JOBS
Job of the Month: Various Positions, Custom Pools

More Jobs: Click here

More Info: Looking for qualified employees? To feature your classified ad in our enewsletter, click here.

PRODUCTS

For more on A.O. Smith, click here

INCENTIVES
News of education, early buys, rebates & other incentive programs. To participate, click here.

MAGAZINE
Current Issue
Get industry news and insight from Pool & Spa News.

Contact Us
Pool & Spa News values your feedback.

Advertise
Find more information on advertising in the Pool & Spa News Insider.

HOT OFFERS
Other products from the publisher of Pool & Spa News:

Industry News

• Insurer Draws Ire From Pool Techs
  - Pool & Spa News
  Members of the United Pool Association got a scare in February when the group’s insurance broker sent out a letter denying coverage for installing drain covers and SVRS devices.
  
  
• Title 20 Enforcement Questioned at Energy Conference
  - Pool & Spa News
  As a sign of the times, more than 40 members of the pool and spa industry gathered to discuss the implications of California’s newly amended Title 20 regulations.
  
  
• The Healthiest Housing Markets for 2009
  - Builder
  
  
• Down for the Count: The Weakest Housing Markets for 2009
  - Builder
  
  
• Pool Corp Reports Steeper 4Q Loss
  - Yahoo! Finance
  
  
• Pool Owners: Proceed Cautiously on New Pool Rules
  - OC Register
  
  
• New Pool Rules: A $29 Million Pain in the Drain?
  - OC Register
  
  
• Owner of Swanky L.A. Hotel Charged After Pool Chemical Dumping
  - Associated Press/CBS 47
  
  
• Chemical Incident Closes Rec Center
  - Laramie Boomerang
  
  

Service Tip

If you notice corrosion on metal objects in the pool — such as on light fixtures or steel rails — galvanic corrosion may be at fault. Try putting a zinc anode ball in the skimmer basket. Zinc is one of the least noble metals, meaning it will be the first to absorb any damage should galvanic corrosion appear. You also can reduce the risk of galvanic corrosion by lowering the amount of total dissolved solids (TDS) in the pool.

MOD Design Tip

Mark Allison
President
Allison Construction Inc.
Goodlettsville, Tenn.
PSN 2007 Masters of Design Winner - Fiberglass Pools

What great design concept are you working on?
In addition to our concrete, masonry, water and pool divisions, we introduced commercial pools into our line last year. We’ve incorporated a lot of stainless steel and Ipe wood on the high-end commercial side.

How does it work?
Ipe is a gorgeous wood out of Brazil. It’s similar to teak — a very dense, colorful wood with a mahogany type of glow. Incorporated with stainless steel posts and hardware, it makes a very elegant element.

Recently, we used the combination for a decorative fence at an upscale apartment complex. Ipe is an exterior board that holds a water seal extremely well, so it’s not going to gray or discolor over time. But it has the same luxurious look as cherry or walnut inside the home. As wood goes, it costs an arm and a leg. When you cut the ends, they have to be waxed so they don’t absorb any moisture. It’s very hard and dense, which you can feel when drilling or tooling it.

Snapshot

Michael Galica
Owner
Marin Outdoor Living
Greenbrae, Calif.

I’ve got a secret. Business is good. Having a diverse product line has allowed me greater flexibility. If you only sell patio furniture or only spas nowadays, you are limiting yourself. If you want to be cutting edge, you have to think beyond the hot tub and diversify. I create entire outdoor-living spaces… [this helps me] excel above and beyond what’s happening in the marketplace.

Also, green is selling. Where the world is going is sustainability. The spas I carry have a green storyline. My furniture line… uses reclaimed wood. Sales are actually up, and they are going to multiply in the future. Retailers who don’t look at these alternatives need to consider them. The younger generation is demanding these types of products. Everyone wants to go in the sustainable direction, so I’m fulfilling that niche.

Featured Article

Green to Clean
California service companies
find a lucrative revenue stream
in pools of foreclosed homes.

Trade Show News

Don’t Miss the 2009 International Pool | Spa | Patio Expo
At the forefront of backyard living is the 2009 International Pool | Spa | Patio Expo — the ultimate source for the most current and relevant product and service offerings on the market. Bringing pool, spa and backyard professionals face-to-face with manufacturers, suppliers and service providers in a high-impact selling environment designed to inspire, inform and entertain, this is one event you cannot miss!

To take your business to the next level, plan to join us Nov. 16-18, 2009, in Las Vegas — America’s favorite tradeshow destination.
 

Exhibits: Nov. 16-18, 2009
Conference: Nov. 13-18, 2009
Mandalay Bay Convention Center
Las Vegas, Nevada USA
972.536.6350
www.PoolSpaPatio.com | info@PoolSpaPatio.com