Today’s consumers expect automation to make their lives easier – from adjusting their home thermostat to closing their garage door and cleaning with robotic vacuum cleaners, home automation devices are now the norm. 

It’s only natural that this trend is taking hold in the pool industry, with pool owners looking for ways to make it easier and more efficient to maintain their pools and spas. But as a pool professional, have you considered how automation can make your job easier and help you grow your business?

Here are three tips for using automation to help take your pool business to the next level and provide your customers with outstanding service.

1. Work smarter with advanced pool automation technology.

It’s called the “brain of the pool” for a reason. With an advanced pool automation system like the IntelliCenter® Pool Control System, connecting pool equipment like colored lights, water features, and more to the automation system is easy with features like a setup wizard with step-by-step instructions and autodetect technology. Pool automation allows you to effortlessly set automation schedules, monitor pool and spa status, and check water chemistry.

Whether tackling regular maintenance or something more complex, you can quickly troubleshoot problems, resolve issues, and get out of the backyard faster using an intuitive touch screen. The IntelliCenterPool Control System is the most versatile Pentair automation system, delivering the latest technology to pool servicers, builders, and homeowners.

“When the IntelliCenter System came out, it was much more user-friendly than the EasyTouch^® System we used,” said Alex Karol of Lehigh Valley Aqua Pools in Northampton, Pennsylvania. “It was like going from a flip phone to a smartphone with a touchscreen and having everything at your fingertips.”

Customers with older automation systems who need an upgrade without replacing their whole system can use the IntelliCenter Upgrade Kit for IntelliTouch^® and EasyTouch^® Pool Control Systems to easily upgrade their older pool automation systems to the latest technology. With an Upgrade Kit, you get all the benefits of the latest system, including an intuitive touchscreen display that effectively shows functions in both day and nighttime modes. 

Building on the product’s existing capabilities to bring these systems up to date allows professionals and pool owners to experience all the latest features of Pentair automation. Installation is easy: it installs on the current wiring and housing. Just change the bezel, board, and transformer.

With an Upgrade Kit, it’s easy to give your customers what they want and give yourself some new business as you continue adding upgrades to their pool equipment pads.

• Save time in the backyard while offering an effortless pool experience.

The days of staying after hours at your customers’ homes for impromptu fixes to the pool equipment pad are nearly over. Using Remote Monitoring, accessed through their Pentair Pro account, pool professionals can remotely monitor a customer’s pool and connect to equipment via the IntelliCenter Pool Control System.

“It gives us the opportunity to log in to the client’s pool to see if there are any error messages,” said Craig Horning of Infinity Pools & Spas in Lancaster, Pennsylvania. “If we see something that might be malfunctioning, we can address it early before it becomes a very large investment for the customer.”

Monitoring and controlling your customers’ systems remotely will potentially prevent extra service trips to customers’ backyards, and the benefits don’t end there. While you’re boosting your business by offering remote monitoring and white glove service to pool owners for an additional fee, they’ll enjoy an effortless and stressless pool experience. Because the system interfaces with mobile devices, it also offers pool owners convenient remote control from anywhere with the Pentair Home app.

• Ultimate peace of mind for your customers to enjoy water.

Pentair’s solutions offer a virtually hands-off, connected automation experience for consumers with pools of nearly any shape or size. And with the IntelliCenter system, pool owners can now control water features, monitor water chemistry, spot-clean their spa, and more – all from the comfort of their home using the Pentair Home app.

Homeowners currently using the IntelliCenter2 app are being migrated to the Pentair Home app in early 2024 for an improved and expanded app experience.

In the Pentair Home app, pool owners can access an easy-to-use dashboard on their smart device and receive alerts sent directly to their phones for peace of mind anytime, anywhere, so they can get back to enjoying their pool. The IntelliCenter Pool Control System is designed to easily accommodate new equipment add-ons as your customers’ backyard oasis grows.

Give your customers the technology they expect with the Pentair IntelliCenter^® Pool Control System. Learn more about how IntelliCenter makes pool automation easier at pentair.com/intellicenterhub.

By: Rama Budampati, General Manager of Pool Automation and Sanitizers, Pentair

In the dynamic world of pool maintenance and equipment, staying ahead of the curve is essential for pool professionals to deliver top-notch services to their clients. Hayward has a clear understanding of the importance of continuous education and has been at the forefront of providing comprehensive training opportunities for pool professionals. Recently they updated the training section of their website, offering an array of hands-on training courses and webinars to enhance the skills of pool professionals.

