BRODHEADSVILLE, Pa. — There's a price for relief on a hot summer day, and for many, it means taking the plunge into a cool swimming pool in your backyard.
Michael Armstrong, the owner of A&J Pools in Brodheadsville, says that's the idea many have, and it's translated into yet another busy pool season.
"Every year this far, our business has doubled, and I think industry-wide, we've seen numbers that have never been seen before. You know, in our case, we had to scale back our pool installations. You know, I could sell 100 pools, but I can't necessarily do that in a year, so we kind of scaled back to keep the customers happy," said Armstrong.
The shelves are stocked at the swimming pool contractor and supplies store, but it didn't come easy.
Armstrong says increased demand for pools and a massive manufacturing fire that closed a chemical plant are causing problems.
"There's a shortage on chlorine tablets and the buckets that they come in. So that's a big problem, number one," Armstrong said. "A lot of electrical components for salt systems and heaters are back-ordered already, so we're starting the season off a little bit behind the 8 ball."
Supply chain issues aren't the only problems people are facing. The owner says prices have gone off the deep end when trying to maintain your pool.
"A bucket of chlorine tablets over here, a 25-pound pail, two years ago cost about $100," said Armstrong. "It's $200 now, and that's not helping anybody out, but it's just the way it is, unfortunately."
Armstrong says luckily, he's stocked on items like chlorine, filters, pool pumps, and cleaners.
But he's asking people to be patient.
"Everybody's doing the best they can, but there are so many things that are back-ordered, and it's just were trying to do what we can or at least get you by with what we have," Armstrong says.
His biggest piece of advice: If you need something or think you may, go out and get it now because it might not be there later in the season.
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