Vacation at Home: Q&A with an Industry Expert!

I was lucky enough to sit down with Mike Godfrey, the Director of Sales of Bio-Lab

Canada

. Technically I was sitting at my desk in New Minas, Nova Scotia and he was sitting at his in Toronto, Ontario, but with his great people skills and personality he had me laughing and smiling over speaker phone.

I had emailed Mr. Godfrey (Too many Mike’s to call him Mike) recently, presenting him with the idea of doing a Question and Answer session on some key pool and hot tub questions that I hear everyday. Who better to answer these questions than an industry expert! Mr. Godfrey started off with Bio-Lab

Canada

in 1994 (“wow, I’m getting old” he says) and now is in the position of Director of Sales.

Here are some notes on our conversation:

1. What do you think are the most common mistakes new pool owners make, and what are some great pointers on maintaining great water?

The most common mistakes pool owners make are as follows:

· Not paying enough attention to water balance

· Not keeping the skimmer basket and pump basket clean from debris

· Not backwashing at all or backwashing too much

· Not brushing the walls of the pool.

2. Mike we are often asked about Salt Water in Hot Tubs, what is your opinion?

I’m not a huge fan on running a salt system on a hot tub. The main reason for this has to do with pH. It is very common for the pH in a hot tub to rise due to aeration (jets) and high temperatures. By using a salt system on top of everything you are perpetuating the problem as a salt system in itself tends to cause an increase in the pH level.

With a combination of high pH and warm water in a hot tub, scale is much more likely to form which can negatively affect your heater element and also if the cell from the salt system gets scale on it then you lose the ability to sanitize the water.

3. Do you think people are becoming more cautious of what they are adding to their pool or hot tub, and what is BioGuard doing to stay ahead of the game?

Absolutely, whether it is products being added to the pool, hot tub or used around the home consumers are much more aware of what they are using.

BioGuard’s commitment is to produce quality products that perform at the highest level and provide pool & spa owners with great results.

With our responsible approach to water care we have developed such products as SYNERGY, Smart Sticks, Smart Shock, Brominating Concentrate and Spa Lite to name a few that are both multi-functional and concentrated. These types of products allow consumers to use less while achieving consistent proven results.

4.What about the “magic” one step products that seem to now be available everywhere?

I always caution people that you will see devices and products pop up out of no where making bold claims such as ‘just plug it in turn it on and your pool or spa will be perfect’ These types of claims seem to be too good to be true…and they are just that, too good to be true.

By following the ‘5 keys to basic pool/spa care’ and working with the educated team at Holland Home Leisure you can get the results you want.

5. So what are these 5 steps Mike? Refresh my Pool School Memory!

CIRCULATION
Pool water must be circulated for maximum sanitizer effectiveness. The more your water is in motion, the harder it is for bacteria and algae to take hold. Debris is captured by your filter, too. The best time to circulate the water is during the day, for 10 hours or more, ideally 24 hours!

FILTRATION
The filter is one of your most important pieces of equipment. It removes both visible debris and most microscopic matter. Generally, a filter should be backwashed (the removal of material trapped on or in the filter media) when the water pressure in the filter reaches 8 to 10 psi above normal. (Check manufacturer's guidelines.) Because backwashing does not remove oils and deeply embedded debris, every filter needs to be chemically cleaned regularly. Your BioGuard Dealer can help you establish a filter maintenance program.

CLEANING
Some swimming pools have areas with little or no circulation. This is where algae and bacteria can begin to grow. At least once a week, the walls and floor should be brushed and vacuumed to remove debris that the filter misses. Brushing is a must, even if you use an automatic pool cleaner or retain a weekly service.

TESTING
Every pool has characteristics that must be regularly measured and adjusted. Most important are the pH and the level of active sanitizer. By testing these two factors at regular intervals, you'll understand how bather load, weather and product application affect the water. Test your pool water two or three times per week. Also, take a sample to your BioGuard Dealer when you open and close your pool, and every four weeks during the season. This will help you maintain proper water balance and greatly reduce the potential for problems.

CHEMISTRY
The last step in a total pool maintenance program is applying the right products to your pool water at the right time.

This will help you:

Provide a sanitary swimming environment.

Balance the water to protect the equipment and pool surfaces

Unbalanced water can permanently damage both.

Provide brilliant, sparkling water that's inviting.

6.I'm curious, how are the Splash for CF fundraisers going this year? What are your 2011 goals?

The Splash for CF campaign which is a program geared at raising money and awareness to fight Cystic Fibrosis is going very well. Cystic fibrosis (CF) is the most common fatal genetic disease affecting Canadian children and young adults.

Through various events our goal is to raise $50,000 this year through the BioGuard network of Dealers across

Canada

. It has been a pleasure to work with the staff at Cystic Fibrosis of Canada and our BioGuard Dealers like Holland Home Leisure towards achieving this goal for 2011.

WOW, $50,000 is a great goal, and all of us here at HHL feel like it’s a great cause Mike, which we are happy to help support!

Thank you so much Mr. Godfrey for taking time out of your busy schedule to sit down and Blog with me, it is greatly appreciated!