- - Skimmer Help Center
Events
Regional Groups

Home
Community
Industry news, training & life on the road
Life on the road

Life on the road

Share best practices, photos & funny stories from your day that only those in the pool service industry can appreciate.

28 Posts
104 Replies

When you subscribe we will email you when there is a new post in this category

28 Posts

Most replies

Most views

Newest first

JustineThe Pool Deck Community Team

published in Life on the road

Say hello & share how you got into the pool service business

Hello and a warm welcome to The Pool Deck 🤗 My name is Justine, and I am your go-to for all things community 🙌 I am super pumped to get to know more members and see the co-creation, sharing of knowledge, and learning from one another take root across all our forums, groups, and events!This Life on the road forum is about getting to know each other better and sharing stories from our day. Plus, we’ll have some contests and other posts to make you smile 😀I started building communities working in the beer business and knew I had found my calling. I love bringing together people and watching the magic unfold—whether it’s new ideas, learning, or even just a bit of fun and laughter to brighten each others’ day! I have worked in software for a while now, and when @Travis told me about Skimmer’s mission, and I learned more about the pool service industry, it was an easy YES to join this team!Meeting with Skimmer customers over the past few months has only reinforced my decision -- we have

51031

1 day ago

BlueHeartPoolsRookie Member

posted in Life on the road

Commercial Auto Insurance

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

888

2 days ago

PoolmanprosNew Member

posted in Life on the road

industry shift

In the beginning of my career, I was told to give the least amount of info to the customer, now I find myself giving too much to where the customer is a bit confused. (Thanks Google! ) I think there is a happy medium, giving enough then texting or emailing the full explanation with both sides (if there are both sides) and then having the customer decide. What's your experience or take?

652

2 days ago

code3pools_opsConversation Starter

asked in Life on the road

Grand Pools

Our area is starting to have more lavish pool designs and I was wondering what are some tips and best practices to keep them clean - especially when you cannot reach all sides. The picture below is of a pool we were recently asked to quote for cleaning services.Is it normal to get in the pool to clean it - walk on the lounge shelf? Main Pool 7’ Deep EndOverflow 15 people Spa Equipment

342

2 days ago

code3pools_opsConversation Starter

posted in Life on the road

Cool Weather in Warm Areas

With winter approaching, we know some areas, like Florida, do not face the freezing tempuratures like others.What’s your winter pool game plan? ⛄Are you keeping it operational, lowering the water level, or covering it up? If you’re winterizing, what tips or tricks work best for you in our warmer climate? Do you advise customers to run the pumps during the “freeze” nights?Drop your thoughts or plans. Let’s share ideas and help everyone get ready for the season ahead!Oh, and how many of you had tire pressure alerts this morning? HAHA

221

1 month ago

Chlorine KingSkimmer Verified Partner

asked in Life on the road

What do you lose out of your truck the most when in transit?

For me, it’s the dang Taylor test kits. I’ve launched mine like 100 times. I keep mine in the back of my riptide. I’ll be just driving along not paying attention to this camouflaged speed bumps… hit one and launch my kit all over the road. My buddy in this video was driving me to drop off one of my trucks to be wrapped and we got to launch his too ;) I’m curious to what you guys lose out of your trucks. Is it random stuff or something that seems to be consistent?

1047

1 month ago

JustineThe Pool Deck Community Team

posted in Life on the road

Live from Dallas!

If you’re at the International Pool Spa Patio Expo come and visit the Skimmer team at booth 1600!We are having a fabulous day meeting with customers…plus we have some cool swag if you stop by to say 👋

160

2 months ago

JustineThe Pool Deck Community Team

published in Life on the road

Memes That Scream Summer 2024: Submit yours now for a chance to WIN!

Summer 2024 was BUSY, and hopefully, you’re getting a chance to catch your breath and have some fun! We want to celebrate everyone’s efforts to maximize their customers’ backyard fun time with sparkling clean pools by giving away prize packs of our NEW Pool Deck swag! For a chance to win:Add the meme that best captures your summer 2024 mood to the thread below👇 Give a 👍👍👍 to the memes from other members that make you 🤣😅😍 The deadline to enter is Friday, October 4, 2024 A draw for 3 swag packs will be held from all contest entries, and winners will be notified Swag packs will include a t-shirt, buff, and water bottleWe can’t wait to see how your life on the road has been this summer 🚙☀️ PS - A HUGE thank you to @peopleops for modeling our NEW collection 😎

1206

3 months ago

nikiacostaTeam Skimmer

posted in Life on the road

Pool Spa Patio Expo Dallas 2024 - Last day for early bird registration!

