Responses to our chemical and equipment survey came in from 18 states.

As we have come to expect, responses were heaviest from the areas with the highest number of pools. The top states in order of participation were California, Texas, Arizona, and Florida.

For statistical purposes, we divided the country into seven geographic regions, based on their location and the number of responses we received.

The following is the way we broke it down: Northern California — From the Oregon Border south to Bakersfield. Northern California represents 10 percent of the responses we received. We also included Oregon in this region.

Southern California — From the Mexican Border north to Bakersfield. Southern California represents 37 percent of the responses we received.

Southwest — Arizona; Colorado; Nevada; New Mexico; Oklahoma; Texas; and Utah. The Southwest represented 24 percent of the responses we received this year.

Florida —The Service Industry is large enough in this state for it to qualify as a separate region. Florida represents 8 percent of the responses received.

Southeast — Alabama; Arkansas; Georgia; Kentucky; Louisiana; Maryland; Mississippi; North Carolina; South Carolina; Tennessee; Virginia; and West Virginia. The Southeast represents 13 percent of the responses we received this year.

Northeast — Connecticut; Delaware; Maine; Massachusetts; New Hampshire; New Jersey; New York; Pennsylvania; Rhode Island; and Vermont. The Northeast represents 6 percent of the total number of responses that we received this year.

Midwest — Illinois; Indiana; Iowa; Kansas; Michigan; Minnesota; Missouri; Montana; Nebraska; North Dakota; Ohio; South Dakota; Wisconsin; and Wyoming. Because the Midwest represents only 2 percent of the responses we received this year, the data obtained was insufficient to include in this issue.

The average is actually the median Whenever possible, we use the median figure for determining averages. So the “average” price for the various levels of service represents actual prices that someone is paying. Half of the reported pricing is higher than the median, and half is lower.

When responses from a region were considered insufficient to give us an accurate reading, we dropped that region from our pricing survey.

To make it easier to evaluate business practices, all prices are organized by region.

Not all regions of the country respond to this survey section at the same level, but those that did will find these pricing guidelines useful in evaluating their business practices.

In general, the data that inspires the most confidence is based on higher participation and came from Southern California and the Southwest.

The following is a regional breakdown for chemical prices as well as auto cleaners. We also include common testing methods, the use of salt water chlorine generators, and other specialty equipment.

Northern California

Northern California includes the space from the Oregon Border south to Bakersfield. Northern California represented 10 percent of the responses we received for the survey.

For chlorine testing, respondents from Northern California indicated preference for DPD with 75 percent usage. OTO is still in use by 25 percent of respondents, and test strips are used by 13 percent of those who responded.

Service professionals from this region indicated an equal preference for liquid chlorine and trichlor to sanitize pools, with 88 percent of regular technician usage. They get liquid chlorine at $5.10 per gallon on average. For trichlor, Northern California professionals responding to the survey are paying $218 for a 50-pound bucket, which works out to $4.84 per pound of available chlorine for trichlor. So as expensive as trichlor has become, it still costs less than liquid on a per-pound basis.

Calcium hypochlorite is used by 75 percent of those responding to the survey, and they pay an average of $3.46 per pound of available chlorine. Dichlor, used by 33 percent of respondents, purchased in 50-pound increments costs an average of between $6.68 and $6.03 per pound of available chlorine, depending on whether it is anhydrous.

Service technicians from Northern California reported that on average of 91 percent of all their pools are equipped with an automatic pool cleaner. Their cleaners tend to be pressure side — 76 percent, while 21 percent are suction side, and 3 percent are robots.

Salt water chlorine generators are used on an average of 11 percent of pools for sanitation.

For secondary sanitation systems, 50 percent of service pros encounter UV on at least one of the pools that they service, 25 percent encounter ozone, and less than 1 percent see Advanced Oxidation Processes (AOP) technology on the pools they service.

Respondents indicated that about 3 percent of their total pools utilize UV and 2 percent incorporate ozone.

Southern California

Southern California includes the region from the Mexican Border north to Bakersfield. This region represented 37 percent of the responses we received in this year’s survey.

Relative to the response received from other areas of the country, the response from Southern California was particularly heavy so that the data for this region is the most reliable.

