Top 12 Pool Technician Skills to Put on Your Resume
Hiring managers skim fast. Pool owners notice results. If you want both to take you seriously, your resume needs more than “can clean a pool.” Stack it with skills that prove you keep water sparkling, systems humming, and problems solved before they spiral.
Pool Technician Skills
- pH Balancing
- Chlorination
- Filtration Systems
- Algae Control
- Automation Systems
- Hydraulic Repair
- Variable-Speed Pumps
- Saltwater Systems
- Heat Pumps
- UV Sanitization
- Robotic Cleaners
- Water Chemistry
1. pH Balancing
pH balancing means keeping pool water in its ideal acidity/alkalinity window—typically 7.2 to 7.8—so swimmers stay comfortable and equipment lasts longer.
Why It's Important
Balanced pH protects skin and eyes, helps chlorine work as intended, and prevents corrosion or scale that chews through heaters, salt cells, and surfaces.
How to Improve pH Balancing Skills
Keep it tight and consistent, not a yo-yo game:
Test often: Use a dependable kit or photometer. Record trends. Catch drift early.
Adjust thoughtfully:
- pH too low (< 7.2)? Add a pH increaser (soda ash).
- pH too high (> 7.8)? Dose a pH reducer (muriatic acid or sodium bisulfate).
Circulate, then re-test: Let the pump mix chemicals for a few hours. Re-check before adding more.
Stabilize alkalinity: Keep total alkalinity in range to prevent pH bounce (often 80–120 ppm, lower end for salt pools).
Safety first: Follow labels, wear PPE, and add chemicals to water, never the other way around.
How to Display pH Balancing Skills on Your Resume
2. Chlorination
Chlorination is maintaining the right free chlorine level so bacteria, viruses, and algae don’t stand a chance.
Why It's Important
It keeps water safe and clear. Done right, you avoid slimy walls, smelly chloramines, and cranky guests.
How to Improve Chlorination Skills
Test the core parameters: Check free chlorine, combined chlorine, pH, alkalinity, and stabilizer. Aim for 1–3 ppm free chlorine (often 2–4 ppm during heavy use), pH 7.2–7.6, and cyanuric acid around 30–50 ppm (60–80 ppm for many salt systems).
Use the right form: Liquid, tabs, or cal-hypo—match the product to the pool needs and equipment. Be consistent.
Control stabilizer: Too little CYA and sun eats chlorine. Too much and chlorine gets sluggish. Keep it in range.
Shock as needed: Treat when combined chlorine exceeds ~0.2 ppm, after storms, big bather loads, or when algae threatens.
Circulate well: Good flow evens out dosing and helps filtration do its job. Clean or backwash filters on schedule.
Reduce demand: Encourage pre-swim rinses and smart bather habits. Less gunk in means less chlorine burned.
How to Display Chlorination Skills on Your Resume
3. Filtration Systems
Filters and pumps team up to strip debris and fine particles from the water. Sand, cartridge, or DE media—different tools, same purpose: clarity and safety.
Why It's Important
Filtration is the backbone of clean water. It supports sanitation, blocks algae from gaining ground, and keeps water sparkling instead of hazy.
How to Improve Filtration Systems Skills
Maintain on schedule: Backwash sand/DE when pressure rises ~20–25% over clean PSI. Rinse afterward. Clean cartridge elements as specified.
Upgrade media: Finer-grade media or glass alternatives can boost clarity. Replace worn cartridges before performance tanks.
Dial in circulation: Aim returns to reduce dead spots. Verify turnover goals and adjust run times or speeds accordingly.
Mind the pump: Confirm proper priming, seals, and speeds. Variable-speed pumps shine for longer, low-flow filtration.
Use pre-filters or skimmer socks: Catch big stuff early and extend filter life.
Balance the water: Proper chemistry prevents biofilm and scale that choke filters.
Inspect routinely: Gaskets, laterals, manifolds—swap tired parts before they cause bypass or blowouts.
How to Display Filtration Systems Skills on Your Resume
4. Algae Control
Algae control means keeping spores from taking hold and wiping them out fast if they do. It blends chemistry, circulation, brushing, and smart prevention.
Why It's Important
Algae clouds water, stains surfaces, and can wreck confidence in a heartbeat. Strong control keeps pools inviting and sanitary.
How to Improve Algae Control Skills
Hold the line on chemistry: pH 7.2–7.8, free chlorine in range, CYA appropriate for the pool type.
