Stop The Bleeding - Holiday Woes: Part ll

Pool Pros text questions here

Steve Sherwood kicks off the New Year’s Day conclusion of the holiday two-parter with a no-fluff reminder: if you’re not doing chemical dosing calculations, what are you even doing out there? This episode is a practical, field-first toolbox talk—equal parts profitability and liability prevention.

Steve breaks down why measuring accurately (liquid and dry) isn’t “extra,” it’s literally the difference between making money and quietly donating it to every pool you touch. He walks through the core measurement tools every tech should carry, then pivots into operational safety: SDS sheets, chemical transport, bonding/grounding awareness at equipment pads, and how to avoid expensive (and reputation-killing) accidents like flooding a yard or dropping a $4,000 heater on the highway.

He closes with a promise: next week he’ll get into a full wish list of gear you should be buying for your techs (and yourself) to make the job easier in 2026—plus he offers to share his calculation sheets if you email the show.

What You’ll Learn in This Episode

Accurate dosing isn’t nerd stuff—it’s profit protection
Steve calls out the casual “just eyeball it” culture and explains how small overpours multiply fast across a route. A little extra per stop becomes real money by the end of the week and month.

The reality of app-based dosing
Using an app is fine—if you actually set it up correctly. Steve points out the common failure: techs use apps without confirming product strengths (cal-hypo % varies, liquid chlorine strength varies), which makes the output garbage.

Field measurement tools every tech should carry
Steve emphasizes having simple, cheap tools that prevent waste:

• A fluid-ounce measuring cup (so “half a gallon” isn’t a guess)
• A dedicated dry-chemical scoop system (like “smart scoops”) for more consistent dosing—unless you’re willing to go full-pro and carry a scale

Route management: track chemical usage like you mean it
He talks about using modern apps and reporting to review chemical spend by account—so you can see who’s profitable and who’s quietly eating your margins.

Safety and Liability: The Stuff That Can Ruin Your Year

SDS sheets in the truck, always
Steve stresses having a physical SDS binder/folder for everything you carry—because in an accident, nobody else is going to “handle your chemical problem.” If there’s a spill or cleanup, it’s coming back to you.

Bonding and grounding checks at the equipment pad
Steve urges techs to stop ignoring the pad. Take a minute and look. Missing or improper bonding/grounding isn’t just “code talk”—it’s a safety risk that can become a negligence nightmare if something goes wrong.

Carry extra bonding wire
He recommends keeping a roll of the correct gauge bonding wire on the truck because he runs into missing or incorrect bonding more often than he should.

Secure loads in your truck
He highlights straps (rocket straps / heavy-duty straps) because the worst-case scenario is catastrophic: equipment or chemicals falling out at highway speed, causing injury or damage—and liability lands on you.

“Stop Flooding People’s Yards” Tools

Water timers save your ass

Flow meters for smarter fills and commer

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