The conference portion runs from November 9th -14th, and the expo hall will be open November 12th - 14th.Attend the expo portion FREE! Use Skimmer’s VIP code, 119736 when you register for yourself or your team members! And if you decide to attend, come find us in Booth #1600, right up front. We’ll be co-located with our friends from Primate Pool Tools and BluerayXL! Last Chance: PSP/Deck Expo Early Bird Rates End Tonight! Unlock the Best Rates and Exclusive Offers Before Time Runs Out. This year’s International Pool | Spa | Patio Expo™, co-located with Deck Expo, brings together professionals from across the pool, spa, patio, decking, and outdoor living industries for unparalleled education and networking. Early bird rates expire tonight—don’t wait to lock in the best deal for this must-attend event. Special Offer: If you register for GENESIS® C201: Construction School: Concrete Pools before September 30 you’ll receive a compl

180

4 months ago

Happy PoolsGeneral Member

asked in Life on the road

Stubborn Yellow Algae

Hey everyone, I am dealing with a pool that has what we think is Yellow Algae. The Chlorine level was 4.5 when we got there today and all of the rest of the chemicals were within range. We have been using yellow algaecide weekly and can’t seem to get it under control. The pump has been running 10 hrs/ day and we clean the filter regularly. This pool is on the beach so I am thinking that could be part of it. Does anyone have any magic they can recommend? Thinking I might give PoolRx a try on this one…

1418

4 months ago

nikiacostaTeam Skimmer

published in Life on the road

The International Pool Spa Patio Expo is in Dallas this year! Attend the expo free!

The International Pool Spa Patio Expo is taking place in Dallas this year, after two years in Las Vegas!The conference portion runs from November 9th -14th, and the expo hall will be open November 12th - 14th.If you’d like to attend the expo, use Skimmer’s VIP code, 119736 when you register for yourself or your team members! And if you decide to attend, come find us in Booth #1600, right up front. We’ll be co-located with our friends from Primate Pool Tools and BluerayXL! Are you attending? Let us know by leaving a comment below!

720

5 months ago

JustineThe Pool Deck Community Team

published in Life on the road

Shining a spotlight on our members 🩵

At Skimmer, we are fortunate to have amazing customers. We find inspiration in hearing their stories about how they got started in business, how they are evolving, and what keeps them motivated. So, I wanted to share our latest customer stories for a bit of summer reading that highlights two of our members in The Pool Deck @dazzlepools @ohanapoolsoffl. Their family stories and journeys of growth and learning are sure to bring a smile to your face...and give you insight into some of the talented and motivated members of our community.Enjoy!Read About Dazzle PoolsRead About Ohana Pools

391

5 months ago

DavidSPLSkimmer Verified Partner

posted in Life on the road

How to Take 4-Weeks Off Every Year

Memorial Day is just around the corner. Is this one of your days off? I am often asked if you should take these significant holidays off. It depends. If your Mondays are light, you can easily make up the pools during the week. Or if you want to skip the pools entirely, you can, but then you will use up one of your days on your four weeks off. How does a Pool Pro take four weeks off each year? It's simple. There are months when there are five service weeks, and you charge monthly for four weeks. May 2024 has 5 Wednesdays, 5 Thursdays, and 5 Fridays. You explain to the customer that you don't charge extra for the 5th week during these months, which adds up to 4 weeks off for your company. I usually take two straight weeks off during the year and then use the other two weeks for random times. To avoid conflicts, have this written in your service agreement: "Sick Day/Vacation Policy: In case of a sick day or injury, we will do our best to make up the service day for you. If we cannot make

2497

6 months ago

JustineThe Pool Deck Community Team

published in Life on the road

Team Skimmer in Action

I just wanted to share a photo from our team meetings this week...we even had our very own pool school session 🤓The energy was fantastic and I feel lucky to work with such a brilliant, innovative, collaborative, passionate, and fun crew. You might recognize some faces from your Skimmer meetings or The Pool Deck contributors, but as a whole, this group works hard every day to ensure we keep improving your Skimmer experience.It's been an action-packed few days, so stay tuned as we start to work on the second half of the year!We're sending you all some good vibes as we get ready to head into the weekend!

452

6 months ago

JustineThe Pool Deck Community Team

published in Life on the road

What's your go-to summer song 🎧

Whether you’re getting fired up to get through the work day, winding down after a busy week, or getting ready to have some fun in the sun with friends and family, music ALWAYS helps fuel the mood ☀️😎 So help us create The Pool Deck’s ultimate summer playlist by sharing your favorite songs that make you crank the volume and belt it out 🎤🎶I’ll get us started, as summer for me is time for some 80’s rock nostalgia...a top fave is always a little Def Leppard in rotation with Rocket 🚀 🎸And GOOOOOO 👇

