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A swimming pool is a fantastic addition to any home. A warm pool can be wonderful — especially if you enjoy swimming from Spring through to Autumn — but this can also be a time of increased energy expenses.
When you live in a country with a predominantly cold climate, the warm, sunny days are limited, so it’s important to enjoy as much of it as you can while it lasts. What better way to enjoy the summer heat than by taking a dip in your backyard pool?
A private swimming pool in the comfort of your own home is an excellent way to relax, cool down, and enjoy some quality time with family and friends. Swimming pools can offer endless hours of fun and activities for everyone to enjoy, but amidst all the enjoyment, it’s easy to forget that your pool does utilize its share of energy.
In fact, the summer months can be a time of increased energy expenditure. This being said, there is no reason to fret because we’re here to provide you with eight excellent energy-saving tips for swimming pool owners.
This way, you can continue to maximize your pool time and minimize your energy usage to help you enjoy the best of both worlds.
1. Get an energy-efficient pool pump
Energy-efficient pool pumps are important if you want to maintain an efficient pool. When you want to reduce energy consumption, a smaller, higher efficiency pump that operates less frequently, is the way to go.
Reduce pump speeds during off-peak times as long the minimum flows for heater and salt system are maintained.
As a smaller, more energy-efficient pump is the better option; you can reduce the size of the pool pump by decreasing the pool circulation system’s hydraulic resistance. By decreasing the hydraulic resistance, you can significantly reduce the pump’s electricity needs.
2. Heat your pool appropriately
There’s no denying that a pool full of cold water is no fun to jump into. However, maintaining your pool at just the right temperature is one of the largest contributors to your pool energy costs.
Even small increases in pool water temperature can have significant impacts on pool energy costs.
In order to tackle this dilemma, it’s important to select a heater for your pool that is energy efficient. Additionally, turn down the temperature or turn off the pool heater when your pool isn’t in use.
Here’s some more information on the types of pool heater to help you decide which is most efficient for your home.
Gas Pool Heaters
Gas heaters utilize natural gas or propane to quickly warm the water in your swimming pool and are efficient if used for short periods of time. Gas pool heaters can help maintain the desired water temperature irrespective of the weather.
Electric Pool Heaters
Electric pool heaters function by capturing heat and moving it from one place to another with the help of electricity. Electric pool heaters are an efficient option when the pool is used every day.
Electric pool heaters may cost more initially, but are more efficient and therefore have lower annual operating costs and last longer if maintained.
3. Decorate with darker colours
When it comes to colours, many of us know that wearing lighter coloured clothing can help keep us cooler in the summertime, whereas darker colours absorb heat and can make us feel hotter. The same phenomenon can be applied to your pool. Darker coloured pool finishes absorb more of the sun’s rays, and that energy helps to heat the pool. A darker finish around your pool may not be for everyone, but if you want to cut down on pool heating costs, a darker finish is the way to go.
4. Use landscaping to your advantage
Pool landscaping can be a great way to help beautify and add that finishing touch to your backyard. In addition to this, pool landscaping — such as planting a hedge — can be a great way to create a natural windbreaker to help reduce heat loss and lower overall energy costs. The evaporation of already-heated water is also decreased by the addition of a windbreaker, also contributing to energy savings.
5. Cover your pool
When you’ve spent so much money and time building your dream pool, don’t forget to purchase a high-quality or automatic pool cover. Not only is a pool cover a great way to help keep your pool clean from any falling debris when it isn’t being used, but it is an excellent way to help prevent heat loss. By covering your pool, you can trap more of the heat and prevent evaporation of the heated water, significantly better than any windbreaker. Pools should be left uncovered for a few hours a day to allow for chemical off-gassing.
6. Consider your pumps and filters
When the plumbing of your pool is more complicated than it has to be, including a lot of runs and tight turns, your pool’s pump is required to work unnecessarily harder to meet the complex plumping demands.
Use an energy-efficient pool pump. Using a smaller, higher efficiency pump and operating it less frequently can help lower your pool energy costs. If you want to provide relief for your pool’s pump, use larger pool filters with a larger surface area to allow water to flow through. This way, your pool’s pump will not be required to work as hard to move the same volume of water, decreasing the amount of energy consumed.
7. Automate pool operations
New, advanced technology has allowed many processes in our lives to be automated, including our pools, and in most cases, these automated processes can be very useful. In the case of pools, new technology exists, which automatically runs your pool’s systems during times of low energy costs to help you avoid excess and costly energy usage.
Your Swimming Pool Doesn’t Have to Be Expensive
When it comes to your backyard and personal swimming pool, there’s no reason you can’t enjoy your outdoor oasis to its maximum potential all summer long, while also managing your energy bill at the same time.
Swimming pool pumps and heaters do require energy to do their job; however, this doesn’t mean that you’ll be stuck with an incredibly large energy bill as fall rolls around. By using some or all of our quick and simple energy-saving tips, you’ll be able to significantly reduce your overall energy usage, which means lower costs for you.
For more swimming pool energy-saving tips, call Solda Pools today at (289) 201-2487 or contact us here.