Hayward Training Courses

Hayward’s hands-on training courses cater to pool professionals seeking expertise across various crucial aspects of pool maintenance. Covering an array of topics, these sessions delve into the intricacies of Hayward’s latest products, ensuring professionals are well-versed in recommending and installing cutting-edge solutions. Specialized training in heaters, automation, salt systems, pumps, infloor systems, and electrical troubleshooting equips participants with the skills needed to address challenges in specific areas. By offering a comprehensive curriculum, Hayward empowers pool professionals to offer knowledgeable expertise to their clients.

Hayward’s dedication to supporting pool professionals is evident in the various programs they offer throughout the country. Here are some of the latest hands-on education opportunities offered by Hayward in the upcoming months. Make sure to visit and bookmark their Training Registration page as an ongoing resource.

Hayward Hands-On Training By Location

• Florida
• Gulf Coast
• Mid-Atlantic
• Mid-West
• North East
• South Central
• Southeast
• Southwest
• West

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In 2023, the “smart home” concept continues to trend. Homeowners want a more maintenance-free space with automated thermostats, lights, blinds, and more. 

However, this concept can also enhance and improve outdoor spaces, and it’s especially appealing to pool owners. With automation in their toolkit, pool professionals can make a splash and make their customers’ lives easier.

Diving into pool pump automation.

Every good story begins with a hero. One of the unsung heroes of the pool industry is variable speed and flow technology. What makes variable speed and flow so notable is its incredible energy efficiency. In fact, with a third-generation IntelliFlo3® Variable Speed and Flow Pump, pool owners can save up to 90%* on energy consumption. With optional onboard relays to provide automated control of two additional pieces of equipment, pool owners can control additional devices like lighting or salt chlorinators.

While options like this are a great solution for small-scale automation, it’s possible to put most of your customer’s pool features on one easy-to-use management system. And when it comes to the pool, homeowners crave peace of mind! They want the ease of knowing their pool is in great hands and utilizing reliable products and technology. Enter automation systems, a more effortless solution to provide pool pros with a bird’s eye view of problems and the ability to troubleshoot in advance, thus increasing efficiency and delivering white glove service that takes the stress off customers.

Helping customers understand their pool equipment pad and how everything works together is essential. Think of a pool as a person; the chemicals you add to the pool water are like white blood cells, attacking germs and keeping the environment clean. Filters take in dirty water, reduce contaminants, and push out cleaner water, like the lungs of the pool. The automation system is a bit like its brain, sending signals to the different body parts to ensure they’re working accordingly.

Automation systems like the IntelliCenter® Pool Control System provide versatile control. Controlling colored lights, water features, and more with an automation system is a breeze! Pool owners can effortlessly set automation schedules, monitor pool and spa status, and check water chemistry.

Using tools like the Pentair Pro app, pool professionals can also remotely monitor their customers’ automation system. With remote monitoring, pool owners can breathe a sigh of relief and enjoy peace of mind knowing their trusted pool service professional can check in and troubleshoot problems anytime, anywhere.

Help your customers RULE THE POOL!

With automation in your arsenal, it’s easy to curate the dreamiest backyard oasis for your customer. Any pool can be transformed from a mundane natatorium to an enchanting water wonderland with connected products. 

The ruler of this watery kingdom is your customer – all they’ll need is the Pentair Home app on their smartphone. With this easy-to-use app, pool owners can monitor and control their pool equipment from anywhere in the world. With the Pentair Home app and automation working together, your customers’ lives become easier. Long gone are the days of frustrating pool management, and here to stay is the era of a fully connected, smart pool equipment pad. 

With an easy-to-manage lineup of pool equipment, pool owners can make more time for the things that really matter: family, memory-making, and poolside relaxation. By providing them with a reliable and connected pool equipment pad, you help them rule the pool.

To learn more, visit pentair.com/intelliflo3 hub or pentair.com/intellicenterhub.

*Savings based on variable speed pump compared to a single-speed pump running 12 hours per day at an average of $0.16 per kWh in a 20,000-gallon pool. Actual savings may vary based on local utility rates, pool size, pump run time, pump horsepower, pump rpm, plumbing size and length, pump model, service factor, and other hydraulic factors. Individual Weighted Energy Factor (WEF) scores and savings may vary by model. 

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