Some pools look profitable until they aren’t. We pull back the curtain on the accounts that drain time, money, and patience, and we map out the simple rules that keep your route safe and sustainable. From the backyard with a trained guard dog to the “easy” green pool with a dying pump, we show you how to spot trouble before you’re knee-deep in cloudy water and finger-pointing. First, we talk safety with real stories from the field and why “the dog will be put away” isn’t a plan. You’ll learn practical deterrents and, more importantly, when to pass on a property altogether. Then we dig into green pool rehab: how to read a yard before you quote, equipment red flags that predict failure, and the true cost of running unreliable systems 24/7. We share what to check, how to price honestly, and the exact moments to walk away. We also decode seasonal debris traps. Eucalyptus, jacaranda, and oak can lull you in winter and bury you in summer. We explain how to audit trees, anticipate bloom and shed cycles, and price for the worst month rather than the best week. Finally, we break down heavy-use residential pools that behave like commercial sites—constant cloudiness, rapid filter loading, and high bather load—and how to protect yourself with rate adjustments, extra visits, and hard boundaries. If an Airbnb won’t allow surcharges or off-day service, it’s not your account. You’ll leave with a field-tested checklist to protect your margins: avoid attack-dog yards, refuse taped-together equipment, learn the local trees, and identify commercial-level usage early. If a client resists repairs, run time, or fair pricing, replace the account and invest that slot in someone who values your expertise. Enjoy the conversation, then subscribe, share the show with a fellow pool pro, and drop a review telling us your biggest red flag to watch for. We share the hard-won rules that keep a pool route safe, profitable, and sane, from avoiding aggressive dogs to spotting green pools that won’t clear. We also unpack seasonal tree traps, heavy-use backyards, and how to price Send us a text Support the Pool Guy Podcast Show Sponsors! HASA https://bit.ly/HASAThe Bottom Feeder. Save $100 with Code: DVB100https://store.thebottomfeeder.com/ Try Skimmer FREE for 30 days:https://getskimmer.com/poolguy Get UPA Liability Insurance $64 a month! https://forms.gle/F9YoTWNQ8WnvT4QBA Pool Guy Coaching: https://bit.ly/40wFE6y Support the show Thanks for listening, and I hope you find the Podcast helpful! For other free resources to further help you: Visit my Website: https://www.swimmingpoollearning.com Watch on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@SPL Podcast Site: https://the-pool-guy-podcast-show.onpodium.com/ UPA General Liability Insurance Application: https://forms.gle/F9YoTWNQ8WnvT4QBA Pool Guy Coaching Group Join an exclusive network of Pool Service Technicians to access the industry’s leading commercial general liability insurance program. Protect your business. Premium is $64 per month per member (additional $40 for employees and ICs) $59 per month for Pool Guy coaching Members - join here! https://www.patreon.com/poolguycoaching Limits are $1,000,000 in occurrence and $2,000,000 in the aggregate - Per member limits [ $1,000,000 per occurrence and $4,000,000 aggregate available for $75 per month ] $50,000 in HazMat Coverage - clean up on-site or over-the-road Acid Wash Coverage - Full Limits
