Products

Designing the Vibe: Pairing Fire Features With Pool Style & Geometry

Published

5 months ago

January 28, 2026

Designing the Vibe: Pairing Fire Features With Pool Style & Geometry

In today’s backyard design world, fire features have gone from optional accessories to essential architectural elements. Homeowners want atmosphere, identity, and a sense of place — and they want it all integrated into the poolscape itself. That appetite for elevated outdoor living is pushing builders and designers to think more holistically about how fire bowls, fire pits, and fire-and-water elements can define the tone of a space just as much as the pool shape or material palette.

The surge didn’t happen by accident. As Chuck Nitschke, National Director of Sales for The Outdoor Plus, explains, the pandemic fundamentally rewired homeowner behavior. “COVID actually launched the outdoor entertaining world into a whole new strata.

With that shift came a new expectation: homeowners wanted the same design sophistication outdoors that they were accustomed to indoors. That mindset, combined with the explosion of readily available fire-and-water elements, propelled manufacturers like The Outdoor Plus to the forefront of the category.

Fire Bowls: Matching Shape to Geometry

One of the clearest design conversations happening today is the relationship between pool shape and fire bowl form. Builders often know the mood they want to create, but they’re less certain about which product lines best complement a specific architectural direction. That’s where Frank Vitori, Co-Founder of AquaBlu Mosaics, says education matters.

“It’s actually a fairly simple and straightforward question,” Vitori explains. “People are amazed when they ask and we say, ‘What’s the shape of your pool?’” For geometric pools — modern rectangles, straight lines, clean edges — square or linear bowls become the natural choice. “Ninety percent of the time, if it’s a modern, geometric-shaped pool, they’re going to want either a rectangular or square fire bowl.”

TOP’s Maya, for instance, shines in these settings. With its tapered square profile, it brings a sculptural quality that feels custom even in its standard form. Nitschke says it is “probably the most versatile” bowl the company makes.

On freeform swimming pool shapes, selections typically steer towards round-shaped fire bowls. The Cazo — crisp, tapered, elegant — excels for contemporary freeform pools. The Sedona, meanwhile, offers a softer, more classic look.

“If they want something more modern, we usually go toward the Cazo,” Vitori says. “If they want something a little bit more traditional, we’re pushing them toward the Sedona.”

Each bowl is available in multiple sizes, materials, and functional configurations — ranging from simple fire to combinations with multiple water spillways — giving designers the control they need to match the bowl’s personality to the pool’s geometry.

Fire Pits: Where People Actually Gather

If fire bowls frame the water and deliver drama, fire pits create the emotional center of the backyard — the place where people gather, linger, and revisit long after the pool lights go off.

Vitori points to several standout lines that consistently perform with homeowners and builders. The Unity line is one of the most popular: a classic round metal fire table available in 48″, 60″, and 72″. “It’s perfect for residential application,” he says, appreciating how it delivers scale without overpowering the space. TOP also offers two height options — 18″ for hard-piped installs and 24″ for hidden propane tank setups — offering maximum flexibility in the backyard.

For larger or more commercial-scale designs, the Coronado shines, available in lengths up to 10 feet. The clean lines blend seamlessly with modern outdoor architectures and can be specified in a wide range of materials and burner options.

Those looking for something more visually unexpected often gravitate toward the Moonstone, a bold powder-coated linear table with a striking dual-tone profile.

And for designers who want the warmth of a natural look without the maintenance concerns, Nitschke highlights the Sequoia, which features a concrete body textured to resemble real wood. “It’s designed to look and feel like real wood,” he explains, available in black ebony, oak, or ivory.

These options offer definitive visual direction at a time when outdoor living spaces are expected to function like extensions of the home — not afterthoughts.,” he says. When people began spending more time at home — and hosting small gatherings outdoors — they suddenly wanted spaces where the night didn’t need to end when the sun went down. Fire became the anchor. “People started to want to hang out outside and hang out around that pool longer and go deeper into the evening,” Nitschke adds. Fire features weren’t just decorative anymore; they became tools for extending the livable square footage of the home.

