An arm and maybe a leg or two – that's how much a tank of gas is going to run you these days. Eventually that crunch at the pump is going to put a dent in your bottom line. The good news is that you can still make a profit as a pool cleaner even with the high price of gas.

Pack a Lunch

First, start brown bagging it. I'm as guilty as the next pool cleaner when it comes to popping in and out of the mini-mart all day grabbing a Coke and a Snickers bar. I've been saving a whole lot of money since I started bringing along a cooler filled with cold drinks. For the price of a couple of fountain drinks you can pretty much buy an entire 12-pack of your favorite soda. Pack healthier snacks and you could lose a few pounds while you save a few bucks!

Shop Around

 Be a comparison shopper. A few cents a gallon can add up over time. Check around for the cheapest gas prices instead of filling up at the first station you see. Some stores offer shopper reward cards that will save you up to ten cents a gallon after you've spent X amount of dollars. If you're shopping there anyway, why not get cheaper gas?

Watch Your Grade

Speaking of cheaper gas, most vehicles will get along just fine with the lower grade fuel. Leave the premium unleaded for your champagne wishes and caviar dreams.

Tune it Up

Whatever kind of car you're driving, be sure to keep it tuned up. Even something as small as under-inflated tires can waste gas. All the big gas stations offer free air, so this one is a no-brainer.

I also try to schedule my appointments so that I'm not driving back and forth all over town. I take a few minutes the night before to plot out the most efficient route for the next day. It also helps ensure that I'm always on time for my appointments.

A quick word of caution: The one thing you don't want to do is cut corners when it comes to the quality of your work. Don't chintz out on supplies or do less than your best work to pack in more customers each day. Without happy customers, falling profits become zero profits!

Downsize

Consider downsizing to a mini-truck. Most pool cleaners drive large utility vans, which are definitely convenient for carrying all of your supplies and equipment. Chances are, though, you could fit all of your equipment in a smaller vehicle. And the smaller the vehicle, the less gas it's going to use. On a similar note, only bring along the equipment you need. Taking off your roof rack alone could improve your gas mileage by 5%.

What better time then Independence Day to launch the PCB (pool cleaning business) Blog? There is none more Patriotic then the staff at PCB. On this joyous day, we’d like to dedicate this site to the Men and women in uniform who stand by their country and Commander in Chief. They’ve given us the freedom to work in the greatest profession in the world….The Pool Service Business!

The site itself is still under construction and has some minor issues that are being resolved as we speak. I was firm on launching it on July 4th, and kept to my word against professional protest. Many thought I should wait to “make PCB live” until everything was in working order. I told them that if anyone ever asks them if they want to be in charge, say YES! Until then, I’m the boss and we’re “going live” today.

I’m running this site as a business, as well as a hobby. I enjoy facilitating discussion and educating others in the areas of business and proper pool care. However, I’m interested in making money, as I’m sure all of you are. There will be advertisers on here as well as products being sold. Just remember, my first priority is helping you out.

Please enjoy PCB and feel free to comment on any posts.

If you have a question, you can email me at dfeller@poolcaredirectory.com

High pH from your Salt Water Chlorinator

Is balancing your swimming pools pH level starting to be a pain in the rear? Does the constant grind of adding gallon after gallon of muriatic acid make you want to scream like a little girl?  Man Up! It’s the price you pay for a Salt Water System!

The first thing that you need to do is accept that a chlorine generator (or salt water system) creates a higher pH level which MUST be maintained on a regular basis. It has a lot of advantages as well, but let’s stay on track…. Lowering high pH levels.

One way to control or lower your high pH levels is to add acid. To be more specific, Muriatic Acid (20 Degree Baume’/31.45 HCI, for all you science nerds) is the liquid used and sodium bisulfate 93.2 percent is the dry acid used. I know that most of you are reading this post because you want a substitute for acid. I recommend not totally giving up on acid; it’s an indespensible tool and ally in lowering high pH levels.

Good news! There is something else that you should master if you want to keep your pH levels where they need to be.

Chemists say, “The higher the chlorine production , the higher the pH will be.” So we need to regulate the amount of chlorine your salt water cholinator is generating.

3 Ways to Regulate Chlorine

• Control the length of time that you’re running the pump which in turn controls the cells’ [electronic device that makes the chlorine] time to produce the chlorine. * Be careful with this one. If you cheat your pump too much the cell won’t have enough time to produce the amount of chlorine needed to sanitize your pool.. 

