The Pool Shark H2O Commercial Pool Chemistry Blog

Swimming Pool Rules and Regulations for HOAs

Written by Jules the Pool Girl | Apr 15, 2024 11:20:58 AM

Did you know that some States, such as California, are considering HOA community pools and spas as “Commercial” bodies of water? It’s only a matter of time before all States get on board with this. There is a ton to do to maintain commercial bodies of water. You have to make sure all equipment is in proper working order and replace, as needed, with the newest technology. We need to make sure the vessel’s surfaces are in good condition. The mastic needs to be in top shape. The safety markers, signs, handrails, and safety equipment must be present and also in good condition. This includes ADA chairlifts. I always suggest keeping an extra battery for these chairs to avoid your pools not being compliant. Why do our HOA pools need to be compliant? For a couple of reasons. Most importantly, we want to keep everyone safe and healthy. We also want our pools to remain open should a local inspection be presented.

 

 

In order to keep the water safe, we need to make sure it is always chemically balanced. This means we need to test, test, and TEST our water often. You’ll need to keep a log of all of your water tests and even hold on to the water test logs for YEARS after. This can be time consuming and take up space. We want our HOA communities to be clean, safe, inviting and uniform. This provides homeowners with the best neighborhood experience possible. This may include the swimming pools and spas, splash pads, and fountains.

Fixing problems with the pool’s water such as algae blooms, excessive scaling or corrosion. We waste valuable time and money if we operate “chasing” the water’s needs. It’s better to prepare for water issues versus repair water issues. Accurate water testing and proper chemical dosing are must-haves. We want to work smart, not hard. This can be accomplished by including modern technology in every area of our swimming pool maintenance routines. 

The Pool Shark H2O App, paired with the LaMotte Spin Touch, is a prime example of this modern technology. It will exceed the quality of your current water testing and record-keeping. To test the water using the LaMotte Spin Touch you would take the provided syringe and grab a small amount of sample pool water. Squeeze it into the spin disc to the fill line and then insert the disc into the Spin Touch. The spin touch uses a colorimetric method of water diagnosis. In just 60 seconds, your water’s results are done and immediately sent to any device you have the Pool Shark H2O App installed on. You can customize the APP for your pool’s size and even add multiple bodies of water for all of your HOA swimming pools.

Not ready to invest in a Spin Touch? No problemo. You can still manually test your swimming pool water and enter it into the Pool Shark H2O program. Not only are accurate results logged in the App, but proper chemical dosing guidelines are provided. Using the most accurate method of balancing water chemistry, the Langelier Saturation Index, you’ll be able to tell if your water is neutral, which is ideal, or corrosive or scale forming. You’ll want to be -0.30 to +0,30 in any direction. The Pool Shark H2O App will get you there! This will help ensure your HOA pools are safe and beautiful!

If an inspector were to suddenly show up to inspect your HOA pools, would you be ready? Old-fashioned paper logs go unused, and get misplaced or wet. They also need to be stored in storage boxes. The Pool Shark H2O App becomes your digital water test log. It saves and records every single water test result. If a member of the HOA community were to claim they became ill because of your body of water, you would be covered. You will also not get shut down due to non-compliance. This makes the members of the HOA panel very happy. If you have a pool company coming weekly to provide pool service, they can be given access to the app as well.

This has the added bonus of knowing exactly when they were at your pool!!

Stay organized with the Pool Shark’s custom checklists and important reminders such as when your VGB drain covers need to be replaced. Digital water test logs are safely stored without taking up space. Keep an eye on your employees and pool companies with built-in geofencing. All of the things the Pool Shark H2O App offers will help you be more efficient in your pool operator position. It’s the Pool Shark H2O for HOAs to the rescue! See you poolside!