For testing methods, responses to the survey indicate that Southern California services techs use all forms of chlorine testing methods but most rely on test strips: 53 percent use strips, and 34 percent use the DPD method, 44 percent report to using OTO, and 16 percent reported using ORP.

Liquid chlorine is used predominantly over other chlorine sources, with 100-percent usage. Trichlor is used at a high rate as well, with 88-percent usage. Dichlor is used by 50 percent, and calcium hypochlorite is used by only 25 percent of those who responded to the survey.

Southern California service technicians pay a median price of $4.50 for liquid chlorine.

A 50-pound bucket of trichlor is priced at an average $202.50, which works out to $4.50 per pound of available chlorine – on par with liquid.

For dichlor, Southern California service professionals are paying an average of between $7.46 and $6.74 per pound of available chlorine, depending on whether it is anhydrous.

Calcium hypochlorite prices are a median reported price of $3.69 per pound of available chlorine.

Service pros responding to our survey indicated the average of 73 percent of their pools have automatic pool cleaners. As in years past, a large number of them, 97 percent, are suction-side cleaners as opposed to nearly 3 percent employing pressureside cleaners. Robotic cleaners are used in less than 1 percent of the pools of those who responded.

Southern California service professionals reported that an average of 27 percent of their pools have salt water chlorine generators.

In terms of secondary sanitation systems, 28 percent of service techs encounter UV on at least one of the pools that they service, 25 percent encounter ozone, and 3 percent see Advanced Oxidation Processes (AOP) technology.

Respondents indicated that about 1 percent of their total pools utilize UV, and less than 1 percent of their pools incorporate ozone.

Southwest

For our survey, the Southwest region of the country includes the following states: Arizona; Nevada; New Mexico; Oklahoma; Texas; and Utah. The Southwest represented 24 percent of the responses we received in this year’s survey.

Responses to the survey were particularly heavy from Texas and Arizona and are thus much more representative of the maintenance preferences of those two states in particular.

Service technicians responding to the survey reported a higher use of DPD than for other testing methods: DPD is used by 64 percent. About 55 percent of respondents use test strips and 9 percent use OTO to assess chlorination levels. ORP is used by only 5 percent of those who responded.

Respondents from this region indicated greater reliance on trichlor tabs as a chlorination method: 86 percent use trichlor. This area pays an average price of about $206.00 for 50 pounds, or $4.58 per pound available chlorine. Liquid chlorine is used by 64 percent where the cost of liquid chlorine was reported to be $5.00 per gallon.

Calcium hypochlorite is also widely used by 68 percent of those responding to the survey, where they pay a relatively low median price of $2.40 per pound of available chlorine. About 32 percent of respondents use dichlor, paying a median price of between $8.05 and $7.27 per pound of available chlorine, depending on whether or not the dichlor is anhydrous.

Respondents indicated that about 86 percent of all pools employ an automatic cleaner. Slightly more service professionals reported the use of pressure-side cleaners over suction-side cleaners, used in 50 percent and 46 percent of pools respectively, with 3 percent of pools using robotic cleaners.

Chlorine generators are employed on an average of 12 percent of those responding to our survey.

For secondary sanitation systems, 64 percent of service techs encounter UV on at least one of the pools that they service, 59 percent encounter ozone, and 23 percent see Advanced Oxidation Processes (AOP) technology.

Respondents indicated that about 3 percent of their total pools utilize UV while 5 percent incorporate ozone.

Florida

The Service Industry within Florida is large enough for it to qualify as a separate region. Florida represented 8 percent of the responses received.

Floridians have typically reported a high use of liquid chlorine in years past, with 100 percent of service professionals reported relying on liquid chlorine. Compared to the rest of the country, they get a great deal on the chemical at an average price of $1.41 a gallon.

With the high price of trichlor, its use is much less common, used by 20 percent of respondents, averaging $225 per 50 pounds, or $5 per pound of available chlorine.

60 percent of service professionals reported to using calcium hypochlorite at $3.31 per pound of available chlorine. Only 3 percent reported to using dichlor, although 40 percent helpfully provided pricing. Dichlor is reportedly selling for $7.30 and $6.60 per pound of available chlorine depending on if it’s anhydrous.

