Resource Center

  1. A beginner’s guide to saltwater pool troubleshooting

    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...
  2. Save energy and extend equipment life with variable-frequency drives

    A key feature of variable-frequency drives (VFDs) is their ability to regulate the power going to the pump, which helps to extend the equipment life. 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...
  3. The Importance of Swimmer Hygiene

    By PHTA Recreational Water Quality Committee Most swimmers are aware of the work of pool operators in maintaining high quality water, but many fail to realize the role they play in keeping pool water safe and healthy. Swimmers can help maintain high quality pool water and reduce the spread of waterborne diseases by practicing good “swimmer hygiene.” For example, it...
  4. Supplementing swimming pool and hot tub maintenance

    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...
  5. Treating spas like pools could get service techs in hot water: Best practices to ensure proper hot tub maintenance

    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...
  6. Best practices for maintaining outdoor pool heating systems

    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...
  7. The Effects of Increasing pH in Pool/Spa Water

    In the April issue of AQUA, the members of onBalance (Que Hales, Doug Latta and Kim Skinner) wrote a piece arguing that, for pool and spa water, a hard upper pH limit of 8.0 is overly restrictive. They claimed there should not be a wasteful mandate for closing down swimming pools when the pH is 8.0 to 8.5. We received...
  8. How They Do It In Europe

    It's known as the Deutsches Institute fur Normung, or the DIN Standard, and some advocates say it's as much as 40 years ahead of the U.S. While that might be debatable, there is no question the DIN Standard for pool water treatment is very different from the model used in the U.S. It is a mandatory set of rules that is...
  9. Can I catch the virus in a pool? Your COVID-19 questions answered

    As the weather gets warmer, we're getting more questions about pool protocol. John M. wants to know if he can have his kids and grandkids come over separately to swim in his private pool. Experts say it is unlikely someone can become infected with the coronavirus by swimming in a pool. "There is no evidence that SARS-CoV-2 can survive in...
  10. The dangers of summer waters: Why safer public pools are needed as open waters become more hazardous

    Shark attacks in the ocean, an alligator attack at a manmade lake at the Walt Disney World Resort in Bay Lake, Fla., brain-eating amoeba, flesh-eating bacteria, and some of the worst Cryptosporidium outbreaks at public pools… bathers were in tough waters, whether they were enjoying the open water or a pool at an aquatic facility. In fact, due to the worldwide stage...