Warranty details are important to many homeowners who install a pool. What happens, however, when a home is sold and there is still time left on the pool warranty? “If you are looking to install a pool or purchasing a home with a swimming pool, this is an excellent question to ask [the builder],” says…
As difficult as it was to find certain essential supplies early in the pandemic, pool pros might dare say now that it’s even harder to find pool equipment. “It’s just like toilet paper — once one person starts buying it, they start stocking up on it,” says Jon Krawczyk, owner of Superior Pools of Southwest…
According to the CDC, reported cases of legionnaires’ have increased ninefold since Y2K, with health departments documenting more than 10,000 cases in 2018 alone. How can something that takes less than 10 minutes to kill at even a minimal level of chlorine be considered a significant threat? We deal with more complex and chlorine-resistant things…
To show off their best work, pool professionals can leverage short six- to 30-second videos on social media platforms like TikTok, or with Twitter Fleets and the stories feature on Facebook, Instagram and YouTube. On some platforms, the videos vanish after 24 hours, so pool operators can continually post fresh content that highlights their most…
The Pool & Spa Apprenticeship and Training Committee (PSATC) has launched what is being described as a cutting-edge workforce development strategy, says Jennifer Farwell, program director for PSATC. An apprenticeship program is an approach to workforce development and quality assurance through a formal organized system that combines online training and coursework (144 hours) with on-the-job…
The pandemic has presented a range of unexpected challenges within the pool industry. For those in chemical manufacturing, securing packaging has been one of the biggest stumbling blocks. Chemicals are in demand, but in some instances manufacturers have needed to quickly shift course. Packaging shortages have forced many to rethink their day-to-day processes to stay…
With the industry-wide shortage of trichlor tablets, more pool professionals are left with little choice but to switch customers to alternative sanitizers, especially liquid chlorine and calcium hypochlorite. Since it involves volatile and corrosive chemicals, changing sanitizing methods comes with a host of concerns, from proper dosing and pH levels to safe application, transportation and…
When most of you read this, the 2021 pool season will be about to kick off in earnest. There are so many unknowns this year: Will this pandemic go away? Will you be able to get the products you need? Will your costs go up dramatically? Will a natural disaster hit your community? We cover…
Chris CavanaughOwner Cavanaugh PoolOwensboro and Madisonville, Kentucky After 2020, price increases were inevitable due to supply and demand. Most of our price increases were like a normal year, but there were several that hit harder than normal. Steel vinyl-liner pool kits are continuing to rise, due to lack of raw material and huge demand, and…
What to charge for pool service is not often discussed in our industry due to fear of anti-trust laws or price fixing. But while we need to be careful, everyone must figure out what to charge to run a profitable business. I’m not talking about cash flow or moving money around; I’m talking about understanding…
Scott Petty had used every car metaphor he could think of to describe the benefits of variable-speed pumps. But when new Department of Energy WEF ratings for pool pumps take effect in July, he’ll need some new ways to explain. “With the DOE terminology and metrics, I hope the benefits are clear to the pool…
Homeowners have their ultimate pools in mind, and builders have ideas on how to make those dreams happen. What they both sometimes fail to consider is how that aesthetically pleasing backyard getaway will be serviced. A pool may be a dream come true for the homeowner but a nightmare for a service technician. Jason Broswell,…