Troubleshooting
Cloudiness, algae, leaks, stains, metals, and equipment faults with clear stop conditions.
Open the playbooks in this hub to focus on this part of pool care without wading through the full library.
Playbooks In This Hub
Start with the closest match to your situation, then branch into related playbooks as needed.
Clear Cloudy Water
Recover sparkle after storms, heavy use, or mild organics by separating filtration issues from chemistry issues.
Draining and Refill Planning
Plan staged water replacement for CYA, CH, salt, metals, or contamination without turning a chemistry correction into a structural mistake.
Emergency Troubleshooting - Equipment Failures
Work through sudden pump, heater, filter, leak, or automation problems with clear DIY boundaries and escalation points.
Fiberglass Defects, Stains, and Surface Protection
Distinguish scale and stains from gelcoat damage, blister concerns, and shell issues before cosmetic cleanup turns into finish damage.
Flood, Storm, and Disaster Recovery
Recover from floodwater, severe storms, and disaster debris with a contamination-first, equipment-safety-first workflow.
Leak Detection and Water Loss
Measure real water loss, separate evaporation from leaks, and narrow the problem before paying for advanced diagnostics.
SLAM (Shock Level And Maintain)
A complete algae-removal workflow for residential pools using repeated testing, brushing, and filtration instead of one-time “shock.”
Stains, Metals, and Discoloration
Diagnose iron, copper, scale, and organic staining so you do not acid-wash or SLAM the wrong problem.
Tile Line Cleaning and Scale Removal
Diagnose what the waterline deposit actually is, then clean tile and grout without damaging the surface below it.
Vinyl Liner Repair and Replacement
Decide when a liner issue is patchable, when it points to fit or age failure, and when draining or harsh cleaning will make the problem worse.
Wildfire Smoke and Ash Recovery
Recover from smoke fallout and ash deposition with lower-dust cleanup, PPE, and a contamination-aware retest workflow.