Brush weekly: Walls, steps, tile lines—break biofilms so sanitizer and filtration can finish the job.
Shock strategically: After heavy use, rainstorms, or when combined chlorine climbs. Follow label dosing.
Use algaecide as a preventative: Especially in warm-weather spikes or high organic loads.
Improve flow: Run pumps long enough to meet turnover targets. Fix dead spots with return angle changes or additional circulation.
Keep filters clean: Dirty filters let spores recirculate. Maintain pressure-based cleaning routines.
Limit nutrients: Manage phosphates if persistent blooms occur; address leaves, dust, and organics fast.
How to Display Algae Control Skills on Your Resume
5. Automation Systems
Automation ties pumps, heaters, lighting, sanitation, and valves into one brain. Remote control, schedules, and alerts—less guesswork, more consistency.
Why It's Important
It trims labor, reduces energy waste, and keeps chemistry tighter. Faster diagnostics, fewer surprises.
How to Improve Automation Systems Skills
Deploy smart sensors: Track temperature, ORP/pH, flow, and levels in real time to guide dosing and run times.
Use capable controllers: Choose platforms that support variable-speed pumps, heater interlocks, and chemical automation with remote access.
Leverage alerts and logs: Automate reminders for filter cleans, salt cell service, and seasonal changes. Audit trends to fine-tune schedules.
Keep firmware current: Update controllers to improve reliability, add features, and patch bugs.
Design for efficiency: Coordinate low-RPM filtration, timed features, and smart heat to curb costs.
How to Display Automation Systems Skills on Your Resume
6. Hydraulic Repair
Hydraulic repair covers the pool’s plumbing and moving water parts—pumps, valves, filters, heaters, lines—diagnosing flow problems and fixing leaks, clogs, and failures.
Why It's Important
Healthy hydraulics mean strong circulation, good filtration, and safe operation. Poor hydraulics waste energy and breed problems.
How to Improve Hydraulic Repair Skills
Master the system map: Understand suction vs. return, head loss, valve routing, and equipment specs.
Measure, don’t guess: Use gauges, vacuum/pressure readings, and flow estimates to pinpoint restrictions or air leaks.
Fix the root cause: Replace worn seals, unions, and gaskets; correct undersized plumbing; remove obstructions; set proper pump speeds.
Build clean connections: Proper primer/cement, straight runs, and supported piping reduce future failures.
Preventive checks: Inspect baskets, lids, valves, and o-rings routinely. Catch small leaks before they become floods.
Keep learning: Train on new pumps, VS drives, heaters, and valve actuators to speed up diagnostics.
How to Display Hydraulic Repair Skills on Your Resume
7. Variable-Speed Pumps
Variable-speed pumps adjust RPM to match the task—quiet, efficient filtration most of the day, with higher speeds when cleaning or heating calls for it.
Why It's Important
They slash energy use, reduce noise, and give precise control of flow for better filtration, skimming, and equipment protection.
How to Improve Variable-Speed Pumps Skills
Tune RPMs to targets: Set low-RPM filtration long enough to hit daily turnover goals; bump speeds for vacuuming, water features, or heater flow minimums.
Install correctly: Size plumbing appropriately, minimize elbows, and ensure airtight suction to prevent cavitation.
Automate schedules: Use time blocks for off-peak hours and seasonal adjustments.
Maintain routinely: Clean pump baskets, verify seals, and check for vibration or air bubbles that hint at leaks.
Monitor results: Watch PSI, flow estimates, and water quality. Adjust speeds instead of defaulting to longer run times.
How to Display Variable-Speed Pumps Skills on Your Resume
8. Saltwater Systems
Saltwater pools generate chlorine from salt via an electrolytic cell, delivering steady sanitation with softer-feeling water.
Why It's Important
They reduce manual chlorination, keep free chlorine more stable, and are often gentler on skin and eyes when balanced correctly.
How to Improve Saltwater Systems Skills
Hit the salinity sweet spot: Follow the manufacturer—commonly around 3000–3500 ppm. Test with a reliable meter.
Clean the cell: Inspect every 2–3 months. Remove scale with a mild acid bath only when needed to preserve coatings.
Balance the water: pH tends to climb in salt systems; keep alkalinity on the lower end and track calcium to avoid scale.
Right-size CYA: Many salt pools perform best with 60–80 ppm stabilizer to shield chlorine from UV.
Shock periodically: Oxidize organics and break down chloramines during heavy use or after storms.
Check output and flow: Verify adequate flow rates and correct cell polarity cycles; keep filters clean to maintain production.