• The other way to lower your pH is by controlling the percentage of chlorine that you desire with the controls on your system.

• The best method is a combination of both. Be sure to run your pool 8-10 hours a day, then adjust your percentages so that you have just enough to sanitize your pool. The percentage will need to change according to the amount and type of traffic you have going through your water.

Relax, with a little practice and fudging of the numbers, you’ll have a balanced pool any salt water system owner would be proud of.

IPSSA stands for Independent Pool and Spa Service Association – long name, but a simple concept. It's a nationwide professional association made up of individuals in the pool and spa service industry. The idea is to promote growth, connect with fellow professionals and keep improving our profession as a whole. In total the IPSSA has somewhere around 3700 members. The membership isn't huge, but in my experience, the benefits are.

Joining the IPSSA has some pretty nice perks. To me, the biggest benefit is how impressed clients are by my membership in a professional organization. Acronyms are powerful things. Customers draw a lot inferences from that string of letters. It makes you seem dedicated to your craft, involved in the community and held accountable to the standards of a higher authority.

When you join, I recommend that you add "member of the IPSSA" to your business cards, website and advertisements. Your image as a professional gets an instant boost. Seeing those five letters could be what makes a customer choose you over another pool cleaner.

Health insurance

To small business owners, it's more than just a theoretical political debate for candidates to duke it out over. It's a real life necessity and a real challenge when you're self-employed. Access to health insurance is another benefit of joining the IPSSA. You can also purchase group liability insurance, commercial vehicle insurance, a life insurance policy and hazmat coverage.

Education

 The IPSSA also offers you opportunities to continue your education. Additional training is another way to impress customers. Various industry professionals, including manufacturers and distributors, make presentations at the monthly meetings, which gives you a chance to rub elbows with some big wigs.

Scholarships

Plus, the IPSSA has scholarships available if you're interested in taking trade or business courses at your local community college. After all, you are a business owner. You could benefit a lot from learning about accounting and bookkeeping.

Membership in the IPSSA doesn't require a big commitment, and it won't take up a lot of your time. Don't worry, there's no bake sales. I've gotten some pretty good discounts through my membership, and it keeps me up to date on the latest trends and products..

In any business, setting yourself apart from the competition is key. What do you have to offer that your fellow pool cleaners don't? If joining the IPSSA can put you even one notch above the rest, then I say go for it.

Exam; it's not exactly the most beloved word in the English language. For pool cleaners in Florida, though, it's an important part of owning and operating your pool cleaning business.  I'm talking about becoming a state certified swimming pool/spa servicing contractor.  There are residential pool contractors, commercial pool contractors and service pool contractors.  Pretty fancy titles, huh?

These are licenses that enable you to do a whole variety of pool-related work.  In addition to cleaning and water treatment, holding a pool contractor's license allows you to do repair work as well. And remember, to really bring in the big bucks you've got to branch out into repairs.

You can prepare for the exam in a few different ways.  There are courses you can attend where they teach you what you need to know to pass the test.  There are also home study kits and online practice exams you can buy.  The courses and study kits don't come cheap. Most cost significantly more than the exam fee itself. Personally I would have been a nervous wreck without having read a couple of study guides and taken a few practice tests.  I looked at it as part of my investment in my business.

The answers to virtually all of your questions about the licensing exam can be found on www.myflorida.com.  I won't lie to you, though.  I found the site to be less than user-friendly, so I put together this list of links to make it easier for you to find what you need. All the info is in the form of pdf documents, so they're convenient to save and print for future reference.

Candidate Information Brochure

www.myflorida.com/dbpr/servop/testing/documents/constcib.pdf

This pdf document is a 13-page booklet that covers all the general information about construction licensure exams.  It explains what the test will be like, what supplies you should bring and all the rules.

Reference Lists:

www.myflorida.com/dbpr/servop/testing/constructionreferencepage.html

Check out this link for the books and materials you're allowed to bring with you to the exam.  There's a separate list for commercial pool, residential pool and service pool exams.

Examination Content Information:

www.myflorida.com/dbpr/servop/testing/examinationcontentinformation.html

This page contains links to pdf documents that provide a very broad outline of the trade knowledge topics covered on each exam.  Again, there are separate documents for commercial, residential and service pools.

Examination FAQs:

http://www.myflorida.com/dbpr/servop/testing/documents/exam_faq.pdf

This link will take you to a pdf document listing the most commonly asked questions about the licensing exams in general.

I guess all that's left to say is good luck – study hard, get a good night's sleep and eat a healthy breakfast!

