Summary:
Most Long Island dads aren’t asking for another gift card. They want their weekends back. If there’s an inground pool in the backyard, there’s a good chance it’s also eating up Saturday mornings — testing chemicals, vacuuming the floor, adjusting the heater before anyone gets in. Smart pool technology exists specifically to fix that. And Father’s Day, which lands right at the start of Long Island’s real swimming season, is one of the most natural moments to make a meaningful upgrade. Here’s what the technology actually does, what it costs, and which upgrades are genuinely worth it.
What Is a Smart Inground Pool and How Does It Work?
A smart inground pool isn’t a different kind of pool — it’s what happens when you connect your existing inground pool to modern automation technology. The core idea is straightforward: instead of manually adjusting your pump, heater, lighting, and chemical feeder, a central control system handles all of it, and you manage everything from a smartphone app or a voice assistant like Alexa or Google Home.
Think of it like a smart thermostat for your home, but for your entire pool system. You can schedule your pump to run during off-peak energy hours, set the water temperature before you leave work, turn on the lights from the couch, and get alerts if your water chemistry drifts out of range — all without touching a single dial.
The good news for existing pool owners across Long Island and Queens County is that most of these upgrades don’t require a new pool. Over 60% of residential pools still lack any form of automation, which means the majority of homeowners with an inground pool are sitting on an upgrade opportunity they haven’t tapped yet.
Which Smart Pool Upgrades Are Actually Worth the Money?
Not every piece of pool technology delivers equal value, so it helps to know what actually moves the needle before you spend anything.
Variable-speed pumps are consistently the most impactful upgrade for most pool owners. A standard single-speed pump runs at full power all the time, whether the pool needs it or not. A variable-speed pump adjusts its output based on what’s actually happening — lower speed for circulation, higher speed for cleaning cycles. The result is an energy reduction of up to 90% compared to a single-speed model. On Long Island and in Queens County, where electricity rates rank among the highest in the country, that translates to real savings across a 14-to-16-week swimming season. The upfront cost runs between $1,000 and $2,500, and for most households, the energy savings start offsetting that cost within the first couple of seasons.
LED pool lighting is another upgrade that tends to surprise people. The cost to switch from traditional incandescent lights to LED is relatively low — typically $200 to $600 depending on your setup — and the efficiency difference is significant. LEDs use about 80% less electricity and last considerably longer, so you’re not replacing bulbs every season. But the bigger draw for most homeowners is the visual effect. Modern LED systems can shift colors, sync with music, and completely change the feel of the pool after dark. If you’ve ever had guests over for an evening swim and wished the ambiance matched the moment, this is the upgrade that delivers it.
Smart chemistry monitors are worth mentioning here too, especially for families with kids. Devices like the Aiper HydroComm sit in the water and continuously track pH, temperature, and sanitizer levels, sending real-time readings to your phone. No more test strips, no more guessing. You know exactly what the water looks like before anyone jumps in, which matters more than most people realize when it comes to both comfort and safety.
Finally, robotic pool cleaners have come a long way. The newer cordless models — some with up to 11 hours of battery life — can scrub floors, climb walls, and clear the waterline on their own, then dock themselves when finished. For a dad who’s been spending part of every weekend running a manual vacuum across the pool floor, a robotic cleaner is the kind of gift that gets used immediately and appreciated all season.
How Much Does a Smart Pool Automation System Cost to Install?
A full smart pool automation system — one that connects your pump, heater, lighting, and sanitizer into a single app-controlled hub — typically costs between $1,500 and $3,500 to install, depending on the complexity of your existing setup and the brand you choose. The most widely used systems in the market right now come from Pentair, Hayward, and Jandy, each with their own app interface and compatibility considerations.
That price range might sound like a lot upfront, but it helps to think about it in context. If a variable-speed pump is saving you several hundred dollars a year in electricity, and you’re no longer spending weekend mornings on manual maintenance, the system starts paying for itself in ways that are both financial and personal. Time has value too, and that’s something actual customer feedback captures well — people who upgrade consistently describe the change as getting their weekends back.
For Long Island and Queens County homeowners specifically, there’s an additional consideration: energy costs here are not average. PSEG Long Island customers pay some of the highest residential electricity rates in the country, which means the efficiency gains from smart pool technology hit harder here than they would in a lower-cost energy market.
Installation should always be handled by a licensed pool professional — not because the technology is impossibly complex, but because smart automation systems involve electrical work, and in New York, that work needs to meet specific code requirements. Getting it done right the first time protects both your investment and your home.
