Are you a Good Candidate to Purchase a Pool Service Route?

 Are you a good candidate to purchase a pool route and jump right into the pool service industry? It’s a fast-track method that many find popular and Scott Roberts from National Pool Route Sales (NPRS) will go over some reasons this may be a smart option for you. Buying a pool route is not like buying a business such as a fast-food restaurant or market per se and you are buying the income the route generates and not a physical business location. But it is much like a physical business since the business sales are what matters and not the physical location. 

You can learn more on their site: https://poolroutesales.com/

What exactly are you buying when your purchase a pool route? According to Scott Roberts, you are buying a steady monthly income. You are also buying a steady rate of return on your investment and typically you will get a return on the money There is no physical business unless the pool company for sale has a retail outlet which is not common. The purchase consists of pools on the service route for sale that is generating an income of some type. It is a little strange but a restraint with no customers and a physical location have no value and is a money loser. So don’t let not having a physical location deter you. 

As Scott mentioned in the podcast NPRS does hold back money in escrow for 90 days so if you lose some accounts, not due to any errors or bad service practices, those accounts will be replaced or refunded. I am sure the guarantee is specific to situations out of your control and of course, you will have to contact NPRS for the full details. But since you are buying an income that income needs to be the same after 90 days. Again, this is a bit odd as you are not buying a physical business but the income from the pool route you purchase.

Is buying a pool route a good idea for you? I think several reasons are good to purchase one. Instant income. Seller training. A tight route. A well-established business. And the list goes on. There are some downsides as well. High cost of the route. Lack of experience. Unknowns and uncertainties of getting into a new industry. And the list here can go on here as well. 

The bottom line is that if you don’t think you can build up a viable pool service route within a year, buying a route may be a good option. It is up to you to do the research in your area to see which option is best for you as every service area is different. I would contact Scott directly to talk about your options.

Scott Roberts

Florida Sales Agent

Florida Real Estate License #SL3355680

National Pool Route Sales, LLC.

(561) 708-4744 (My Direct Office - no text available here)

Email: Scott@poolroutesales.com

Here is more about NPRS:

OUR SERVICES

National Pool Route Sale’s customers are supported by our ongoing marketing and management program, The Millionaire Pool Man. This free program is available to our clients through an online portal after the purchase of your route. There is where all your questions about best practices for maximizing growth and profitability are answered.

A FEW WORDS ABOUT US

Charles Baird is the Founder of National Pool Route Sales, Inc. (NPRS), a brokerage for pool service and repair companies. Mr. Baird has sold and consulted for more than 15,000 pool service companies over the past 40 years. He is the author of The Millionaire Pool Man Program which includes: The Millionaire Pool Man Management Guide and The Millionaire Pool Man Marketing Guide, both are considered the premier business tools for an individual entering the pool service and repair industry. Mr. Baird is a Licensed Real Estate Broker in multiple states.

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YouTube Video Index: http://poolmandave.blogspot.com/2014/03/swimming-pool-tips-reviews-how-to-video.html – A list of all of my videos.

Cleaning the AquaStar Pipeline Filter

 Cleaning the AquaStar cartridge filter is pretty straightforward. The fact that it is only one giant cartridge has its advantages. The time savings built into this is rather amazing. You can pretty much clean this filter in 5 minutes or less. And the great thing about this is that it has the same flow as a filter twice its size! Watch the video to see how easy the cleaning was.

Here is more about the AquaStar Pipeline Filters:

The actual dimensions of the PLF27000 are 19 ½” wide by 36 ½” tall. The PLF35000 is 19 ½” wide and 46 ½” tall making them amazingly compact. 

