Those of us fortunate enough to have a pool at home know the bliss of being able to swim whenever you want to, take a dip to cool off in the hottest days of summer and stretch out on a raft or a lounge chair on the deck (with the appropriate amount of sunscreen).
Yet pools require a considerable amount of maintenance and some supervision to keep them safe and attractive — enough for many people to throw in the towel and either avoid having one or even ripping out one they’ve had for years.
But today, technology is making pool maintenance almost effortless. Take a look at some of the innovations transforming this chore into a breeze.
Robot pool cleaner
This is a much more intelligent cousin to older models of pool vacuums that are operated manually or powered by the pool’s circulation pumps, which can overwhelm the filtration system if they don’t have a way to capture debris on their own.
Robotic versions have their own motor and filter to capture the mess and most are powerful enough to climb and scrub pool walls, too. The smartest ones can be started or scheduled from a smartphone or tablet and alert you when the debris is starting to pile up.
Water quality monitor
It’s just as important to make sure the water the pool contains is swimmable, without elevated chlorine levels that can irritate everyone’s eyes or PH levels that can reduce the effectiveness of the chlorine, things owners used to have to use test strips or messy kits to suss out.
Smart pool water monitors can measure the balance of these chemicals, detect contaminants and send a notification when something’s out of whack, as well as monitor the pool and ambient temperatures so it can let you know when it’s prime pool time.
Pool safety alarm
Any pool becomes a magnet in the summertime, which is why they become such a hazard for those who can’t swim or misjudge their swimming ability. Pool security systems can be set to detect and sound an alarm when a pool gate is breached or people or pets enter the water when you’re not supervising them.
Pool fence alarms are similar to other home security systems and many also send alerts to smartphones and tablets. Water entry alarms detect changes in wave and water levels and emit a loud noise when triggered, but most do not send remote notifications.
Smart pool cover
When your pool isn’t in use, a cover is an essential but annoying accessory to have as far as conserving energy, reducing evaporation and keeping the water clean, but automation makes them so much easier.
Smart covers go a step further, letting you operate them from wherever you are with your phone and alerting you when sensors detect that people, pets or heavy debris have found their way onto the cover, so you can respond appropriately.