Automation: Fire at the Tap of a Button

Today’s homeowners don’t just want beauty; they want control — and they want it from their phone or tablet. Fire features, once entirely manual, are now routinely tied into automation systems, giving builders the ability to specify everything from simple match-lit setups to fully app-controlled electronic ignition.

As Nitschke explains, the range of ignition types has expanded to fit different needs and comfort levels. The most basic option is match-lit • the least expensive and the most trouble-free because, as he puts it, “There’s not a lot that can go wrong.” From there, homeowners can move into battery-powered options such as the piezo spark ignition • the same tick-tick-tick igniter people know from their grills, which keeps the user’s hand safely away from the burner. A step up from that is flame-sense spark ignition • a battery-based system with a built-in thermocouple that automatically shuts off gas flow if wind blows out the flame. “The system will sense it and immediately cut the gas,” Nitschke says, emphasizing the safety advantage.

For those who want full automation, electronic ignition brings the highest level of control. Standard 110-volt systems are used for fire pits installed more than five feet from the water, while low-voltage 30-volt DC systems are required for fire bowls positioned close to the pool. Both tie seamlessly into pool automation platforms and smartphone interfaces. As Nitschke puts it, “You open your cell phone, click a button, and all your fire bowls will turn on.”

For builders who already integrate lighting, pumps, and automation into their projects, the ability to fold fire features into the same ecosystem has become a major selling point — and a natural evolution in the modern outdoor living experience.

Choosing the Right Material for the Environment

Not all materials behave the same in different climates, and understanding those differences can prevent costly callbacks down the road.

Nitschke recommends powder-coated metals for hot, dry regions: “It holds up to that heat really well. You don’t have to worry about the material expanding and contracting.” For cold climates, concrete shines: it tolerates freeze-thaw cycles better than many metals.

Vitori echoes these points from the perspective of coastal customers. “Living here in Florida where it’s hot, salty, humid, we’re typically recommending powder-coated materials for the fire bowls, fire-water combos, even the fire pits, especially the ones comprised of the 316 stainless marine-grade steel.”

Both experts emphasize one more step: covers. “Nothing lasts forever,” Vitori says, “but if we maintain it, we can protect the investment and extend the life expectancy of the product.”

The Custom Boom

Many high-end builders are moving beyond off-the-shelf fire features and designing their own pedestals, surrounds, and architectural structures — then turning to manufacturers for the internal systems that make those designs functional. According to Frank Vitori, the appetite for large-scale, fully bespoke installations has surged. “A lot of the higher-end builders these days are actually building their own surrounds,” he explains. “They’re building the base of the fire pit, finishing it in their own materials, and then coming to us for the internals — the burner, the pan, the ignition. That’s where The Outdoor Plus really shines.”

Vitori says these projects aren’t small undertakings. “Right now we’re doing a nine-foot custom burner for a contractor in the Carolinas,” he notes. “The table is going to be about fourteen feet long and around twelve feet wide, and they want to finish the exterior in one of our glass tiles so it ties back into the pool’s waterline. For that, they only need the internals — a nine-foot custom pan with a bullet burner and full electronic automation. You can turn it on with an app, a wall panel, whatever the homeowner wants.”

But nine feet isn’t even close to the upper limit. “We’ve done things as long as thirty-five feet,” Vitori adds. “When you get to thirty-five feet, that’s big. There aren’t too many manufacturers out there who can pull that off, and TOP has done it seamlessly. They manufacture everything in-house, so when you need something huge, oddly shaped, or engineered to fit a perfectly measured opening, they can do it.”

A New Era of Fire-Forward Backyard Design

Fire features are no longer finishing touches — they’ve become core architectural elements that influence how people move, gather, and experience a space. They frame sightlines, anchor social zones, and extend the usefulness of the backyard deep into the night. More importantly, they deliver something homeowners value above all else: a sense of atmosphere that feels intentional rather than incidental.

