Another Week, Another Pool Leak!

Picture this: It's peak swimming season, your phone hasn't stopped buzzing since 6:30 AM, and every pool owner expects you to drop everything for their emergency. Welcome to the reality of professional pool maintenance, where leak detection meets customer management, and experience becomes your most valuable tool.

In this week's episode of the Talking Pools Podcast, seasoned pool professionals Shane from New Zealand and Peter from Australia pull back the curtain on what it's really like to work in the pool industry during peak season. With Peter's impressive 29 years of experience spanning everything from fiberglass manufacturing to underwater leak detection, this conversation offers a treasure trove of insights for both industry professionals and pool owners alike.

Peak Season Madness: When Everyone Needs Their Pool Yesterday

December in the Southern Hemisphere means one thing for pool professionals: absolute chaos. As Peter explains, the season brings a flood of new inquiries alongside the inevitable green pools that should have been sorted months earlier. But what's particularly challenging this year is the increasingly demanding nature of customers.

I had one on the phone this morning. Oh, is there any chance I need my, pull up my rental property serviced? It's in the contract and it needs to be done. I said, look, in your area, I can make it out there at the start of November... And she said, oh, well, what about next week? I said, no, I'm fully booked... there seems to be some confusion about the term fully booked.

— Peter, Talking Pools Podcast

This scenario highlights a critical reality for pool service professionals: success breeds its own challenges. When customers ask for referrals to available technicians, Peter's response is telling and practical. The best professionals are fully booked during peak season – if someone has immediate availability during the busiest time of year, that itself might be a red flag.

For pool owners, this translates to an important lesson: plan ahead. The professionals you want to work with are typically booked weeks or even months in advance during peak season. Last-minute requests, especially with demanding timelines, often reflect poor planning rather than genuine emergencies.

Diving Deep: The Art and Science of Leak Detection

While customer management presents one set of challenges, the technical side of pool maintenance brings its own complexities. Shane's recent work involving underwater leak detection showcases the physical demands and technical expertise required in modern pool service.

Recent leak detection jobs have revealed a troubling pattern: pools resurfaced without proper attention to critical components. In one case, a pool resurfaced 18 months prior still had its original hydrostatic valve – a component that should have been replaced during the resurfacing process.

When I went down and dived to the bottom, you could see that the hydro looked like it was the original. The gasket inside had just swollen up. It was, you know, as you rub your finger on the rubber part, it's, you know, the black colours coming off in your hand.

— Shane, Talking Pools Podcast

This discovery points to a broader issue in pool resurfacing: the tendency to focus on the visible improvements while neglecting critical infrastructure components. Every pool professional the hosts know makes multiple site visits – initial assessment, quote delivery, and work execution. During that initial assessment, identifying components like hydrostatic valves that need replacement should be standard practice.

The consequences of this oversight extend beyond immediate repair costs. For vinyl liner pools especially, avoiding future draining is crucial, making upfront component replacement even more important.

When Kids Turn Pool Poles Into Weapons: Unusual Damage Cases

Not all pool problems stem from equipment failure or poor maintenance. Sometimes, the most expensive damage comes from the most unexpected sources. Shane recently encountered a case that perfectly illustrates how quickly pool enjoyment can turn into costly repairs.

A routine service call revealed water levels well below the skimmer box, making normal service impossible. Investigation revealed multiple crescent-shaped holes in the vinyl liner, each about an inch in diameter – exactly matching the size of a telescopic pool pole. The culprits? Kids who had discovered that pool poles make excellent pole vaulting equipment.

Talking to them, what had happened, their kids had been using it kind of like a pole vault and putting these little holes in the vinyl liner. Do you reckon those kids got in trouble? I've never heard parents shout at their kids so much.

— Shane, Talking Pools Podcast

This case highlights the importance of establishing clear pool rules and supervision. While pools are meant for enjoyment, the equipment around them isn't necessarily designed for creative play. The damage was so extensive that repair wasn't feasible – only complete liner replacement would solve the problem.

