By Lawrence Scofield Fiberglass pools have vastly improved over the past decade. There is rarely a problem with today’s shells. “If it’s installed correctly, you should never have a problem,” says Jason Hughes, vice president of River Pools and Spas in Tappahannock, Virginia. To prevent fiberglass problems, focus on proper installation techniques. “The backfill material…
Let’s face it: Nobody is going to buy a $10,000 hot tub, a $20,000 swim spa or a $50,000 in-ground pool before checking out your company’s reputation online. Having high-quality reviews on a variety of sites can make the difference in a prospect buying from you or your competition. Why Reviews Are Important Reviews build…
Scott Petty, the global product manager for pumps and above-ground equipment at Hayward Pool Products, has many analogies for the benefits of variable-speed pumps. “It’s like going from standard definition to HDTV,” Petty says. “Once you’ve seen the benefits, it’s hard to imagine going back.” Or, “Single speed is like having a car that only…
By Lawrence Scofield For pool owners, recruiting, training and staffing lifeguards can be labor intensive and costly. As budgets shrink, companies have emerged to help lower costs associated with providing lifeguards. When American Pool Houston takes over lifeguard-management responsibilities at a pool that was previously self-run, says its president, Brooks Wedeking, pool owners often say…
Solar Pool Technologies has partnered with Pivot International to manufacture its robotic, solar-powered pool cleaner, Solar Breeze NX. “The relationship with Pivot is part of our strategy to achieve more rapid growth,” says Paul Sim, CEO of Arizona-based SPT. “This change will allow us to be even more efficient and is an exciting first step…
Pentair has been named a 2017 ENERGY STAR Partner of the Year — Sustained Excellence award winner. Pentair has been an ENERGY STAR partner since 2013, and is being honored for its leadership in manufacturing ENERGY STAR certified pool pumps. “We are proud to earn our fourth consecutive Partner of the Year Award, and the…
The National Plasterers Council’s scholarship committee has awarded 10 scholarships, worth a total of $10,500. The Rey Perales Memorial Scholarship is given to the children of NPC members and their employees. The scholarship is determined based on academic achievement, an essay and letters of reference. This year applicants submitted a researched essay wherein they suggest…
The INO Weather Pro handheld weather-monitoring device detects the distance of cloud-to-ground lighting strikes up to 40 miles. It also displays temperature, atmospheric pressure and humidity. The display dashboard is customizable so users can view information important to them. “Though most lightning detection technology relies on national weather data feeds and requires an internet or…
Zodiac Pool Systems has introduced the Polaris PB4SQ booster pump. The Trade Series Exclusive pump is designed to power pressure cleaners and offers a 30-percent reduction in energy usage compared to the Polaris PB4-60 booster pump. It has a Totally Enclosed Fan Cooled motor, which helps reduce noise.
Hach’s new DPD Pro test strips are the first NSF Certified dip-and-read strips for public pools. The test results use the DPD method for Total Chlorine and Free Chlorine. In two minutes, users have results for seven key chemistries. “DPD Pro minimizes the number of steps required for testing and eliminates the need for counting…
The National Swimming Pool Foundation’s newest course is a blend of online and in-class work. The Advanced Service Technician Course provides information on equipment installation, maintenance, repair and more. Students must complete seven online courses, a classroom session and pass an examination to receive the AST Certification.
The Master Pools Guild has donated $40,000 to the National Swimming Pool Foundation’s Step Into Swim Campaign, bringing its total donations to the program to $80,000. Step Into Swim provides swim lessons to underprivileged children and adults across the United States.