How to Display Saltwater Systems Skills on Your Resume
9. Heat Pumps
Heat pumps pull heat from ambient air and transfer it into pool water, delivering steady temperatures with far less energy than gas in many climates.
Why It's Important
They keep water comfortable while trimming operating costs. Good for extended seasons and predictable heating.
How to Improve Heat Pumps Skills
Place for airflow: Install with clearances on all sides and above. Obstructions crush efficiency.
Keep it clean: Rinse coils and clear debris from fans. Check electrical connections and condensate drainage.
Use a cover: Trap heat when the pool rests. Less overnight loss, shorter run times.
Optimize setpoints: Don’t chase high temps you don’t need. Adjust seasonally and around usage patterns.
Mind hydraulics: Ensure minimum flow rates and proper bypass if required. Pair with VS pumps for stable delivery.
Verify defrost operation: In cooler climates, confirm defrost cycles function to prevent icing.
How to Display Heat Pumps Skills on Your Resume
10. UV Sanitization
UV systems bathe passing water in ultraviolet light, inactivating microorganisms and reducing reliance on higher chemical levels.
Why It's Important
UV helps knock down chlorine-resistant threats and improves swimmer comfort by lowering combined chlorines and odors.
How to Improve UV Sanitization Skills
Size it right: Match lamp power and contact time to pool volume and flow rate for effective dosing.
Install for even exposure: Ensure straight, uniform flow through the chamber. Avoid turbulent bypass.
Maintain optics: Keep quartz sleeves clean and replace o-rings as needed. Follow lamp replacement hours—intensity fades over time.
Balance water: Proper chemistry and clarity let UV do its job. High turbidity blocks light.
Pair with chlorine: UV is a secondary system; keep a residual sanitizer in the pool itself.
How to Display UV Sanitization Skills on Your Resume
11. Robotic Cleaners
Robotic cleaners roam the pool independently, scrubbing and vacuuming floors, walls, and waterlines while trapping debris in onboard filters.
Why It's Important
They save hours of manual labor, improve consistency, and free you to focus on diagnostics and higher-value service.
How to Improve Robotic Cleaners Skills
Boost navigation: Look for units with gyroscopes, accelerometers, and smart scanning to map coverage and dodge obstacles. GPS doesn’t function underwater—don’t chase that myth.
Match brushes and tracks to surfaces: Adjust scrubbing aggressiveness for plaster, pebble, vinyl, or tile.
Upgrade filtration: Use fine and ultra-fine baskets for dust and pollen; swap to coarse screens for leaves.
Protect the power supply: Keep it shaded, dry, and off the ground. Inspect cables for kinks and jacket wear.
Update firmware and settings: New cycles, better coverage patterns, and scheduling tweaks keep performance sharp.
How to Display Robotic Cleaners Skills on Your Resume
12. Water Chemistry
Water chemistry is the balance of pH, sanitizer, alkalinity, hardness, and stabilizer that keeps water clear, comfortable, and non-destructive.
Why It's Important
Dialed-in chemistry protects equipment and surfaces, stops algae before it sprouts, and keeps swimmers happy.
How to Improve Water Chemistry Skills
Test routinely: Target ranges (typical):
- pH: 7.2–7.8 (often 7.4–7.6 ideal)
- Total Alkalinity: 80–120 ppm (60–80 ppm common for salt pools)
- Calcium Hardness: 200–400 ppm (vinyl can run lower; plaster prefers mid-to-upper)
- Free Chlorine: 1–3 ppm (higher during heavy load or heat)
- Cyanuric Acid: 30–50 ppm (60–80 ppm for many salt systems)
Adjust in the right order: Stabilize alkalinity, set pH, then fine-tune sanitizer. Avoid chasing multiple parameters at once.
Choose the right products: Soda ash for pH up, acid for pH down, sodium bicarb for alkalinity, calcium chloride for hardness.
Shock on a schedule—and by need: Oxidize organics and restore clarity when combined chlorine creeps or after big events.
Prevent algae: Maintain residual sanitizer, circulate properly, and deploy algaecide if history suggests risk.
Watch the whole system: If balance swings, look for culprits—makeup water hardness, high bather load, sunlight, or equipment issues.
Document everything: Logs reveal patterns and speed up troubleshooting.
Always follow product labels, local codes, and manufacturer guidance. PPE isn’t optional—protect eyes, skin, and lungs when handling chemicals.
How to Display Water Chemistry Skills on Your Resume
