Pentair A&A in-floor cleaning systems — built into the pool, not bolted on.
AE specifies Pentair A&A in-floor cleaning systems on new custom pools where the owner wants the pool to clean and circulate itself — no daily robot to drop in, no pressure-side cleaner snaking around, no missed corners. Pop-up heads recessed into the floor, steps, and benches rise on a timed sequence and push debris toward a center drain or in-floor channel. Built into the shell during construction, paired with Pentair IntelliFlo3 variable-speed pumps and IntelliCenter automation.
What AE installs
- Pentair A&A QuikClean / G6 pop-up cleaning heads — floor, steps, sun shelves, benches
- A&A water valve — drives the timed pop-up sequence by zone
- A&A AVSC suction-side valve — auto-cycles main drain and skimmer
- Pentair IntelliFlo3 VSF variable-speed pump — sized to the in-floor head count and zone load
- Pentair IntelliCenter automation — schedules cleaning cycles, zone rotation, and pump speed
- Engineered head layout — count and placement designed to the shell, not stamped from a template
Why we standardize on Pentair
We could install Paramount PCC2000 — we've done both and it works. We standardize Pentair A&A because the rest of the equipment pad is already Pentair: IntelliFlo3 pumps, IntelliCenter automation, IntelliChlor IC40 salt, MasterTemp or UltraTemp heat. One brand, one app, one warranty conversation, one trained service tech. Fewer trade hand-offs, fewer parts conversations five years in.
- Native integration with IntelliCenter — schedule and zone control from one app
- Pump curves designed around A&A flow requirements — no oversizing guesswork
- Single-brand service network across the Phoenix metro
- Parts availability — AE keeps common pop-up heads and springs in stock for service
What it costs on a new AE pool
- Standard residential pool: $4,500–$8,500 added to the build
- Larger pools, raised spas, sun shelves, complex shapes: $6,500–$11,000+
- Always quoted as a line item — never bundled or hidden
- Retrofit on an existing pool: $18,000–$35,000+ (only sensible during full remodel)
What it costs to own
- Pop-up head service: $25–$60 per nozzle, typically every 8–15 years
- Water valve service: minor seal/diaphragm work every 7–12 years
- No robotic vacuum to replace every 3–7 years ($900–$2,500 each)
- Many AE clients drop from weekly to bi-weekly pool service — saves $60–$120/month
- Pump runs the same schedule it would otherwise — no incremental energy cost
Where in-floor genuinely wins
- Cleans steps, benches, sun shelves, and spa seats reliably (robots routinely miss these)
- Circulates the full water column — better chemical and heat distribution
- Zero daily owner labor — no robot to drop in, charge, store, or replace
- Built into the shell — lasts the life of the pool with periodic service
- Cleaner pool surface during monsoon — debris pushed to drain on every cycle
Where a robotic vacuum is the right call instead
- Existing pool not in a remodel cycle — retrofit cost rarely pencils
- Smaller plunge pools or simple rectangles where coverage is trivial
- Owners who don't mind 10 minutes of weekly bot setup
- Budgets where the $4,500–$8,500 line item is better spent on heater, finish, or shade
How AE engineers the layout
- Head count and zone count designed to shell geometry — not stamped from a template
- Spa, sun shelf, and bench seating each get dedicated heads
- Zoning balances flow so every head pops with real pressure
- Pump curve matched to A&A flow requirements at variable speed
- IntelliCenter cleaning schedule set on commissioning and tuned at startup walkthrough
Common questions.
Planning a new pool with in-floor cleaning?
Tell us about the shell, the lot, and how you want to use the pool. We'll design the A&A layout, head count, and pump sizing as part of the master plan — and quote it as a line item, not a black-box bundle.
Start a Pool Design ConsultationWhy this is an investment, not a cost.
An AE backyard is engineered to add daily livability and long-term home value. We publish honest ranges and build to code with a licensed and bonded Arizona crew. AE provides project-specific workmanship and manufacturer-warranty information in the signed agreement. Website summaries are for planning only.
- Licensed, bonded & insured in Arizona. ROC 340966 (R-62) · ROC 341002 (R-3) · ROC 347738 (KA-5) · ROC 211530 (CR-21). Most Arizona contracting work valued at $1,000 or more — or requiring a permit — must be performed by a properly licensed contractor, subject to statutory exemptions. Verify the legal entity, license status, and classification with the Arizona Registrar of Contractors.
- Real ranges, itemized scope. You see materials, finishes, equipment models, and a line-item budget before you sign — not a one-line "pool — $90,000."
In-floor cleaning vs robotic vacuum — the 15-year breakdown
Coverage, real cost, energy, owner labor, lifespan, and when each is actually the right call. The honest comparison we walk every pool client through.