While they have been around for years, millennials seem to be all the buzz in the workplace these days. What do millennials want in the workplace? What do they want from work in general? How are they different from other generations? And, the most common question this author has heard, how does one even communicate with millennials? To answer these … Read More
Making a case for Phosphate Control in Swimming Pools and Hot Tubs
Calcium phosphate scale is a relatively new problem creeping into the swimming pool and hot tub industry. However, the problem has long been recognized in the boiler industry. Calcium phosphate scale became prevalent when reverse osmosis (RO) technology was widely applied to municipal waste water. Due to recent water shortages, municipal waste water recycling and reuse has become a major … Read More
What to Do When Cloudy Water Strikes
Every pool owner dreams of having an inviting swimming pool with crystal-clear water. The reality, however, may be a pool that is hazy, cloudy, and flat looking. The following are some things service professionals should check when their customer’s pool water gets cloudy this summer. Equipment First, check the filter and circulation system to make sure everything is operating properly. … Read More
Tips for Resolving Common Automatic Pool Cleaner Problems
Today’s pool professional has learned to incorporate automatic swimming pool cleaners into their service routine and retailers are frequently selling these maintenance accessories to their customers. With a vast number of automatic swimming pool cleaners in the market, industry professionals must now be well-versed in troubleshooting common problems as well as successfully correcting user-error issues. Like any robotic product, there … Read More
Reviving a Troublesome Heater
Crystal clear, perfectly heated water has an appeal all its own. Lounging by a tepid, community pool offers bathers a great way to relax and unwind after a long day. However, it is very unpleasant to anticipate this relaxation only to dip a toe in and find the water is frigid. This unpleasantness can easily spiral into frustration when maintenance … Read More
Ammonia and Nitrates in Pools: Understanding How These Chemical Compounds Affect Water Chemistry
Ammonia is a colorless, strongly alkaline gas with a very familiar pungent odor. In fact, it was the first complex molecule discovered in space in the galactic dust clouds of the Milky Way. It also makes up the rings of the planet Saturn. Ammonia gas consists of one nitrogen atom and three hydrogen atoms (NH3). Volcanoes and hot springs were … Read More
Off-Season Water Care: Managing Pool Water Balance and Controlling Organics
Whether one calls it winterizing, closing, off-season, or end-of-season pool care—how pool professionals handle water care once there is not much pool activity, all boils down to what part of the country the pool is located. In all cases, the two variables that need to be addressed are (a) managing water balance, and (b) controlling organics. This article will focus … Read More
Hot Tub Water Care Made Easy
As a pool industry professional, you have probably heard a plethora of customer complaints regarding hot tub water care. Some say their water is cloudy all the time and they cannot figure out why. Others are frustrated from having to battle the up and down pH ladder with levels climbing or dropping off the charts. On top of that, they … Read More
Pumps and Filters: Preventing Equipment Failure to Avoid a Shutdown
The biggest fear of any aquatic facility manager is a pool shutdown. Unfortunate events such as a fecal incident are impossible to control; however, a pump or filter should never be the cause of a facility closure. There are, in fact, several best practices one can follow to avoid some of the most common causes of pump and filter failure. … Read More
Digital Documentation: Moving Record-Keeping to the Cloud
How many managers know when was the last time he/she reviewed the facility’s day-to-day operational records? For some, it may be at the start of the season, while for others it could even be last year. In many cases, these records may not have been looked at since they were initially created. In fact, it is quite possible they are … Read More