A new and popular pool feature we’re taking a look at this week is Rebound Pool Surfaces. Rebound is a soft and slip-resistant pool texturing that is becoming increasingly popular with homeowners who are looking for a safer pool deck. Not only that, but swimmers can actually enjoy the same bouncy texture inside the interior of the pool. To get a better understanding of the product and how it works, we reached out to Rebound Pools to get with Steve Walsh and Lance Johnson of Rebound Pools.

What is a Rebound Pool Surface?

“Our new system for decks and pool interiors creates a soft surface. This is a pretty simple system that can go over existing pool interiors including concrete, plaster, pebble, and stone finishes. It creates a beautiful finish for pools and decks,” said Steve Walsh.

The product which is available in a wide assortment of colors, resembles floor safety systems that many with small children will already recognize existing in their local playground or schoolyard. Rebound is very similar to that bouncy texture found in areas where small children play. To see this type of material showing up around the pool deck is a new feature that is catching on with homeowners concerned about safety. The slip-resistant and soft bouncy feel of the texture provide better traction and feels great on bare feet.

10 Years of Data in Splash Pads & Playgrounds

In fact, playground systems are exactly where Rebound Pools initially started. “We actually have a sister company that started about 13 years ago doing playground safety surfacing and they got into splash pads about 10 years ago.” said Walsh.

“Right after that the owners of the company were having some cocktails on their back patio and the dogs knocked all the drinks over and the glasses broke and they thought, ‘boy if we could get our product to be on this deck but in a different way, broadcast instead of mixed in we might have something that would be softer’,” said Walsh.

Who is Using Rebound?

When looking at where the product is being installed, it’s primarily homeowners with small children that are looking for safer alternatives and additional slip resistance around the pool deck. “Side by side, if you compare rebound to all the other decking products on the market, on the safety issue – it’s a slam dunk for our product,” said Lance Johnson, “in addition, if you’ve applied the product on the interior, this product offers a huge benefit if you’re worried about safety at all. Walking around in the shallow end is a lot safer.”

How Durable is a Rebound Pool Surface?

For those who are wondering how durable this surfacing is, the two part polymer and plastic thermo granular material is designed to be submerged under water and hold up year after year in wet / dry conditions. “It’s really impervious to water,” said Walsh, “it doesn’t react to it and we think it has got a really long life on both decks and pool interiors. The granules we use feel like a squishy soft rubber but are actually a high end product called TPV – it’s a type of plastic without any fillers. It lasts a long time and doesn’t leach or interact with anything. Because it’s completely inert, it’s a great product for the pool environment.”

How Rebound Holds up in the Swimming Pool

While the product has only been around for a few years, there is considerable data from the splash pad/playground sector to indicate that the product will have an equally long life in pool interiors. Steve Walsh helped explain, “I think the best test for us has been the 10 years or so that it’s been used in splash pads, which has heavy traffic and high chlorine water. The product is exposed to the sun all day. It gets wet and dry, on and off constantly. Holding up to that is much tougher than what is happening when it’s sitting in a pool.”

How The Product is Applied

“The product itself is a three-coat system,” said Walsh, “The polymer goes on and sets up in a few hours, then the second layer of polymer is applied. After that, we broadcast granules into the surface. The next day the granules are vacuumed up and then granules get applied again. For a standard pool of about 900 square feet, it’s about 27 man-hours to install it. Three guys in three days including all the prep and cleanup.”

In terms of how the product feels, Walsh described the end product. “That quarter inch you get is very durable and very flexible. It has some elongation properties to it. We call it rebound because it’s kind of a soft squishy product. It’s not super soft, but it’s softer than any other product on the market and feels great to stand on when you’re in the pool.”

What Pool Contractors Think of Rebound

“When they find out about our product they want to take over their territory and start moving truckloads,” said Johnson, “once they see how little labor is involved to go over the top of an existing surface versus that big tear out and all the mess and expense that comes with that.”

“To get into installing the product, it’s very economical,” said Walsh, “you’re looking at a few hundred dollars in product that you would need to install versus the high prices for other products out there.”

“The granules come in bags and get blended. You can rent a mixer at Home Depot for about $40 or buy one for a couple of hundred dollars. That lets you mix and blend the product,” explained Walsh, “the other products are just ways of applying the polymer. Roller frames, roller covers, and poles, some spiked shoes are about $20 a pair. The list of everything to get into the business of installing rebound pool surfaces is about $700 and roughly $100 in consumables per pool.”