Pool Professionals, there is no magical “certification” to test and treat TDS. That kind of scare tactic should be left to the water filter jockeys and kept out of the pool service industry!

I recently had a very nice lady call me to inquire about pool service. Apparently she was shopping around for the “best pool man”, stumbled upon our site, and was hoping that we could answer a few of her questions.

Well this just broke my heart. Here is another case of a Pool Service Company giving the industry a bad name by taking advantage of a sweet elderly woman.

Here’s a little bit about TDS that will hopefully help out pool owners and new technicians in the industry. First, the acronym TDS is popular in the drinking water filtration industry. It’s another technical term they use to scare you into High Quality H2O. The pool/spa industry use the term as well, just not as frequent.

Everything that gets added or falls into your pool/spa leaves behind a mineral residue of different sorts. It’s basically matter in your water that is way too small for your filtration system to catch. If TDS become too high, then your water becomes corrosive.

Some things that cause TDS:

• Chemicals that are added to your pool/spa

• Tanning Oils or Lotions

• Dirt that’s tracked in from not showering before you get in the water

• The mutt that you let swim in your clean pool

Most TDS is not harmful, but it will absorb your chemicals and prevent them from sanitizing to there maximum potential. Your pool will always have some TDS, especially if you live in Florida or Hawaii. This is because Floridians/Hawaiians don’t experience freezing weather; therefore they don’t drain ¼ of their pools to prevent freeze damage. For the rest of you, partial draining helps remove TDS as well as lower cyanuric acid, so keep it up.

Music….it warms the heart and strengthens the soul. There isn’t anything better to get you through a tough day. In-between clients I can tune in the radio and enjoy a melody (maybe even screech along).

However, when I get to my destination that’s where it ends. You won’t see me with a portable CD player, IPOD, Boom box, or any other music transport system. I’ve seen other guys in the industry using them and it gets my blood boiling – I don’t even let my guys do it. Here’s a few reason why I don’t allow listening to music while servicing my customers’ pools and spas.

It’s a Distraction

I like music so much that it can become a distraction to me. I’m getting paid for a service, and flipping through my 120GB IPOD to find a song that I like takes my focus off of what I’m supposed to be doing. Approaching Mid-Life, my mind is already going and I find myself forgetting things all day – I could only imagine the things I would forget with tunes blasting through my head.

It gets Expensive

I already dropped a $350 IPOD in the toilet (Don’t ask!). Something tells me taking an expensive electronic gadget around big tubs of water isn’t a good idea. Everyone tells me, that they have it strapped secure to their persons, so it won’t fall in. I average falling in a pool about 1-2 times a month – I know that I’m not the only klutz out there!

It’s Common Sense

You’re in a customer service oriented business – never forget that. If you went to your local supplier and had to go out of your way to get their attention because they were jamming to Jethro Tull on their IPOD, how would you feel?

As I said, I love music. It’s a great tool when used at the appropriately. Keep on Rocking – just not on your customers’ time.

What is RSS? I’m regularly asked this question and thought it might be worth putting together a page to define RSS and hopefully shed some light on the topic.

Do you want to keep up to date with the latest posts on PCB?

We have a number of ways that you can subscribe to this site and receive updates. The main one that our readers use is our RSS feed. But what is RSS?

What is RSS?

RSS is a technology that is being used by millions of web users around the world to keep track of their favorite websites.

In the ‘old days’ of the web to keep track of updates on a website you had to ‘bookmark’ websites in your browser and manually return to them on a regular basis to see what had been added.

The problems with bookmarking

• You as the web surfer had to do all the work
• It can get complicated when you are trying to track many websites at once
• You miss information when you forget to check your bookmarks
• You end up seeing the same information over and over again on sites that don’t update very often
•  

RSS Changes Everything

What if you could tell a website to let you know every time that they update? In a sense, this is what RSS does for you.

RSS flips things around a little and is a technology that provides you with a method of getting relevant and up to date information sent to you for you to read in your own time. It saves you time and helps you to get the information you want quickly after it was published.

RSS stands for ‘Really Simple Syndication’. Many people describe it as a ‘news feed’ that you subscribe to.

I find the ’subscription’ description helpful. It’s like subscribing to a magazine that is delivered to you periodically but instead of it coming in your physical mail box each month when the magazine is published it is delivered to your ‘RSS Reader’ every time your favorite website updates.

How RSS actually technically works is probably a lesson for another day but the key today is for you to understand why it’s good and how to use it.