Here is more about the filters from AquaStar:

Model # PLF27000

200 sq ft cartridge

Commercial:

27,000 gallons

6-Hour Turnover Capacity

Residential:

108,000 gallons

12-Hour Turnover Capacity

Model # PLF35000

250 sq ft cartridge

Commercial:

35,000 gallons

6-Hour Turnover Capacity

Residential:

144,000 gallons

12-Hour Turnover Capacity

Pay close attention to these specs to the turnover rate. A turnover on a Pentair 520 sq ft cartridge filter is 108,000 in 12 hours. Did you notice that the PLF27000 a 200 sq ft cartridge filter has the same turnover? That is pretty incredible. This is due to the deeper pleats on the cartridge as well as the core of the filter which has 64% larger openings than other cartridge filters.

Essentially if you purchase either of these Pipeline filters they will have more flow than a filter twice their size! In NSF Certification and testing, these filters were rated as one-pass filters. This means that in the turbidity test, one pass of water through was equal to a D.E. Filter. Another impressive point. 

The Pipeline filters also feature a Locking Safety Release Collar that remains fully locked while depressurizing. This will prevent the tank from blowing off in the case where someone tries to clean the filter and take the lid off while the filter is under pressure. A great safety feature that every filter should have. 

I mentioned the NSF certification so these filters are of course designed and approved for Commercial pools. Note that all of the specs on flow and turbidity testing were reported and confirmed by NSF testing which is an independent testing entity and these numbers came from them and not from any testing done by AquaStar. An important note which makes these specs even more impressive.

If you are interested in the Cyclone Filter Cleaner shown here:

Cleaning cartridge pool filters can be a real chore and a real pain. If you do pool service cleaning 4-5 of these during the filter cleaning season can take a toll on your back and your time out on your pool route. The Cyclone Filter Cleaning System solves both of these problems for you. It will make cleaning the cartridges faster and since the cartridge is now off of the ground it will also help with the back pain created by bending over them as you clean them.

The current list price is $299.00

https://cyclonefiltertools.com/

Includes:

Collapsible stand

Top filter retainer

Bottom filter retainer with stainless steel ball bearing

Furniture grade PVC extension wand with brass fan-tip spray nozzle and shut-off valve

Satisfaction Guarantee

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Pool Service Software Routing Software DEMO

 In this video, Gus Velez the co-founder of Pool Service Software (PSS) goes through a demo of how the routing software works and how it can keep you organized and save you money. The demo is the actual app and as you can see it is very easy to use and a very smart way to keep your pool service business profitable. 

PSS or Pool Service Software is the newest pool routing and invoicing software to hit the market. It is designed by two pool guys and a programmer to fit the specific needs of pool service businesses. This is one software/app that is designed with the pool service pro in mind.

It does a ton of things for you to help you stay organized and to help with streamlining your invoicing. The best part is that you can basically try it for free for an unlimited time with 10 accounts or fewer. Here are some of the great features below. To learn more visit their website and sign up at https://www.poolservice.software/

Get 25% off the 1st 3-months with code: SPL25

SIMPLE & EFFECTIVE ROUTES MANAGEMENT

Quickly manage and track your routes from a web browser or mobile app. 

INTEGRATED PARTNERS

Explore our integrations below that include expert guidance from Orenda Technologies, LaMotte, Quickbooks, and Stripe.

CONFIGURABLE VISIT TASKS

Configure which readings, checklists, and dosages are shown and required for your techs to complete

PHOTOS/VIDEOS

Techs can take photos and/or videos during service visits and classify them as Before, After or Internal. The photos/videos marked as Internal are only seen by your company’s management team.

SEND INVOICES & RECEIVE ONLINE PAYMENTS

No need to purchase additional software for invoicing! Manage all your invoices on the web or from your mobile device, record payments, send electronic invoices to clients, and receive online payments for your hard work!

GPS NAVIGATION & GEO-LOCATION Verify tech's check-in location through our Geolocation feature

ROLES & PERMISSIONS Assign one or more roles to each team member to control system access. Also, make specific privilege assignments to techs, e.g. show/hide client phone numbers, enable/disable Master Tech privileges to see all company routes, etc.