What’s driving the surge isn’t just aesthetics; it’s the shift toward lifestyle-centered outdoor living. Fire draws people outside, keeps them there longer, and transforms the pool area from a daytime-only amenity into an all-season destination. With today’s advancements in automation, climate-specific materials, and fully custom fabrication, builders now have extraordinary freedom to tailor fire amenities to the vision, the environment, and the way homeowners actually use their spaces.

As Vitori puts it, the potential for creativity is “relatively endless,” and the momentum suggests that fire-forward design isn’t a trend — it’s becoming a defining language of modern outdoor living.

Ready to take a deeper dive?

Listen to our entire conversation with Frank Vitori and Chuck Nitschke on the Pool Magazine Podcast.

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Editor in Chief of Pool Magazine - Joe Trusty is also CEO of PoolMarketing.com, the leading digital agency for the pool industry. An internet entrepreneur, software developer, author, and marketing professional with a long history in the pool industry. Joe oversees the writing and creative staff at Pool Magazine.

To contact Joe Trusty email [email protected] or call (916) 467-9118 during normal business hours. For submissions, please send your message to [email protected]

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Features

Modernizing the Installed Pool Base: Why Automation Is the Smartest Add-On in Pool Renovation

Published

2 hours ago

June 17, 2026

Martin Grenier

Renovation has emerged as the most dependable growth channel in the swimming pool sector. While new construction cycles fluctuate with economic conditions, the installed base of aging pools continues to represent a stable and scalable revenue stream. Homeowners are choosing to reinvest in existing backyards, upgrading aesthetics, replacing aging equipment, and improving energy efficiency. But beyond visible improvements, many clients are asking a new set of questions: Can I control it from my phone? Can it alert me if something goes wrong? Can it run more efficiently? Those questions are opening the door to automation as a natural extension of renovation — not as a complex luxury system, but as a practical, revenue-generating upgrade.

For forward-thinking pool professionals, integrating automation into renovation projects is no longer a luxury add-on — it is a strategic modernization tool that increases project value, improves operational efficiency, and strengthens long-term client retention. As smart-home technology becomes standard indoors, automation is rapidly becoming the next expectation outdoors.

The Automation Shift: Meeting Evolving Homeowner Expectations

Renovation projects present more than an opportunity to refresh a pool’s appearance — they provide a strategic moment to modernize how the entire system operates. With millions of existing pools built before smart controls became mainstream, there is significant untapped potential sitting on equipment pads across the country. Homeowners already manage thermostats, lighting, and security systems from their smartphones; naturally, they are beginning to expect the same level of control over their pools and spas. For pool professionals, that shift in expectation creates a clear opening to introduce automation as part of a comprehensive renovation strategy.

John MacDonald, owner of Your Pool Guy Inc in Doylestown, Pennsylvania says his customers routinely ask him about automation for their pools. “Most customers start the automation discussion by asking if there is a way to control their pool water temperature remotely. Then they ask me if there is an app for that.” MacDonald says his clients are mostly interested in controlling their heaters, their pool lights and their water chemistry.

The smart phone has driven the consumer’s desire to control all the elements of their home from anywhere, all in the palm of their hand. Exterior landscape lights, pool lights, hot tub and pool temperatures, and control over pool and hot tub water chemistry, all manageable through their mobile devices. “I’m a pool service professional but I know that to ensure my client’s satisfaction with their pool and outdoor living space, providing them with simple automation will help ensure my clients are happy because they have a trouble-free, easy to maintain pool,” explains MacDonald. “Automation simplifies the maintenance of the homeowner’s backyard so pool owners can make sure the pool is put to bed right before they fall asleep, without having to go outdoors to check.”

