Guides for pool service pros

Dosing, pricing, buying routes, handling locked gates and running a route day with no signal. Written for owner-operators and small crews.

Water chemistry

• Calcium Hardness and Scale in Pools, With DosesRaise calcium hardness with calcium chloride, lower it by dilution, and spot scale early, with a dose chart and a worked 20,000 gallon example.
• Pool Chlorine Types Compared for Service TechsLiquid chlorine, cal hypo, trichlor and dichlor compared by dose, CYA added and side effects, with worked dose and CYA examples.
• Combined Chlorine and Breakpoint ChlorinationMeasure combined chlorine, calculate the breakpoint FC target at 10 times CC and dose it, with a chart and a worked 15,000 gallon example.
• Green Pool Cleanup Steps With Chlorine DosesA step-by-step green pool cleanup plan with a shock-level table by CYA, liquid chlorine and cal hypo doses and a worked 20,000 gallon example.
• High CYA in a Pool and What to Do About ItHow to confirm high cyanuric acid, work out the dilution percentage and plan the drain and refill, with a worked 15,000 gallon example.
• How Much Muriatic Acid to Lower Pool pH (Dose Chart)Dose chart for 31.45% muriatic acid by pool size to lower pH and total alkalinity, with two worked examples and safe pouring steps.
• Metal Stains in Pools and How to Treat ThemIdentify iron, copper and manganese pool stains by color and source, run a quick test and follow a treatment order with a worked example.
• Phosphates in Pools and When They MatterWhen to test pool phosphates, when to skip treatment, and how to scale a remover dose by volume, with a worked illustrative example.
• Pool Chemistry Cheat Sheet for Service TechsTarget ranges, dose amounts per 10,000 gallons and a worked 18,000 gallon example, built to read on your phone at the pool.
• How to Raise Pool Alkalinity With Baking SodaBaking soda dose chart by pool size, a worked trichlor plaster pool example and when to use soda ash instead for low pH.
• Salt Pool Service Chemistry and Weekly RoutineSalt, CYA and FC targets for salt chlorine pools, a salt-add worked example and a weekly stop routine for owner-operators.
• Saturation Index Explained With a Worked LSI ExampleCalculate the Langelier Saturation Index with factor tables, see what moves it and fix a negative reading on a plaster pool.

Running a route

• Buying a Pool Route and What to Check Before You PayA due diligence checklist for buying a pool route, with the records to request, how to test the numbers and the legal and tax questions for your pros.
• Chemicals Included or Billed for Weekly Pool ServiceCompare flat-price, billed-at-cost and hybrid chemical models for weekly pool service, with a worked cost example and how to track what each pool uses.
• How to Get Your First 50 Pool AccountsA practical plan to win your first 50 weekly pool accounts, with the math for how many estimates you need, where leads come from and how to avoid bad ones.
• Hiring Your First Pool Tech, a Practical ChecklistA practical checklist for hiring your first pool tech, with a labor cost worked example, skills check, training plan and legal points to confirm locally.
• How Many Pools Can One Tech Service Per Day?Work out how many pools one tech can service in a day from stop time, drive time and fixed blocks. Worked example you can rerun with your numbers.
• Locked Gates and Skipped Stops, a Pool Route PolicySet a clear policy for locked gates and skipped pool stops, with a step-by-step sequence at the gate, billing options and sample wording for customers.
• Pool Service Contract Checklist for Small CompaniesA checklist of what a weekly pool service agreement should cover, from scope and billing to access, extras and cancellation. Review with a local attorney.
• Pool Service Insurance Basics and Questions to AskA plain list of the coverage types pool service owners ask agents about, what to bring to the meeting and the questions to ask. Not insurance advice.
• How to Price Weekly Pool Service on Your RouteSet a weekly pool service price from your time, drive minutes, chemical cost and pay target. Worked example you can rerun with your own numbers.
• Raise Pool Service Prices Without Losing CustomersLearn the break-even math for a pool service price increase, when to raise, how to write the notice and the mistakes that make customers leave.
• Route Density and How to Build a Tight Pool RouteRoute density is how close your stops sit to each other. Learn to measure drive minutes, price outliers and take new pools that tighten your route.
• How to Value a Pool Route Before Making an OfferValue a pool route with a payback method you control. Verify revenue, subtract your cost to serve, model churn and set a ceiling price. Example included.

