Industry news, training & life on the road

Earn your Certified Pool Operator (CPO) certification from the comfort of your own home with our 1-Day Virtual Fusion/Hybrid course on December 6, 2025!This class is taught by instructor David Rockwell, part of our powerhouse instructor team with a combined 260 years of industry experience.With small class sizes, you get more personal attention, high-quality instruction, and insights you simply won’t find anywhere else.✔️ Learn from real industry experts✔️ Easier than ever — take the course from home✔️ Best-in-class instruction with decades of knowledge behind it👉 Register here:https://cpocertified.com/event/december-6-2026-sat-1-day-virtual-

Hi! I’m new to the POOLDECK and very excited to make some connections here! My name is Danielle Bahr. I am the owner/Director of SPPA- Swimming Pool Pro Alliance and Bahr Insurance Agency. I was born into the pool industry, as my parents own a highly successful pool business. My passion for the pool industry runs deep, ingrained in me from a young age through the experiences and values instilled by my family's business. I have been providing insurance coverage for pool professionals for over two decades, with a strong track record of ensuring their protection. Ten years ago, I initiated the SPPA program, a testament to my commitment to elevating standards within the industry and offering specialized insurance solutions tailored to the unique needs of pool professionals. Through the SPPA program, we provide General Liability insurance customized specifically for pool professionals, safeguarding their business and livelihoods. The SPPA program offers three

Is the app having issues? I can’t sync, and I can’t even send a diagnostics report. But I have service. 🤔

Hello, looking for suggestions for commercial auto insurance.  Who do you use and are you happy with their rates, support and claims?

Hey Everyone. I didn’t expect to make this video but since the opportunity presented itself, I did, and figured I would share it with all of you. I have used this trick hundreds of times throughout the years and it really works well. Enjoy!  

 In this video I recorded a typical day for me to show you what it’s like running a pool business. Estimates, service calls, incoming and outgoing calls and some tips and tricks along the way. I’d love to hear what other types of “day in the life” videos you’d like to see.Spoiler alert: Skimmer really helped during one of the calls to defend us as a company! Enjoy! 

We have a small pool cleaning business, owner operated with 1 tech.  We cater to large property managment companies that have luxury homes with pools.  The rental rates can range from 5K to 15K per week to rent.  Some are beach or lake front.  Most have small pools.  We recently took over this account with 10 pools.  Yea right?  wrong…  Almost every other day, we get a call from management, that “the guest are not happy”  (not happy because pool was being cleaned and it “took away their pool time”.   “ The guest wanted to know “what if” they were not there when chemicals were added?:  The guest states there is debris in the pool (we go running over there and there are nats in the pool due to environment (lake front).    Pool heat needs to be on,  its 96 degrees outside.  Guests want a refund/credit because they didn’t get to be in the pool (heater was fried) as much as they wanted to.After about 2 weeks of this, I called the managment company and let them know we needed to st

Hi Pool Deck Alum - needing to get opinions on pool poles - gathering up equipment and supplies to get this BBG pool service in action - cost is not a problem, but would like opinions on all the other factors that helped you in your pole decisions …In addition, being here in the Sarasota county, Florida area, the pool suppliers we have access to (SCP/PWP/Gormans) - are they all completive on pricing - any pros & cons on these guys ??? Just to pass on a note of sincerity - shot across the state yesterday to West Palm to purchase a “Ripetide” pool cleaner - David and his staff went out of their way and spent 2 1/2 hours explaining all the ins and outs about their products - its a no bullshit atmosphere - true experiences with the whole industry - felt like I went to pool  school there - all the staff was so helpful and you can tell, they love working for David - everybody does their job and does it well - such a great product in my opinion …..

Hello everyone, my name is Michael Camarena, owner of Pacific Valor Pool Services in San Diego. I’m a Certified Pool & Spa Operator (CPO), and my business focuses on providing reliable, professional weekly pool care. My services include skimming, brushing, vacuum sweeping, water chemistry balancing, and routine equipment checks to keep pools safe, clean, and ready to enjoy year-round.I also use Skimmer software, which helps me provide transparent service reports, photo documentation, and complete history tracking for each customer.I joined this network to connect with other pool professionals, share knowledge, and continue building best practices that raise the standard of service in our industry.Looking forward to collaborating and learning from you all!— Michael CamarenaPacific Valor Pool Services

🌊 Get Certified as a Pool Operator – From Anywhere! 🌊📅 Date: Saturday, September 14, 2025👨‍🏫 Instructor: Dan Waxman💻 Format: Virtual Fusion Hybrid (self-paced online + live Zoom review + online exam)Get your Certified Pool Operator (CPO) certification in a convenient one-day virtual class! Start with self-paced online learning, then join Dan Waxman live on Zoom for a review and proctored exam.✅ Learn from home✅ Official PHTA certification✅ Perfect for pool pros, HOA managers, and facility staff🔗 Register now:https://www.spacecoastpoolschool.com/event/september-14-2025-sat-1-day-virtual-fusion-cpo/📢 Spots fill up fast—reser

Hi Folks - getting ready to launch my new pool service here in Nokomis, Florida - September 1, 2025 - crossing over from 38 years of the lawn & Landscape maintenance industry - learning the pool chemicals is the most difficult aspect - what podcasts can I watch to gather information about this - or where can I gain knowledge of the chemical situation to maintain good balance in pools and troubleshoot water problems - just completed my CPO course last weekend which helped, but still a long way to go….

Hey everyone! I’m curious to hear from the California companies primarily NorCal. What your hourly rate is for repairs? We charge $125.00 / hr but I’ve been thinking about raising it. I have a friend that owns a pool company out in San Jose and he said his labor rate is $100/hr. That seems too low to me and honestly even $125.00 /hr seems a little low. I was thinking of raising it in the fall. Just wanted to check in with others out around my area and see what you’re getting.  thank you in advance.  mike,

Summer is always the toughest stretch for pool service professionals like me.Here in the middle of the season, the heat is relentless — day after day in the Southwest Florida sun, moving from stop to stop, making sure every pool is safe, clean, and balanced for my customers.That’s why winning a Yeti cooler from The Skimmer Pool Deck’s first birthday sweepstakes couldn’t have come at a better time. I wanted to write about it because while it’s always important to focus on your customers’ pool safety at all times, it’s equally important to focus on your own safety, especially this time of year.Staying hydrated and keeping my core temperature regulated isn’t optional in this business; it’s survival. Heat exhaustion is a real danger when you’re in and out of service stops and on the road all day. Having ice-cold water and electrolytes close at hand in the Yeti makes a big difference: I’m not constantly stopping at convenience stores, and the drinks actually stay cold

I’m sure you all have seen that viral AI gorilla all over the internet. I created a video of him being a pool cleaner for a day. I hope you all get some laughs from it. I have more AI gorilla content coming as well for the pool industry haha.