I took a small golfing trip the other day with a rather entrepreneurial buddy of mine, and may I just say that it is getting bloody HOT in Florida. By the time we meandered the back 9, the day had peaked to just over 100 degrees, leaving a pair of rather grouchy, sweaty chaps whacking away at the well-manicured lawn.

As I nursed a double bogey and a resplendent sort of sweet tea, the thought struck me -- dear readers, we are well into pool season, and it couldn't come soon enough. And you know the kids... Their yammering is usually a great barometer for the arrival of pool season in Florida. But of course, life is seldom so simple, and Florida law is bringing a unique tinge to this summer's aquatic endeavors.

 Starting July 1, 2011, Florida law will require that all new pool pumps installed of one horsepower or more must be new, efficient variable-speed or two-speed pumps, instead of single-speed types. And what does this mean for Florida homeowners?

Casey Jordon of a Tampa Pinch-A-Penny store explains: "With the variable speed, you can adjust the speed that you're running. So you can start your pool on a high speed for the first few hours of the day. And then you run it for a very low speed for the rest of the day."

Now, these pumps cost a good bit more, but they have the potential to run much more efficiently, effectively paying for itself within a year or two, Jordon estimates. Sound to me like a winner... But I'm certainly not running out to buy a new pump until the old one's tanked.

And for now, well... Cannonball!