Software and offline

• Pool Service Customer Message TemplatesCopy-ready text and email templates for pool service customers. Visit done, locked gate, equipment issue, weather delay, price change and green pool.
• Export Your Customer Data from Pool SoftwareWhat to ask before you sign up for pool route software, how to test a data export, and a checklist so you can always leave with your customers.
• Flat Price vs Per-Pool Software PricingHow to compare flat monthly and per-pool pricing for pool route software, with worked math on made-up prices and a way to find your break-even.
• What an Offline Route App Needs for Pool ServiceOffline-first versus server-first pool route apps, what each does with no signal, and an airplane mode test to run before you commit.
• Phone Setup for Pool Techs on the RoutePractical iPhone settings and gear for pool techs. Battery, storage, heat, wet hands, lock screen and backups, with a one-page setup checklist.
• Photo Proof for Pool Service VisitsWhich photos to take at pool stops, how to frame them, how to protect customer privacy, and what to ask any app about photo storage.
• Pool Service Software for Small CompaniesHow a 1 to 3 person pool company can evaluate route software. The jobs it must do, the questions to ask, and a one-week trial plan.
• Route Order Basics for Pool ServiceHow to sequence pool stops to cut drive time and still hit gate windows. Rules, a worked example with made-up minutes, and what route software should do.
• What to Include in a Pool Service ReportA checklist for the pool service report customers get after each visit, with a sample, what to leave out, and common mistakes to avoid.
• Move from a Spreadsheet to a Pool Route AppA step-by-step plan to move a pool route from a spreadsheet to an app. Clean your columns, test a small import, run both for two weeks, then switch.
• Storing Gate Codes Safely for Pool ServiceHow to store customer gate codes with consent, limit who can see them, and handle a lost phone or a tech who leaves your company.
• Working with No Cell Signal on a Pool RouteHow to run a pool route when signal drops. Night-before prep, what to capture offline, sync habits, and a simple paper fallback for bad days.

Equipment and field

• Cartridge, DE and Sand Filter Cleaning StepsStep-by-step cleaning for cartridge, DE and sand pool filters, with pressure cues, safety steps and the mistakes that shorten filter life.
• Pool Heater Won't Fire? Checks and When to StopWhat to check when a gas pool heater will not fire, which checks are safe for a route tech, and when to stop and call a licensed gas or electrical pro.
• Pool Chemical Transport Safety in a Service TruckPractical habits for carrying pool chemicals, where to find the rules that apply to you, and how to use the label and SDS before you load the truck.
• Pool Closing Checklist for Winterizing PoolsA pool closing and winterizing checklist for freezing climates, with water prep, line blowouts, equipment drains and electrical and gas stop points.
• Pool Opening Checklist for Service CompaniesA spring pool opening checklist in working order, from cover removal to first chemical balance, with a dosing example and GFCI stop points.
• Pool Service Truck Setup and Chemical StorageHow to set up a pool service truck or van so chemicals, tools and spares are safe, easy to reach and restocked on par levels from your own logs.
• Pool Pump Not Priming? Check These Causes in OrderWhy a pool pump will not prime, the checks to run in order from easy to hard, and the electrical signs that mean stop and call a licensed pro.
• How to Clean a Salt Cell Without Damaging ItWhen to clean a salt chlorine generator cell, how to inspect it, how to acid wash it safely, and when to leave the work to the maker or an electrician.
• Weekly Pool Service Checklist for Route TechsA stop-by-stop weekly pool service checklist in the order that saves steps, with a dosing example and the mistakes that cause callbacks.

Route day scenarios

• First Day for a New Pool Tech, Hour by HourA sample first-day plan for a new pool service tech, with a ride-along schedule, safety orientation, phone setup and an end-of-day check you can reuse.
• Locked Pool Gate? A Ten-Minute Plan for Your RouteA walk-through of a locked gate at a weekly pool stop, with a minute-by-minute plan, what never to do, and the setup that makes the decision easy.
• Rain Week Pool Route Reschedule PlanHow to rebuild a pool route after a week of storms, with a priority table, make-up day math, post-rain checks and the lightning and electrical stop points.