The most played episodes among Podcast App listeners.

1. 1
   Number 1: How Many Pools Can One Pool Guy Do in a Day?

   The fastest way to burn out in pool service is chasing a number that doesn’t fit your reality. We get a constant question from pool pros and new pool technicians alike: how many pools can one person clean in a day, and what’s a “good” pool route size if you want steady income without living in panic mode? I break down the variables that actually control your capacity, starting with the one most people ignore: temperament. Some techs move fast and stay in motion, others work methodically and take longer on each stop, and your business plan has to match that. From there, we zoom out to the constraints of your service area. Traffic, parking, and drive time can quietly destroy your schedule, while a tight route with clustered stops can make two to three pools per hour realistic. We also talk pool size, why automatic pool cleaners can dramatically shorten visits, and the customer “optics” problem when you finish too quickly and cameras are watching. Then we get practical with the math: a rule of thumb of roughly 14 to 16 full-service pools per day, plus a solo weekly route sweet spot of about 70 to 80 pools so you still have buffer for flat tires, detours, and the surprises that hit every route. Finally, we tackle hiring, including how to structure employee workloads so one sick day doesn’t turn into a route disaster. If this helps, subscribe, share it with a pool pro friend, and leave a quick review so more service techs can find it. We answer the pool-pro question that never goes away: how many pools a single technician can service in one day without cutting corners or burning out. We lay out the real-world variables behind the numbers and share a practical rule of thumb for daily stops and total route size. • temperament and work pace as a core limiter on daily capacity • how traffic, parking, and drive time set the ceiling on pools per hour • why route density matters and how tightening a service area speeds up days • the impact of pool size and automatic pool cleaners on visit length • customer perception when a stop is “too fast” and how to manage optics • a practical daily target of about 14 to 16 full-service pools • a sustainable solo route size around 70 to 80 pools per week • when adding an employee helps and how to avoid getting overloaded Learn more at swimmingpoollearning.com. If you're interested in the coaching program, you can learn more at poolguycoaching.com. Send us Fan Mail Support the Pool Guy Podcast Show Sponsors! HASA REWARDS App https://hasa.com/hasa-app The Bottom Feeder. Save $100 with Code: DVB100 https://store.thebottomfeeder.com/ Try Skimmer FREE for 30 days: https://getskimmer.com/poolguy Get UPA Liability Insurance $64 a month! https://forms.gle/F9YoTWNQ8WnvT4QBA Support the show Thanks for listening, and I hope you find the Podcast helpful! For other free resources to further help you: Visit my Website: https://www.swimmingpoollearning.com Watch on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@SPL Podcast Site: https://the-pool-guy-podcast-show.onpodium.com/ UPA General Liability Insurance Application: https://forms.gle/F9YoTWNQ8WnvT4QBA Pool Guy Coaching Group Join an exclusive network of Pool Service Technicians to access the industry’s leading commercial general liability insurance program. Protect your business. Premium is $64 per month per member (additional $40 for employees and ICs) $59 per month for Pool Guy coaching Members - join here! https://www.patreon.com/poolguycoaching Limits are $1,000,000 in occurrence and $2,000,000 in the aggregate - Per member limits [ $1,000,000 per occurrence and $4,000,000 aggregate available for $75 per month ] $50,000 in HazMat Coverage - clean up on-site or over-the-road Acid Wash Coverage - Full Limits

   September 11, 2026·19min
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2. 2
   Number 2: The Honest Truth About Variable Speed Pumps

