2022 STATE OF THE POOL INDUSTRY

The swimming pool and hot tub industry as a whole remains unpredictable, and many industry experts expect the same issues to continue into 2022 & 2023.

Our goal here is to keep you informed of the problems our industry is facing and how they may affect you as a pool/ spa owner.

1 / LEAD TIMES
First, lead times in general are a problem. Pretty much everything is taking longer to get. If you can count on anything, you can count on that. So you have to think ahead whenever possible, especially when it comes to any pool equipment or repairs. Do not procrastinate if you are aware of anything that needs attention. 

2 / EQUIPMENT
Secondly, pool equipment. The severe winter storm that hit Texas in February 2021 damaged pools & pool equipment across the state. Increased demand coupled with the already pandemic-driven shortages has created much longer-than-usual lead times for essential pool equipment like filters, pumps, heaters, cleaners, and now salt generators! The main problem for us has been instability, primarily in price and availability. We base our prices and lead times on the information given to us by our manufacturers, and continuing into this year, this information changes ALL THE TIME. For example, if there was a price increase in past years, it typically occurred once and at the beginning of the calendar year. However, currently, it's a challenge even to keep track of the constant price and lead time changes because they've been so frequent.

Right now, you're looking at anywhere from 6 - 15 week lead time, and that number keeps increasing. Even then, we are at the mercy of the manufacturers. Most retailers have depleted their in-stock inventory, so your best bet is to let us know, get an order placed, and we'll put you on our waiting list.

All of that to say, POOL OWNERS - if you are aware of equipment problems and know you need to replace something, to replace or repair anything - do not wait to communicate with us about your situation. Let us know.

We have a waiting list for equipment and are working closely with our manufacturers to reduce wait times as much as possible. (If for some reason you choose to wait, please be prepared for much longer than usual wait times.)

SPA OWNERS - the same applies. If you notice any problems, get it checked out right away and stay on top of your service and maintenance because even simple spa components have extended lead times. 

3 / CHLORINE
Thirdly, chlorine! In preparation for Spring 2022, you need to know Trichlor is still in short supply following the massive chemical fire in August of 2020 at the Biolab facility in Westlake, Louisiana. Although Biolab has broken ground on their new and improved facility in Louisiana and is forecasting being up and running sometime this year, this will likely not happen in time to positively impact our 2022 swim season. Not only will there be trichlor shortages, but experts are forecasting cal-hypo shortages with increased cost. Even sodium hypochlorite has had shortages in raw materials from the Chlor-alkali producers, such as caustic soda and chlorine gas, causing costs to rise. With relief, we report that WE DID NOT RUN OUT OF CHLORINE in 2021, and our 2022 projection is looking good, but

the price of chlorine and a host of other necessary pool chemicals has increased substantially, upwards of 3x the cost. Unfortunately, there doesn't seem to be a quick fix.

4 / HOT TUBS

Last but not least, hot tubs. Tons of folks decided that they wanted hot water therapy in their life, which has caused us to be completely sold out of hot tubs in 2021. However, we were able to get a lot of orders in the pipeline and are happy to announce that

we have some hot tubs in our showroom! We have an online virtual showroom if you are interested and will continue to keep it updated. You can visit it here > https://www.browninghottubs.com/instock-hot-tubs 

With high demand, supply chain disruptions, shortages, etc., the hot tub industry will take some time to settle down. For the most part, you're looking at a 4 - 6 month lead time for custom order hot tubs, and delivery dates can not be guaranteed - this is something that is just simply beyond our control. Still, you can rest assured that we are doing everything possible to expedite delivery times. Otherwise, check out our online showroom, and feel free to call us with any questions.

We will continue to keep you updated; meanwhile, if you have questions or concerns regarding your pool or hot tub, do not hesitate to give us a call. 301-972-3800

/Happy Swimming/