Ease of operation important
For pool owners, the most important component of a backyard automation system is the user interface. In fact, this is where the industry has seen a lot of innovation in the past five years.
Initially, pool owners used hard-wired control interfaces for many years before manufacturers moved to wireless remotes, which provided pool and spa/hot tub control from anywhere in the backyard, even while using other amenities.
Today, pool owners want even more convenience; they want to be able to control their pool and spa/hot tub from anywhere, with the devices they use every day. To this end, several advances have been made to provide the ability to control the backyard using any (connected) mobile device from anywhere in the world. Now, Apps for iOS and Android make controlling the pool almost second nature simply by sheer convenience.
For example, a couple could be enjoying a romantic evening out and then decide during dinner they want to hop into the spa/hot tub when they get home. Rather than turning the hot tub on and waiting for the water to heat up after getting home, a mobile phone can be used to turn on the spa/hot tub so it is ready as soon as they pull in their driveway.
As previously discussed, some controls have this telemetry capability built-in, while others have the ability to retrofit these capabilities at a small premium. With regards to home automation, the partnerships that have been developed between pool equipment and home automation manufacturers allows customers to use interfaces they are already familiar with to control the rest of the property (i.e. pools, spas/hot tubs, water features, outdoor lighting, etc.). Whether it is a wall-mount device, television remote, or home automation application, these partnerships have been making it convenient to control everything from an existing, highly used interface.
What can be automated around the pool?
If automation is the brain of the system, it is an ever-evolving brain since the latest automation products allow the system to be upgraded as soon as new features become available. It learns how to better control the other vital organs (i.e. components) in this system. The pump would be the heart, which also continues to get smarter, but when paired with the controller, there is no longer a need to understand when to turn the filter pump up or down.
Using pre-set times and speed throughout the day and week ensures debris is removed from the pool and the water has been properly filtered. Further, sensors guarantee the system is operating efficiently, while also reporting the pool’s and/or spa’s/hot tub’s water temperature, in addition to the surrounding air temperature.
An Internet connection, along with sensing and dispensing chemical automation technology helps to eliminate the guesswork in having a clean and clear pool. Lastly, all of the environmental, entertainment and play features (e.g. lighting, water features, and water levellers, etc.) are added on.
