Blog
Notes on designing, quoting and building, from the people who make all four tools.
Why we are building tools for four trades
PondTools contractors kept asking for the same thing for solar, roofing and pools.
What you get with a contract website
One monthly price for a website we build, host and keep running, with PondTools Pro included.
How many gallons is my pond?
Length times width times depth gets you close. Here is why close is not good enough.
The six things pond kits leave out
Foam sealant, dechlorinator, starter bacteria, netting, silicone and a fill valve.
How much salt does a pond need?
A tenth of a percent is a common target. The hard part is knowing the gallons.
Mapping a lake without a boat
How PondTools estimates a lake's volume from satellite photos and LiDAR.
Quoting a solar system from the street
What public LiDAR can tell you about a roof before anyone climbs it.
Explaining solar payback to a homeowner
Three numbers do most of the work: what it costs, what it saves, and when it pays for itself.
Why ten percent waste is wrong for most roofs
A simple gable and a cut-up hip roof should not get the same waste number.
Squares, pitch and why the roof is bigger than the house
A roof covers more area than the footprint under it. Pitch is the reason.
Pool customers are buying a summer evening
Why a picture of their own backyard at dusk does more than any brochure.
Sizing a pool pump from turnover
Start from the gallons and how often the water should pass through the filter.