OFFLINE SUPPORT Techs can complete service visits without internet access along with all the readings, checklists, dosages, photos, videos, notes, etc. for the service visit.

VISIT HISTORY LIST Easily access your company’s past service route and job visits including all the visit data such as service dates, readings, readings history, checklists, dosages, dosages history, photos, videos, notes, etc.

CLIENT PORTAL Send invitations to join the client portal. Your clients will be able to see all their invoices and pay online

CHEMICAL READINGS AND DOSAGES HISTORY Easily access the chemical readings history for a property while performing service visits straight from your mobile device to help your techs make better servicing decisions.

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Crazy High Chlorine Prices!

Chlorine prices have been on the rise for the past 2 years and everyone had hoped that in 2023 things would turn around for pricing. Stock prices are down, some as much as 65%. Bitcoin is down 60% and the US housing market has seen price decreases for the first time in over a decade. So it was a safe bet that chlorine prices had peaked and we would maybe see a trend down in 2023. That doesn’t seem to be the case at least at this point.

A range of factors has led to tight supplies in 2021 and 2022 including the rise in demand in the pool industry with many people staying home during the Covid-19 pandemic and an explosion in new pools being built in 2021 and 2022. Add to that the Bio-Lab factory burning to the ground in 2020 which was responsible for 2 million lbs. of Trichlor each year. This caused a scramble for other chlorine sources which caused a high demand for Liquid Chlorine and Cal-Hypo which of course was low on stock in 2021 with better stock last year (2022). 

Chlorine is actually in the top 10 chemicals produced in the USA. It is used in several industries besides pool service including janitorial, and power washing and it is also an ingredient in Muriatic Acid believe it or not. Hydrogen chloride (HCl), a compound of the elements hydrogen and chlorine makes up Muriatic Acid. Chlorine products imported from China face a 40% tariff further adding to the high cost of chlorine. The good news is that the BioLab factory has been rebuilt and is ready for Trichlor production in 2023. 

The bad news is that there is a lot of Trichlor on the market and it is at the peak of pricing. Since BioLab  Inc., is a publicly-traded company and owns some very profitable companies AquaPill, Bioguard, Coral Seas, Natural Chemistry, Omni, Proguard,  Red Leopard, and more, they may not be quick to ramp up their Trichlor production. After all, they are making good profits right now without selling a single Trichlor tablet in the past 2 years and probably are in no real rush.

What does that mean for the swimming pool industry and chlorine prices? If Cal Hypo is an indication things will not be pleasant this season. Cal Hypo Shock is selling for $8 to $10 per lb. retail and the season is still months away. That is an inflation rate of about 400% and to put that into perspective if gas prices went up 400% from 2019 to 2023 you would be paying $11 per gallon right now. If you think eggs are expensive going from $2.94 per dozen in 2019 to $6.00 per dozen today it is still very shy of 400% which would make the egg price for a dozen closer to $12.00. That is an amazing rate of inflation for chlorine type and it makes one wonder if that will affect the price of other chlorine types as consumers and pool pros switch off to liquid and even Trichlor which is now cheaper per lb. 

Some solutions are of course using an enhancer to stretch the chlorine in the pool to make it last longer. Some of these would be a PoolRx, Nature2, Borates to 50 ppm, and a Phosphate and Enzyme combination added weekly. The price of these enhancers is offset by the high chlorine costs and if they can save you 30-40% on your chlorine usage they are more than worth it. 

Or you can go to a Saltwater generator (SWG). The initial purchase and installation cost is anywhere from $1,000 to $2,000 depending on the size of the system, however, you won’t need to buy any chlorine product after installing an SWG. If you are concerned bout the cost of replacing the cell down the road, consider that cost to be a little more than the current cost of a 50 lbs bucket of cal hypo. A real bargain! 

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Why Does my Pool Pump Have no Suction?