Let me say right up front that I’m not the most technically savvy guy going around - but even I can use RSS. At first I found it a little strange to make the change from bookmarking to RSS but I found that when I started that I just couldn’t stop.

How to Use RSS

Get an RSS Reader - The first thing you’ll want to do if you’re getting into reading sites via RSS is to hook yourself up with an RSS Feed Reader.

There are many feed readers going around with a variety of approaches and features - however a good place to start is with a couple of free and easy to use web based ones like Google Reader and Bloglines. Either one will do if you’re starting out (I use Google’s Reader) - as I say there are many others to choose from but to get started either of these are fairly easy to use and will help you work out the basics of RSS.

Both of these feed readers work a little like email. As you subscribe to feeds you’ll see that unread entries from the sites you’re tracking will be marked as bold. As you click on them you’ll see the latest update and can read it right there in the feed reader. You are given the option to click through to the actual site or move onto the next unread item - marking the last one as ‘read’.

The best way to learn how to use either Google Reader or Bloglines is to simply subscribe to some feeds and give it a go. Both have helpful help sections to get you up and running.

Note: other options to tracking websites that you might already be familiar with include using pages like MyYahoo, MyGoogle and MyMSN.

Find Some Feeds to Subscribe to - there are two places to look for a site’s feed:

1. On the Site
2. In Your Browser

On Site Subscription

Over the last few years you may have noticed a lot of little buttons and widgets appearing on your favorite sites and blogs. Little orange buttons, ‘counters’ with how many ‘readers a blog has, links called RSS, XML, ATOM and many more.

They come in all shapes and sizes. Here are a few you might have seen: 

Browser Subscription

Many internet browsers now have the ability to find and subscribe to RSS feeds built right into them.

When you surf to a site you can usually tell if it has an RSS feed by looking in the right hand side of address bar where you type in the site’s URL.

See the little orange icon on the right hand side? Click that and you’ll be locating PCB’s RSS feed.

Other modern browsers will have similar icons.

To quickly and easily subscribe by clicking these icons you’ll want to set up your browser to do it with your feed reader of choice as by default they will probably subscribe you using the in-browser reader. You can do this by going to the ‘preferences’ to your browser and choosing ‘Google Reader’ or ‘Bloglines’ etc as your feed reader.

Once you’ve done this and have subscribed to a few feeds you’ll begin to see unread items in your Feed Reader and you can start reading.

Don’t want to Use an RSS Reader? Email is an Option

If the above explanation all just seems a little too complicated for you then please don’t worry. Many sites also enable you to subscribe to RSS feeds via a more familiar medium - Email.

Here at PCB we know that not everyone is into the RSS thing so at the top of our right hand sidebar there is a field where you can enter your email address and get a daily email with a summary of our latest posts. You can unsubscribe at any time and your email will be kept private and not used for any other purposes than to send these daily updates

There are plenty more - but any time you see any of these buttons or anything like them it means that the site you are viewing almost certainly has a feed that you can subscribe to. In most cases it’s as simple as either copying and pasting the link associated with the button into your RSS Reader or clicking the button and following the instructions to subscribe using the feed reader of your choice.

• Have you physically “acted-out” while viewing pornography? If so, have the acting-out episodes become more frequent?

• Have you attempted to stop acting-out and have not been successful?

• Has porn affected your financial situation? Have you spent money on pornography or prostitutes?

• Has porn affected your family? Have you avoided family or gone off to be by yourself to view porn? Is your marriage relationship rocky?

• Has pornography caused risk to your career? Have you viewed porn on the job? Do you think of porn instead of focusing on your career or business?

What is the BBB method for pool chemicals?

Pools are becoming more and more popular and affordable for people to have in their yards, especially above ground pools. However, any pool that you fill with water and leave in place, spas, hot tubs or in-ground pools will need pool care. It is essential to take care of the pool or spa, or in a matter of days, it will be little more than a slimy, green, breeding ground for mosquitoes or a health hazard for those who use it. The only problem is that as you learn to take care of your pool, you feel a little like you’re back in 10th grade chemistry, only the chemicals you are using are really expensive.

There may be a way to alleviate that pinch on your wallet. The BBB pool care technique is one that many people are curious about. BBB is short for bleach, borax and baking soda. Traditional methods of pool care include a variety of products with long names and fancy packaging sold exclusively at pool care stores or in the pool care section of department stores. The BBB method allows you to use three very common and cheap products for the same purposes as those much more expensive pool products.

