I never usually take the time to write a review unless it is a complimentary one. In this case, I am going to have to break with tradition. To be fair, when there was no problem, Justin's service has been satisfactory. However, I have had issues with him on several occasions. When I first began leasing the rental I currently live in (3 years ago), we had problems with the water turning green almost immediately. Knowing nothing about pool maintenance, I left it to Justin to remedy the situation. His initial advice was to increase the time that the pool filter was running from 8 hours per day to 10. This made no difference so he told me to increase the time to 12. This also made no noticeable difference. When I inquired, he showed up and added some very expensive enzyme product to the water that I was told would "neutralize the phosphates that were feeding the algae". Well, what do I know? Add the stuff. Meanwhile, I began to do my own research online and determined that if this did not solve the problem, it could only be the filter. After the treatment, the water cleared up to a bluish-green hue for a few days but then went completely green. When I called Justin to give him the report, he told me to increase the time on the pump to 14 hours!! It became obvious that Justin was not being forthcoming about what really needed to be done. While I can't prove it, I suspect he was happy to continue adding expensive chemical treatments. Meanwhile, the solution was becoming increasingly obvious - even for someone who knows nothing about pools. I contacted the property management company and related the aforementioned story and my assessment that it was the filter that needed to be replaced. They authorized the repair, the filter was replaced and within 24 hours, the pool was sparkling blue.
Over the subsequent 3 years, Justin has insisted that the pool filter must be run 1 hour per 10 degrees of max temperature. He cites this as if it chiseled in stone by the pool gods from on high - regardless of my own experience of said 3 years. In the Summer, I have found 8 hours to be more than adequate to keep the pool crystal clear and blue. In the Winter, 2-3 hours per day is completely ample. The water is freezing and there is no way algae will grow in such low temperatures. I don't need to be a pool professional to arrive at this conclusion. You see figures don't lie - but liars can figure, and, obviously, Justin isn't the one paying the utility bill each month. When I related my experience, Justin became smug, belligerent, and completely dismissive of my case against running the pool filter needlessly and excessively.
This brings me to the final chapter in my travails with Justin's Pool Service and Repair. I called Justin to inform him that the pool was looking rough and his guy had come last week and done nothing in the way of maintenance. To say his his response was rude, cocky and condescending would be a gross understatement. It was more like a parent speaking in an authoritarian tone to their unruly child. His excuse for allowing the pool to become so filthy was to say that the technician cannot vacuum the pool when the water level is low. The water level was right at the bottom of the tile - when it is supposed to be in the middle row of tile, granted. However, the port for the vacuum line is at least 2' below the bottom of the tile line. We don't have an auto-fill valve and the pool has to be filled to level with a hose, so during the Winter months when the pool isn't being used, admittedly, I will often let the water level fall below the middle line. After being thoroughly chided and disrespected by Justin, the conversation got extremely heated and I proceeded to get verbally sideways with my smug, hipster pool "expert". He then "terminated" my pool service. If you managed to read this far, do yourself a favor and avoid this guy like the plague. There are myriad pool services in the valley that will charge less and take better care of your pool than Justin will. read more
