It will not light.
You ask for heat and nothing starts.
Pool-heater diagnosis and repair
Suncoast Pool Solutions: Pool Heater Repair in Sarasota and Manatee Counties
Smell gas or hear a CO alarm? Leave first.
If you smell gas, a carbon monoxide (CO) alarm sounds, or anyone may have symptoms of CO poisoning, leave first and call 911 from a safe place. Do not use switches, phones, or anything that could make a spark nearby. Then call your gas utility or propane company.
A heater symptom is a starting point, not a diagnosis (the confirmed cause). Colin Morgan repairs natural gas and propane pool heaters in Sarasota and Manatee Counties. That includes Pentair and Sta-Rite, Hayward, Jandy, Raypak and Rheem. He also works on the gas lines and regulators that feed them, so one visit can look at both.
Is your heater doing one of these?
It runs, but the water stays cool.
The pool or spa warms slowly or not at all.
It starts, then stops.
It shuts off, cycles, or shows a message during a heat call.
The display is blank or shows a code.
Sometimes this follows a power surge or brownout.
Tell Colin which one fits. It helps him prepare. Suncoast is independent. It is not a factory-authorized service center or dealer.
What the first visit costs and covers
The fee comes first.
You are told the service-call fee before the visit.
It covers the first hour.
That is the first hour of on-site checking and testing by Colin.
It is due either way.
You pay it whether the repair is done, approved or turned down.
Anything more needs your OK.
Extra labor, parts, or a permit (if one is needed) cost extra. Colin needs your approval in writing or by text first.
Every repair starts with a service call. These rules come from the current Terms of Service.
When you will know the total price
After the diagnosis, Colin gives you a total-price quote for the work he recommends. That can be a repair or a replacement. No repair or installation work starts until you approve that total price. The quote is good for 15 days from the date it is issued. If you turn down the repair, you pay only the service-call fee. Colin will not quote a final price from a phone description. One symptom can have several causes, so the price waits until he has checked the heater on site.
Will the error code tell you which part to buy?
No. A code tells you where to start looking. It does not prove which part failed. Gas-heater manuals use step-by-step checks, not "this code means that part." A power surge can also damage more than one part at once. So please do not buy a part based on a code alone. The section below on what to send says when it is safe to take photos and which ones to take.
Is it the heater, or the gas getting to it?
It can be either. A heater needs water flow, power, working controls and the right gas supply. A weak gas supply or a regulator problem can look like a failed heater. (The regulator is the part that sets the gas pressure.) You do not have to sort this out first. Colin checks the heater and the gas line and regulator behind it. If the trouble is in the line, the same person can quote that work too.
Should you repair it or replace it?
Age alone does not decide it. Colin looks at what actually failed, the overall condition of the heater, whether the same trouble keeps coming back, whether parts are still available for that model, and whether the heater still suits the pool, spa and site. He explains what he found, then quotes the work he recommends. If replacement makes more sense, the installation and replacement page explains what that job includes.
Getting on the schedule
Colin groups visits by area. Once the route is set, he confirms an AM or PM window. Colin needs safe access to the heater, the pool equipment, and the gas-supply area. If he cannot reach them safely, the service call may still be charged and a return visit set. If you are in a gated community, or you will not be home, say so when you book. Need to cancel? Call at least 24 hours ahead and there is no charge.
Paying and warranty
Payment is due before Colin leaves, unless you agreed on something else in advance. Colin intends to stand behind his work. Warranty terms depend on the maker, the part, and the repair. You hear them before you approve the job.
Keep the first step safe
Do not open the heater cabinet, bypass a safety device, or attempt a gas connection repair. If you smell gas, suspect carbon monoxide, see smoke, or see fire, leave the area and use emergency guidance instead of a routine repair request.
Florida Peoples Gas: if you smell gas; CPSC carbon-monoxide fact sheet; Propane Education & Research Council: if you smell gas
Safety comes first
A suspected gas or carbon-monoxide problem is not a repair request.
Move everyone away from the area. Do not operate switches, appliances, phones, or anything that could create a spark. For suspected natural gas, call 911 and the serving utility from a safe location. For suspected propane, contact the propane retailer or call 911 or fire services from a safe location. If carbon-monoxide exposure is possible, get to fresh air and call 911.What to send before the visit
Only if there is no gas smell, smoke, fire, or chance of carbon monoxide. From where you normally stand, take a wide photo of the heater and the equipment area around it, a photo of the display showing the exact message or code, and a photo of the label only if you can already see it. Then add pool or spa heat, when the trouble started, and your full address. Do not open the cabinet, take off panels, or touch gas parts to get this. Colin checks those at the visit.
Talk through the symptoms with Colin
Phone first. There is no online form. Shop hours are Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM. For a routine repair, call Colin or email the service inbox.
Clear answers
Questions worth asking
What does the service-call fee cover?
The first hour of on-site checking and testing by Colin. You hear the fee before the visit. Extra labor, parts, or a permit cost more, and only after you approve them in writing or by text.
Do I pay if I decide not to fix it?
You pay the service-call fee only. Turning down the quote adds nothing to that.
How long is the quote good for?
15 days from the date it is issued. No repair or installation work starts until you approve the total price.
What should I have ready when I call about pool-heater repair?
Only if no one smells gas and there is no smoke, fire, or chance of carbon monoxide: the heater make and model if the label is already visible, fuel type, the exact display message, pool or spa heat, when it began, and your full address. Do not open the cabinet to find a model number.
Do you fix Pentair, Hayward, Jandy, Raypak and Rheem heaters?
Yes, natural gas and propane models from those makers, including Sta-Rite. Colin still confirms the exact model, fuel, age and condition before he recommends a repair. Suncoast is independent. It is not a factory-authorized service center or dealer.
Can you check the gas line and regulator too?
Yes. Colin works on the heater and on the gas lines and regulators that feed it.
Is my heater worth fixing?
It depends on what failed, its condition, repeat trouble, parts availability and fit. Age alone does not decide it.
Talk with Colin