For pool owners, this serves as a reminder that prevention is always cheaper than repair. Clear guidelines about appropriate pool activities and proper supervision can save thousands in repair costs.

From Family Business to Industry Evolution: A 29-Year Journey

Understanding today's pool industry requires appreciating how far it has come. Peter's journey began in a family fiberglass pool manufacturing business, starting with basic tasks like floor sweeping and carpet vacuuming before progressing to pool maintenance and technical work.

The early days were markedly different from today's approach. Traditional wisdom focused on basics: "acid and chlorine or acid and salt's all you need." However, the early 1990s brought a revolution in understanding through formal training programs.

It was around the early 90s, I did my first training course. And it was just a two-day course. But in that, I learned about balancing water. I learned about the way sanitizers work, the way certain bits of equipment work, like how a saltwater chlorinator generates chlorine. And this, to me, that really appealed to the way I think.

— Peter, Talking Pools Podcast

This shift from basic chemical addition to comprehensive water balancing represents a fundamental evolution in pool care. Modern pool maintenance considers multiple factors: sanitizer effectiveness, pH balance, alkalinity, calcium hardness, and their interactions. Understanding these relationships enables more effective troubleshooting and preventive maintenance.

The family business environment also instilled values increasingly rare in today's workforce. Peter's experience with "chucking a sickie" (taking sick days when not actually sick) illustrates the work ethic that family businesses often demand and develop.

The Technical Side: From Installation to Maintenance

Peter's comprehensive experience extends beyond service to installation, providing insights into how proper pool installation affects long-term maintenance needs. The installation process involves precise excavation, often using specialized equipment like skid steer loaders (known as bobcats in some regions).

Excavation quality directly impacts pool longevity and maintenance requirements. Different operators excel at different tasks – some master the precise work required for pool installation, while others better handle large-scale land clearing. This specialization recognition helps ensure optimal results.

The evolution from theodolites to laser levels for measuring excavation depth illustrates ongoing technological improvements in pool installation. These advances improve precision while reducing labor requirements, ultimately benefiting both installers and pool owners.

Modern installation also involves comprehensive handovers, where new owners receive instruction on basic pool maintenance principles. This education component helps prevent many common problems that arise from misunderstanding pool care fundamentals.

Lessons for Pool Owners and Industry Professionals

The insights shared in this episode offer valuable guidance for both pool owners and industry professionals. For pool owners, understanding the seasonal demands on service professionals helps set realistic expectations. Planning maintenance and repairs during off-peak periods often results in better service and pricing.

The leak detection experiences highlight the importance of comprehensive resurfacing that addresses all pool components, not just visible surfaces. When hiring contractors, asking specifically about component replacement during resurfacing can prevent future problems.

For industry professionals, Peter's career trajectory demonstrates the value of comprehensive training and continuous learning. The evolution from basic chemical treatment to water balancing science shows how professional development directly impacts service quality and troubleshooting effectiveness.

The work ethic discussion, while culturally specific, raises important questions about professional reliability and customer service standards. In an industry where peak season demands can be overwhelming, maintaining high service standards requires both personal discipline and effective business management.

As the pool industry continues evolving, balancing traditional values like strong work ethic with modern understanding of water chemistry and equipment operation creates the foundation for professional success. Whether you're a pool owner seeking reliable service or a professional building your career, these insights provide valuable guidance for navigating the complex world of pool maintenance and repair.

Episode Chapters

• 00:00 Introduction and Peak Season Challenges
• 05:30 Customer Management and Booking Issues
• 08:45 Leak Detection and Diving Work
• 12:20 Hydrostatic Valve Problems in Resurfaced Pools
• 15:10 Kids and Pool Pole Damage Case
• 18:30 Peter's 29-Year Industry Journey
• 22:15 Family Business Work Ethic
• 26:40 Evolution from Basic Chemicals to Water Balancing
• 30:20 Pool Installation and Equipment Operation