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This week on Thursdays with Wayne and Steve, the guys take aim at “miracle” pool products, suspiciously cheap equipment, expired test reagents, and the growing number of online knockoffs promising professional results at bargain-basement prices.

Wayne recalls some of the industry’s most memorable gimmicks—including magnets that supposedly made calcium disappear—and explains why words like “miracle cure” should immediately raise a red flag. Steve breaks down how he presents customers with equipment options, why an internet price is not always an apples-to-apples comparison, and what customers give up when they purchase off-brand replacement parts without professional support or a reliable warranty.

During this episode’s Insurance Interlude, Steve and Pat Grenon examine a nightmare renovation in which an unlicensed contractor allegedly left chunks of concrete inside a pool’s plumbing. They discuss the homeowner’s possible options, the limits of homeowners insurance, and why asking to be named as an additional insured may provide valuable protection before a contractor begins work.

Wayne also explains why heavily discounted test kits and reagents may not be the bargain they appear to be. Products sitting in warehouses or clearance bins can be years old, and expired reagents can produce unreliable results—even when the packaging looks perfectly legitimate.

The conversation also covers customer communication, emergency-service pricing, protecting your profit margins, commercial-pool safety failures, and why treating people well remains the most effective marketing strategy in the pool business.

Topics discussed include:

• Spotting “miracle product” scams and deceptive demonstrations
• OEM equipment versus inexpensive aftermarket replacements
• How to explain equipment pricing and warranties to customers
• Why professionals should charge more for emergency and weekend service
• Identifying expired test kits, reagents, and test strips
• The risks of buying unusually cheap chemical-testing products online
• What happens when an unlicensed contractor damages a swimming pool
• Homeowners insurance and contractor-liability claims
• Why additional-insured status matters
• Concrete and construction debris trapped inside pool plumbing
• Developing relationships with reliable leak-detection specialists
• Commercial pools with dangerously low pH and alkalinity
• Cloudy-water problems caused by filtration and operational failures
• Changes within Leslie’s and what pool professionals should watch
• Building trust through honesty, education, and customer service
• Why word-of-mouth remains the strongest form of marketing

The takeaway is simple: read the labels, check expiration dates, compare products carefully, document contractor work, and never assume that the cheapest option is actually the least expensive.

Have a pool-industry scam or questionable product you think Wayne and Steve should investigate? Email the show at talkingpools@gmail.com. If your story is featured, the team may send you a small thank-you gift.

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