If you go into your search engine and type “pool accident chlorine gas” in the news tab, you will see nearly 3,000 results within seconds — headlines such as “At least 35 people at San Jose swimming pool exposed to dangerous chemical mix.” Chlorine gas is just that: A gas cloud of chlorine that can…
Aquatic activity in healthy water is increasingly on the public’s radar. Today, most health departments require commercial pool technicians to have the Certified Pool Operator Certification from the National Swimming Pool Foundation. Michelle Kavanaugh, mission development director for the NSPF, says the CPO Certification is the most widely recognized certification in the pool and spa…
Human error is largely to blame when a commercial pool experiences problems, which is why automated systems are gaining popularity year after year. An automated system eases the burden of having to be on-site several times a day to take a reading. And with growing public concern around water condition in commercial pools, these systems…
Nothing puts a downer on a day at a public pool more than learning of a fecal incident, requiring everyone to clear out immediately. Formed fecal incidents pose a risk for spreading germs, including moderately chlorine-tolerant giardia. It’s important for pool companies to help facilities with public pools understand local and federal policies for handling…
A new app created by the National Swimming Pool Foundation and Counsilman-Hunsaker can assist commercial pool operators with staying on track with records and maintenance issues. Called Facility Manager, the app provides the aquatic industry with a digital, web-based application designed to enhance the safety and sustainability of aquatic facilities. Facility Manager is accessible via…
How do you build trust to gain commercial accounts? Even for brand-new contractors, establishing credibility with clients has never been easier with online training, review websites and more. Don Cesarone, Jr., vice president of the commercial division of Van Kirk and Sons, Inc., says that while states have mandatory training for commercial pool operators, contractors…
Technology has invaded the equipment market, and many service firms are finding better efficiency — and an increase in customer satisfaction and loyalty — through the use of automatic pool cleaners. The team at All Seasons Pools, Spas & Outdoor Living in Orland Park, Illinois, handles just about everything. In addition to a brick-and-mortar retail…
By Stacy Fender More than 20 years after Congress passed the Americans with Disabilities Act, the Department of Justice expanded the law’s scope with new standards governing accessibility for public pools. The rule was scheduled take effect in 2012, but implementation was extended to January 31, 2013, to avoid closure of pools around the country…
The genius of the DPD Pro dip-and-read test strip for public pools and spas from Hach, is in its simplicity. Hach has made the complexity of water testing so easy, it’s no wonder the interest level from end users, health professionals and public pool maintenance professionals has skyrocketed since DPD Pro was released earlier this…
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…
When the pool patio gets hot enough to burn your feet, is the pool still too cold for swimming? Therma-HEXX, located in Portsmouth, New Hampshire, has a solution. “ThermaPanel is a modular heat exchange system that collects, distributes and transfers energy,” says Robert Barmore, CEO of Therma-HEXX. Installed underneath the patio deck, high-density polyethylene panels…
Experts say every commercial pool operator should consider making an old technology new again. For years, ultraviolet water treatment has been used to help sterilize drinking water and has been used in wastewater treatment plants. But only in the last handful of years has UVC technology made its way into the commercial pool industry. It…