Talking Pools Podcast
Talking Pools Podcast
Rudy Stankowitz
If you’ve ever stared at a test kit like it personally insulted your family… welcome home.Talking Pools Podcast is the pool industry’s “pull up a chair” show—part shop talk, part field manual, part therapy session—built for people who actually live on pool decks: commercial operators, service techs, builders, facility managers, and anyone responsible for water that can’t afford to go sideways. The network was created to level up the pool industry with real-world conversations on water chemistry, filtration, troubleshooting, construction, safety, and the business side of keeping pools open and budgets intact. Here’s the hook: it’s not theory-first. It’s experience-first—a roster of seasoned pros (with 250+ years of combined “been there, fixed that” wisdom) turning complicated problems into practical moves you can use the same day.  And it’s not one voice, one vibe, one corner of the industry: it’s a network of shows designed to reflect how diverse this work really is—different regions, different specialties, different personalities. Also worth saying out loud: women aren’t “special guests” here—they’re on the mic as hosts, from the beginning, with an intentionally balanced roster.  That matters, because the best ideas in this industry don’t come from one lane—they come from the whole road.If you want a podcast that can make you laugh and make you better at what you do—without pretending the job is easier than it is—Talking Pools is the one you queue up before the first stop, and keep on when the day starts getting weird. 
Room to Grow: Earning Respect and Looking Beyond LSI
Ask a question here Talking Pools Podcast | Floc-It Friday with Rudy Stankowitz If we tell people to do better, we have to leave them somewhere to go when they try. After several episodes that stirred up the pool industry, Rudy asks a question that includes himself: Can somebody earn our respect after they’ve lost our approval? From his conversations with Eric Knight to the response surrounding the 14 PSI interviews, Rudy talks about recognizing experience earned through different paths, corr...
Nov 6
23 min
When a Free Estimate Becomes Free Consulting
Ask a question here Talking Pools Podcast | Thursdays with Steve & Wayne You spend hours inspecting a commercial pool, identifying problems, calling suppliers, and building a proposal. Then the customer takes your scope of work to somebody cheaper. Congratulations. You just did their homework for free. This week, Steve and Wayne tackle the cost of giving away your expertise and the uncomfortable question that comes with it: Should pool professionals charge for commercial site visits and p...
Nov 5
54 min
Hot Tubs Can Kill: Biofilm, Bad Habits & Vacation Rental Risks with Dr. Roy Vore
Ask a question here That vacation rental has a hot tub. Great. When did somebody last test the water? Natalie Hood welcomes microbiologist Dr. Roy Vore back to the Talking Pools Podcast for part two of their hot tub myth-busting conversation. This time, they get into the plumbing, the maintenance shortcuts, and the uncomfortable questions every service professional and vacation rental owner should be asking. Roy discusses biofilm management, the limits of shocking, and why he considers once-a...
Nov 4
46 min
Six Months of Free Pool Service. One Expensive Lesson
Ask a question here Three raffle entries. One winner. Six months of pool cleaning True wishes he hadn’t given away. This week on Tru in the Loop, True shares how a holiday giveaway landed him a problem pool with relentless debris and a layout that made every visit a headache. The experience changed what he looks for before quoting a new account. Then pool builder Adam joins the conversation to explain how his years on a service route shaped the pools he builds today. From equipment access to ...
Nov 3
38 min
Pool Standards Stuck in 1989? Inside the AS 3633 Rewrite
Ask a question here Pool equipment has changed. Water testing has changed. So why has Australia’s pool water quality standard taken so long to catch up? On this episode of Mondays Down Under on the Talking Pools Podcast, Lee Salisbury and Nick welcome Chris Smith from Waterco for a look inside the proposed rewrite of Australian Standard AS 3633. With 42 years in the industry and a seat on the technical committee, Chris explains how the draft came together, why its scope is expanding beyond pr...
Nov 2
52 min
Same Pool, Different Math: Rudy & Eric Knight, Part 2
Ask a question here Rudy Stankowitz and Eric Knight of Pool Brain continue their three-part crossover conversation with a question that gets uncomfortable fast: How can the same water readings look balanced in one calculation and aggressive in another? They compare the PHTA/NPC calculation Rudy teaches with the Orenda calculator Eric helped develop, explain where their approaches differ, and discuss what those differences mean when you’re standing beside an actual pool. Then there’s everythin...
Oct 30
57 min
Know Your Numbers, Protect Your Business
Ask a question here Are you making money on every pool, or just staying busy? This week on Thursdays with Wayne & Steve, the guys get back to business basics for pool professionals. Steve explains why knowing your costs, understanding your pricing, and building relationships with reliable subcontractors can make the difference between having a full route and having a profitable business. Steve also shares what his coastal community has been dealing with as storms and beach erosion threate...
Oct 29
44 min
Hot Tubs, Germs & the Microbial Badass - Dr. Roy Vore
Ask a question here Hot tubs may be small, but the problems hiding in them can be anything but. In this episode of the Talking Pools Podcast, Natalie Hood sits down with microbiologist Dr. Roy Vore to tackle hot tub chemistry, sanitation, and the misconceptions that can leave bathers soaking in more than warm water. Roy explains why hot tub water chemistry can change much faster than in a swimming pool, how heat and aeration affect it, and why sanitizer residual is only one part of spa care. ...
Oct 28
30 min
Standalone Spas, Lost Accounts & Hiring the Right People
Ask a question here A clean pool wasn’t enough to keep the customer. In this episode of Tru in the Loop, Pool Boy True shares a hard lesson he learned when a customer asked for service documentation, and he took too long to provide it. Her request was about more than paperwork: she wanted peace of mind. True joins Christian of Pure Water Pools on Florida’s Treasure Coast to talk about servicing standalone spas. They discuss how spa use affects maintenance, what technicians should consider whe...
Oct 27
27 min
Your Pool Business Has Procedures. Does Anyone Actually Follow Them?
Ask a question here When the schedule fills up, shortcuts start looking pretty reasonable. A missing job note here, a skipped photo there. Then a customer calls, a pump won’t start, and suddenly that five-second video becomes the most valuable thing your technician recorded all week. On this episode of Mondays Down Under, Lee, The Pool Shop Coach, joins Nick to discuss building procedures that pool professionals actually use. From consistent service standards to employee onboarding, they expl...
Oct 26
35 min
Load more