   Your variable speed pool pump is saving electricity, so why does the pool suddenly feel “different”? That’s the gap we tackle head-on, using real service-world examples that homeowners and even experienced pool pros run into right after a VS pump install. When you drop from a single speed pump at roughly 3450 RPM to lower speeds like 1800 to 2400 RPM, the pool’s surface velocity changes, skimming can feel weaker, and debris may not funnel to the skimmer the way you expect. Nothing is necessarily broken, but the behavior is different and it catches people off guard. I walk through the practical tradeoffs: automatic pool cleaners that crawl at low speed, water features and spillways that look underpowered unless you schedule a higher RPM block, and why a “medium speed” around 2600 RPM is often the real-world setting that makes equipment function the way customers want. We also get into the part that triggers the most pushback, longer runtime. A VS pump may need far more hours to deliver comparable circulation, and I share an easy way to explain that to customers and what I do when they refuse to see a pump running late. Then we go beyond performance into the stuff nobody puts on the box: sticker shock on VS pump pricing, expensive drive replacements, the added programming layer because the pump becomes its own timer, and how Department of Energy regulations have narrowed your choices. If you’re trying to balance energy savings, water quality, cleaner performance, and customer expectations, you’ll leave with a clear framework for setting RPM by pool size and scheduling speeds that actually match how the pool is used. Subscribe, share this with a pool owner or pool tech who’s fighting a “too long runtime” complaint, and leave a review with your biggest VS pump question. We break down the real-world drawbacks people notice after switching from a single speed pump to a variable speed pool pump, even when the energy savings are undeniable. I share the issues that cause the most confusion, from weaker surface skimming to longer runtimes, plus how I program RPM based on cleaner needs and pool size. • reduced surface velocity at low RPM leading to less skimmer pull • why 1800 RPM can be a sweet spot for low speed • automatic cleaner performance limits at low speed and typical RPM ranges that work • water features and spillways looking weak unless you schedule higher speeds • explaining longer VS runtimes to customers and when to stop fighting it • why manufacturer “percentage savings” claims do not fit every pool • programming and scheduling complexity since the pump becomes the timer • higher price point, expensive drives, and why warranty support matters • Department of Energy regulations reducing consumer choice Are you a Pool Service Pro looking to take your business to the next level? Join the Pool Guy Coaching Program. Learn more at swimming poollearning.com. If you're looking for other podcasts, you can find those on my website, swimmingprolearning.com. And if you're interested in the coaching program, you can learn more at pullguycoaching.com. Send us Fan Mail Support the Pool Guy Podcast Show Sponsors! HASA REWARDS App https://hasa.com/hasa-app The Bottom Feeder. Save $100 with Code: DVB100 https://store.thebottomfeeder.com/ Try Skimmer FREE for 30 days: https://getskimmer.com/poolguy Get UPA Liability Insurance $64 a month! https://forms.gle/F9YoTWNQ8WnvT4QBA Support the show Thanks for listening, and I hope you find the Podcast helpful! For other free resources to further help you: Visit my Website: https://www.swimmingpoollearning.com Watch on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@SPL Podcast Site: https://the-pool-guy-podcast-show.onpodium.com/ UPA General Liability Insurance Application: https://forms.gle/F9YoTWNQ8WnvT4QBA Pool Guy Coaching Group Join an exclusive network of Pool Service Technicians to access the industry’s leading commercial general liability insurance program. Protect your business. Premium is $64 per month per member (additional $40 for employees and ICs) $59 per month for Pool Guy coaching Members - join here! https://www.patreon.com/poolguycoaching Limits are $1,000,000 in occurrence and $2,000,000 in the aggregate - Per member limits [ $1,000,000 per occurrence and $4,000,000 aggregate available for $75 per month ] $50,000 in HazMat Coverage - clean up on-site or over-the-road Acid Wash Coverage - Full Limits

   September 24, 2026·20min
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3. 3
   Number 3: Pool Products That Shouldn’t Have Died

   They didn’t just discontinue a few random SKUs. They retired products that pool pros actually relied on, and that raises a bigger question: what makes a manufacturer walk away from a cleaner or filter that still works? We unpack the real-world reasons behind “dead” pool products, starting with Pentair’s decision to discontinue a long list of suction side pool cleaners, including the famous Creepy Crawly, and whether variable speed pumps are truly to blame or just a convenient narrative. From there, we do a practical teardown of the Pentair 4000 series DE filter. We talk about what it got right for serviceability, why the rotor valve became a costly pain point, and how issues like a heavy cracking lid, UV wear on fiberglass, and an old-school clamp design can quietly doom a product over time. This is the kind of equipment history that helps pool service techs troubleshoot older pads and explain upgrade paths to customers with confidence. We also zoom out to pressure-side cleaners, booster pump requirements, and why newer “innovations” sometimes lose to proven classics like the Polaris 280. Finally, we look at the market shift toward robotic pool cleaners and why discontinuing a lead-in product can ripple into pump, filter, and automation sales. If you’ve ever wondered why the pool industry changes so fast, this conversation connects the dots. Subscribe for more pool industry insights, share this with a pool pro who’ll have opinions, and leave a review with the one discontinued pool product you wish would come back. We dig into why once-iconic pool products get discontinued, even when they still perform well in the field. We weigh real-world service experience against manufacturer reasoning and look at how product strategy can quietly reshape a brand’s market share. • Pentair suction cleaner discontinuations and what stayed • Variable speed pumps versus suction requirements in practice • Why the Little Rebel likely disappeared • Pentair 4000 series DE filter strengths and failure points • Rotor valve wear, heavy lids, UV damage, and clamp design • TriVac pressure cleaner relaunch problems including price and performance • Booster pump energy use and why builders moved away • Why the Polaris 280 design keeps winning • Pentair’s missed opportunity in robotic pool cleaners • Why “lead-in” products influence pump and filter buying decisions • Revamp versus scrap and what smart redesign looks like Join the pool guy coaching program. Learn more at swimmingpoollearning.com. If you're looking for other podcasts, you can find those by going to my website, swimmingpoollearning.com. If you're interested in the coaching program, you can learn more at poolguycoaching.com. Send us Fan Mail Support the Pool Guy Podcast Show Sponsors! HASA REWARDS App https://hasa.com/hasa-app The Bottom Feeder. Save $100 with Code: DVB100 https://store.thebottomfeeder.com/ Try Skimmer FREE for 30 days: https://getskimmer.com/poolguy Get UPA Liability Insurance $64 a month! https://forms.gle/F9YoTWNQ8WnvT4QBA Support the show Thanks for listening, and I hope you find the Podcast helpful! For other free resources to further help you: Visit my Website: https://www.swimmingpoollearning.com Watch on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@SPL Podcast Site: https://the-pool-guy-podcast-show.onpodium.com/ UPA General Liability Insurance Application: https://forms.gle/F9YoTWNQ8WnvT4QBA Pool Guy Coaching Group Join an exclusive network of Pool Service Technicians to access the industry’s leading commercial general liability insurance program. Protect your business. Premium is $64 per month per member (additional $40 for employees and ICs) $59 per month for Pool Guy coaching Members - join here! https://www.patreon.com/poolguycoaching Limits are $1,000,000 in occurrence and $2,000,000 in the aggregate - Per member limits [ $1,000,000 per occurrence and $4,000,000 aggregate available for $75 per month ] $50,000 in HazMat Coverage - clean up on-site or over-the-road Acid Wash Coverage - Full Limits