One contractor that swears by the product is Sacramento pool industry veteran, Gregg Sample of Gregg’s Pool Works & Pool Yoda. An early adopter, he was one of the first installers of Rebound Pool Surfaces. “The low start-up cost of becoming an installer make it a really viable business for pool contractors to get into,” said Sample, who has been installing the products in pools around El Dorado County.

With a short learning curve to become an installer, Walsh says that learning how to apply a Rebound Pool Surface is incredibly easy. “If you can use a paintbrush or a roller, you can learn how to install this product,” said Walsh, “the product can be applied in fiberglass, gunite, and composite wall pools as well as on decks and steps.”

“The product works well vinyl liner pools,” said Walsh, “the whole industry has been looking for a product that can fill in the nasty cracks that develop in broken pool stairs and are finding this product works better than a patch. With our product, you can skip the first step and just do a double broadcast. The only prep work needed is a little acetone on a rag to wipe it down. You can get it done in one day at a pretty economical price.”

Find out more about Rebound Pools and listen to our interview on the Pool Magazine podcast.

Pool fences are getting much smarter these days. As a result, artificial intelligence is bound to play a larger role in securing the pool perimeter in years to come. It’s only fitting that as our homes have gotten smarter, that our swimming pools should as well.

These days, you’re likely to find a slew of smart technologies both inside the home as well as in the backyard. Modern homes are equipped with everything from biometric door locks, to refrigerators that update your grocery list when you’re running low on milk. However, when looking at ways to better protect your family, adding a smarter pool fence just makes sense.

No Standardized U.S. Pool Fence Laws

Presently, swimming pool fences are mandatory in many parts of the country. While there are no federal laws in place, individual states have taken to institute their own laws pertaining to pool fencing. States like Arizona, Florida, California, and Texas all have stringent requirements in place for residential swimming pools. There are rigid guidelines in place for how high a pool fence must be, as well as inherent safety measures they must meet to be in accordance with state laws.

Practical state safety standards for Pool Fences are not yet mandated by U.S. law for residential swimming pools:

• Residential pools should be equipped with an approved safety pool cover.
• Doors and windows providing direct access to the pool should be equipped with a high-pitched alarm.
• Doors providing direct access from the home to the pool must be equipped with a self-closing, self-latching device with a release mechanism placed no lower than 54 inches above the floor.
• Pools should be equipped with a swimming pool alarm sounding upon detection of unauthorized entrance into the water. Such pool alarm must meet and be independently certified to ASTM Standard F2208, titled “Standard Safety Specification for Residential Pool Alarms,” which includes surface motion, pressure, sonar, laser, and infrared alarms.

Concerning Statistics

Pool safety is arguably one of the most important topics of discussion in the industry. With over 236,000 annual accidental drownings reported, it is a critical issue. It also happens to be the number one cause of death amongst children aged 1-4 (according to a New England Journal of Medicine study).

Recent reports indicate that incidents actually tripled in some states during 2020. The average number of cases has increased roughly 15% during the pandemic. It’s an alarming statistic that experts are concerned is trending in the wrong direction.

Despite a concerted effort to better educate consumers, and more states putting laws in place to mandate fences for residential pools, the numbers are going up. This could very well coincide with an increasing number of homeowners installing inground and above-ground pools.

Smart Pool Monitors Act as a Second Set of Eyes on the Pool Area

When purchasing a pool, homeowners are increasingly looking to incorporate technology that will provide them with security and peace of mind. Putting up a pool fence and adding a safety cover are obvious methods to mitigate potential accidents. In addition, adding smart monitoring devices that utilize technology like artificial intelligence, is a great 2nd line of defense that acts a virtual water-watcher for the swimming pool.

Sai Reddy of CamerEye, a San Diego-based firm that makes one of the most popular pool monitor devices on the market said, “What we’re talking about is adding an additional layer of safety. Now we’re able to provide immediate detection when there is unauthorized entry around the pool perimeter. We’re also able to detect early distress behavior using A. I. technology.”

How Pool Monitoring Devices Save Lives

Incorporating this type of technology is not yet the standard in the pool industry. However given the rising number of fatalities, many are wondering if it should be. This type of technology provides homeowners with the ability to draw an invisible boundary line around the pool area. Pool monitors provide an instant alert when there is distress in the pool, even coupling the ability to call 9-11 in case of an emergency.

Waiting For Much Needed Pool Fencing Regulation

Consumers are still largely on their own when it comes to researching local laws and regulations pertaining to fencing. While laws for public pools across the nation largely mandate fencing, we’re still waiting for U.S. laws to regulate laws for residential pools. Is it the law of the land to have a physical barrier around every residential pool in the country? No, it isn’t. Should it be? Absolutely.

