Frequently Asked Questions
Are These Endorsements Really Independent?
Absolutely. This endorsement program is completely independent of our magazine business. In fact we have third party auditors review applications so there is no perceived conflict of interest or influence associated with advertising dollars.
How long have the endorsement been around?
Five years. 2006 was the first year we begin certifying businesses. Initially we focused on auditing swimming pool and spa manufacturers, then suppliers. Over the years we have continued to expand new categories related to the pool in spa industry. 2009 was the debut year for Certified™ Pool builder and Certified™ Spa Retail Store endorsements.
How is our service different than the Better Business Bureau(BBB)?
The BBB is a terrific resource for consumers and we highly recommend using them to identify the major players in your local market. However our service goes a step further. We work exclusively with swimming pool and spa professionals to ‘drill down’ to identify the best of the best in a market based on pre-determined requirements unique to our industry. For example, a recent web search of the keyword ‘pools’ found 69 BBB accredited businesses and 27 organizations with the keyword ‘Spas’ for the city of Phoenix, Arizona. Can you imagine getting bids from 96 businesses? We try to narrow the search down to three to five players.
Copyright notices: Better Business Bureau, BBB, BBB AUTO LINE, BBBOnLine, and BBB logos are service marks owned by the Council of Better Business Bureaus, Inc. Survey results conducted on March 16, 2010
Typical Pool & Spa Buyer
Spasearch and Poolsearch magazines conducted an in-depth survey of swimming pool and hot tub owners. Highlighted below are the three main reasons families credit with making a purchase.
What's the biggest surprise since buying your hot tub?
We asked 729 people who purchased a hot tub in the last 12-month period.
Read moreDid you know?

THERE are more than 9,000 swimming pool and spa companies in the United States
The average swimming pool buyer is 43 years old.
Hot Tub Operating Costs
The average electricity cost is .97 cents per day to operate a new hot tub with superior energy efficiency.
Read more

