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Dirty jobs: Cleaning swimming pools can be icky – from algae to mud to coconuts?

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Dirty jobs: Cleaning swimming pools can be icky – from algae to mud to coconuts?

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The News-Press and Naples Daily News are doing a special series on Dirty Jobs in Southwest Florida. Today we are taking a closer look at cleaning disgusting, algae-filled pools.

Cornerstone Pool Service focuses on handling those messy jobs every day. Pool service, pool repairs, and installations are all on the calendar. The company aims to service clients whether it be with clear crystal-blue water or green filth. The issue is when deep-grown algae comes into play, meaning the job can get a little more complicated.

More: Dirty jobs: Biohazard cleaner – ‘You name it, you don’t want to touch it. Our people touch it.’

“Algae and cyanobacteria (also called blue-green algae) are plant-like organisms that live in water. They can quickly grow out of control, or “bloom.” Some of these blooms produce toxins (poisons) that make people and animals sick” according to the Center for Disease Control. It’s important to schedule a weekly pool clean to avoid future harmful bacteria like algae.

Cornerstone services over 1,300 pools providing for a large customer base. A customer can buy a house and realize three months later that they forgot about getting it serviced. Cornerstone comes in, and treats the pool, bringing it from black to blue again.

Dirty swimming pool

  • WHO DOES IT?: Pool service technicians are the main bulk of the company. These staff members service swimming pools throughout Naples. Staff work on brushing, vacuuming, and sanitizing pools. There are also repair technicians who install pool equipment, electrical installation, and plumbing.
  • HOW LONG DOES THIS JOB TAKE?: The amount of time spent on a job can depend on whether it’s regular maintenance or built-up algae from overtime. During weekly maintenance, a job can take anywhere from fifteen to twenty minutes. If a job requires algae removal or a slight buildup on walls, the cleaning could be increasingly longer depending on brushing walls, flooring, and extra chemicals. It can go from fifteen minutes to five hours because of filth severity. Ultimately, its contingent on how long a pool has been left without cleaning and what’s inside the pool.
  • WHY IS THIS JOB IMPORTANT?: Algae pool cleaning is an essential service for the community. It allows for the health and maintenance of swimming pools that allow for recreation, exercise, and quality of life. It also requires specialized expertise and training to ensure a high-quality service.
  • WHAT SPECIFIC TOOLS (CHEMICALS) ARE NEEDED TO DO THIS JOB?: Jobs like cleaning algae require brushes, chemicals (acid wash), and protective equipment like breathing masks when working with harsh chemicals. The company also uses specialized pool equipment like pumps, filters, and automation systems to maintain pools.

Q&A: 4 questions about the dirty job of cleaning pools for Chang Huang

Huang is the owner of Cornerstone Pool Service. We asked him a few questions about the dirty job of cleaning swimming pools:

Q. WHAT IS A POISITIVE SIDE TO DOING THIS DIRTY JOB?

HUANG: “Satisfaction. It’s kind of beautiful to take care of your customers. We want to make sure our customers are happy. If we have the expertise and we’re able to treat pools to recover a pool quickly, in a customer’s eyes they’re super happy.”

Q. HOW CAN OWNERS PREVENT HAVING A DIRTY POOL?

HUANG: “If you stay on top of pools, they shouldn’t get algae. We want to prevent algae from becoming. What becomes super time-consuming is when people let their pools go… you’re looking at pools that used to be crystal clear, now they literally look like the pond in your backyard.”

Q. WHAT WERE SWIMMING POOLS LOOKING LIKE IN SWFL AFTER HURRICANE IAN?

HUANG: “When the pools got flooded, they had all sorts of stuff inside the pool. In those situations, you have to drain the pool, remove all the debris shoveling it out, and acid wash the walls to refill the pool.”

Huang added that pools after storms commonly have trash cans full of small dead fish, mud, and coconuts.

Q. ANYTHING A HOMEOWNER SHOULD KNOW ABOUT THE CHEMICALS USED TO CLEAN A POOL?

HUANG: “You got to have a certain expertise of how to do it properly so you don’t damage the pool. There’s some hazard when you’re dealing with chemicals.”

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