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People purchase hot tubs for many different reasons, including health benefits, therapeutic massage, and overall relaxation.

Regardless of the motivation to purchase, hot tub users want their ownership experience to be as easy and trouble-free as possible. However, due to the hot water and aeration that are key elements to hot tubs, their maintenance can be challenging. Therefore, establishing an effective maintenance routine that includes testing the water regularly is key to keeping them clean, clear, and ready for use. Many hot tub owners are unaware of the challenges phosphates can cause. Consistently testing for and removing phosphates is important to ensuring an effective hot tub water maintenance program.

Read full article at Pool and Spa Marketing: https://www.poolspamarketing.com/trade/the-importance-of-testing-and-removing-phosphates/print/

When closing pools, the goal is to make the spring opening as smooth as possible. When it comes to keeping the water clean and clear, the industry knows the pool filter is key. Water treatment products help keep pools clean, but even chemical manufacturers agree, if the filter is not working properly, these products cannot provide clean and clear water alone.

Keeping filters in tip-top shape will make pool openings much faster and easier for service professionals in the spring. To do so, it is important to get back to basics and review how sand, diatomaceous earth (DE), and cartridge filters work. More importantly, pool professionals need to remember how the pump feeds water into these filters. Understanding the relationship between the pump and filter gets to the heart of obtaining clean and clear water.

Read full article here: https://www.poolspamarketing.com/general/how-to-winterize-filters-proper-pool-closing-methods-to-ensure-better-spring-openings/print/

By: Pool and Spa Marketing

Looking at the current national and global situation, one can conclude that end-consumers are emotional and scared for their health, families, and finances. That said, for many, it is the term ‘staycation’ that sounds more appealing now than ever before, and this presents good news for the pool and spa industry.

In fact, the travel industry has been hit hard by the pandemic and, when some normalcy returns, many families are going to look for ways to justify staying home—and what better way to do so than by having a relaxing oasis in their backyard? These families will not have to worry about any possible backlash of COVID-19. They can spend more time as a family together creating memories, and if something like this ever happens again, they will actually look forward to some extra vacation time while knowing their family is safe.

Read the full article here: https://www.poolspamarketing.com/trade/the-pool-and-spa-industry-after-covid-19/print/

Everyone has a preference in competitive markets: Burger King versus McDonald’s, Walmart versus Amazon and even the hot tubs in your showroom are the brand you prefer over others. And in the world of chlorine versus bromine, the competition is likewise fierce.

Read the full article at: https://sparetailer.com/pick-a-side/

By: Spa Retailer Magazine

To understand saltwater pool chemistry, one must start by trying to identify the facts from fiction. Many misconceptions stem from a lack of knowledge around the chemistry of saltwater pools. The most common misunderstanding about such pool types is that they are fundamentally different and do not use chlorine as a sanitizer. In reality, saltwater pools use a special process to create free available chlorine, but require similar products to maintain water quality.

Saltwater pools experience many of the same problems that befall traditional pools, which use chlorine as the primary sanitizer. That said, there are some attributes that require attention in all saltwater pools, especially due to the unique way the sanitizer is produced. This includes balancing the pH, maintaining chlorine residual, battling algae, and preventing scale. Each one of these potential issues can be frustrating for a pool owner, but they can be prevented with proper maintenance.

Read full article here:  https://www.poolspamarketing.com/trade/beginner-guide-saltwater-pool-chemistry/print/

By Pool and Spa Marketing

Over the past few years, pool professionals have learned that going ‘green’ can significantly lower a pool’s operating costs. Pumps and filters are among the items most scrutinized due to the vast amount of energy they consume. To reduce costs associated with water circulation and filtration it is important to understand why pumps and filters consume large amounts of energy and what options are available to lower consumption—factors that also extend a pump’s motor life. This article will provide a few easy-to-follow steps to help pool professionals determine the best way to extend the life of their pump motors and reduce operational costs by installing variable-frequency drives (VFDs).

By Pool and Spa Marketing: https://www.poolspamarketing.com/trade/save-energy-and-extend-equipment-life-with-variable-frequency-drives/print/

Almost every aquatics industry professional has likely heard stories about the use of enzymes in water maintenance and for solving water quality problems. Many have also probably asked themselves along the way what, exactly, are enzymes? In performing a quick Google search on the word itself, one would likely come across the following Wikipedia answer:

Enzymes are large biological molecules responsible for the thousands of chemical interconversions that sustain life. They are highly selective catalysts, greatly accelerating both the rate and specificity of metabolic reactions from the digestion of food to the synthesis of deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA). Most enzymes are proteins, although some catalytic ribonucleic acid (RNA) molecules have been identified. Enzymes[2] adopt a specific three-dimensional structure, and may employ organic (e.g. biotin [vitamin H or coenzyme R]) and inorganic (e.g. magnesium ion) cofactors to assist in catalysis.

If this description seems a bit confusing, do not be alarmed. After scrolling down a little further, and conducting a web query on what enzymes really do, one can actually yield a much more simple description. For example:

In enzymatic reactions, the molecules at the beginning of the process, called substrates, are converted into different molecules, called products. Almost all chemical reactions in a biological cell need enzymes in order to occur at rates sufficient for life. Since enzymes are selective for their substrates and speed up only a few reactions from among many possibilities, the set of enzymes made in a cell[3] determines which metabolic pathways occur in that cell.

By Pool and Spa Marketing

Many are familiar with the (not so glamorous) expression that hot tubs are communal baths. When a bather gets into a hot tub, waste from their body stays behind in the water. This includes dead skin cells, sweat, dirt, oil, lotions, perfumes, colognes, makeup, and more. While a lot of what is left behind is usually harmless, this type of contamination is the primary concern when it comes to maintaining the overall quality of the water.

To ensure the client’s hot tub water stays clean and safe, service techs must take adequate measures to keep spas clean, both inside and out. Further, to keep the water in bathing condition, spa owners should be educated on proper maintenance between service calls.

Read the full article at Pool and Spa Marketing: https://www.poolspamarketing.com/trade/features/treating-spas-like-pools-could-get-service-techs-in-hot-water-best-practices-to-ensure-proper-hot-tub-maintenance/print/

If one lives and works in an area that experiences the severity of winter, chances are they already know the steps they need to take to prepare themselves for the season. Coats and scarves come out of the closets, and heavier blankets are placed on bedsides. Thermostats are turned on and tuned to keep the chill out of the air. Recipes for hot and hearty meals begin to come into rotation. Just as one would organize their home in preparation for the season, pool pros need to service and winterize pool heaters for the cold weather.

The same warm water that provides comfort during the summer can quickly turn into the enemy when temperatures drop. Electric, gas, and electronic components can easily get damaged or destroyed if they are not properly prepared as freezing water will expand and damage heat exchangers, piping, and internal controls. Therefore, it is important pool heaters are serviced and maintained so when it comes time to open again in the spring, the systems are operational and running.

Continue reading at Pool and Spa Marketing: https://www.poolspamarketing.com/trade/features/best-practices-for-maintaining-outdoor-pool-heating-systems/