Getting to a pool with no suction at the pump can be frustrating but there are specific steps you can take to help troubleshoot the problem. I can be something simple or something not so simple so it is important to follow these steps. 

The first thing I check is obvious. Is the water level at the right spot in the pool, usually halfway up the tile line, or if you look at the skimmer opening the water should be filling the opening halfway?  Low water can of course cause the pool pump to lose its prime. Next, is something blocking the skimmer? A pool toy or pool float maybe or there may be a twig or debris stuck in the weir gate keeping that in the closed position. The weir gate is the white plastic device in the front of the skimmer and if it is in the closed position when the pool is running it will prevent water from getting to the pump.

I then check the skimmer basket to make sure that is free of debris. If it is full of leaves that will prevent the pump from priming also. Nest, check the pump basket to make sure that is free of debris as well. If the pump basket is full of debris the pool pump will not prime. If all of those issues look fine we then move on to some other common issues. 

Check the valves to make sure they are in the right position. Sometimes a valve gets turned in the wrong direction and in some cases that is very obvious. You may notice for instance the spa is completely drained down. 

Turn the pump off if it is not off already. You want to remove the pump lid and inspect the o-ring in the lid. Make sure it is on there of course and that it is free of debris, lubed, and on tight. If it is stretched or cracked this can stop the pump from priming. After that, you want to check the impeller to remove the pump basket and get a flathead screwdriver and use that to try and spin the impeller. Sometimes there is debris in there preventing it from spinning. You may also need to remove the 6 bolts or clamp and visually inspect the impeller to make sure no debris is jammed in there.

The filter can also be an issue if it is very dirty. The PSI on the gauge is a good indicator of this. If it is 10 PSI over the normal PSI when the filter is clean you may need to backwash it if it is a sand or DE filter. If it is a cartridge filter take the filter apart and clean it. Sometimes the PSI is good with a cartridge filter but the cartridge or cartridges are worn out. Once you put in a new cartridge or set of cartridges the pool may regain suction. 

If you notice the skimmer basket had a crack in it or was flipped over in the skimmer, some debris may be stuck in the plumbing. You can use a drain bladder to try and clear it or call in a professional plumber who will snake the line or use C02 to blow the line.

 

Remember if you can’t clear the line yourself or figure out why the pool pump won’t prime, calling in a specialist like a Leak Detection company may be the best option.

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Riptide Vacuum System the Bags

Riptide makes a large array of bags for their vacuum system and here is a rundown of each bag and what you should use it for.  Each service area is different and for example in my service area where we get mainly light debris and dirt, the 75 Micron bag is best suited for the pools I service. Keep in mind that the smaller the micron rating of the bag, the slower you will have to move the Riptide vacuum in the pool to be effective.

Riptide bags: https://www.riptidevac.com/collections/accessories/products/riptide-bags-1?variant=33823037653089 

25 Micron Bag (Purple Ring) for Fine Dirt

This bag is not listed on their site but you can email them to order it. Since it is 25 microns this is an extreme polishing bag. I like using it on spas and to spot vacuum dirt and light debris. You really wouldn’t use it to vacuum an entire pool because the small micron rating limits this bag's usefulness. Basically, as the fine dirt coats this bag, it will let less water pass through. This means that once it is completely coated with dirt, water will begin to come out the bottom of the Riptide and this will make the vacuuming ineffective. Only use this bag for polishing. 

60 Micron Extreme Fine Bag (Blue) for very fine particles, some pollen

This is also a polishing bag and it will pick up very fine dirt and very light debris. You can use this bag to remove finer dirt from a pool but it will eventually become coated with dirt like the 25-micron bag if used to completely clean a pool. You may need to stop and empty the bag at that point. I would use this bag for polishing a pool only.

75 Micron Ultra Fine Bag (Green) Fine sand and granular particles

A great back for regions where the leaf debris is light and the dirt is more on the heavy side. This will trap enough dirt to give a pool a clean look but if there is a lot of fine dust manual system vacuuming is the only way to remove the finer dirt. 

