Pool Opening Basic’s

 Dave Thompson – Swimming Pool Services  Rick Woemmel – Bi-State Pool & Spa 

Pool Opening Basics: Covers  Scheduling  Communication  Calendar Organization  Opening Procedures  Service Truck Set up  Draining Precautions  Acid Washing  Chemical Testing and Troubleshooting

Scheduling Your Openings  Communicate with your customers  Develop a consistent calendar routine  Don’t over extend yourself  Open the pool on the date set The # 1 Complaint from pool owners concerning service: The pool company did not show up on the scheduled opening, closing or service call date nor did the customer receive a phone call.

Good Communication with your customer is Important

Reminder Reminder  is a free way of reminding your customers of an upcoming appointment  Utilize social media for connecting to your customers. Coupons for “liking” you.

A Simple Phone Call AAAA simple phone call will work wonders for customer relations.

How Do You Scheduling Your Openings?  What are some methods you or your company use to help schedule openings?  Do you send contracts for openings?  Do you send or call to confirm an opening?

Scheduling Your Openings  How do you schedule your openings?  How do you communicate with your customers and with new customers (elevator pitch)?  Do you schedule openings by the day or week?

Is Your Vehicle Ready For Opening Season

What Can A Well Designed And Stocked Truck Do For You?  Easy access to tools and pumps during opening.  Less time trying to find parts

What Can A Well Designed And Stocked Truck Do For You?  Less damage to tools and supplies  Able to stock more parts and chemical

What Can A Well Designed And Stocked Truck Do For You?  Allows you to open pools in less time  Less trips to suppliers or shop for parts and or chemicals  Safety-chemicals can be stored in a safer manner What does this add up to?

Profit Profit Profit Profit

Tools & Equipment  Having the proper tools & equipment can make all the difference.  There are many companies making specialty tools for the pool service industry.

Tools & Equipment

Opening Routine  The term “Pool Opening” could be considered a generic term. An opening may have vastly different meanings from one company to another or from region to region.

Openings Built Around A Routine Poolside Work  2 sets of tools ( one for equipment area and one for pool side)  Mesh Cover: Debris on cover & deck are hosed off.  Water Bag or Solid Safety Cover: Water and debris are remove using a trash pump; cover is cleaned on pool, completely free of debris & water.  Mesh And Solid Safety Covers : Anchors are put down where cover is to be removed.

Cover Is Hosed Off - Lap Folded - And Rolled

Poolside Work (Cont’d)  Covers are lap folded, rolled and tied (solid and water bag type covers should have cover cleaner added as removed).  It is noted which end of the pool the cover was folded from and the direction it was rolled.  Deck is completely hosed off.  Water started filling if needed.

Poolside Work (Cont’d)  (mesh) – Anchors are sprayed with WD- 40,and put down.  Hand rails and ladder are installed (checking bumper pads & replacing if any signs of wear).  Portable pump brought in and set up. (Keep in mind you are responsible for where the waste water goes).  Pool is vacuumed, netted, walls & floor are brushed.

Hand Rails Installed - Anchors are put down - Pool is Portable Vacuumed

Using A Portable Vacuum Has Many Advantages  Enables you to set up anywhere you want.  Less water is used, since it has a low head impeller.  Better control of suction; you can throttle down or up to 3 hp.  Less time spent emptying pump baskets and no clogged impellers.  Better job vacuuming; Your able to get 80 to 90 % of debris and silt.

Poolside Work (Cont’d)  Winter plugs are remove from skimmers, returns lines and pool sweep.  Skimmer baskets, return eyeballs, pool sweep line, slide and lights are reset for normal operation.  Water temperature and clarity are noted.

Poolside Work (Cont’d)  Water is tested- –Chlorine,Free and Combined –PH –Total Alkalinity –Calcium Hardness –Copper (if PH is low) –Nitrates –Nitrites –Ammonia –Free Phosphates

Water is tested and sample taken for lab test – Chemicals are addedWater is tested and sample taken for lab test – Chemicals are added

Poolside Work (Cont’d)  Chemicals are added  Chemicals left (season supply)  Offer suggested items

Equipment and Start-Up  Valves, plumbing, chlorinator and waste hose reset.  Filter – Drain plug, pressure gauge, sight glass, air bleeder, and multi-port are reset.  Pump – Basket, pot plug & lid, volute plug, impeller.

Equipment and Start-Up  Heater – Winter plugs and pressure switch are reset.  Heater – Gas turned on, pilot lit, test fired, (noted if left on or off).  Pool Sweep – Drain plug reset  Blowers reset  Electrical – Breaker, switches & time clocks are reset  System hydro flushed and primed

Equipment and Start-Up DE And Cartridge Filters:  They may Look Like This!  This!   When they should look like this!   So don’t assume they were chemically cleaned at closing.

Equipment and Start-Up  Air Bleed Off – PSI is noted on work order and on gauge.  If (D.E ) filter system: DE is 1# per 10 SQ FT filter area. ( 2 pound coffee can = 1 pound DE).  System check for leaks or possible problems.  Any needed repairs are noted.  Any safety or standards violations are noted.  Tools retuned to truck.  Gates closed and or locked.