13212

6 months ago

nikiacostaTeam Skimmer

asked in Life on the road

FlaviaSwimsTeam Skimmer

posted in Life on the road

Keep Your Phones COOL

Found THIS super helpful article on keeping phones COOL in the field. Overheated phones slow down operations and reduce performance.Obviously this is tough, but there’s a few things you and your technicians can do to ensure best performance of your mobile device in the field during this summer season. Remember, Skimmer has offline mode.Keep your phone out of direct sunlight, or anywhere else the heat might be magnified (like the dashboard of a car). Avoid intensive phone use. The less a phone’s processor has to run, the easier it is for the device to stay cool. To minimize background activity, try using Airplane Mode. Remove your phone case. If you don’t want to strip your handset, there are also phone cases designed to achieve better heat dissipation by using breathable materials and increased airflow.Charge your phone in a cooler environment. Charging itself generates heat, so try to avoid it when your phone is already hot. If you must charge, don’t use the phone while it’s juicing u

340

7 months ago

tpierinnNew Member

asked in Life on the road

Repair Technicians?

I’m in the North Houston area. Is there anybody in here that can recommend or is a licensed repair technician that can help me out?

762

7 months ago

JustineThe Pool Deck Community Team

published in Life on the road

What's the strangest thing you've found in a skimmer basket?

Okay, it’s time to have some fun and a few laughs 😂 and give away some Skimmer gear 😎Post the strangest thing you or your team have found in a skimmer basket in the thread below.Photo is optional 📸 The top 3 replies with the most likes 👍 will be sent a Skimmer swag package ☀️And go 👇 **Contest ends Monday, June 17th**

1917

7 months ago

Lauren BroomSkimmer Verified Partner

posted in Life on the road

CPO Instructor in Prince Edward Island Canada

152

7 months ago

Lauren BroomSkimmer Verified Partner

posted in Life on the road

Today at the Pool

Break in the rain!! No sun but water is still 85!! Enjoying pool before we leave for colder temps in PEI Canada on Friday. Gotta show off our tans from Florida!!

7 months ago

ProTeck PoolsNew Member

posted in Life on the road

New Here

Hello from San Diego CA

141

7 months ago

Dan Riley VNew Member

posted in Life on the road

Hey Pool Pros

Greetings, Pool Pros. My name is Dan Riley V. Started in the Service Industry 2008. Wife and I started a service company in 2008 after the economy tanked. We did not buy a route but built one from scratch, one pool at a time. Relentlessly pursuing education, we found moderate success and discovered an industry full of very kind and helpful colleagues eager to help us grow. I am a lifelong part of this industry, as a result.We sold our route to another family member 2 years ago and got the heck out of CA like most everyone else. I am currently a service manager for a rapidly growing design/build/service firm in Atlanta. Thank you, all, in advance, for your contributions here and across the industry.Regards,Dan Riley VIG: @rileyv.photography

560

8 months ago

TravisTeam Skimmer

posted in Life on the road

Pool test strips save man’s life

In a shocking case out of Arizona, a woman has admitted to attempting to poison her Air Force husband by lacing his coffee with bleach. Despite the gravity of the offense, Melody Felicano Johnson, 40, is reportedly evading jail time, instead she’ll receive probation coupled with mandatory mental health treatment. https://www.poolmagazine.com/pool-news/pool-test-strips-confirm-wife-tried-to-poison-me-says-victim/

572

8 months ago

TravisTeam Skimmer

posted in Life on the road

well thats one way to use the pool noodle

https://www.poolmagazine.com/pool-news/pool-noodle-hail-hack-goes-viral/

350

8 months ago

Page 1 / 2

Badge winners

Ryan.BrosPoolhas earned the badge Jumpstarter
Ryan.BrosPoolhas earned the badge Conversation Starter
SheilaSmilliehas earned the badge Jumpstarter
SheilaSmilliehas earned the badge Knowledge Seeker
Ultrapoolguyhas earned the badge Helping Hand

Show all badges

Terms & Conditions Cookie Settings

Join The Pool Deck Community

Already a member? Login

If you're a Skimmer customer wanting to unlock full access, please create an account with the same work email address associated with your Skimmer account. If you don’t use Skimmer, you can still create an account but will be granted general access. Please email community@getskimmer.com if you have any questions.

Username - Note: Your username displays as your community profile name *

E-mail address *

First name *

Last name *

Company *

Job title *

City *

State or Province *

Are you a Skimmer customer *

Yes No

Password *

I accept the terms & conditions

loginBox.register.email_repeat

Visit The Pool Deck Community

Not a member yet? Create account

Username or email address

Password

Remember me

Forgot password?

Enter your email address. We'll send you an email with instructions to reset your password.

Enter your e-mail address

Return to login

Scanning file for viruses.

Sorry, we're still checking this file's contents to make sure it's safe to download. Please try again in a few minutes.

This file cannot be downloaded

Sorry, our virus scanner detected that this file isn't safe to download.