While adding a pool fence is a great first line of defense, in light of the new information we’re seeing from credible reporting bodies, clearly, there is a need for pool monitors to pick up the slack where both pool fences and U.S. laws leave off.

Swimming pools are indisputably excellent sources of enjoyment and relaxation. Even so, cleaning and maintaining a pool is not a walk in the park. Pool maintenance usually consumes a lot of time and effort. Unfortunately, you can never skip pool maintenance if you want to maintain crystal clear pool water. On average, you need to clean your pool at least twice a week. Moreover, you need to ensure you have balanced water chemistry at all times. Fortunately, there is a wide range of pool cleaning equipment you can use to keep your pool in good shape. In this article, we look at some of the best robot pool cleaners of 2021.

2021 best robot pool cleaners

The pool filter is usually responsible for getting rid of dirt and debris in your pool. However, some particles may be too large to go through the filter. As a result, you need to use a vacuum or robotic pool cleaner to clean the pool. At present, there is a wide range of robot pool cleaners in the market. Each offers unique functionality.

There are two primary types of automatic pool cleaners; pressure cleaners and robotic cleaners. Both deliver excellent functionality. But pressure cleaners usually depend on the pool filter and pump to function. At times, they rely on a booster pump to operate. On the flip side, robotic cleaners depend on electricity to function and work independently. Also, some robotic cleaners use smart technology like Bluetooth and Wi-Fi to function.

Factors to consider when buying a robotic pool cleaner

Typically, robot pool cleaners incorporate a head unit responsible for running all operations of the cleaner. You can set a robotic cleaner to work at your preferred timings during the day. Most robotic pool cleaners have floor and wall cleaning options. In addition, pool professionals usually advise getting a robotic pool cleaner that cleans the waterline. Such pool cleaners reduce the need for brushing your pool surfaces. Nevertheless, these robotic pool cleaners tend to be more expensive.

All robot pool cleaners use Bluetooth or Wi-Fi systems to function. Thus, you can easily control the robotic cleaner using a smartphone app. You can start and stop the robotic cleaner at any time. When buying a pool cleaner, always buy one with a quality debris canister. The debris canister is responsible for trapping debris in the pool. After cleaning the pool, you need to empty and remove the canister according to the manufacturer’s instructions.

Another factor to consider when buying a robotic pool cleaner is the size and shape of your pool. If you have a complex pool design, buy a robotic cleaner that can navigate tough corners. Also, if your pool has steps, choose a robotic cleaner that can go up the steps.

Different types of robot pool cleaners

It is important to note that robot pool cleaners are costly. Thus, before purchasing this equipment, ensure you analyze your requirements. Even so, pool experts report that robotic pool cleaners are worth the purchase.

DOLPHIN Sigma Robotic Pool Cleaner with Bluetooth and Massive Top-Load Cartridge Filters, Ideal for Pools up to 50 Feet.

Hassle-free cleaning. Easy-to-use, robotic pool cleaner equipped with an anti-tangling swivel cable, allowing Sigma to move freely around large residential pools up to 50 feet with ease. Backed by a 3 year quality assurance.

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Polaris Alpha IQ+

This is one of the best robotic pool cleaners you can find in the market. The Polaris Alpha IQ+ incorporates a fast and straightforward installation process. Also, it does an excellent job of helping you maintain crystal clear pool water.

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Aquabot Turbo T4RC

Another robotic pool cleaner is the Aquabot Turbo T4RC. It is lightweight and uses a series of brushes to keep the pool clean.

Polaris 9550 Sport

Another Polaris robotic cleaner is the Polaris 9550 Sport. This cleaner is ideal for getting rid of dirt on pool surfaces of inground pools.

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Smart pool water monitors

Maintaining balanced water chemistry is essential. Currently, there are several pieces of equipment specially designed to check the pool pH, calcium hardness, and chlorine levels. Smart monitor systems do this job and send measurements to your smartphone app every day.

WaterGuru Sense

This smart monitor system is specially designed to stay in the pool skimmer. The WaterGuru Sense smart monitor measures the pool pH and chlorine levels. You can find it on Amazon for as low as $295.

cFloat

Another smart monitor system is the cFloat. This system helps you improve water quality at all times.

Sutro Smart Pool Water Monitor

This smart monitor helps you know your pool chemistry. Also, it advises you on all the chemical adjustments you need to make. Purchasing a Sutro smart pool water monitor costs approximately $199.

Ultimately

Today, there is a wide range of smart pool equipment. Before purchasing any pool equipment, ensure you evaluate all your requirements.