The Pool Guy Podcast Show
In this podcast I cover everything swimming pool care-related from chemistry to automatic cleaners and equipment. I focus on the pool service side of things and also offer tips to homeowners. There are also some great interviews with guests from inside the industry.
Episodes
1924 episodes
Why “Shocking” Your Pool Isn’t a One-Time Fix
“Shock the pool” is one of the most overused phrases in pool care, and it causes a lot of bad advice. We walk through what shocking really is: raising free chlorine to a level that actually matches the pool’s chlorine demand, then giving it tim...
Amaze Your Customer on Your Pool Route!
A green pool can make a customer feel defeated, but for a skilled pool service pro it can become the moment they finally trust you for weekly service. I’m breaking down the “amazing moments” that turn chaos into clarity, starting with the two g...
Zero Chlorine: Why You Can’t Trust Breakpoint Math Alone
Zero free chlorine is not a small problem, it’s the moment a pool can start compounding into cloudiness, chloramines, and an algae bloom. We break down what’s really happening when a pool “zeroes out,” why filtration can suddenly struggle, and ...
Salt Cell Problems? Here’s What’s REALLY Going On
Your saltwater pool can look perfect on the surface while the sanitizer quietly drops to zero, and when that happens most people blame the salt level. I go straight to the real weak link: the salt chlorine generator cell. After 35 years in the ...
Cal Hypo Tablets in Real Pool Situations
High cyanuric acid can turn a perfectly maintained pool into a weekly battle where chlorine “won’t hold” and algae feels one step away. I walk through a practical option many pool pros consider when CYA gets out of control: switching from trich...
Low-Chlo: The Future of Pools with Founder Todd Guarino
Salt pools get marketed like a break from chlorine, but the truth is simpler: a salt system is still a chlorine factory, and many homeowners end up swimming in higher chlorine than they realize. We sit down with Todd Garino, founder of the Low-...
Think All Pool Acids Are the Same? Think Again
Your pool pH keeps climbing, you add “the right” amount of acid, and nothing changes. That’s not always a mystery problem, it’s often a measurement problem. We walk through what muriatic acid strength really means, how Baumé ties to concentrati...
Surprising Pool Chemical Reactions Every Pool Pro Should Know
Pool chemistry gets called “simple” right up until a clear pool turns milky, a filter pressure gauge shoots up, or a perfectly good cartridge comes out feeling like it turned to stone. We move fast through the most common chemical misconception...
The Ultimate Pool Route Start Checklist
Your pool route doesn’t fall apart because you “forgot something big.” It falls apart because you didn’t have the small, everyday essentials when a simple problem showed up at the worst possible stop. We break down what we keep on a pool servic...
Surviving Extreme Heat on the Pool Route
The heat doesn’t just make pool work uncomfortable, it changes the job. When the forecast locks in at 105 to 110 degrees, your energy drops, your patience gets thinner, and your risk of mistakes climbs. We break down how to approach extreme sum...
Green Pool: The Hidden Problems You Need to Spot
A green pool can be the fastest way to add new customers or the easiest way to get burned. We walk through the decision making that separates a profitable green pool cleanup from a job that eats your time, chemicals, and patience, starting with...
Rainbow Chlorinator Tips and Tricks: Maintenance Made Simple
One wrong move with a tablet chlorinator can leave you coughing, gagging, and wondering what just hit you. We break down the Pentair Rainbow Chlorinator from a pool service pro’s point of view, including the safety habits that matter most when ...
Pool Service Knowledge Vol 4: Real-World Fixes & Lessons
The fastest way to level up as a pool service pro is to steal the little “route truths” that only show up after years in the field. We walk through Pool Guy knowledge volume four with practical pool maintenance tips that cut callbacks, reduce e...
Pool Finishes Explained: Which One is Best for You?
Your pool finish isn’t just a color choice, it’s a long-term decision that affects durability, comfort, staining, and how forgiving your water chemistry will be. I walk through the most common pool surface types and explain what I see out in th...
YT Pool Questions: Cleaner Stuck, Priming Speed & CircuPool
Your pool equipment is probably not “broken” the setup is. We dig into the kind of questions that hit my inbox all the time and give the field-tested fixes that actually save you hours: why a Phoenix 4X or Hayward Aquanaut suction side cleaner ...
Pool Service Knowledge Every Tech Should Know – Vol 3
A pool system can look “broken” when it really just needs a reset, and that one detail can save you a ton of time on a route. We break down a field-proven troubleshooting habit that fixes a surprising number of problems: shutting off power to a...
How to Add Extra Work Without Losing Your Sanity
A packed pool route can feel like success until you realize there’s no room left to grow. We walk through a practical way to add high-demand pool services like green to clean, one-time cleanups, filter cleaning, and acid washes without sacrific...
Generic vs Premium Salt Systems: What You Need to Know
Salt cell replacement should be a quick fix, but the pricing and quality gap between OEM parts and online “generic” options can turn it into a costly decision. We break down how we think about saltwater chlorine generator choices when you are l...
Stop Wasting Time: Pool Route Optimization Guide
Your pool service route doesn’t have to feel like a daily sprint that ends in burnout. I walk through how I speed up a pool route the right way by protecting the golden rule: never move so fast that you sacrifice pool cleaning quality, water ba...
The Smart Way to Offer Pool Service Options
Flat monthly pool service pricing sounds simple until trichlor tablets jump in cost, gas hits $6+ a gallon, and you realize you’re absorbing every surprise the market throws at you. I walk through a smarter, more flexible approach: tiered pool ...
What Nobody Tells You About Starting Pool Service
Pool service looks like a water job, but it’s really a people job, and that’s where most new pool techs get blindsided. We break down the unglamorous realities of starting a pool cleaning business: the long hours working alone, the emotional gr...
Why Pros Install Automatic Cleaners on Every Pool
If you’ve ever hesitated to recommend an automatic pool cleaner because you’re worried the customer will think you’re “not doing enough,” this conversation flips that mindset fast. I walk through why automatic cleaners don’t replace professiona...
Pool Not Running? Start Here
You’re having a smooth route, then you open a gate and everything is wrong: no surface movement, debris sitting still, and water that looks like it hasn’t circulated in days. We break down how we troubleshoot a pool that’s not running without s...
How to Identify Unprofitable Pool Customers
Some pool accounts don’t just take time, they take your peace. If you’ve ever pulled up to a stop and felt your stomach drop, there’s usually a reason: the customer is difficult, the pool is a nightmare to access, or the property is a leaf fact...
The Small Details That Quietly Kill Pool Route Profits
One missed step can turn a profitable pool route into a week of unpaid catch-up. I’m breaking down the “small stuff” that quietly costs pool service techs real money: getting pulled out of your routine, forgetting chlorine tablets or a planned ...
