Why I don't trust pool maintenance companies ... latest edition

[jblizzle]

So, my FIL has continued to use a pool service even after constant problems and me explaining that it is not hard to DIY.

This particular company only comes once every 2 weeks, even in the AZ summer ... so with "testing" and chemical additions only happening every 14 days, you can imagine how well I think this is going to work out.

Last year, in-laws drained the pool and had it replastered with new tile mosaics, etc.
Pool service "maintained" the chemistry and un-shockingly there were a few bouts of algae.

This year they opened and found that the bottom was extremely rough. Pool service came out and have had the pool closed for a few weeks they they try to fix the surface. All FIL could tell me about what they were doing was throwing some powder in the pool and brushing.

The pool service claims it is due to their use of a solar cover and that the cover needs to be removed atleast once a week

FIL called me yesterday asking about the pool maintenance so perhaps he is seeing the light that this pool service at a minimum just shortened the life of his new plaster. He was even asking what test kit he should order.

I explained that if is calcium scaling, that is 100% due to the chemistry not being properly maintained. With a new fill the CH should not have been very high (unless the pool company added some), so likely the pH was just not kept in range all winter.

The fact that they are paying this company for a service and when said company fails to deliver and maintain a balanced pool there is no compensation just boggles my mind.

I thought calcium scaling tended to be a fairly uniform deposit. Can anyone think of anything that may cause the problem to only be on the bottom?

One thought was that they threw some powder in the pool that sank to the bottom and then etched into the plaster, but FIL thinks it is a deposit and not etching ... I have not yet gone over to see it for myself, but plan to go over and look and test the water this weekend.

 

[carlyai]

'I thought calcium scaling tended to be a fairly uniform deposit. Can anyone think of anything that may cause the problem to only be on the bottom?'

My sister's pool gets calcium deposits on the bottom of the pool; looks like a very bad case of dandruff. Pool expert company says it's normal for a descaling salt water chlorinator pool. Two different pool experts said that. Doesn't happen with my chlorinator.

 

[woodyp]

I just hate that with a brand new finish...............no recourse?

 

[Leebo]

I know a free (or almost free) book that maybe able to help them out if they’re willing to spend an hour or two learning.

 

[JamesW]

The bottom can get scaled if different chemicals are added at the same time. The chemicals sink and mostly stick to the bottom. These are the most likely chemicals that will scale the bottom when added without giving sufficient time to mix between additions.

Calcium chloride and sodium carbonate.
Calcium chloride and sodium bicarbonate.
Calcium hypochlorite and sodium carbonate.
Calcium hypochlorite and sodium bicarbonate.

As both chemicals sink and cover the bottom, the CSI gets super high and creates scale.

 

[jblizzle]

It would not surprise me at all if they threw some of those chemical combos in.
Problem is, FIL has no idea what and when they have added anything.

Perhaps I should send them the link to the book. Maybe he would read it and then we might be able to better discuss his issues.

 

[jblizzle]

So, I went over and tested their water on Friday. I think the company was out on Monday.

From a CSI standpoint, it was very balanced (at that specific moment).
CYA is ~160ppm ... which is low from what they had my pool at.
The OTO seemed a pretty dark yellow > 5.
So I was surprised when I started the FAS-DPD test and got an FC of 0.5
When I added the R-0003 it went dark pink and after 20 drops I stopped as it did not seem to be getting any lighter.

So I explained that they had added something that was interfering with the chlorine test. And tried to explain that for the pool to be safe with a CYA that high, the FC needed to be at least 12ppm.

He said that years (decades) ago he could never keep the pool clear. I said it was because he did not understand the chemistry and he agreed he just did what Leslie's told him. When fed up, he called the service company who miraculously got the water clear in a couple days. He has now been a customer of theirs through 3 houses. He seemed to think it was great that he could just call up if the pool went green and they would come right out and clear it up for him. I explained that if you just maintained the correct chlorine level, it would never go green in the first place. I also tried to explain that just because the water does not have algae does not mean the water is safe from transmitting disease.

Well, he decided he was going to stick with the company at least through the summer ... because apparently the 2 retired individuals who are home all the time can't find the time to test and add chlorine. Apparently he also forgot that they likely shortened the life of his new plaster by not maintaining the chemistry over the winter ... or dumping powder into it ... or whatever.

Anyway ......

Remind me again what this company might be adding to the pool to interfere with the FAS-DPD chlorine test?
Was it non-chlorine shock?

 

[Arizonarob]

Where’s Matt, he’d know.

I can feel your pain, I’m trying to explain to a friend of the family WHY her pool being maintained by a pool company is turning green once a month. It’s like pushing a bolder up hill!!

 

[JamesW]

Non-chlorine shock can register as CC.

The other possibilities are ammonia or sulfamic acid (Jack's No. 2 copper and scale stuff).

Some yellow treat chemicals are ammonia based.

Bromide can also create weird readings like this. Yellow treat chemicals sometimes are sodium bromide.

I would run the CC to completion to see where it's at.

The way a yellow treat chemical works is to get chlorine unlocked from CYA to create either bromine or chloramines, which are better at killing algae than chlorine that’s attached to CYA.

At such a high CYA, any algae would be difficult to treat, so it’s likely that they’re using a yellow treat chemical.

Probably need to ask the company what they're adding.

 

[jblizzle]

Well, I am not sure the value added to me wasting my reagents to test their pool since they are not going to do anything about it.

Would like to ensure it is safe for my kids of course as they are going to be over there many times over the summer (only like about a mile away).

Perhaps we will find that they prefer to swim in our pool instead of theirs

 

[cfherrman]

I think mps can show as cc.

Just test the water when your kids go over and if it's not safe tell them and say too bad

 

[FattyLumpkin]

I get the draw to "let someone else do it for me", but after 3 years with TFP, I can't imagine giving up the control to someone unless I was sure they were coming over every other day and were using the TFP approach. I need to ENSURE my water is safe for my kids and their friends to swim in, let alone what you describe, or even having to deal with an algae bloom.

 

[Mendy48]

I agree....I can't imagine giving up control to the pool company. I love to understand the pool chemistry of my own pool...I want to be in CONTROL of everything. It's taking some time to get the hang of things, but I'm moving faster than expected. All I need to understand now is how to close and open my pool. I've looked via PoolSchool and I can't imagine closing my pool when it comes to certain task involving my Hayward equipments or my pool heater. sounds a bit confusing. I'm trying to find videos that would show how too. I'm confident, regardless, that I'll get there in time.

I get the draw to "let someone else do it for me", but after 3 years with TFP, I can't imagine giving up the control to someone unless I was sure they were coming over every other day and were using the TFP approach. I need to ENSURE my water is safe for my kids and their friends to swim in, let alone what you describe, or even having to deal with an algae bloom.