100 Micron Standard Bag (Orange) General debris and sand

This is the bag that comes standard with the Riptide when you order it and it is a good middle-of-the-road bag. Not too fine and not too coarse and this may be the only bag you will need. 

200 Micron Medium Bag (Yellow) Leaves and general debris

Now you are getting into the larger debris territory. This bag is good for pools with a lot of larger debris and less dirt. You will also be able to move the Riptide faster allowing you to clean a pool quickly. In some areas, the 200-micron is the go-to bag.

400 Micron Coarse Bag 400 Microns (Black) Leaves and large debris

This bag is not for everyone but if your service area gets a lot of large debris then I would say the 400-micron bag would be ideal. Great for sharp debris like trigs and glass as the extra course material makes this bag super durable. 

Fountain Bag 100 Microns (Red) Shorter bag for general debris and sand

Great for bodies of water that are shallow and this bag will allow you to vacuum in shallow water without the top tipping over and dragging on the bottom.

HEAVY DUTY NET BAG large 1/4" heavy-duty mesh (Dark Grey)

Great for large leaf debris where you just want to vacuum without worry. The ¼” holes make taking this bag out of the pool full of debris easy. Since the water drains out and passes right through.

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Ways to Speed Up Filter Cleaning on Your pool Route

Cleaning 50, 60, 70, and 80 pool filters every four to six months is a lot of work. It can be a daunting and discouraging task for sure. Through the years I have come up with many ways to speed up the filter cleaning on my route. You'll find these methods to be effective and of course, some tools will also make your filter cleaning job a lot easier and faster.

Let's start with some simple tools that you can add that will enhance your filter cleaning and make the job much faster. I like the Multi-Tork socket set and these are a great way to get through your day and speed up getting the clamp on and off of the filter. It's amazing how two or three extra minutes really make a difference and also it makes a difference in the fact that you're not using a lot of energy to get the filter clamps on and off. You can learn more about the Multi-Tork socket set from their website.

https://multi-tork.com/

They have sockets for every filter clamp and this is one way to speed up your day out there. I recommend getting a set of Multi-Tork sockets for your filter cleanings. With that, you're also going to need a pretty good cordless drill. The drill should have plenty of torque and I like the Home Depot brand of drill the Rigid brand. Once you start using the multi Multi-Tork you'll be amazed at how much time you've saved on your route with your filter cleaning.

The cyclone filter cleaning tool is relatively new and this is a great way to clean the cartridge filters on your route. The fact that you're not bending down to clean the cartridge filter is a plus. The cyclone also is great because the cartridge spins and you don't have to bend down and turn it. This is a great tool to use in your cartridge filter cleaning on your pool route you can learn more at their website.

https://cyclonefiltertools.com/

Something else that I have implemented is breaking up the filter cleanings by type of filter. I'll clean all of my DE filters first since they're messier and in a sense more time-consuming to clean. I also don't like carrying the diatomaceous earth around all the time and by breaking it up into filter types I can load my truck with DE and all the grids I need for the DE filters and not have to worry about the last half of the filter cleaning when I switch over to cartridge. You can do it, either way, you can do the cartridge filters first and the DE filters second but I find that breaking it up into categories makes it much easier and mentally easier because you know that once you get to DE filters out of the way the cartridge filters, although maybe a little more time consuming to clean, is much more pleasant.

 I also carry plenty of spare parts O-rings, clamps, bolts anything that I would need for a particular filter on my route. Having to go back for a grid or an o-ring is a huge time waster. You can be at your supplier for 30 minutes waiting for the part then you have to drive back to put the part on and you've just lost an hour of your day because you did not have an o-ring for the filter on your truck. You want to carry all the spare parts, pressure gauges, screens, stem O-rings anything that you're gonna need for the filter cleaning you should have them on your truck and you should not need to go back to your supplier for anything during your filter cleaning time or during that day.

