pilot who sets a course to the next destination, in business you need to set the course of your business to arrive at the desired destination. I will go over several things here to help you set those goals for the new year. I will be focusing on goals for your pool service business specifically in this article and there are certain things you need to have in place to be successful. If you don’t have these things in place your likelihood for success will be limited at best. You also will want to look back to the previous year and take an honest look at what you did well and what you need to improve upon. There is always room for improvement and setting goals to reach each year is a way to ensure improvement. Website Having a basic website makes you look legitimate and you can direct potential clients to your website for pricing

If you're looking for a professional quality drone with a great list of features for a really great price point the Yuneec Typhoon H 4K Drone is for you. If you search around and purchase the drone at the right time you can get a real bargain. I got mine from Amazon on Cyber Monday for $599.00. The retail price is $899.00 but you can certainly find it for less if you shop around and are patient. I can’t say enough about how awesome this machine is. The real bonus is the controller with the built-in 7” 720p Android Tablet so there is no need to use your cell phone. It is also loaded with some unique features like retractable landing gear and the ability to spin the camera around a full 360 degrees to get great panoramic shots. Not to mention the 6 motors and blades making this one of the most failsafe drones on the market today. Unlike some of the negatives of the DJI drones, the last firewire update for the Typhoon H was in 2017 so you are not constantly updating t

In this Podcast, I go over some of the equipment that I carry on my pool truck week to week.  I do a lot of product testing, so I carry more stuff than most and more stuff than I need each day. Let me run down the equipment for you here in a list form so you get some idea of what essential equipment for your service route would be. Poles Primate Pole: this is a 3-piece pole that is made of carbon fiber and weighs just 2 lbs. I am testing the durability and use of this pole and so far, it is great. The price point is high due to the carbon fiber material, but you can’t beat the lightness of this pole. It uses a lever lock which is convenient for sliding out the pole and makes it very fast to adjust. Skimlite Pole: I have been using the Skimlite Dually Tri-pole since I started in the business. This is a very versatile pole that expands to 18 ft. It is very durable and long lasting, and it is my go-to pole. It is easy to lock into place and the extra length is great for t

Trade shows are a great place to learn about the Pool Industry and a great way to get educated on all aspects of the pool industry. The premiere show on the West Coast is the Western Pool & Spa Show. I attend the Western Show every year and you will find me walking the Exhibit Hall on Friday and Saturday afternoon. If you see me come up and say hello as I always like meeting those of you who follow me on YouTube. One thing to note is that the show is not open to the general public, however, if you are wanting to get into the pool service business you can register as your future pool company and certainly walk the Exhibit Hall and attend the seminars. Registration for the Exhibit Hall is free, and you can register directly on their site: https://www.westernshow.com/ Here is more about the show on their website: “Located alongside a picturesque harbor on the beautiful Pacific Ocean, Long Beach is small enough to call your own for any number of days, yet offers the e

When I first started in the pool business back in 1988 there was not really any help or information on starting a pool business effectively. There wasn’t much technology back then, so you basically just got a truck and equipment and started. No YouTube, no online forums, no real trade publications (except for Service Industry News). Fast forward to 2019 and we have all the information at our fingertips, but still knowing how to start a pool business is still a mystery to many. I will just go over some of the basics for you here so that you will at least know where to begin. The first step is to make sure that this is something that you want to do as a career. Note that you will be working outside in the elements and it can get cold, hot and very windy making the job not as glamorous as it appears. It is also physical work and you will be doing some heavy lifting as well as a lot of walking. And last, you will need some good interpersonal skills as you will be dealing with cust