Swimming Pool Tips and Reviews

There are many things that are out of your control when you are servicing a pool. The weather, how the homeowner treats their pool, the gardener and other factors like these. But there is one thing that you are certainly in control of and that is a liability on your pool route. Mistakes are of course something we all make but liability is an entirely different ballgame. These are things you should not have done which now opens you up to liability and a possible lawsuit. Don’t Fill the Customer’s Pool: If you have done this long enough you have probably filled a customer’s pool out of frustration or maybe kindness. You see the water is low each week and the customer is not filling the pool. The pump may not be running well, and the pool may be turning. So, you decide to take matters in your own hand and fill their pool.  So, you drop in the garden hose or turn on the fill line.  You then get distracted or receive a phone call and leave the property. 4 hours later you ge...

The Aquabot Viva is a top of the line premium cleaner that comes with lots of bells and whistles. The price point is at the higher end coming in over $1,500 dollars at your local pool store and you do get a lot for your money. It is backed by an amazing 4-year warranty so rest assured you will get years of use out of the Aquabot Viva. Here is more on the Aquabot Viva: “Aquatic Distributors proudly brings you the next generation Aquabot Viva (The Most Advanced Remote Control Pool Cleaner) for your inground swimming pool! This state-of-the-art pool machine comes equipped with “Smart Control”, a unique and easily understandable control panel that allows you to customize the Vivas’s speed, climbing prowess, hours of operation, size and shape of the pool, type of deep end, and even when the filter needs cleaning. Comes equipped with our patented PVA Brushes. Originally designed to climb the slick tile walls of pools, PVA Brushes offer 100% greater traction, virtually clinging to t...

Adding Borates to your pool to achieve a level of 30-50 ppm has many benefits. I have a series of videos on Borates and highly recommend adding Borates to your pool. I have added Borates to my pool and couldn't be happier. Results are well worth it. Here are the proven benefits of having a Borate level of 30-50 ppm: Lower Chlorine usage: The Borate helps reduce chlorine usage by eliminating Carbon Dioxide and also by keeping the pH stable. Chlorine last longer when the pH is right at 7.6-7.8. When the chlorine is in the ideal range the killing element in chlorine the HOCI is at the most balanced percentage so the chlorine in a pool with a pH of 7.4 is 30% more effective than in a pool with a pH of 8.0. This is a big factor in creating the safest swim environment and the borates will keep the pH much more stable and in turn, make the chlorine much more effective. pH is stable: The pH won't change much in a pool with Borate in it. So, if you have a Salt Water Pool this ...

BioGuard Optimizer is a water enhancer and clarifier which provides many benefits to pool water, regardless of the customers’ preference for halogen or biguanide systems. Optimizer’s unique chemistry is effective at providing a customer with softer feeling water that is sparkling clear. What is in the new Optimizer? Optimizer contains boric acid, a more pH neutral than other boron-containing products like sodium tetraborate pentahydrate. Since the product does not significantly impact pH, application of other balancers is not required to maintain water balance as part of the initial product application. What are the expected benefits when using Optimizer? Customers using Optimizer in their pool will be able to appreciate the experience of sparkling clear pool water and improved swimmer comfort, with water leaving their skin feeling soft and smooth. Optimizer Plus made algistatic claims. Is this true with Optimizer? Optimizer Plus was an EPA-registered algistat that was ...

Summer can be a challenging time for your swimming pool care. The days are longer, some regions have temperatures of over 100 degrees for weeks on end and the UV index is at the highest point. All of this will make maintaining a pool much more difficult. Here are some helpful tips for you so that you can make it through the Summer season with a sparkling clear blue pool. One thing that is often overlooked is the pool’s filtration system. At the beginning of each season, you need to make sure the filter is operating properly and is cleaned. I like to clean and inspect my DE and Cartridge filters in March before the season starts here in California. If the grids have tears or the cartridges are old this is the time to replace them. One of the major problems that contribute to algae and pools unable to hold a good chlorine level is a poorly running filtration system. So, make sure the filter is clean and in good running condition. During the Summer season algae can be a bi...