   September 22, 2026·20min
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4. 4
   Number 4: FieldPay: Get Paid Before You Pack the Truck!

   The fastest way to create friction in a pool service business is to make good people wait for money they already earned. I sit down with Flavia de la Fuente, creator of Field Pay, and pool pro Brett Murdoch to talk about the messy reality most of us live with: checks piling up in a glovebox, subcontractors billing months late, and “quick” payments through Zelle or Venmo that turn into a recordkeeping nightmare. Try it for FREE at the Growth and Pro with Promo Code: BRETT We break down what Field Pay is built to do: help pool companies pay technicians and 1099 subcontractors quickly after work is completed, with clean logs that make accounting and profitability tracking easier. Flavia explains how the platform supports the ways field teams actually get paid, from per-job and per-stop payouts to performance-based incentives, and how integrations with systems like Skimmer and Housecall Pro can reduce steps even further. Brett shares what changes once approvals become a one-tap habit and payouts are predictable instead of sporadic. We also get specific about W-2 teams versus 1099 vendors. Payroll still handles taxes and remains your source of truth, but Field Pay can accelerate spiffs and bonuses tied to behaviors you want more of, like five-star reviews, lead spotting, route coverage, and holiday calls. We cover safeguards like roster-based access to reduce fraud and mistakes, plus practical touches like reimbursements and a Spanish-language app experience. If you want a tighter back office, better technician retention, and fewer payment surprises, press play. Subscribe, share this with a pool pro who’s tired of chasing invoices, and leave a review so more service companies can find it. We dig into why paying technicians and subcontractors is one of the biggest hidden choke points in a pool service business, and how speed and clarity can change everything from retention to profitability. Flavia de la Fuente and Brett Murdoch break down how Field Pay streamlines approvals, records, and payouts so we can stop chasing invoices and start running cleaner systems. • Brett’s origin story in the pool industry and why process matters for scaling • why cash, checks, and late subcontractor invoices create avoidable risk and wasted time • how instant payouts after job completion change technician behavior and job coverage • handling real-world pay types like per stop, per job, route pay, commission-style earnings • using fast “spiffs” for reviews, leads, referrals, and weekend or holiday coverage • where Field Pay fits with W-2 payroll and why payroll stays the tax source of truth • integrations with tools like Skimmer and Housecall Pro to pull completed-work data • cleaner records for profitability tracking, reconciliations, and year-end reporting • roster-based controls to prevent misdirected payments and reduce fraud • pricing tiers and quick setup at Myfieldpay.com Learn more at swimmingpoollearning.com. Myfieldpay.com. you can learn more at PoolGuyCoaching.com. Send us Fan Mail Support the Pool Guy Podcast Show Sponsors! HASA REWARDS App https://hasa.com/hasa-app The Bottom Feeder. Save $100 with Code: DVB100 https://store.thebottomfeeder.com/ Try Skimmer FREE for 30 days: https://getskimmer.com/poolguy Get UPA Liability Insurance $64 a month! https://forms.gle/F9YoTWNQ8WnvT4QBA Support the show Thanks for listening, and I hope you find the Podcast helpful! For other free resources to further help you: Visit my Website: https://www.swimmingpoollearning.com Watch on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@SPL Podcast Site: https://the-pool-guy-podcast-show.onpodium.com/ UPA General Liability Insurance Application: https://forms.gle/F9YoTWNQ8WnvT4QBA Pool Guy Coaching Group Join an exclusive network of Pool Service Technicians to access the industry’s leading commercial general liability insurance program. Protect your business. Premium is $64 per month per member (additional $40 for employees and ICs) $59 per month for Pool Guy coaching Members - join here! https://www.patreon.com/poolguycoaching Limits are $1,000,000 in occurrence and $2,000,000 in the aggregate - Per member limits [ $1,000,000 per occurrence and $4,000,000 aggregate available for $75 per month ] $50,000 in HazMat Coverage - clean up on-site or over-the-road Acid Wash Coverage - Full Limits