Borax and baking soda are products that can be added to the water in order to change the pH of the water. Having the proper pH in pool or spa water is essential. Therefore it must be checked regularly using a testing kit and the appropriate steps taken to correct any imbalances. Baking soda is also known as sodium bicarbonate. The packaging it comes in at the pool store calls it total alkalinity increaser. The price of the product is much higher than the price of grocery store baking soda. Borax is used in the place of the pool products called soda ash, sal soda or washing soda. Borax will increase the pH of the water, while unlike the “real pool products” will not increase the alkalinity. This is actually beneficial, because quite often the pH needs to be increased and the alkalinity is fine.

No matter the type or size of pool or spa you have, proper care will ensure that it remains a fun, safe and healthy place to exercise, play and relax. Saving money while caring for it is an added bonus!

"Can you take a look at this pump? I think it's broken." For a long time, my answer to that question would have been no. I was strictly a pool cleaner, not a repairman. It didn't take me long to realize, though, that I was missing out on a huge opportunity.

If I knew how to make pool repairs, I could go from one stream of income to two streams of income. I liked the sound of that! Expanding my pool cleaning business to include repair work was one of the wisest business decisions I've ever made. Repairs are where some of the biggest money is to be made.

At the risk of sounding like some cheesy inspirational poster, in the world of business, you should continuously strive to achieve more. Doing both cleaning and repairs sets you apart from the competition. I don't mind telling you that I picked up some of my competitors' clients when they heard that I offered a full range of services. Your clients come to know you, like you and trust you. It makes sense that they'd rather have you do the repair work than some stranger.

I've seen a lot of my colleagues miss out on the big bucks by limiting themselves to cleaning. Not only that, but expanding your horizon keeps you from getting burnt out. Learning repairs keeps things fresh for me. Every call is a new challenge – just last week I helped rescue a Barbie doll trapped in a pump. She's not quite the looker she once was. Good thing Ken loves her for what's on the inside.

Adding pool repair to your resume won't happen overnight. The process is a bit more involved than just painting the word "repairman" on the side of your van. I had to take courses, read tons of how-to books and offer my friends and family free repairs for practice. It was a while before I was comfortable doing repair work for clients. Set goals for yourself and commit to it for the long haul.

I recommend creating a specific timetable. Having deadlines keeps you accountable and action steps keep you motivated. You know, all the basic rules of goal setting you've heard a zillion times. For me, though, it really worked. I think my bank account would agree!

Proper Swimming Pool Water Flow

After talking to a couple of Pool Technicians over the passed week, I get the feeling that a lot of you are not getting a proper “Basic” plumbing lesson from our Mentors. I’m receiving too many questions on water flow (not complaining, just concerned). Maybe, it's time for a post on The Basic Plumbing of Pools.

Before building a pool or laying down any plumbing, the contractor needs to calculate the volume of how much water flow is needed.  This is important because it’s going to help them properly size the pipe and pool equipment.  Even though the pipe is smooth, the water that streams through it will cause resistance, which in turn will affect your systems flow.  The easiest and most common way to figure the resistance loss is for every 100 ft of pipe.  

It’s easy to factor in that a 1 ½-line, 100 ft long, carries a certain amount of resistance. But what happens when you start adding 90 degree elbow or Tee fittings? This is where an inexperienced builder will cause the home owner a lot of heartache.

•   For every 90 degree elbow fitting they need to factor in an additional 8.6 feet of resistance (pipe).

•   Adding a Tee fitting adds a whopping 12.1 feet of additional resistance.

• Straight is King! The less you change direction the better your water flow will be.

This is the first and most important step in plumbing. If the builder doesn’t get these calculations correct it’ll be difficult to properly size your pump. If you don’t know the gallons per minute (gpm) of flow, you’ll end up with a pump too big or too small. Either one will result in improper flow and an unhappy pool!

Hey Chlorine Junkie! Put down the bag of shock and back away from the pool!

When are you going to learn that Filtration is the most important part of your customers’ pool and spa system? Without a strong, properly sized, efficient pump, and quality filter, keeping the pool water clear will cost you in chemicals, labor, and even worse, CUSTOMERS!

The key is to make it a Win-Win-Win situation. That’s 2 wins for you and 1 win for the customer. You do this by putting on your salesman hat and letting the customer know the truth.

You say, “Mr. Smith, you have a crappy filtration system that needs to be upgraded and I’m the only one in the world that can do it!”