Keep It Simple: Pool Owners Prefer Streamlined Automation

Simpler automation systems like the Tild pool automation system, tend to be very effective for most customers. Intuitive, easy-to-operate systems are key to keeping customers happy. These systems offer enough features to satisfy the homeowner’s needs while remaining simple enough to avoid requiring technical support after installation. MacDonald says that the simpler automation systems are the most effective for the majority of his customers. “The simple automation systems that are intuitive to operate seem to really make customers happy,” explains MacDonald. “They just need to have enough of what the homeowner wants but also simple and intuitive enough that they don’t need any technical help after the installation.”

Control system interfaces have also become more user-friendly, even as their capabilities expand. For example, the Tild pool automation system comes equipped with the Vigipool app, that can be easily downloaded to the client’s smart phone. Consumers are comfortable with apps on their phone, whether it’s their home security system, lighting or streaming services. In fact, consumers are excited to use an app on their phone to control the temperature, lights and water chemistry of their pool.

Automation Pays for Itself

Automation simplifies chores associated with pool and hot tub ownership and brings cost-saving benefits. Timers for outdoor and pool lights help reduce electricity costs, as does regulating pool and spa water temperatures. Automated pool and hot tub water chemistry dosing and control, like the Oxeo ORP and Phileo pH feeders, prevent overdosing or imbalance, minimizing the need for excessive chemical use and reducing overall expenses. Maintaining balanced pool water chemistry is especially critical for plaster pools, as unbalanced chemistry can lead to costly repairs. Additionally, having a compact, user-friendly pH controller with app-based notifications like the Phileo pH is ideal solution for clients with pH imbalances caused by salt chlorine generators. Improper pH levels lead to scale build-up on the salt cell assembly, which can cause the chlorine generator to shut off.

“Many of my clients have salt chlorine generators and are regularly confronted with their salt-system shutting down as a result of pH problem in their pool water,” explains MacDonald. “One of the most frequent calls I receive is from clients reporting that their salt chlorine generator isn’t working. They don’t realize that they haven’t taken the time to maintain the proper pH levels in the pool water and we all know this leads to scale build up on the salt cell assembly which shuts off the chlorine generator.”

MacDonald likes to recommend and install a pH automation controller that measures and doses the pool water to maintain the proper pH level. “I can’t be at the pool every day ensuring the pH is in the right range, so I like to recommend CCEI’s Phileo pH controller because it’s so compact and easy to use,” says MacDonald. “It’s just a little box about 3” x 4” in size so it fits on any equipment pad and it comes with the app so clients are notified if the water goes out of range so they can go add acid in to the container or similar. It offers the chemical automation that most customers need and want.”

Pool professionals agree that automation systems can help avoid the problems that can quickly increase the operating costs of a pool. Automation doesn’t take away work from service professionals as there are still always tasks to complete. But automation systems like the chemical controllers and feeders help between service calls to ensure all systems are operating correctly.

Automation systems also offer valuable data. Service professionals can identify issues such as an imbalance in pH or if a light is not working. Being able to discuss issues with customers, rather than a generic inquiry such as “How is everything in your backyard?” provides a significant competitive advantage for service companies.

Many pool professionals agree that offering and installing simple automation systems helps modernize the pool for customer but more importantly helps them stand out from their competitors which can be a real game changer for many independent pool and spa professionals. “In addition to modernizing the pool, automation creates customer loyalty for our business, as clients are empowered and truly feel they have a better, more modern pool if they can control it from an app on their phone,” says MacDonald.

A Competitive Edge That Keeps Clients Coming Back

Offering and installing simple automation systems like the Tild pool automation system helps modernize pools for customers while differentiating their businesses from competitors. Adding simple automation to renovation projects is one of the easiest ways to increase project value, differentiate from competitors, and deliver the modern convenience clients already expect inside their homes. Automation is a game-changer that fosters customer loyalty by providing a more modern pool experience.