   September 17, 2026·34min
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5. 5
   Number 5: Is AI Better Than Me? & Other YT Questions Answered

   A pool cleaner that devours acorns can get stopped by something the size of a couple grains of rice, and once you know why, you start diagnosing faster and wasting less time on the deck. I’m digging into the most common YouTube questions I get from pool owners and pool service pros and expanding them into practical, real-world troubleshooting you can use on your next stop. We start with the Polaris Max and Polaris Atlas suction pool cleaners and the big design tradeoff behind the newer Halo engine. It’s far better with long string-like debris than older designs, but small pebbles can jam the mechanism and make the cleaner look “dead” even when suction is fine. I explain what’s happening, where it shows up most often (hello, pebble tech pools), and the simple way to clear it and get moving again. Then we shift to a problem that costs people equipment: trying to drain a pool by backwashing. I break down when backwash is safe, why push-pull piston valves and DE grids can get damaged if you run backwash too long, and why a multiport valve with waste mode is the right approach. From there, I walk through pump priming failures, how to check for impeller clogs, why the lid O-ring is not always the culprit, and what lubricant actually belongs on pool O-rings. We wrap with saltwater chlorine generator troubleshooting using the Jandy TrueClear check cell and the fast “bubble test,” plus a clear explanation of borates at 50 ppm for algae control and pH stability. If you got value from these pool maintenance tips, subscribe, share the show with a pool friend, and leave a quick review so more people can find it. I answer a stack of real YouTube questions with field-tested fixes for cleaners, pumps, salt cells, and water balance. We talk tradeoffs, quick diagnostics, and the little mistakes that quietly damage equipment over time. • Why Polaris Max and Atlas can stop with strong suction • How the Halo engine handles string debris yet jams on tiny pebbles • Why draining by backwashing can damage DE grids with push-pull valves • What to check when a pump loses prime including impeller debris • How to lube a pump lid O-ring correctly with Magic Lube • A simple spa mode test to isolate priming problems • How to confirm Jandy TrueClear chlorine production by looking for bubbles • Why output percentage and pump RPM matter for salt cell activation • Where AI comparisons help and where real-world experience still matters • How borates at 50 ppm help as an algostat and pH buffer • Alkalinity targets and using muriatic acid to keep pH in range Are you a pool service pro looking to take your business to the next level? Join the Pool Guy Coaching Program. Get expert advice, business tips, exclusive content, and get direct support from me. I'm a 35-year veteran in the industry. Whether you're starting out or scaling up, I've got the tools to help you succeed. Learn more at Swimmipoollearning.com. If you don't want to rely on AI specifically and are looking for other podcasts, you can find those by going to my website, swimmingpolearning.com. If you're interested in the coaching program that I offer, you can learn more at poolguycoaching.com. Send us Fan Mail Support the Pool Guy Podcast Show Sponsors! HASA REWARDS App https://hasa.com/hasa-app The Bottom Feeder. Save $100 with Code: DVB100 https://store.thebottomfeeder.com/ Try Skimmer FREE for 30 days: https://getskimmer.com/poolguy Get UPA Liability Insurance $64 a month! https://forms.gle/F9YoTWNQ8WnvT4QBA Support the show Thanks for listening, and I hope you find the Podcast helpful! For other free resources to further help you: Visit my Website: https://www.swimmingpoollearning.com Watch on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@SPL Podcast Site: https://the-pool-guy-podcast-show.onpodium.com/ UPA General Liability Insurance Application: https://forms.gle/F9YoTWNQ8WnvT4QBA Pool Guy Coaching Group Join an exclusive network of Pool Service Technicians to access the industry’s leading commercial general liability insurance program. Protect your business. Premium is $64 per month per member (additional $40 for employees and ICs) $59 per month for Pool Guy coaching Members - join here! https://www.patreon.com/poolguycoaching Limits are $1,000,000 in occurrence and $2,000,000 in the aggregate - Per member limits [ $1,000,000 per occurrence and $4,000,000 aggregate available for $75 per month ] $50,000 in HazMat Coverage - clean up on-site or over-the-road Acid Wash Coverage - Full Limits

   September 14, 2026·18min
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