Explain to them that they are risking the health of their children and themselves by allowing improper filtration to take place. Also notify them that most pool owners and technicians try to put a Band-Aid on the problem by over-chlorinating the pool – This compromises the health of their family, the water’s balance, and everyone’s pocket-book.

By being upfront with your customer, you’ll….

1. Earn the contract and trust of your client.

2. Make your life as a Pool Technician easier and satisfying.

3. Give your customer a cool system upgrade that they’ll be proud of.

Remember my motto, “Customers love spending money, as long as it goes to something honest and worthwhile!”

Builder Loans

While home foreclosures pile up due to the greed of “house flippers” and irresponsible predatory creditors, builders in the pool and spa industry are left to suffer. With lenders, such as Key Bank and GE Money no longer putting any stake in the home improvement market, we are seeing FICO scores of 700-740 being turned down for pool loans.

“The feeling around the industry is that we’re children/victims of a broken marriage (creditors and borrowers being the parents)”, says one professional. “How are we able to build pools and stay in business when customers homes’ LTV has dipped by as much as $120,000? There is no equity left to secure the “pool loan!”

Now everyone wants to bail out the irresponsible homeowners and creditors. I ask; who’s going to bail out the builders in the pool and spa industry? We didn’t sell pools 100 times then what they were worth! We didn’t invest in something we knew was unaffordable!

We are entrepreneurial citizens that contribute to the economy, provide jobs to the workforce, and pay our bills and taxes. When is the legislation going to stand up for us and take action on the credit industries ill behavior?

SALT LAKE CITY -- Mormon church leaders will ask California members to join the effort to amend that state's constitution to define marriage as being between a man and a woman.

The church will work with a coalition of churches and other conservative groups that put the California Marriage Protection Act on the Nov. 4 ballot to assure its passage, the letter states.

In May, California's Supreme Court overturned a voter-approved ban on same-sex marriage, saying gays could not be denied civil marriage licenses.

"The church's teachings and position on this moral issue are unequivocal. Marriage between a man and a woman is ordained of God and the formation of families is central to the Creator's plan for His children," the four paragraph letter states.

"We ask that you do all you can to support the proposed constitutional amendment by donating of your means and time to ensure that marriage in California is legally defined as being between a man and a woman," church leaders said. "Our best efforts are required to preserve the sacred institution of marriage."

California Mormons - there are more than 750,000 according to a church almanac - have heard and heeded this kind of call from their leaders before.

In 2000, a similar letter from the pulpit asked members to give time and money in support of Proposition 22, a ballot measure that prohibited California from legally recognizing gay marriages performed outside the state. It passed but was later struck down in a court ruling.

Who’s The Boss? Balance 101

Husbands say wives, moms say dads, and parents say kids. But when it comes to swimming pools, spas, and ponds you need to know that Water is Boss!

"Why not?" I thought to myself. I figured I was pretty handy with a set of tools, and I'd be doing something nice and making a little pocket change in the process. So off I go to Louise's house. Louise wasn't home, but Shelly told me where the hide-a-key was and said I should go on in.

Much like your children, water needs to be disciplined. This happens in the form we in the Pool Cleaning Industry call Balance. You have to balance your water by giving it what it needs. This prevents it from throwing tantrums and damaging your pool and equipment.

This very short post is just me saying that it’s very important that you take back control of your water and give it good balance. Once you get lazy and your water starts doing its own thing, it becomes a game of expensive catch-up.

Be the Boss of your water!

Pool cleaners aren't handymen – don't fall into the "moonlighting trap"

For some reason a lot of your customers will think that a pool cleaner is the same thing as an all-around handyman. From time to time someone will ask you to do an odd job around their house. As tempting as moonlighting might sound, I speak from experience when I say that the results can be disastrous.

"Why not?" I thought to myself. I figured I was pretty handy with a set of tools, and I'd be doing something nice and making a little pocket change in the process. So off I go to Louise's house. Louise wasn't home, but Shelly told me where the hide-a-key was and said I should go on in.

I'm up in the attic playing tightrope walker trying to stay on the beams as I head to the window with the broken latch. Well, I slipped off the beam and my foot went straight through the floor – which was actually her bedroom ceiling. I went downstairs to check out the damage and saw that the hole was in the closet. I decided to patch it up with some Dap. Dap, in case you're not familiar with it, is a white paste-like substance used as an all-purpose sealant.

It was a hot day, a lot hotter than I realized apparently. The Dap started to melt, and it was dripping everywhere. I looked down and saw that it was dripping all over a collection of wigs stacked up on the floor of the closet. Without thinking I picked up a couple of wigs and tried to wipe off the wet Dap. All I succeeded in doing was creating big, sticky clumps of hair and glue.

