When a friend called me in a panic last summer because his pool had turned green overnight, I drove over, lifted the equipment pad lid, and took one look at his Hayward control board. The check salt light was on, his salt level was fine, and the cell was six years old. That single service […]

After spending 90 days testing 8 different pool automation systems across two real pools (one new build, one 12-year-old retrofit), I can tell you which ones actually deliver and which ones will leave you frustrated. Pool automation systems are no longer a luxury reserved for high-end installations. Modern controllers from Pentair, Hayward, Jandy, Intermatic, and […]

After spending the last three months testing diving boards with our team of pool professionals and backyard enthusiasts, I can tell you that finding the best diving boards for your inground pool is about more than just picking the prettiest one. We installed eight different models across four residential pools in , measuring bounce quality, […]

I have spent the last three months testing pool safety fences with my family and a handful of neighbors, drilling holes in concrete, untangling mesh, and arguing about latch tension. Drowning remains the leading cause of accidental death for children ages 1-4, and a properly installed pool safety fence is the single most effective layer […]

Drowning remains the leading cause of accidental death for children ages 1-4 in the United States, and the Consumer Product Safety Commission reports that nearly 400 children under 15 drown in pools each year. I have spent the last three months testing the best pool alarms on the market with my own family, including a […]