Smart Pool Upgrades as a Father's Day Gift for Long Island Dads
Father’s Day falls in mid-June, which on Long Island means the pool is open, school is out, and backyard season is fully underway. It’s one of the most natural moments in the year to make a pool-related decision — either because you’ve been thinking about it since winter and finally have a reason to commit, or because you want to give someone a gift that actually improves their daily life.
Unlike most gifts, a smart pool upgrade keeps delivering value every single day of the swimming season. A robotic cleaner runs while dad is doing something else. An automation system means the pool is always at the right temperature without anyone having to remember to turn anything on. LED lighting means the pool looks good at 9 p.m. without any extra effort.
Best Smart Pool Gifts for Dads Who Already Have an Inground Pool
If the pool is already there and in good shape, the upgrade path is actually pretty accessible. You don’t need to renovate anything or commit to a major project — some of the most impactful smart pool additions are straightforward installs that can be done in a day or less.
A robotic pool cleaner is probably the easiest win. Models like the Dreame Z1 Pro offer powerful suction, dual brushes for floors and walls, and cordless operation. You drop it in, it does its job, and it comes back when it’s done. For someone who’s been manually vacuuming their pool, this is the kind of upgrade that immediately changes the experience of pool ownership.
Smart water monitors are another strong option at a lower price point. They’re small, unobtrusive, and they give you continuous visibility into water chemistry without requiring manual testing. For a dad who takes pool maintenance seriously but would rather spend less time doing it, this hits the right note.
If you’re ready to go bigger, a full automation system installation is the Father’s Day gift that genuinely transforms how a pool gets used. Being able to turn on the pool lights, raise the water temperature, and activate a water feature from a phone — before you’ve even left the driveway — changes the relationship between a homeowner and their pool entirely. It stops being a thing that requires management and starts being something you actually look forward to.
We carry pool supplies, cleaning equipment, and accessories at our retail store on Jericho Turnpike in Huntington Station, which makes it easy to come in, see what’s available, and get a real recommendation based on your specific pool setup. No guessing, no ordering blind online.
Is Father's Day a Good Time to Plan a New Inground Pool on Long Island?
This question comes up more than you’d expect, and the honest answer is: it depends on your timeline expectations.
If you’re hoping to be swimming in a brand-new inground pool this summer, mid-June is on the late side. Inground pool installation on Long Island and in Queens County requires a permit, and the permit process alone typically takes four to six weeks. Add in excavation, construction, decking, and equipment installation, and you’re realistically looking at late summer at the earliest if you’re starting the conversation now. That’s still a usable pool this season, but it won’t be a Memorial Day situation.
What Father’s Day is genuinely good for is making the decision and starting the process. The families who are swimming by Memorial Day next year are the ones who have the conversation in fall or winter. If you’ve been thinking about an inground pool for a few years and keep putting it off, using Father’s Day as the moment to finally schedule a consultation is a completely legitimate use of the occasion.
Long Island’s permit landscape is also worth understanding before you start. Nassau and Suffolk Counties each have their own requirements, and individual towns layer on additional rules around setbacks — how far the pool needs to sit from your property line — and fencing. In Huntington, for example, the setback requirements differ from what you’d encounter in a town like Lloyd Harbor or Northport. Queens County homeowners have their own set of considerations that differ from Nassau and Suffolk entirely. Working with a pool company that has handled permits across all of these jurisdictions means you’re not learning the rules as you go.
We’ve been building inground pools across Long Island and Queens County since 2009, and we hold licenses in both Nassau County (#158301) and Suffolk County (#HI-64117). That dual licensing matters because the requirements aren’t the same on both sides of the county line, and navigating both takes experience. We handle all permitting in-house, which means you’re not chasing down paperwork or trying to figure out which building department to call.
Where to Start With Smart Pool Upgrades on Long Island and Queens County
Smart pool technology isn’t a gimmick — it’s a practical shift in how pool ownership works. Less time managing, lower energy bills, better visibility into water quality, and a pool that’s actually ready when you want to use it. For Long Island homeowners who are already spending 14-plus weeks a year getting value out of an inground pool, the upgrades tend to pay for themselves in ways that are easy to feel.
Father’s Day is a natural moment to act, whether that means picking up a robotic cleaner, scheduling an automation system installation, or finally having the conversation about a new pool. The season is already here, and the window for making this summer better is still open.
If you want to talk through what makes sense for your specific pool and backyard, reach out to us at JAS Aquatics. We’re based in Huntington Station and serve homeowners across Long Island and Queens County — and we’re happy to start with a conversation before anything else.
