Cheat sheet
Pool chemistry
| Reading | Target |
|---|---|
| Free chlorine | 2 to 4 ppm |
| Combined chlorine | Under 0.5 ppm |
| pH | 7.4 to 7.6 |
| Total alkalinity | 80 to 120 ppm |
| Calcium hardness | 200 to 400 ppm |
| Cyanuric acid | 30 to 50, salt 60 to 80 |
| Salt | 2500 to 3500, confirm brand |
| Phosphates | Monitor 1000, treat 2000 ppb |
Spa chemistry, where it differs
| Reading | Spa |
|---|---|
| Free chlorine | 3 to 5 ppm, higher |
| Bromine | 4 to 6 ppm |
| Combined chlorine | 0 ppm, stricter |
| Calcium hardness | 150 to 250 ppm, lower |
| Max temperature | 104 degrees, hard limit |
| Drain and refill | Every 3 to 4 months |
pH and working chlorine
| pH | Chlorine working |
|---|---|
| 7.2 | About two thirds |
| 7.5 | About half |
| 7.8 | About one third |
| 8.0 | About a quarter |
Same reading on the test. Different killing power.
Symptom to cause
| Says | Means |
|---|---|
| Strong chlorine smell, sore eyes | Too little free chlorine |
| Chlorine fine, keeps going green | Locked stabilizer, 80 to 100 |
| Pressure high, flow weak | Dirty filter |
| Pressure low, flow weak | Starved pump, not the filter |
| Bubbles at the jets | Air leak before the pump |
| Grinding pump | Impeller or bearing, escalate |
| Clear water, yellow dust | Mustard algae |
| Hot tub foaming | Drain and refill |
Routing
| Bucket | Examples |
|---|---|
| Answer | Chlorine smell, phosphates never zero, green spring opening |
| Schedule | Green pool, dirty filter, mustard algae, cloudy water |
| Escalate | Freeze, power outage, hot tub over temp, grinding pump, a Florida customer draining |
Torn? Escalate.
What you may promise
- A callback within a few hours, after checking the schedule and the service department
- That chemicals are included
- That Florida weekly service emails photos and chemistry automatically
- That a Poconos green to clean is included
Never
- Advise chemical dosing over the phone
- Name an appointment day, time, or window yourself
- Quote a price, markup, or margin
- Name a subcontractor, vendor, or referral partner
- Tell a Florida customer to drain their pool
- Negotiate the 104 degree limit
Scope and areas
| Florida | Tampa, Bradenton, all Pinellas |
| Not Florida | Orlando |
| Pennsylvania | Monroe County |
| Florida property | Pool plus hot tub, or pool only. Never hot tub only |
| Leak testing | Poconos yes, Florida no |
| Escalate to | Fatima, office manager |
| Coverage | Seven days a week |
Three lines worth memorizing
- "That smell is not too much chlorine, it is a sign there is too little working chlorine left."
- "Your chlorine is fine, but the pH drifted up, so it is only working at about half strength."
- "A hot tub gets drained every few months as normal care. It is not a sign anything went wrong."