What was already an awful afternoon only got worse after I found that Louise was a cancer patient. She lost all her hair from chemotherapy, and I had just ruined thousands of dollars worth of wigs. And, of course, the window latch was still broken.

The moral of the story? Don't try to be a hero or a handyman. You're there to clean and repair pools, so just stick to what you know. Or you could find yourself in a sticky situation…

Mosquitoes, bacteria and more: the dangers of dirty pool water

While the housing slump might be forcing real estate agents to tighten their wallets, it could leave pool cleaners seeing dollar signs! Houses sitting unsold means pools sitting unmaintained. Someone has to get those pools back in shape. Why shouldn't it be you?

We've all dealt with miserable, itchy mosquito bites, but it's a lot more than that. First there's the West Nile virus, which was all over the news a few years back. It's a virus that can be transmitted to humans if they're bitten by an infected mosquito. For most people it causes a bout of flu-like symptoms, which is bad enough on its own. However, for at-risk individuals such as children and the elderly, it can actually be deadly.

Mosquitoes can also transmit malaria and yellow fever. Those little pests are a bigger virus factory than public water fountains! The stagnant pool water might be their home base, but that doesn't mean they won't venture out into the neighbors' yards. They're tiny little vampires in search of blood, after all. Before long, an entire neighborhood could be facing a massive mosquito invasion.

It's not just the winged bloodsuckers we have to worry about. Dirty pool water is a breading ground for a multitude of illness-causing bacteria. For example, a bacteria called pseudomonas aeruginosa might decide to move in. This bacteria causes ear and skin infections, in both people and animals.

Cryptosporidium is a nasty bacteria that can cause diarrhea, fever and severe stomach cramps. It's excreted into a body of water through fecal matter. I don't suspect the neighborhood kids will poop in an abandoned pool, but the bacteria is also carried by animals.

Speaking of animals, we need to worry about the safety of our furry friends too, right? Stray dogs and cats or area wildlife might think they've found a tasty water oasis when they come across one of these infected pools. Someone's family pet could get sick and die.

Gunky, stinky pools aren't just ugly, they're also dangerous. As pool cleaners, these filthy pools in the yards of foreclosed homes open up a whole new potential market. Plus, it also gives us a chance to help keep people safe, which is part of what this job is all about.

Essential books that pool cleaning business owners should read

From time to time I get asked what books I would recommend to those interested in the pool cleaning business. It's an excellent question and one I wanted to answer here for all my readers. So, I went through my personal library and picked out the four absolute best pool cleaning and repair books I've read. These are the essential books that all pool cleaners – whether beginners or pros – should read (and own!).

2. The Complete Pool Manual for Homeowners and Professionals: A Step-by-Step Maintenance Guide by Dan Hardy

Dan "Pool Doctor" Hardy is a pool cleaner to the stars, with clients that include John Travolta. You can't argue with success, right? This book explains all of the basics of keeping your pool clean. The instructions are very detailed, and are accompanied by diagrams and pictures. He makes sure to point out the common mistakes that people make with each task so you can avoid making them yourself. It's also a nice troubleshooting guide and a good primer on chemical safety.

I really like the variety of pools that are covered – in-ground, above ground, concrete and even fiberglass. As a pool cleaner, you'll encounter all different types of structures, and this book helps prepare you for that.

3. What Color Is Your Swimming Pool? A Homeowner's Guide to Troublefree Pool, Spa & HotTub Maintenance by Alan Sanderfoot

Sparkling clean water – that's what pool owners want, and we get paid to make it happen. This book is all about achieving and maintaining healthy, crystal clear water in your pool. There's a big focus on water treatment and filtration systems. Beyond pumps and motors, though, Alan also delves into information such as automatic water monitors and how to choose the right pool cover. It's the kind of knowledge that can set you apart from other pool cleaners and make you a valuable source of advice for your clients.

4. The Complete Swimming Pool Reference by Tom Griffiths

Tom has put together the definitive pool management textbook. Not all of the information contained in this book applies directly to pool cleaners, but I believe in knowing as much as you possibly can about the industry as a whole. I don't think I've ever come across a more in-depth guide to maintaining proper pH levels and adjusting chemicals. Safety is stressed throughout the book, and I think it's very important that we as pool cleaners remind ourselves from time to time that there are some very dangerous aspects of our job.