The Primate Carbon Fiber pole is one of the best new pool poles on the market today. To make it more versatile in larger pools Primate Pool Tools has developed a unique 6-foot extension known simply as the Primate X. Adding one Primate X to your existing Primate Pole will allow you to extend the pole to 22 ft. This is perfect for those larger pools, Commercial Pools, and Infinity Edge pools. The Primate X is made out of the same spun Carbon Fiber making it extremely strong and the front is also reinforced with fiberglass. Since it is made out of Carbon Fiber it weighs less than 1 lbs. Imagine a pole 22 feet in length that weighs only 3 lbs! Here is more about the Primate Pole: 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...

Running a pool service business is no easy task. The billing alone can take hours and it can be a frustrating experience. But what if there was a program where you can enter items and prices daily on your route on the job site and then at the end of the month you could push a button and everything for all your service accounts can automatically be entered into the customer’s bill. Instead of hours you now spend just 15 minutes a day with your billing. www.Paythepoolman.com   can do just that and more. It was designed by a pool service professional with the pool service pro in mind. It not only can do the billing for you but there are other outstanding features that make it the total Routing Software package. Here are just a few of the features of the software below. “Save Time and Stay Organized . Being a power user has never been so easy! Manage your routes, employees, billing, collections, and repairs like a pro! Online Invoicing & Online Payments Incl...

The Hayward VS Omni with Smart Pool Control is one of the most innovative ways to control your pool equipment on the market today. One of the nice features is that it also works with Amazon Alexa Voice Commands. So if you use your Alexa for everything around your house, you can now also use it to control your pool equipment. Here are some of the steps to get started: https://hayward-pool-assets.com/assets/documents/pools/pdf/manuals/AlexaOmniControlCard.pdf.pagespeed.ce.q7Keixw4YT.pdf?fromCDN=true The voice commands are really easy to master, and the Alexa App does a great job of including a variety of commands that are useful and practical. Here are a few for you below. Alexa, “Open Hayward” Alexa,” Ask Hayward for help” To exit the tutorial say: “Alexa, stop” Alexa, “Ask Hayward for status” Alexa, Ask “Hayward for {pool} status” Alexa, “Ask Hayward for {spa} status” Turn Equipment ON/OFF: Alexa, “Ask Hayward to turn ON {Pool} filter pump” Alexa...

Liquid Chlorine or Bleach is the tried and true standard chemical of choice for most pool service professionals. It is easy to use and relatively inexpensive and it has the least side effects of any of the chlorine you can choose from. It is usually sold in 12.5% active chlorine per gallon with Bleach coming in at about half that strength at 6.5%. It will raise the pH slightly, but it does not contain any Stabilizer or Conditioner making it ideal for all pool types. This means that when you add a gallon of liquid chlorine and your Conditioner level (CYA) is 50 ppm it will stay at 50 ppm even if you add 20 gallons of liquid chlorine. Pros: Fastest acting of all chlorine types Will not raise your CYA level Safe for all pool types Easy to use Cons: Breaks down by the Sun’s UV Rays so your pool needs a CYA level of 30-50 ppm Short shelf life so rotate stock or buy fresh chlorine when needed The gallons can be heavy compared to a bag of shock Is seen as weaker ...

CLEANING YOUR POOL STEP BY STEP: In this article, I go over the Step by Step procedure I take when I service a swimming pool. This is a basic video guide on how to maintain a swimming pool for either a homeowner or pool service professional. I walk you thru the steps I take on a pool from beginning to end. The very first thing I do is a scan of the pool for anything unusual. A dead Gopher on the pool floor would be something noteworthy. I also can assess the pools clarity level by just eyeballing it and can pretty much tell if there is a chemistry issue – like no Chlorine or Combined Chlorine. I do all these steps in order so not to forget to do something. Doing this over and over on a pool route puts your brain in robot mode and you can't think back two stops previous and try to remember if you added chemicals or not. So, if you do the steps in order chances are you won't forget anything. Step One: Check the Chemicals The first thing I do is check the...