Keeping your energy costs down is a worthy goal for any pool owner. Not only does it help the environment, but energy efficiency is also good for your pocketbook. In our first article, we explored the importance of keeping your pool water properly circulating. In this article, we’ll check out some of the other ways you can lower pool maintenance costs by cutting down on energy use.
Lessen the Amount of Time You Run Your Pump
Many pool owners don’t put a lot of thought into the amount of time they run their pool pump. If you’ve fallen into the habit of allowing your pool pump to run for longer than eight hours a day, you’re wasting energy and money. Your pool pump has several jobs, including heat and chemical distribution and filtering of any contaminants that get into the water. In reality, eight hours of running the pump are all your pool should require to perform these functions at an effective level, provided that your pool is within the normal residential swimming pool size range and you have a proper size pump for your particular pool.
Run the Pump at Night for Even Greater Efficiency
Cutting down on the number of hours you run your pool pump isn’t the only adjustment you can make to save money. You can also change the time frame. Running your pool pump at night is a smart way to keep from running into the power company’s peak hours. They typically charge the most for energy use throughout the daylight hours. Turning your pump on right before you go to sleep and turning it off after you’ve gotten a full eight hours of sleep could allow you to see significant savings. It will also get you into a habit of running the pump for the same amount of time every day. You could set an alarm clock or put a reminder on your cell phone so you don’t accidentally run the pump for longer than necessary.
Get a Pump with Variable Speed Options
If you own a single speed pump, you have no choice but to run your pump at the top speed setting at all times. That’s because there is no other speed on this type of pump. A variable speed pump is a much more energy efficient and cost-effective option.
This type of pump allows you to adjust the speed level depending on what you feel is needed for proper filtration. This speed can vary depending on a number of different factors,. You can slow it down for regular nightly pumping or increase the speed when you want it to heat up the pool water or during cleanings.
Paying close attention to the speed of your pool’s pump, the amount of time you run it, and the time frame you choose for pumping can put you on the path to greater energy efficiency and increased savings. In our next article, we’ll look at even more tips for lowering your pool energy costs.
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Since 1979 Lyon Financial has made the backyard resort dream come true for over 400,000 families across the U.S. Through our solid relationships with more than 3,000 pool contractors and our continued commitment to putting our clients first, we have built a reputation as the first choice in providing pool financing solutions. For more information, visit lyonfinancial.net or call (877) 754-5966 today.
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