Pool guy says they use test strips because heat ruins reagents

[bertschb]

My neighbor told me yesterday that his pool guy uses test strips rather than a proper test kit because they drive around in the hot Phoenix weather while servicing pools and the reagents in the test kit would be ruined with the heat. If that's true, I'm thinking an awful lot of test kits get ruined each year. I keep my kit indoors but I'll bet a lot of people keep their outside. Thoughts???

 

[mknauss]

They use test strips because they are quicker, and the real number is not an issue with them. Dump and run is all they do.

It is true you should keep the test kit in a climate controlled area.

I suspect they have air conditioning in their vehicles.

 

[Texas Splash]

I always chuckle when I see local pool service vehicles in my area. The back of the truck looks like a dump and I'm sure if we dig enough, there's a box of test strips buried in there somewhere.

 

[Donldson]

There are a lot of decisions I make that I come up with some great justifications for choosing but just happen to also be the cheapest, fastest, and/or easiest choices.

Pool services go through testing supplies so quickly that even if they are leaving them sitting in an unconditioned part of the vehicle (for reasons unknown if they know it's bad for it) it still would be consumed before it had a chance to go bad.

 

[stinsontx]

My understanding is that test strips can also be degraded if not stored properly.

 

[ajw22]

My understanding is that test strips can also be degraded if not stored properly.

Test strips begin degrading as soon as you open the bottle.

Is this discussion about test strips or Taylor reagents stored in Phoenix heat or stupid rationalizations for lazy inaccurate pool chemistry testing?

 

[proavia]

Test strips begin degrading as soon as you open the bottle.

Is this discussion about test strips or Taylor reagents stored in Phoenix heat or stupid rationalizations for lazy inaccurate pool chemistry testing?

My vote is for the latter.

Liquid reagents and test strips all degrade in the heat. Strips are worthless for real accuracy.

Pool guys are in a rush to get in/out. They don't really care about accuracy. They just want the pool to look pretty good or okay until they return in a week. And if the pool goes south, they will charge more to get it back to barely acceptable. The more pools they can do in a day, the more money they make.

 

[pookiesunshine]

......

Is this discussion about test strips or Taylor reagents stored in Phoenix heat or stupid rationalizations for lazy inaccurate pool chemistry testing?

Yes.

 

[wireform]

The inaccuracy of test strips right out of the box when you break the seal is already an issue to me.