The chapter on winterization is particularly useful. Helping clients properly close up their pool for the winter can be a nice chunk of business for you.

There you have it – the literary canon of the pool cleaning industry. Next time you're in the mood for a little reading, put down the Sports Illustrated and check out one of these books. You'll be glad you did!

Hey Media - Quit lying about the Economy

With the economic down-turn among us, I just have one question; Where the heck is the Recession?

I’ve talked to many other business owners and have asked them what they think about the so-called down-turn. Their response is pretty universal – they talk about how the economy is in big trouble and how they’re concerned about the status of the US economy.

I then ask them to tell me about all of the people that they know who are in economic trouble. To my surprise not one of them know of anyone who is having hardships through this so-called economic down-turn.

In fact, every business owner that I talked to say that they are doing surprisingly well. Furthermore, everyone that they are acquainted with either have jobs, don’t need jobs, or are retired.

My next question to them was, “why do you think that the country is in trouble financially?” Not surprisingly they were influenced by television media sources. Shocking!!

Let me tell you something. The U.S. is thriving! I’m saturated with clients and am having trouble keeping up with my route –which means I need to hire more people. If the pool cleaning business is still making money hand-over-fist then so is everyone else! If the country was in such jeopardy, luxuries like paying someone to clean your pool would be the first to go!

So, turn off the Media, put on your entrepreneur face, go out and make some money. Don’t fall into the trap of feeling sorry for a country that isn’t in financial ruin like some would like you to believe.

Be original – Don’t believe the HYPE!

What’s in a business name? Does the name matter? Does your business name need to be catchy?

Yes to all…sort of…well, not really. Keep Reading….

You’re such a genius. How come nobody else has thought of these names? Well, they have dummy! Don’t worry you’re not as dumb as they are; you’re at least reading this article.

I don’t mean to be a complete party pooper on this subject but I feel it’s my duty to get you pointed in the right direction when it comes to starting your Pool Cleaning Business. It just so happens that “Naming your new Pool Cleaning Service” is not where you should be starting. However, I know the excitement is brewing inside your little entrepreneurial head, so let’s talk about it.

The first thing you need to do is take a look at the industries leading Pool Care Directory: Gander at the companies listed in your state.

Now scroll down quickly and glance at the names of all of those pool business names and come back to this article.

Without glancing back at the directory, jot down the names that you remembered.

I jotted down “Wizard Pools” and “Pink Flamingo Pools”. Why did these names stand out from the rest? Let’s see if I can explain:

You’re about to be submersed into the Pool Cleaning World where everyone is fighting for a similar business name. Do yourself a favor, grow a sense of humor, find “your pink flamingo”, slap it on the side of your pool truck, and start winning the hearts and wallets of your customers!

With more supply than there is demand, the real estate industry has become fiercely competitive. Anyone who's recently bought or sold a home is probably familiar with the term "curb appeal." It's real estate lingo for how attractive a house looks when you view it while driving by in your car. Curb appeal can include backyards too, particularly when they're visible from the street.

A filthy pool brimming over with stagnant green water doesn't exactly have a lot of curb appeal. Yet, with the massive number of foreclosures on the market, it's become a fairly common sight. If they want to have any chance of selling those babies, real estate agents need help from a pool cleaner – and they need it fast.

For example, imagine Joe and Sally Homebuyer touring a beautiful 3 bedroom, 2 bath home in a nice subdivision. They're quite charmed by the place…that is, until they're attacked by a swarm of mosquitoes as soon as they set foot in the backyard. Sally and Joe will be out the door quicker than their real estate agent can say "down payment." That's exactly the kind of picture you need to paint when you speak with these businesses.

Consider bringing along some pictures to help illustrate your point. Take a photo of a backyard with a clean, sparkling pool. Then take a photo of a backyard with a pool that's filled with dead bugs and growing bacteria. Ask the simple question: as a potential buyer, which of these homes would you be more interested in viewing?

As for choosing which real estate agents and property management companies to approach, you can go one of two ways – or both if you really want to rake in some dough! One way is to make a note of any vacant homes you see with dirty pools. Find out what agent or company is responsible for it and speak to them about that specific house. Another way is the preemptive strike. Make appointments with as many property management companies and real estate agents as you can and let them know you're the one to go to when they need a pool cleaner.

Odds are slim that any other pool cleaner has already reached out to them. As long as you make a good impression, you should definitely be the first person they think of when they've got a dirty pool to deal with.

Portable pool vacuum cleaners: a must-have