 I also make a list of all of the filters that need new grids and new cartridges and I will change those during the filter cleaning times on my route. This will eliminate at least four or five filter cleanings each time as I replace all the DE grids in the DE filter every 36 months and I also replace all the cartridges in the quad four type cartridge filters every three years or 36 months as well. Timing this during the filter cleaning season is a good way to save time and also save your customer the expense of being billed for a filter cleaning and then a month or two later new filter elements.

 If you follow these tips you're going to have a really easy time with your filter cleaning. I wouldn't say this will make it enjoyable but getting through your day faster and more effectively it will make the filter cleaning time much easier.

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Riptide SL Then and Now!

The Riptide evolution over the past 7 years has gone from one giant service cart to the sleek SL Cart. It has also had an upgraded switch, upgraded battery wiring, and upgraded motors through the years to make them last longer, and just about every part has been upgraded. This final version for 2023 is their best yet and their most complete vacuum system.

The Riptide SL cart is designed to take the Riptide Pool Vacuum System and Battery back to your service stop. There is a bin in front and one in the back where you can store chemicals and such. I wouldn’t say it is lacking space for the average pool pro. But if you are like me and you like to take everything possible back in one trip to each stop, it can get overloaded. 

HANDLEBAR ORGANIZER $ 80.00

https://www.riptidevac.com/collections/accessories/products/handlebar-organizer

The Handlebar Organizer can hold a leaf rake, brush, Taylor test kit, test strips, tools, and whatever else you wish to add to it. This will leave the bins open for chemicals and other pool tools. The organizer has opened up the possibilities with the Riptide SL cart and you can bring some much need supplies back with you now to every stop. 

 

QUART BOTTLE/TAB HOLDER $30.00 each

https://www.riptidevac.com/collections/accessories/products/quart-bottle-tab-holder

You can add as many as 4 of the Quart Bottle Holders to the Riptide which is a great way to bring back the industry-standard Quart Bottles and Spray Bottles to your stops. You can also transport up to 5 Tri-Chlor Tablets back with you in one of the holders. 

More about the Riptide SL:

The Riptide Pool Vacuum System made its debut in late 2016. Since then, it has gone through several transformations. The Riptide Circa 2021 is the finest version yet and it is packed with so many updated features it should have been called the Riptide SL 2.0. Listen as David Sargent

President goes over some of the features for you in person. 

Here are some of the great updated features:

High Torque Motor (uses rare earth magnets) High Torque Motor- Our new High Torque motor utilizes rare earth magnets making it the most powerful vacuum on the market

The cord -the new protective external layer –just feels so solid and durable

Cord Clip – secures the cord to the cart so no more worries of it falling off and dragging on the ground

Stainless steel end plates on the vacuum head

The cart is now e-coated before powder coating & the Transport Rack Is e-coated now too - Electrostatic Coating- All of our powder-coated parts are now electrostatic coated (ecoating) and then powder coated over. This makes the finish of our components much more durable.

Extremely high-quality integrated steering knuckle -Integrated Stainless Steel Steering Knuckle. This allows you to hook any pole directly up to the Riptide vacuum without the need for any adaptors while being effortless to maneuver in the water.

The SL model Riptides now include a Diagnostic/Tool Kit with a battery load tester, the load tester is essential for quickly determining battery condition.

The bags now have a different ring color to differentiate different microns.

The bags (100 Micron and below) are double layers now this feature is making the bags last much longer.

25 Micron Bag available (specialty dust bag) this bag can eliminate the need to system vac a pool with a dust problem.

The updated Riptide SL is the most durable vacuum system on the market today. The shell is backed by a 10-year warranty, and the added steel plates to the vacuum head sides, the stainless steel knuckle, and the new beefed-up cord make it designed to last! The cart and transport rack has been given a stronger paint job thanks to the new Electrostatic coating!

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