Fire features have become an increasingly important part of outdoor living design, giving pool builders and designers new ways to create conversation areas, gathering spaces and architectural focal points around the backyard.

In this episode of the Pool Magazine Podcast, we sit down with Chuck Nitschke, National Director of Sales at The Outdoor Plus, to take a closer look at what’s trending in fire pits and fire tables. We discuss how builders and designers are choosing between linear, round and rustic styles, why proportions and placement matter, and how products are being designed around everything from poolside entertaining to dining and larger gathering spaces.

Nitschke also walks us through some of the products getting attention from builders and designers, including the Del Mar, Unity, Catalina, Mesa, Newport and Alameda. We discuss the growing role of customization, the advantages of different materials, natural gas versus concealed propane, custom sizing and the different burner configurations available to control the presentation of the flame.

We also look at where the category is headed next as manufacturers continue to combine fire with new materials, lighting and increasingly functional outdoor furniture concepts.

If you’re a pool builder, designer or outdoor living professional looking for ideas on incorporating fire into your next project, this episode offers an inside look at the products, applications and design trends shaping the category.

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Automatic pool covers have long been associated with safety, but their role in the modern backyard goes much further. In this episode of the Pool Magazine Podcast, we sit down with Tom Dankel, Vice President of Aquamatic Cover Systems, to discuss how rising energy costs, water conservation, maintenance and changing pool designs are influencing the conversation around automatic covers.

Dankel shares insights from more than four decades in the industry, including how covers can reduce evaporation and operating costs, the distinction between ASTM safety covers and trackless systems, and the design considerations builders need to address early in a project. We also discuss solutions for freeform and unconventional pool shapes, as well as the growing retrofit opportunity for existing pools.

It’s a practical conversation about how automatic pool covers fit into the way pools are being designed, built and used today.

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Is fall the best time to start planning a pool renovation? In this episode of the Pool Magazine Podcast, we sit down with Jeff Moore of Precision Pool Restoration to discuss what homeowners should know before remodeling an aging swimming pool.

Moore shares the warning signs that indicate a pool may need more than routine maintenance, why seemingly cosmetic problems can point to larger issues, and how delaying repairs can ultimately make them more expensive. We also discuss renovation trends, equipment upgrades, budgeting priorities, choosing the right contractor, and why more homeowners are investing in the pools they already own.

The conversation also explores why starting the remodeling process in the fall can provide advantages when it comes to scheduling, planning, material selections, and having the pool ready well before the next swim season.

Whether you're a pool professional talking with customers about renovation or a homeowner considering an upgrade, this episode offers practical insight into when to start, what to prioritize, and how to approach a pool remodel the right way.

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How does a robotic pool cleaner perform when you take it out of a controlled demonstration and put it to work in a real backyard?

On this episode of the Pool Magazine Podcast, Joe Trusty sits down with pool professional Kelli Clancy of Legacy Pool and Spa to discuss her real-world evaluation of the iGarden K Series robotic pool cleaner.

Clancy installed the K Series in a customer’s pool and monitored its performance over several months, giving both her and the homeowner plenty of time to see what the cleaner could actually do. They tested it against real-world debris, an older freeform pool, walls, steps, a tanning ledge and the everyday conditions robotic cleaners are expected to handle.

Clancy shares what impressed her, where she sees room for improvement, and why she believes the K Series could be a good fit for homeowners purchasing their first robotic pool cleaner.

If you’re considering a cordless robotic cleaner or simply want a pool professional’s perspective on the iGarden K Series, this episode offers an independent look at how it performed where it matters most: in an actual customer’s pool.

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In this episode of the Pool Magazine Podcast, we sit down one-on-one with John Watwood, the President and CEO of POOLCORP, for a conversation about leadership, the state of the pool industry, and where the world's largest pool and outdoor living distributor is headed over the next few years.

Watwood's career with POOLCORP began more than two decades ago in the company's Manager in Training program, where he spent time learning the business from the warehouse and sales center level. After building his career outside the company, he ultimately returned to POOLCORP and has now risen to its top leadership position.

He takes the helm during a challenging period for the industry, with new pool construction under pressure and builders, service professionals, and retailers navigating a changing market. Watwood discusses what he's learned from spending his first months meeting directly with customers and employees, and why interfacing directly with the industry is central to his approach.

The conversation explores his game plan for moving POOLCORP forward: strengthening its role as a business partner, making the company easier to do business with, investing in technology and operational execution, and finding new ways to help pool professionals grow. Listen in on a candid conversation with one of the industry's newest CEOs about the challenges ahead, the opportunities he sees in the market, and the leadership philosophy he intends to bring to POOLCORP's next chapter.

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Pool automation is moving beyond simply turning equipment on and off. The next generation of connected products is being designed to provide better diagnostics, actionable equipment data, predictive maintenance, and new ways for pool professionals to manage service in the field.

In this episode of the Pool Magazine Podcast, we sit down with Jeremy Young, Director of Product Marketing for Automation at Fluidra, and Orlando Gadea, Vice President of Global Digital Marketing and Customer Experience for Fluidra, to discuss AquaLink Edge, Jandy’s next-generation automation platform, and Trackr IO, Fluidra’s new software platform designed to connect the equipment pad, the technician, and the office.

We dig into how smarter, interconnected equipment could reduce the industry’s reliance on tribal knowledge, shorten the learning curve for new technicians, improve troubleshooting, and give service companies better insight into how equipment is actually performing in the field. Young and Gadea also discuss the potential for predictive maintenance, more dynamic service routes, and a future where pool professionals can identify and respond to problems before the homeowner even knows something is wrong.

It’s an inside look at how connected equipment, automation, and software could reshape the way pool service companies operate.

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Robotic pool cleaners are becoming smarter, more capable and increasingly autonomous. In this episode of the Pool Magazine Podcast, we sit down with Nathaniel Michaelis, General Manager and Vice President of Americas for WYBOT, to take a closer look at the company’s C Series and premium S Series robotic pool cleaners.

Michaelis explains why WYBOT isn’t exactly the new kid on the block, with more than 20 years of experience manufacturing robotic pool cleaners behind the brand. The conversation gets into cordless cleaning, AI-assisted navigation, solar charging, self-parking and the new S3 self-emptying robotic pool cleaner.

We also discuss why greater autonomy matters to homeowners, builders and service professionals, how robotic cleaners can improve efficiency between weekly service visits, and why WYBOT is investing heavily in its growing dealer and warranty network.

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The pool market has changed, and builders are adapting. With new-pool construction slowing in many parts of the country, renovation, modernization and equipment upgrades are becoming an increasingly important source of opportunity.

In this episode of the Pool Magazine Podcast, we sit down with Teri Wiltshire, Executive Director of Master Pools Guild, a global network of independent pool builders, to discuss what members are seeing in markets across the country and how successful companies are responding.

We explore the shift toward renovation and add-on revenue, why lead quality and close rates matter more in a competitive market, and how builders are becoming more disciplined about sales, marketing, overhead and operations. Wiltshire also shares her perspective on technology and AI, including why new tools ultimately have to prove they can save time or generate measurable revenue.

With more than 10 million residential pools already in the United States, the opportunity extends far beyond new construction. We discuss how builders can approach that installed base differently, why renovation requires its own sales strategy, and what separates companies adapting to today's market from those still operating with the same playbook they used during the pandemic-era boom.

Listen in for an industry-level conversation about where the opportunities are shifting and how pool builders are positioning their businesses for the market that exists today.

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