Three Ways to Make Your Pool Energy Efficient & Eco-Friendly

Striving for an eco-friendly pool can lessen the environmental impact that maintaining your pool has and can save you money on your monthly energy bill. Now, more than ever, there are plenty of reasons to be eco-friendly. Fortunately, there are also more options available to help you design an energy efficient pool.

Why should I go energy efficient?

• Reduce costs: energy efficient pool appliances always pay for themselves in reduced electric bills, and then continue to save money for years to come. Costs can also be greatly decreased by establishing good habits like lowering the pool heater when not in use and proper preventative maintenance.
• Waste less energy: some energy efficient pool equipment can reduce power consumption by up to 65%.
• Tax incentives and rebates: some states offer tax incentives and rebates for homeowners that purchase energy efficient pool appliances.

Three Main Ways to Create an Energy-Efficient Pool

• Solar technology: save energy by harnessing the power of the sun to heat and clean your pool. In colder months, solar heaters can absorb thermal energy to warm your pool water during the day, and a solar-blanket will trap the sun’s rays in bubble wrap-like air pockets to keep it warm at night. You might also try adding a solar-power pool cleaning robot to the pool. The Solar-Breeze NX2 autonomously operates during the day and night to skim debris off the surface of the pool. This helps increase your pool pump’s efficiency and decreases the amount of time that you need it to run.
• Use an efficient pump, heater, and filter: upgrading to a variable speed pool pump is one of the best ways to make your pool energy efficient because it slows down the speed the pump motor must work. This means your pump is not only eco-friendlier, it’s also quieter!
• Install windbreaks: outdoor swimming pool owners and operators should consider the appropriateness of installing windbreaks as even modest winds increase water evaporation rates. A mere 7mph wind on the swimming pool surface can increase energy consumption by 300%! Windbreaks should be tall enough and close enough to the pool to limit air turbulence over the pool surface. A wall, a screen, a solid fence, or a fence with plant cover should do the trick.

Other Ways to Make a Pool Efficient

• Pick the right finish. Darker colored pool finishes absorb the sun’s rays, and that energy helps heat your pool.
• If you only use your pool on the weekends, reduce your heater or heat pump thermostat settings by 8-10º during the week.
• When leaving for vacation for more than a week, unless freezing temperatures are expected, turn off the pool heater or heat pump.
• Reducing your heater or heat pump thermostat to maintain a 78º or lower temperature will conserve energy.
• Reduce pump speed to reduce energy use. A slower pump reduces power consumption.
• Run your pool’s filtration system during off-peak hours when electricity demand is lower – generally between 8pm and 10am. Variable Speed Pool Pumps will save energy and reduce noise so they can run comfortably at night.
• Keep intake grates clear of debris. Clogged drains require the pump to work harder. The Solar-Breeze NX2 helps with this!
• LED lights are not only a stylish trend in pools and landscaping, they can save you around $100 dollars a year compared to the incandescent versions.