For our latest Spotlight Series, we are excited to introduce you to Val Patel with Sparkle Pool & Spa in San Jose, CA. Val and his team are a Raypak PRO Warranty Provider and focus primarily on commercial pool properties. When he first started out in the industry, Val was picturing a simple, relaxed gig. He quickly learned that the pool and spa industry is anything but; as he ramped up to experience the incredible problem solving, variety and highly technical skills it would take to become a pro. Val and the Sparkle Pool & Spa team thrive on the unknown day-to-day and take pride in how to best solve issues and think outside the box with their customers.

Val remembered, “Our first Raypak installation was about 20 years ago, guided by a mentor who showed us the ropes. Back then, the technology looked a lot different from what it is today, and watching the industry evolve over that time has been one of the more rewarding parts of the job”.

Due to Val’s inherent interest in keeping up with technology, we asked him how he leans into the trends and stays up to date with an evolving industry:

A mix of things, manufacturer training sessions, industry events, and just being in the field every day. We try to attend as many training events as possible, and some of the best conversations happen outside the classroom, over lunch or dinner with other pool companies, sharing ideas, and talking through problems people are running into in different parts of the country. Those informal sessions are where a lot of real insight comes from.

Something else that’s hard to put a value on is the relationships you build along the way. When you take the time to show up and genuinely connect with sales reps and trainers from different areas, it changes the dynamic. If you’re stuck on something in the field, you’re not just calling an 800 number and waiting on hold; you’re calling someone who knows you, and they’re going out of their way to help because you put in the effort to build that relationship. That kind of support makes a real difference day-to-day in the field.

We’ve had the privilege of working with Val and his team for many years, and we asked if he could share a positive experience or success story involving Raypak products. Here is what he had to say:

We’ve installed quite a few of the new AVIAs at this point, and the feedback has been consistently good. They’re straightforward to install, which is something you appreciate more than people might think. A clean, simple install means less room for issues down the road and a better experience for the customer right out of the gate.

One job that stands out involved a customer whose heater had been completely taken out by rodents. The electrical wiring had been chewed through, and the unit, which was barely a year old, was done. We replaced it with an AVIA , which is designed to be rodent-resistant, and the installation was smooth from start to finish. The AVIA also features the NiTek heat exchanger, which is significantly more erosion-resistant than copper and holds up well in demanding environments like salt systems. The customer went from a destroyed heater to a more durable, better-protected setup and hasn’t had a problem since.

On the service side, troubleshooting Raypak equipment has always been manageable once you have a basic understanding of the product. The units communicate well when something is off, parts are accessible, and when we’ve needed support, we’ve been able to get answers without a runaround. Overall, the AVIA is a really solid heater. It performs well, looks clean on the equipment pad, and customers have been happy with it.

As with fellow pool professionals, we see a lot of misconceptions when it comes to working in the industry. We asked Val what he’s come across so far during his tenure:

The biggest one is probably that it’s an easy job. People hear “pool service” and picture something casual, toss in some chemicals, and you’re done. In reality, you are dealing with plumbing, electrical, water chemistry, heating systems, and increasingly complex automation setups all at once. It takes real knowledge to do it right.

And now on top of all that, we’re becoming tech people too. Remote monitoring, app connectivity, and pairing equipment to a customer’s network are part of the job now. We have to understand how those systems work, walk customers through them, and make sure everything is talking to each other the way it should. Technology like The Attendant by Poolside Tech is pushing the industry in that direction, but customer expectations have moved faster than most systems can consistently deliver right now. That puts a lot of responsibility on the service professional to make it all come together.

At Raypak we place a high value on sustainability efforts. We make it a point to partner with fellow businesses that share our values when it comes to eco-friendliness in their projects. Val described how he and his team view sustainability on the job:

It’s something we think about on every job. A big part of it comes down to how you set up and dial in the equipment, especially variable-speed pumps. The physics behind it are compelling; cutting pump speed significantly can reduce energy consumption by 85–90%, even when it runs for longer. So instead of running full speed for a short burst, you’re moving the same amount of water at a lower speed with a fraction of the electricity.

Beyond pump settings, we look at plumbing layout, flow efficiency, and overall system design to make sure nothing is working harder than it needs to. The goal is always a pool that turns over properly and runs efficiently, which benefits the customer’s energy bill and the equipment’s lifespan at the same time.

We also make it a point to recycle old equipment rather than sending it to the landfill. Pumps, heaters, components, if it can be recycled or repurposed, that’s where it goes. Reduce, reuse, recycle applies here just as much as anywhere else, and it’s an easy way to be responsible about how we handle the equipment we pull out.

As we wrapped up, we wanted to gain some insight into what Val and his team see as some of the biggest changes in the industry over the years. His answer: Automation…

Automation has probably been the biggest shift. Customers want to control everything from their phone, heaters, pumps, and lights, and they want it all connected and easy. That expectation has raised the bar for what a proper installation looks like and what it takes to support a system long-term.

Energy efficiency has moved in the same direction. Variable-speed pumps are standard now, and in a lot of areas they’re required. Given that pool equipment runs on fossil fuels, a continued focus on efficiency isn’t just good for the customer’s bill; it matters for the environment, too, and that’s only going to become more important over time.

 Equipment in general has gotten more advanced, which is great, but it also means the job requires more knowledge than it used to. It’s not just pool maintenance anymore; it’s managing an integrated system and making sure all the pieces work together the way the customer expects.

As the industry and the world continue to evolve, we are confident that Val and his team at Sparkle Pool & Spa are expertly crafting their business to stand the test of time, serving Raypak products and customers with the highest standard of care.