Want a pool that doesn’t rack up your chemical and electric bills?
Keep reading to learn how to create an energy efficient swimming pool
In a perfect world, our swimming pools would provide us with hours upon hours of enjoyment at personal expense. But every pool owner knows that running a pool comes with chemical and electricity costs. Not to mention the occasional repairs and upgrades.
Fortunately, there are plenty of simple steps you can take to create an energy efficient swimming pool. And in this post, we show you how to do just that. Not only will you reduce operation costs drastically, but contribute to a healthier and more eco-friendly pool as well. Plus, your wallet is gonna love you.
So let’s get started.
How To Create An Energy Efficient Swimming Pool
Start at the source: the water
The key to achieving energy efficiency starts with your water. Specifically, your pool chemistry. Always keep your water properly balanced — this is what ensures that clean and clear. And remember, the cleaner a pool is, the longer chemicals will last, and the less energy your pump/filter will demand.
But of course, all the pool chemicals in the world can’t make the debris in your pool disappear. And those leaves and twigs aren’t going to let themselves out. They much rather devour all of your pool chemicals.
So grab your skimmer, and skim your pool at least 3 times a week (part of a time-saving pool care schedule). This will help keep your skimmer basket clear and unclogged, which prevents your pump from pulling too heavily on electricity.
But for all the heavier debris resting on the pool floor…
Utilize the power of a pool vacuum
Vacuuming your pool is a lot like mowing your lawn. Starting at one end, you grab your vacuum and continually run it across the width of the pool floor.
[Time to clean the pool floor? Here’s how to manually vacuum your swimming pool]
Although many pool owners can get along just fine with a traditional (manual) pool vacuum, it’s hard to deny the advantages of automatic pool cleaners. They’re vacuums that do all the work for you, need we say more?
From here on, the focus is entirely on your pool equipment. Because if there’s anything that impacts an energy efficient swimming pool, it’s the equipment that runs it.
Use the best filter
Truth be told, which pool filter is best is entirely dependent on your preference. And we’re not trying to be cliche — preference really is everything here. All three pool filter types (Cartridge, DE, and Sand) do an excellent job of keeping your pool clean. But of course, there are a few differences that distinguish each: cost, filtration sensitivity, and ease of use.
[Learn about the different types of filters in this swimming pool filter comparison]
And of course, if you want to maximize energy efficiency, remember to clean your filtering media every few weeks to maintain optimal filtration.
Slow down the whole filtration system while you’re at it
Variable speed pool pumps add that extra level of control needed to really maximize your pool’s energy efficiency.
How is that?
Well, traditional, or single-speed pool pumps run at constant speed. There’s no way to speed it up or slow it down for different conditions.
On the other hand, variable-speed filter pumps allow pool owners to choose between multiple speed settings. So on days where the pool won’t be getting much use, you can lower the filter’s speed to minimize electrical costs. Especially since slower speeds help reduce wear and tear on the pump (prolonging its lifespan). But on days where you expect more activity, a simple adjustment sets your filter to full power.
[Want to learn more? Check out our post on variable speed pool pumps]
Use the science of air movement in your favor
There are a few openings in your pool where heated water makes its way in from the pool heater. These openings are return lines, and they’re usually only found in two distinct places. Here’s the kicker, one of those locations is vastly more advantageous than the other, and here’s why.
Regular return lines distribute heated water from close to the surface of the pool. Meanwhile, floor return lines release water from, you guessed it, the floor. Now considering the fact that heat naturally rises, it’s easy to see which option is better. Using the same amount of energy, floor return lines provide superior heat distribution due to their strategic placement.
Generate heat wisely with a pool heat pump
When it comes to energy efficient pool heaters, pool heat pumps provide a level of performance that no other options can compare to.
But how are pool heat pumps so energy efficient if they still require electrical power?
It’s all in the way they source heat.
Pool heat pumps (air-source) use a fan to pull in heat straight from the air in the atmosphere. From there, that natural heat is combined with refrigerant gasses, compressed, and applied to a heat exchanger. Water passing through the exchanger warms up and flows back to your pool, restarting the cycle.
So since heat is sourced naturally, the pump itself only pulls a small amount of electricity to do its job.
[Think of adding a heat pump to your energy efficient swimming pool? Here are 5 benefits of using a pool heat pump]
Hold on to that heat
It only makes sense to save the progress our pool heaters work so hard to accomplish. Since over 70% of pool heat loss is due to evaporation, a solar cover serves as an excellent solution for locking in heat. Acting as a barrier between the atmosphere and the surface of your pool, solar covers significantly reduce a pool’s natural rate of evaporation.
Follow all of these tips and you’ll be well on your way to creating the energy efficient swimming pool you’ve always dreamed of.
