One of the challenges of running a pool or spa is the cost of heating the water, which is why more pool dealers are hearing requests from customers for energy-efficient heaters. Pentair now offers a solution: The ETi 400, a pool heater with a direct fire titanium heat exchanger that provides long-lasting, thermal and energy-efficient…
Further, we are FINALLY talking about portable vacuums. I’m not sure there’s a topic or product I see discussed more on industry forums. We did our best to round up what’s available, and cover the pros and cons of each. Another story I’ve wanted to do for awhile is about cultivating and maintaining relationships with…
When a customer’s pool isn’t holding water, they probably want to know if you can fix it. There are a couple of options for connecting your customer with someone who can detect the leak. You could subcontract the job or refer them to a reputable leak detection company. Both are perfectly good choices, but maybe…
Our tech-heavy culture has a tendency to turn nouns into verbs, not the least of which is ‘Google.’ As powerful as Google is, when it comes to customers finding your business listing on the search engine — managed through a free Google My Business account — is not something you want to leave unmonitored. “In…
Misty Knight, technical sales manager for Zodiac Pool Systems, says her customers become like extended family. Bryan Banta, owner of B&B Pools in Pompano Beach, Florida, can attest to that. “Misty answers the phone when others don’t,” he says. “She’s available to me when I need her.” Establishing a strong B2B relationship between pool professional…
It’s not an exaggeration to say great pools demand a lot from their finishes. Pumps and plumbing have to work well but don’t have to look good. Aesthetic amenities have to look good — and not much else. Features like glass tiles and acrylic panels, on the other hand, are asked to endure the intense…
Photography by Thao Nguyen Patriot Pool & Spa in Austin, Texas, services nearly 800 pools a week and has more than 35 employees — but owner Hal Denbar still remembers how hard it was to hire the first one. “Everything about that, mentally and emotionally, was much harder than anything else I’ve encountered [with this…
Pool pros use portable vacs to battle leaves, sand and just about everything else that can get into a pool At least half a dozen manufacturers now make portable vacuums, and there seems to be one on every service truck. The companies that make and market them have long pushed portable vacuums as tools of…
Matt Trissel was a designer for Georgetown, Texas-based Cody Pools for eight years, and saw firsthand the issues calcium causes on pools and spas. In 2013, he left Cody, and along with friend Dusty Renfro, started an oilfield service company called Four Six Services. While there, he discovered a technology being used in the oilfield…
Not everyone provides service quotes to customers in the same way. Some go through a checklist with the customer over the phone, while others send a technician to do a visual inspection. No matter the method, there’s no denying that some sort of assessment ahead of time is crucial. No customer likes to find unforeseen…
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…