The Pool Is Ready For Another Season

Opening Chemical Start up The Right Chemicals Do Make A Difference

Basic Balancing  Chlorine -3.0 to 5.0  PH – 7.4 to 7.6  Total Alkalinity – 80 to 120  Calcium Hardness – 200 to 400  Metals - 0  Nitrates (ideal) - 0  Phosphates – at closing 125ppb; In season up to 1000 ppb  Ammonia - 0

Problem Solving 101:  It all starts with testing.  Treat the problem not the symptom.  Chose the right chemical to treat the problem.  Using the proper amount of chemicals.  The Filtration System  Follow-up calls to the pool

Testing Tips At Opening:  Water sitting all winter will thermal layer. This will cause false readings unless the layer is broken (Mixed).  Stabilizer readings can show a false reading until water has circulated and / or pool is oxidized. Wait a minimum of 2 days.  In the presence of a chlorine demand stabilizer readings will show low or zero.

Problem Solving Test Kits:  The key to chemical problem solving is to be observant and gather as much information as possible through testing. Such tests would include:  Ammonia: Testing Ammonia will help indicate how much of a demand exists. If you have 1.0 ppm of ammonia or greater it will most likely require a lager amount of chlorine to oxidize.  Nitrate: An indicator that something has contaminated the water. It cannot be oxidized however ammonia may have been attached to the Nitrate which can be oxidized.

Problem Solving Test Kits:  Nitrites :Since a nitrite can be oxidized, it will require much more than a normal oxidation or shock.  Phosphates: Can enter the water as a total phosphate which will be oxidized. An indicator that something has contaminated the pool if the reading is higher than it was at closing.  High Chlorine Demand Test: Determines how much oxidizer is needed to solve the demand.

MARSHALL"S POOL SERVICE 2005 Treat algae as a Symptom: Fertilizer, Tree Spray, Pesticide, or any Treatment to Property. Enters thru air or run off. Ammonia/Nitrites enters the water Total Phosphates enter water Existing chlorine is usedChlorine used up to Oxidize No Oxidizer / Sanitizer in water Algae starts to grow

MARSHALL"S POOL SERVICE 2005 The Causes Of A High Chlorine Demand High Chlorine Demand Ammonia Total Organic Compounds Total Phosphates Nitrates/ Nitrites

MARSHALL"S POOL SERVICE 2005 Chlorine Demands Each of the pools above had 3.0 to 5.0 ppm Chlorine readings 3 days prior to the chlorine Demands shown here.

MARSHALL"S POOL SERVICE 2005 Ammonia Compounds

MARSHALL"S POOL SERVICE 2005 Chlorine Demands

MARSHALL"S POOL SERVICE 2005 Testing Equipment Info  Nitrate/Nitrite test strips – Ammonia test strips and Colorimeter (Hach Company )  Phosphate Colorimeter – (LaMotte Co )  Ortho Phosphate tests – (CheMetics)  High Chlorine Demand Test –( BioGuard or Omni Dealers) or contact Marshall’s Pool Service.

To Drain Or Not To Drain

What To Look For Before Draining  What is the forecast?  How much rain has there been and is the ground saturated?  Is there a high water table in the area?  What is the lay of the land?  What's the condition of the pool or Liner?

A Good Example Of What Can Happen If Your Not Careful!  This pool was drained to replace a light. The light ended up being cheap compared to the $ 40,000 in repairs that followed.

Pool Popping : Your Worst Nightmare!  Precautions must be taken when draining a pool to ensure against “ popping” of the pool vessel.  The concern over popping causes many professionals to refuse jobs where the danger outweighs the potential profit.

Acid Washing

Acid Won’t Solve All Staining problems!  This picture was taken after being power washed, chlorine washed, and acid washed (Full Strength).  So be sure to inform your customer of realistic results.

Many Times Acid Is Not Needed.  This pool appeared worse than it was. A simple chlorine wash was all that was necessary to restore this pool to normal.

Acid Washing Basics

 The pool should be drained as quickly as possible and hosed down as it drains, to keep algae from baking into the plaster.  A drop cloth should be put down where your entering the pool and working to avoid getting acid on the deck. Your acid should be mix in the pool not on the deck or in the yard.  Black hoses and /or black bottom shoes should never be worn while in the pool.  Pool should be hosed down to remove lose debris.

Acid Washing Basics  Acid Solution or Mix: - Start with a weaker solution (you can always add more). - Start with a weaker solution (you can always add more). - Always add Acid to Water when mixing. - Always add Acid to Water when mixing. - Use an acid wash additive: This cuts down on etching and fumes. Additive will also thicken the acid which will allow it to be worked into plaster better. - Use an acid wash additive: This cuts down on etching and fumes. Additive will also thicken the acid which will allow it to be worked into plaster better. This etching occurred after one acid wash

Acid Washing Basics  Maintain enough water in the deep end to prevent plaster damage.  Acid wash walls first then the floor.  Pour in sections while working acid in with an acid wash brush.  Rinse down each section before starting the next.  When done with acid wash, re-rinse pool and pump all water and acid out.  Replace Hydro Relief Valve.

Winterizing A Pool Severe Climates 1.Cleaning 2.Water treatment 3.Lower water level 4.Pipe and valves

Winterizing A Pool

PROPER WATER LEVEL  Mesh Covers:  Solid Safety Covers/Auto:  Water Bag:

 Anderson plugs  Tapered plugs  Threaded / Hayward

Blow outs

Winterizing A Pool Severe Climates - Equipment 1.Accessory equipment 2.Lights 3.Pumps and motors 4.Filters

Winterizing A Pool Severe Climates - Equipment 5.Heaters 6.Cleaning equipment 7.Skimmers 8.Gutter system

Winterizing A Pool Severe Climates - Equipment 9.Automatic chlorinators/feeders 10.Chemicals 11.Utilities 12.Pool Covers