We get asked all the time what the major trends are in our industry and every year it feels like it changes. Still, keeping up with the latest innovations is great for our customers because there are many new options that provide tremendous value. Here are the three major trends we’ve noticed so far in 2014.
Big Trend #1 – Salt Water Chlorinators
Virtually everyone is familiar the irritation and odor of traditional chlorine pools, but the industry is now beginning to move past them. Salt Water Chrlorinators provide an exceptional level of water quality minus the issues we mentioned above. The other big advantage is that they are super-low maintenance. All you need to do to maintain chlorine levels is add four to eight bags of granular salt to the pool each season. That’s it.
The only real drawback is the up front cost (They range around $1,600-$2,000 to install) but you’ll save significantly each season (cost to maintain salt is $50/$100 per season whereas chlorine is $200/$300) in addition to all the time saved maintaining the system. Most people find these systems well worth it.
Big Trend #2 – Pool lights
One look at some of our pictures and you can tell that pool lighting is becoming more of a need rather than a want. In terms of enhancing the overall quality of your pool, nothing gives you more bang for your buck than a well-done pool light. The big selling point is the lifespan of these lights are incredible. You can purchase a multi-colored LED light with 10,000 hours of life for around $700. Simply put, they’re an incredibly affordable way to drastically enhance your pool’s aesthetic AND functional appeal. Best of all – IF your light somehow dies – you can replace it without lowering the water level, meaning it’s easy to maintain, too!
Big Trend #3 – Child safety
The three most popular methods used for child safety are as follows. Alarms, safety fencing and safety covers. Each of these methods have their pros and cons depending on the shape of the pool and whether the pool has a screen enclosure. The alarms are attached to any doors or windows that have access to the pool area. The safety fencing is installed completely around the perimeter of the pool and the pool can only be accessed by opening a gate that is latched up high where small children cannot reach. The safety cover resembles a large fishing net and is stretched over the pool and locked in place. The cover would need to be removed when using the pool and re-installed when the pool is not in use. We recommend that you give a lot of thought to how your pool is going to be used and the ages of the children to decide on the best safety method for you.
