Pool Maintenance Question

It is my understanding that we are supposed to be serviced 3-4 times weekly in the summer months for pool servicing. Has anyone experienced green pools with heavy usage, even if the pool vendor was a day late?

I am getting a lot of blowback from my PM, he keeps defending the vendor. Early this morning I wanted to use the Spa and I noticed the pool was so green that Kermit the Frog would be jealous.
Disgusted, I took a water sample from the Spa and Pool to Leslie's Pool for testing and it quite alarming. The Pool is 60% out of compliance, the chlorine Total and Free measured 0.13ppm Alkaline was at 46ppm copper was at 0.3 and phosphates was 1074 when it is supposed to be 0 to 100 ppb.
The Spa confirmed my earlier assumption that the water balance is out of whack. The water tested at 30% out of compliance phosphates were at 3358 where 100 ppb is the high threshold. TDS was at 2600 where the threshold limit is 2500 ppm Alkaline is at 66 ph is high at 8.1 and free and total chlorine was at.13 copper in the spa was at 0.3 where the threshold is 0.2, that is why the spa alone looked green, not because of low chlorine alone.

SO!!!!! has anyone experienced green pools if your vendor skipped a day? Based on this water report I am going to take an uneducated guess and say the pool vendor is not doing their job and billing us for work that is not provided.

What say you?

BTW our PM defending this company said the pool servicer told our pm that they are using more chlorine in our pool, I told our PM to read the water report and then tell me that they are using more chlorine.

Bring the issue to the board of directors and have them authorize a pool water test by an independent company. In fact, I'd say to contact your board president and ask them to lead a quiet water test as no board vote is needed. Don't have the property manager oversee or know about this once a board leader takes control.

This is basic HOA "stuff" that any board should move within days to, at least, assess to see if the vendor is at fault or if the complaining resident is unreasonable. Most times, in my 14 years' experience, it's a 50/50 call.

Melissa, I don't know what that means heavy usage lol. Out of 300 homes, 100 people would mean a lot to me. I would say 15-30 on a given day is realistic. That is a possibility about the pump and filter not working properly. If that is the case, just like our spa needs to be re-plastered, I do not want this company anywhere near new equipment. I would want to wait to replace anything until they are GONE.

My next thought is to get with the other two board members and officially call an executive session, bypass the PM and get some pool servicing bids on our own. I feel the PM is dragging their feet and we can keep blaming the pandemic for lack of workers. There has to be a pool vendor that will actual perform the job they are hired to do.

LetA, I urge you not to denigrate yourself for doing the right thing. As I am going to say a lot in the next several months, a certain Surfside Florida condo board did not do the right thing, and some 150+ souls are lost, with hundreds more traumatized and in financial ruin for at least some months. Directors that do not do the right thing, ignoring concerns about infrastructure issues, are the AHs.

The best way to keep the pool clear is to put chloride tablets in the filter basket that goes into the pump. This way ALL the water is being cycled and kept clear. You will always have to use more chloride during the summer months, not because of usage, but because of heat breaks down the chemicals so much faster.

Thank You Augie. I appreciate that.

Boy do they like to sell chemicals, lol. The Ph is right on the mark at 7.2.

What does your contract with them say, LetA? My memory might be off, but this is the part that you usually cannot answer. Do recall, btw, only the Board can terminate them, not you, a lone director.

This would be like blaming folks who speak out in opposition to federal taxes for Congress's refusal to raise taxes to, say, pay for new federal infrastructure.

When it comes to ensuring condo boardds are strongly incentivized to do the right thing with reserve funds et cetera, I would be surprised if Nevada is ahead of the game compared to other states. BarbaraT1's comment stays with me:

I have no clue because we are not given copies of vendor contracts.

As a director on your Board, LetA, how did this contract get approved if the Board did not vote on it? Are all of your contracts in your HOA mysteries? Write to the PM and MC and demand a copy of the contract.

We and I imagine many HOAs have most of our major contracts on our website for owners to review if they wish.

You probably can terminate a contract without cause, but you need to know what's in it for cris'sake.

UPDATE:

The health district shut down the pool this morning. This caused the vendor to wake the F up. The vendor has accepted responsibility, will pay any and all fines and fees that the health district levies against us
Both the spa and pool are being drained and will be refilled. Our PM says that we should have at least two bids for a new vendor to review by Friday. At the last meeting in June a motion was made to review and vote on a new pool vendor before the next meeting

LetA, nice update. Congratulations on a job well done.

We are having the same problem. Our pool company is saying that it is for multiple reasons, primarily an unusual amount of rain. In addition the pool needs to be resurfaced and they are telling us that the deteriorating plaster is changing the ph balance in addition to normal use.

Thank You!!! That is being looked into as well.

I have a question about billing I'll post in a new topic

The pool company has ben officially FIRED YAY!!!!!!!

Friday I was present when the health inspector arrived. I was soon aggravated by these pool cleaning clowns. When they drain the pool on Monday, they did not rinse it out. They refilled it with the dirt and falling palm fronds and seeds remained in the pool. The cleaner said he cleaned it out. Right in front of the health inspector I said Are you sure, think long and hard about it and revise your statement. He affirmed that he cleaned the pool before refilling it. Then I whipped out my phone with picture I took Monday afternoon and early Tuesday morning. The pool was laden with dirt, crud etc.
I really despise liars.. These clowns have no sense of worth, I was beyond livid that anyone would remotely think having a pool that dirty knowing the health district is on the way is just beyond repulsive to me.
The cleaners did manage to get 90% of the fronds and seeds out of the water and filter baskets.

The good news is, the health inspector tested the water and we passed. We promised to have the new cleaner vacuum the pool of all the dirt that remains on the bottom.
I have a sneaky suspicion we have a bigger problem brewing. There is a loud whine coming from the filter motor, and I feel it is not just a bad bearing. I feel we have some major flow issues. The inspector noted a bubbling coming from one of the 3 inch grates. It may indicate a leak somewhere, oy vey!

New company starts Monday

Good job. Consider having the board vote on reporting this company to the BBB.

The PM sent the bye-bye email. The PM sent the hire letter, but the pool company was one that I had recommended, Tho I will meet the new pool vendor Monday morning to give him the keys.

So the Board voted to fire the pool company? And the Board voted to hire the new company? And the Board voted to approve a contract with the new company?

Yes, Yes, and Yes!!!

LetA, I appreciate your responding patiently to those who continue to question your actions. This was an emergency situation. You stepped up in a situation that directly affects the safety of owners and property. Given the conditions, time was not on anyone's side. The southwestern heat wave sure has not helped. You got the board to agree. With the Board and PM, and with you going the extra mile to checking to see that repairs were done correctly (thank goodness for your taking pictures), you got it fixed.

Nationwide most others would not be willing to go against the flow or a possibly apathetic board and fix this serious, safety-intense situation. As far as I am concerned, those here who continue to question your actions at this point (afaic condescendingly and as if you were a child), without even bothering to recognize emphatically how outstanding your work in this instance was, deserve to be ignored by you.

Max. It is one thing like that OP kind of going rogue versus a homeowner since this pool company was hired demonstrated that they lack the skills to properly care for a pool. This was one of the reasons why I ran for a board position. I quickly found out that there was great resistance to kicking them loose because they were subcontracted through a master contract with the community that takes care of other maintenance issues around the community like street lights and plumbing.

The decision to change pool vendors came at the beginning of the year at our March meeting. It was observed over the year the pool was closed because of covid, that the pool light was left on the deck for almost two months. The cleanliness of the water over the year the pool was closed looked horrible. There was a clear like slick on the surface. It was agreed upon then to put changing vendors for the pool company, and that meant changing the master contractor too. When the electric panel was vandalized during the shutdown, instead of the contractor buying a new hasp to rivet to the electric panel, they used drywall screws to keep it from flying open, which is a building code violation.

Changing vendors was on the June agenda, it was a scramble. The property manager invited aa few bids, most were declined due to employee shortages. Ultimately the board decided to go with a vendor I suggested. They have been pleased with the security company that I suggested two years ago.

Just a culmination of foolery finally woke up the other board members. When I could prove via printed emails with the property manager that either at the begging of the season the spa heater was never turned on, or was the jets primed. They would often "service the pool and spa" but never check the water temp . I would constantly have to email the PM.

I feel everyone had enough, Friday when the health inspector was here, I asked, do the Jets work? Oh sure they so. BUZZZZ wrong answer. They didn't both the pool guys too around scratching their heads with a confused look on their faces.

Having a green pool the pool contractor should have closed the pool and reported it to the health district. they didn't. I emailed the inspector directly who told me to go to the website and make it official. The Health inspector said any complaints within 90 days of opening or rein spection will automatically trigger a re visit. Also unbeknownst to me someone reported the green pool to county code enforcement.

It just comes down to the board being tired of crappy service vendors, Lucy and Ethel would have done a better job than these two clowns. One guy looked like that 49er guy from Blazing Saddles, a washed out drunkard and the other guy looked like a crystal meth tweaker.

Our community deserves better. After observing the company we choose, they keep the pools at the properties they service sparkling clear, I have total faith we made the correct decision.

sounds about right.