Responses to our survey indicate that service professionals in Florida primarily use DPD as their means of accessing chlorine concentrations: 80 percent of respondents use this method. Test strips were used by 20 percent of respondents; OTO by 20 percent; and ORP by 60 percent of respondents.

Salt water chlorine generators sanitize 35 percent of the pools serviced by respondents.

An average of 77 percent of respondent’s pools have a cleaner.

Every year, Floridians usually report among the highest use of suction-side cleaners in the country. Suction cleaners are reported by 88 percent of respondents, while pressure cleaners are employed by 10 percent of those responding, and robotic cleaners used by 2 percent.

For secondary sanitation systems, 40 percent of service techs encounter UV on at least one of the pools that they service, 20 percent encounter ozone, and less than 1 percent see Advanced Oxidation Processes (AOP) technology.

Less than 1 percent of respondent’s total pools utilize either UV or ozone.

Southeast

The Southeast includes Alabama; Arkansas; Georgia; Kentucky; Louisiana; Maryland; Mississippi; North Carolina; South Carolina; Tennessee; Virginia; and West Virginia. The Southeast represented 13 percent of the responses we received in this year’s survey.

Respondents from this region indicated a preference for trichlor tabs as a chlorination method: 73 percent use trichlor. This area pays an average price of about $223 for 50 pounds, or $4.96 per pound available chlorine. Liquid chlorine is used by 45 percent where the cost of liquid chlorine was reported to be $3.64 per gallon.

Calcium hypochlorite is used by 64 percent of those responding to the survey, where they pay a median price of $3.07 per pound of available chlorine. About 27 percent of respondents use dichlor, paying a median price of between $7.35 and $6.65 per pound of available chlorine, depending on whether or not the dichlor is anhydrous.

Respondents from this region seem to favor the DPD method for testing chlorine: 55 percent of this area reported using DPD, while 45 percent also uses test strips. ORP and OTO was used by less than 1 percent and 27 percent of respondents, respectively.

Service professionals in the Southeast report to working with chlorine generated pools more than many other parts of the country. Salt water chlorine generators are on an average of 84 percent of the pools that they service.

Respondents from this region indicated that an average of 69 percent of the pools they service incorporate an automatic pool cleaner. Suctionside cleaners make up 63 percent of these, pressure-side 30 percent, and robots 7 percent.

For secondary sanitation systems, 27 percent of service techs encounter UV on at least one of the pools that they service, 18 percent encounter ozone, and less than 1 percent see Advanced Oxidation Processes AOP technology.

Respondents indicated that about 1 percent of their total pools utilize UV or ozone.

Northeast

The Northeast includes Connecticut; Delaware; Maine; Massachusetts; New Hampshire; New Jersey; New York; Pennsylvania; Rhode Island; and Vermont. The Northeast represented 6 percent of the total number of responses that we received in this year’s survey.

About 80 percent of those responding to the survey reported that they use trichlor to sanitize the pools they service. Dichlor, calcium, and liquid chlorine are all used by about 60 percent of those responding to the survey.

Respondents from the Northeast declare an average liquid chlorine cost of $3.15 per gallon, and $218 for a 50-pound bucket of trichlor tabs. For trichlor, this works out to $4.83 per pound of available chlorine.

For Dichlor, respondents indicated that they pay between $8.21 and $7.42 per pound of active chlorine, depending on whether or not it is anhydrous. They pay a median price of $4.80 per pound of available chlorine for calcium hypochlorite.

For testing purposes, most professionals reported to using test strips, employed by 80 percent. However, DPD is also a popular testing method with 40 percent of respondents using this method. None of the respondents from this region reported to using OTO, while 20 percent said they used the ORP testing method.

According to our survey, salt water chlorine generators are in use on an average of 18 percent of the pools that they service.

60 percent of respondents indicated that an average of 7 percent of their pools utilize UV; 60 percent of respondents said 10 percent of their pools incorporate ozone; and 50 percent of respondents indicated that their pools have AOP systems on less than 1 percent of their pools.

Service technicians reported that 75 percent of the pools they service are equipped with an automatic pool cleaner. Of those that use automatic cleaner, 50 percent are pressure-side cleaners. As usual, this region also asserts the highest national use of robotic swimming pool cleaners at 48 percent. Only 2 percent reported that their pools are equipped with a suction-side cleaner.