these are life changers for older people.the deck mounting brackets arent up to the task.i changed them out with thicker metal pool slide mounts.i also found that the railings get really hot in the sun.the rail covers(available on this site)are just the answer.as for cleaning,well,it is a bit of a challenge,but,the convienience the steps provide are worth that extra work.im 70,and can get the stairs out solo.one more thing.the sand ballasts work,but,i added a 5 pound lead fishing weight into each one.it made a big difference in how much they move around

First of all, I love these steps. It made a world of difference in that more people used our older pool because they could now wade in rather than try to hike themselves up and down the wall ladders. I used the pool all the time because of the convenience these steps gave. That said, I only rated them a 3 because they are very difficult to install and impossible to clean behind without fully disconnecting them. There are no lead holes in the metal and nothing to secure the screws on the other side so I can see them losening up over time. They could easily make them easier to install and clean. Hopefully a 2.0 will come out soon. I still recommend them though. Turns your old pool into whole new pool that's safer for kids, pets and elderly or if you just wants to sit on the first step and lounge.

The steps and railings are good however the screws provided are not intended for concrete or steel which is around inground pools. They are wood screws. The screws also do not screw into the metal railings easily either. I had to buy all new screw hardware to complete the installation.