Swimming Design & Technology

What is the best way to build eco-friendly pools? That is the challenge Ray Whitford, president and CEO of Lifetime Pools, set himself. 

Customers can now reap the benefits of Whitford’s work. The company founded by his father in 1962 offers new ways to reduce energy consumption and eliminate the use of chemicals, all while cutting overall costs. 

“It starts with the new technologies,” says Whitford who services the entire Bay Area. He finds people who want to install a pool for the first time, or remodel or update their existing pool “are very sensitive to environmental issues, and they want to know about these products.” 

Leaders among the new eco-friendly products are variable speed pump motors. The digital pumps, controlled by touch keypads, are easy to program. They use just enough energy to do what’s required for water circulation and pool maintenance. And they can be programmed to run at off-peak hours to cut costs. “It’s very cutting-edge technology,” says Whitford. “It means that a customer can now operate a pool pump for he same costs that might relate to two or three light bulbs. It’s a vast, vast improvement.” 

High-efficiency natural-gas water heaters also provide pool owners with ecological benefits. By keeping the flames at a constant pitch, the heaters reduce the use of natural gas while maintaining a more even temperature. 

Two other products, in-floor cleaning and circulation systems, are also game-changers, Whitford says. Traditional cleaning and circulation systems worked on just the 18-inches or so closest to a pool’s surface. That was the cleanest layer, and the layer kept at a constant temperature. 

Today, the in-floor systems allow water to be circulated at the same temperature throughout the pool. By augmenting the in-floor pool cleaning system with an automatic pool cover, owners can help the water retain heat while reducing water loss due to evaporation, Whitford says.

Ultra-violet sanitation systems are the latest advance in pool sanitation. Their most visible plus may be the elimination of red eyes from pool chemicals. Invisibly, however, they attack a broader spectrum of bacteria and algae than chemicals ever did. 

While some of the eco-friendly products cost a bit more upfront, Whitford finds customers understand the long-term dollar value of the new technologies. So people get what they want—a backyard swimming pool—and because it can be done in an eco-friendly way, it’s a win-win.”

Whitford appreciates that kind of positive result. It builds on the philosophy of his father, Ken Whitford, who founded the company with the idea it would employ people who were motivated to devote their working “lifetime” to the swimming pool industry. Today that means that Whitford has 30 experienced full-time employees and a stable network of contractors who have worked with Lifetime Pools for 20, or even 30 years. 

The result is that Lifetime Pools is among the nation’s top-ranked pool builders, and one of the most in-demand in the Bay Area, with a reputation for quality, on-time work .

Whitford likes working with customers to help them create a natural, pleasing environment for their backyards. “We help them decide on what is best for themselves and their family. Do they want it for swimming and exercise or, like some customers do they want it for aesthetic reasons? It’s gratifying for us, as a business, to know that we’re helping our customers by building pools that they use for health and for pleasure.”

Lifetime Pools, 910 San Antonio Road, Palo Alto. Call the phone number in your area: Peninsula (650) 494-7070, South Bay (408) 248-9711, Sunnyvale (408) 738-1576, Fremont (510) 795-7070, Santa Cruz (831) 458-9711.