2010/11.2, November 17 — VOCs, Grounding and Bonding, Vance Gillette and more

November 17, 2010

WATERSHAPES.COM

FEATURE ARTICLE

VOCs: A Highly Volatile Issue

‘There’s no way around the fact that volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are nasty stuff,’ observes William D. Palmer Jr., who develops technical and educational resources for Complete Construction Consultants. Here, Palmer delves into the why and how of VOC regulation, and explores water- and soy-based alternatives to VOCs in treating concrete. [more]

SOLUTIONS

On Grounding and Bonding

“In the second half of his two-part feature, pool designer and builder Paolo Benedetti writes, ‘Although grounding and bonding are closely related and oftentimes are even connected, every watershaper needs to know that they serve distinctly separate purposes.’ Benedetti explains the differences between the two in this in-depth technical article. [more]

U.K. UTILITY COMPANY OFFERS FREE SWIMMING LESSONS TO DEAD WOMAN – BUT SHE DOESN’T RESPOND [more]

MY PERSPECTIVE

Changing the Industry’s Focus

Over the past four decades, Vance Gillette has become a key figure in the U.S. swimming pool and spa industry. Currently Vice President of Business for Zodiac Pool Systems, the always-energetic Gillette issues an impassioned call to the industry: In order to become more successful, dramatically change your marketing approach! [more]

BOOK NOTES

The Real Dirt on Soil

In the words of WaterShapes book reviewer Mike Farley, ‘Simply put, a watershape that’s properly engineered in light of prevailing soil conditions will endure, while one that isn’t runs a significant and often inevitable risk of structural failure.’ Farley reviews The Nature and Property of Soils by Ray. R. Weil and Nyle Brady. [more]

JOIN THE DIALOGUE

Changing the Industry’s Focus

In his ‘My Perspective’ piece in this WaterShapes EXTRA!, Vance Gillette takes the watershaping industry to task for its traditional marketing approach and calls for a fundamental reorientation. Do you agree? Does the industry do enough to promote the true benefits of its products? What about your company? Let us know what you think by clicking on his article just above and leaving a comment.

WATERWAY PLASTICS

(Oxnard, CA) offers Crystal Water Filters for pools and spas. Designed with two-and-a-half-inch internal piping to minimize restrictions and improve water flow for efficient operation, the cartridge models have four filter elements to simplify element removal and servicing, while the diatomaceous-earth models have curved vertical grids for maximum surface area and more dirt capture. [more]

BIONOVA NATURAL POOLS

(Hackettstown, NJ) has published literature on its approach to the design and construction of natural swimming pools. The 12-page, full-color brochure defines a sustainable, water-conserving, ecologically sound method in which hand-selected plants — rooted hydroponically in a special gravel substrate — serve as biological filters for water circulated by energy-efficient pumps. [more]

AQUAMATIC COVER SYSTEMS

(Gilroy, CA) offers literature on the Hydrolux line of floating pool and spa covers. Made up of buoyant, sealed PVC slats that can be cut to fit virtually any converging shape, the system requires none of the tracks, ropes or leading-edge bars of traditional cover systems — and multiple covers can be deployed from hidden recesses in a pool’s floor to allow for complex pool shapes. [more]

LIGHTSTREAMS GLASS TILE

(Santa Clara, CA) offers Jewel Glass Accent Tiles. These decorative strips are designed for use on steps, benches and waterlines, and feature random patterns and colors cut into rectangles that are nominally 7/8-inches high (in varying widths) mounted on 12-inch mesh strips. The glass comes from the company’s regular patterns, but special looks are added to make every strip unique. [more]