Pools & Spas
Lazy Rivers are among the most complex systems found in residential settings. In this installment of Direct Connections, builder Scott Payne details a recent backyard river project that pushed him and his company beyond their comfort zone, but one that yielded a treasure trove of knowledge and a river that takes the clients for a joy ride.
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Commercial pools must conform to a variety of safety and operational requirements beyond those promulgated in the residential segment of the industry. The ubiquitous 3-bend handrail is no exception. As Dave Peterson explains, even this simple design sometimes fails in implementation -- but help is on the way with this nifty and useful detail.
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Watershape University proudly introduces its most comprehensive online educational offering to date – CON 2211: Essential Pool Construction Workshop. It’s all about understanding essential construction processes needed to competently construct swimming pools, and other concrete structures that contain decorative and/or recreational water.
Providing online content has become a necessary preoccupation for educators throughout society. Knowing that the watershapes industry is overrun with demand and facing severe labor shortages, Watershape University has stepped into the breach with a host of digital, mostly live online courses, such as Advanced Fluid Engineering and the parade of topical Wolfpack Webinar Wednesdays. Collectively these offerings have necessarily replaced in-person instruction during the pandemic.
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Deploying its slat-based automatic cover, Aquamatic Cover Systems recently completed work on a massive existing pool on a college campus where administrators were looking for a state-of-the-art way to conserve both water and energy, all with the touch of a button.
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One of the biggest and most common mistakes watershapers can make, cautions builder Dave Penton, is projecting their own financial perspectives onto their clients. It’s a misstep that can, he says, lead to an errant assumption the customer is either unable or unwilling to pay for something that might seem extremely expensive to most others.
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A beautiful aquatic setting deserves equally dazzling water, explains water-quality specialist, Steve Kenny. That universal truth can lead anywhere, he says, including this project that is nestled in the heart of a tropical paradise, where he rescued a gorgeous pool from the murky depths of an inadequate treatment system.
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For commercial public and private aquatic facilities of all types, making the best use of downtime during the pandemic for key upgrades is a great way to capitalize on what is otherwise a time of dryness. And, according to aquatic play solutions consultant Cory Anderson, it might not be as expensive or difficult as some might think.
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Corrosion in swimming pools can present something of a mystery, explains Jeff Freeman and Mark Holden, and that is especially so if all the possible causes are not taken into account. After years of investigation, the pair discovered a set of corrosion-related issues that are pervasive, as well as sometimes challenging to identify and decipher.
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Although pricing and profits go hand in hand, Mike Farley points out many in the watershaping industry are woefully misguided when it comes to what they charge. That needs to change, he says, and for anyone seeking guidance in this all-important facet of doing business, there’s a terrific “no BS” resource worth reading.
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Naming a Legacy