Offering pool automation boosts customer satisfaction and excitement about their backyard investment. These systems simplify pool maintenance and make operating other components easier, even remotely. Now is the perfect time for pool professionals to start offering simple backyard and pool automation as a way to renovate pools that need an update. Beyond liners, decking, and lighting upgrades, integrating simple automation systems gives pool professionals a powerful way to modernize and renovate older pools, increase profits, and deliver the smart-home functionality today’s homeowners expect.

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Products

Water Tech™ Offers Volt Retail Displays

Published

3 weeks ago

May 27, 2026

Susie Cuebas

Water Tech Corp, manufacturer of the popular Volt line of battery-powered handheld pool and spa vacuums, offers compact and versatile point-of-purchase displays designed to fit virtually anywhere on the retail floor.

Built from sturdy corrugated cardboard, the displays ship flat and assemble quickly — no tools required. Two configurations are available: one designed specifically for the Volt Leaf Vac and one showcasing the Volt FX-Series. Each display features dedicated product slots that invite customers to pick up and handle the units, letting the lightweight, easy-to-use design speak for itself.

Perfectly suited for checkout areas and high-traffic zones, the displays are built to drive impulse, cash-and-carry sales. Coordinating product boxes can be arranged around each display to create a cohesive, eye-catching retail presentation.

To find out how you could add one of these eye-catching, brightly colored displays to your retail store this season, contact [email protected].

City/State: E. Brunswick, NJ
Website: www.watertechcorp.com
Phone: 800-298-8800

Social Media:
https://www.instagram.com/watertech_pros/#
https://www.facebook.com/watertechcorpNJ/
https://www.linkedin.com/company/watertechcorp/
https://www.youtube.com/user/TheWatertechCorp

About Water Tech Corp:
Water Tech Corp is the manufacturer of the original Pool Blaster handheld battery powered pool cleaner as well as the powerful Volt and Precision battery powered pool cleaners on the market today. Water Tech has been a part of the pool and spa industry now for 25 years after being founded by Guy Erlich in 2001 in an apartment building in New York City. Water Tech has always been focused on patented-technologies and designs that have allowed Water Tech to succeed in the very competitive pool and spa cleaner arena. With 19 different US patents on pool and spa cleaners alone and more to come, Water Tech has been able to use its intellectual property and unique product designs to systematically ensure its success in the marketplace. In fact, between 2005 and the present date, Water Tech has received the “Pool & Spa News & Readers’ Choice Award” for “Best New Product” approximately seven (7) times.

The company now operates out of a large facility in E. Brunswick, NJ with more than 20,000 square foot of space. Water Tech has a reputation for bringing innovative, reliable products to our industry, designed specifically to meet the needs of consumers, service professionals and retailers in the swimming pool and spa market.

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Products

BackSaver2000 Revolutionizes Pool Water Collection and Testing

Published

1 month ago

May 5, 2026

Susie Cuebas

backsaver2000-safer-pool-water-testing-collection

A new innovation in pool maintenance is changing how technicians collect water samples for testing. The BackSaver2000, a newly developed water collection device, is designed to improve both sampling accuracy and workplace safety for pool professionals.

Traditionally, pool technicians collect water samples by kneeling or bending over the pool edge with a cup, a method that can lead to repeated strain on the back and knees. The BackSaver2000 eliminates this issue by allowing technicians to collect water easily while standing, significantly reducing the physical stress associated with the outdated conventional method.

Beyond ergonomics, the BackSaver2000 was scientifically tested to ensure the integrity of water samples. Results show that the device collects equal to or less surface water contamination compared to traditional collection methods, helping ensure more reliable water quality testing.

Designed specifically for the demands of the pool service industry, the BackSaver2000 combines a telescoping handle with a collapsible collection cup to make sampling faster, safer, and more efficient. By reducing repetitive strain injuries, companies can also benefit from fewer work-related injuries and potentially lower workers’ compensation claims.

The BackSaver2000 is poised to become an essential tool for pool technicians, offering a smarter and healthier way to collect water samples while maintaining testing accuracy.

For more information about the BackSaver2000, contact your local distributor or visit the product website: backsaver2000.com.