Lighting tricks, temperature adjustments and more, all on your phone
There’s an app for that is the newest cliché, but in terms of pool features it’s true. Many new mobile applications make life for the pool owner easier and much more fun.
Pool maintenance used to be the sole realm of the professional, but now savvy homeowners take up the task themselves. As app technology advances, even those homeowners who lack a blue thumb can adapt to caring for a pool without the aid of professionals. Seasoned pool owners use apps to keep up with maintenance but also to get more out of their pool.
A search through app recommendations and guides may help you find the right one for you. First check to see if your pool pump brand or filter brand has an app to accompany the part (you may need to install a special router that will communicate wirelessly between your phone and the part). Next, ask friends for recommendations on which apps they use
Pool owner Kristin S., of Mullica Hill, NJ, likes the Pentair app. She uses it on her free-form Gunite pool and hot tub. “To be able to use the app on either my phone or iPad, to turn features on and off, is invaluable and extremely convenient.”
Kristin also loves to show off her pool’s features to guests, even when she and her guests aren’t poolside. “We love that we can be inside our home and turn on the hot tub, and adjust the temperature to our liking. And even on days when it’s raining, it’s so convenient to be able to stand inside our home, and still be able to show guests the awesome features of our pool.”
The real fun comes when the lights come on. There’s nothing like a night dip to work out the day’s tension, and floating on the water under the stars on a hot summer night is relaxation heaven. Night swimming needs the right lighting. LED pool lights in various colors can be controlled and programmed by an app. LED lights can cycle through colors, display only one color at a time, or go full-on disco with flashing light shows. 
A party on the patio with the pool lights seemingly programmed to the music would take that subdued summer picnic to epic heights. LED lights can be installed but there are submersible options on the market. For permanently installed lights, ask your contractor about programmable lights in different colors.
“Any time we had guests over during the summer when the pool was open, we would always show them all of the features of our pool, using only the app,” Kristin adds. “Everyone was very impressed that we could control everything just from my phone.”
Find your function and your fun by bringing your pool into the app revolution.
Here are a few app suggestions to get you started on your search: