After work, on the weekend, in the morning — anytime is a perfect time to take a dip in a sparklingly refreshing body of water, right?
Summer’s quickly unfolding and her wrath is anything but mild this year. To recover, First Coast residents are flocking to their private pools, and the ones lacking private pools are flocking to their go-to commercial pools.
And every last one of them is relying on their chosen vat of turquoise goodness to provide them with clean, healthy summer fun.
But keeping a pool safe and beautiful is no easy task. Both an art and a science, people often possess a diluted sense of how much work really goes into maintaining one, and many have no idea what deadly repercussions can sprout from a pool that is neglected.
"Typically, one of our water quality management technicians start their day at about 6 a.m., said Portofino Pools owner Jack Manilla. "We just like to get out and start early before the heat of the day."
By state mandate, they’re not allowed to enter a private resident’s yard until 8 a.m., so for two hours they make their commercial clients’ rounds, Manilla said. For the remainder of the day they’ll frequent residential pools and additional commercial pools to fill up the 8-hour workday.
Technicians at Portofino pools are required to complete 16 hours of live classroom work plus outside study in order to have the authority to even take a leaf or a pine needle out of a pool.
"Florida has one of the strongest health codes in the country," said Manilla. "That is born out of the need for the resort and tourist industry and the need to keep pools safe for bathers."
"Residential pools have no rules, there is no pool police in place there," Manilla said.
Portofino Pools always applies the stricter, commercial standard to residential pools, and Manilla feels as if this gives his business a thrust compared to the work of your average "Joey."
Keeping it clean
The first task to complete once they’ve approached a pool is disinfection.
At this stage, technicans inspect the clarity of the water, remove or add water based on need and clean the pool and pool tiles with myriad vacuums, nets and brushes.
The next stage is called balancing, and this assures the proper critical limits of chemicals and pH levels that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has set.
"There are about five different parameters to consider when adjusting the chemistry of the water," said Manilla. "The average pool owner only thinks about chlorine, but there’s so much more that goes into it like alkalinity, calcium hardness and more."
If a pool is perfectly balanced, you should be completely comfortable. The pH of the human tear is 7.45, and the pH requirement for pool water set by the health code is identical. Although some have come to expect the opposite, your eyes should never burn from opening them underwater.
Once the chemicals are at their happy place on the spectrum, it’s time to re-inspect the clarity of the water post chemical adjustment, then inspect the equipment operation to check if it’s all running 100 percent, Manilla said.
On top of that, there are regularly scheduled shocks to conduct, pumps to set on timers and water samples to send off to their ChemLab to analyze for bacteria, nitrates and metals.
"It’s really an art and a science — it’s like going to the doctor where there are blood work tests," said Manilla. "And then you’re prescribed different medicines to correct those results, but then pool maintenance is so aesthetic-heavy at the same time which sort of makes it an art."
Crystal clear
While most assume that a little algae won’t hurt them and that they can deal with a not-so-crystal-clear appearance, those carefree individuals must have never heard of Cryptosporidium, Giardia, Shigella, E. coli, Hepatitis and Legionellosis.
"We have a book that lists all of the fecal and non-fecal related bacterium and viruses that harbor in pools if not properly maintained that can harm and even kill a human, and they’re scary," said Manilla.
Depending on the size and status of a particular pool, there can be required daily visits to weekly visits to even more seldom visits. But even when frequent visits are needed or recommended, pool owners will experience long term cost saving benefits.
"The expected life of the pool is increased when the water is left in a neutral state," said Manilla. "If it’s not, many things can happen including the dissolve of the pool’s finish."
The pool boy
All of Manilla’s staff must comply with the company’s policy of being a drug free workplace, having a clean driving record, a high school diploma and some trade school or college experience is always a plus.
"These qualities will get them an interview, but it is their values, natural characteristics and technical aptitude that gets them the job."
Contrary to popular assumption, Manilla has experienced times when women have made up 30 percent of his maintenance staff, and although it has been as low as 5 to 10 percent, the ratio is still more balanced than some would think.
Avoiding a bad rep
Manilla has set up educational training programs within the Portofino Pool Technical Institute that launched in 2007. This school provides industry training and certification for industry professionals, and he requires his staff to complete courses regularly.
"The average residential pool technician doesn’t need certification, doesn’t need a contracting license — all they need is a business LLC and they’re up in business," said Manilla. "I think that’s why pool cleaning technicians as a whole may have a bad reputation, because you definitely get what you pay for in this industry."
So, before sinking into your pool this summer, consider that the water you’re about to submerge into may not be as unscathed as it seems, and a simple Saturday reserved for recreation could turn into a nightmare from the black lagoon if your pool technician doesn’t take his work seriously.
But, for goodness sake, take a dip. More than likely, the water’s fine.
