Designed for demand: Though many

components of a large commercial equipment room are just scaled-up

versions of their residential cousins, some — like these

regenerative media filters — are specially engineered to

handle huge gallonages and bather loads.
GARY THILL Designed for demand: Though many components of a large commercial equipment room are just scaled-up versions of their residential cousins, some — like these regenerative media filters — are specially engineered to handle huge gallonages and bather loads.

Aside from the larger scale and higher bather loads of Olympic-size pools, some less tangible differences exist between these sites and a typical residential or small commercial account. Here are a few pointers:

Respect the members

“The members are always right,” says John Mangan, property director for the Ambler, Pa., YMCA.

Unlike a residential site, though, an Olympic-size pool’s members typically aren’t the owners — which means it’s crucial to balance the owners’ expectations with the needs expressed by members.

If members are requesting minor changes — for example, slight temperature adjustments — service veterans agree that it’s best to accommodate them (after alerting the owners, of course).

Stay consistent

Though the chemistry of Olympic-size pools changes more slowly than that of smaller ones, there’s little room for experimentation at such sites.

“Consistency’s very important,” Mangan says. In large part, this is because these sites keep precise records, and deviations from the norm will stand out as potential causes of problems. In short, test out new treatment ideas on smaller pools, and only apply them to Olympic-size sites when they’re proven to produce only the desired effects.

Keep notes

Aside from official record-keeping, it pays to keep personal notes on what works and what doesn’t — as well as what’s being learned on-site. This resource will prove invaluable not only for this site, but for future customers with large commercial pools.