Proper handling procedures
Exposure to air and humidity is detrimental; therefore, be sure to keep containers sealed when not in use. It is also important for preventing contamination not to switch bottle caps, place bottle caps on soiled surfaces, or repour reagents into receptacles that have not been thoroughly rinsed out first. Finally, keep wet fingers away from unused strips and be sure not to accidentally touch the reagent pads during a test.
When is it time to replace reagents?
With all these environmental influences, you can see how an expiration date might give someone a false sense of security. Most reagent manufacturers recommend starting each swim season with fresh reagents; and immediately replacing a solution if it is not the colour you are used to seeing, when you see floating particles that do not dissolve when shaken, if the reagent has begun to stain its container, or if liquid has crusted around the tip of the dropper bottle. There may be no visual cue that a test strip has reached the end of its life, so definitely do not go past the use-by date.
Myth 11: When customers are educated about water chemistry beyond a certain minimal point, they will have no need for you
In our household we value the experts who keep life running smoothly, including the lawn care business who keeps our grass green and weed-free, the mechanic who keeps our cars running and the financial advisor who keeps our retirement hopes alive. Notably, each of these service providers is very good about explaining what we need to do and why, and what choices are available to us. Thus, over the years, we have gained some knowledge in all of these areas, allowing us to recognize their expertise and feel comfortable handing over responsibility to them.
Even with this knowledge, we do not have the technical aptitude or self-confidence to become independent, let alone have the time to spend doing these chores without the assistance of a professional.
This personal experience convinces me that, when it comes to water chemistry, only your educated customers will fully appreciate how you save them time and worry; how you look out for their best interests, by staying current with advances in technologies and new product offerings in order to maximize their pool/spa enjoyment; and your charges are commensurate with the value they receive. The effort you put into educating your customer will create loyalty and a willingness to recommend your business to friends and neighbours.
Pat Fitzgerald is vice-president of marketing at Taylor Technologies, a manufacturer of water testing supplies in Sparks, Md. She is the happy owner of both a portable spa and a 95,000-L (25,000-gal) swimming pool. You can read more about water testing on Taylor’s website, www.taylortechnologies.com. More information can also be found through Lowry & Associates, Taylor’s Canadian master distributor, by contacting Michael Lowry via e-mail at mlowry@lowryassociates.ca or by visiting www.lowryassociates.ca.
