Trends in swimming pool equipment

This summer, before you tell your five-year-old that a pool is "just too much hard work", think twice. The latest technology in swimming pool equipment means you barely have to wet your fingertips.

Trends towards automated pool maintenance are adding to the popularity of pools and spas, with "high maintenance" no longer a good excuse not to splash out.

Advances in swimming pool equipment technology

The last five to 10 years have seen advanced technology become less expensive and thus more accessible to pool owners. Automatic water testers, self-chlorinators, self-levellers and in-floor cleaning systems are some of the things making pools easier to look after.

"Virtually every pool now has a chlorinator which converts salt into chlorine and automatically doses the pool," says Pentair Water's Simon Coupe. "All you need to do is occasionally top up the salt."

Affordable swimming pool equipment

With time becoming rare and valuable in our busy lifestyles, spending serious money on a self-cleaning system is no longer considered exorbitant by many pool owners. Less than half an hour per month topping up salt, emptying skimmer baskets, backwashing the filter and checking the water is an attractive prospect in the pool maintenance stakes.

According to Simon, energy efficiency is driving new trends in technology. "The energy input for a pool is quite large," he explains. "For most families, it's the biggest chunk of their power bill.

A government-run program is about to be introduced to improve the efficiency of pool equipment, with new equipment being developed to do the same job using less power, and labelling similar to the energy stars on whitegoods."

Other trends in swimming pool equipment

Another initiative to be rolled out nationally is time-of-use electricity meters. "This allows retailers to charge different rates by time of day to encourage people to use their pool equipment at off-peak times like overnight," says Simon. "Pool owners will seek silent or quiet equipment to run overnight in order to save money."

Automation is also changing the face of pool ownership in the top-end market, with people able to switch on heating and cleaning from a city office and arrive in their country holiday house to a hot, sparkling-clean spa. Some spas are even being turned into entertainment centres complete with lighting, surround sound and LCD TV.

Naturally, we tend to weigh up the quality of pool equipment against the expense. However, Simon advises that better-quality equipment will more than pay for itself in energy savings.

"If you're on a tight budget, add-ons in subsequent swimming seasons may be possible, but it's usually better to plan for equipment in the concept stage of your pool."

So what does he see in his crystal ball of technology? "A fully automated pool - the only thing the owner will need to do is swim in it!"

Contact a pool equipment specialist to find out more: