Owning a pool at home can be exciting and invigorating however, it comes with several responsibilities, especially financial ones. One way to ensure that your pool does not drain your bank account is having an energy efficient pool installed. This is the best choice for an added luxury in addition to environmental and financial consciousness. There are numerous benefits for having an energy efficient pool. The most visible pros are having reduced energy costs especially for heated swimming pools, potentially fewer chemical treatments, and decreased time and money necessary on pool pumping. All these benefits can save the pool owner a lot of money in the long run.
Pool Covers
Swimming pools lose energy in various ways, but evaporation is the largest source of energy loss. The pool’s evaporation rate depends on its location, whether outdoor or indoor. It also depends on the environmental conditions such as temperature, wind strength, and humidity. Indoor pools are not subject to the environment, but nonetheless, they lose energy through evaporation. For this reason, a pool cover is critical to saving these energy costs. Simply adding a covering to your pool will save you as much 50%-70% . Pool covers can be made of UV stabilized polyethylene or vinyl. Between the two, vinyl cover has a higher life expectancy. A transparent bubble cover will reduce solar energy absorption by 15% and its opaque counterpart by at most 40%. You may also opt for automatic covers which use a driven reel system that covers and uncovers a modern pool at the push of a button. They are expensive but also the most convenient.
Energy Saving Pumps
One can save a swimming pool’s energy by using more efficient pumps and optimum pump operation. A study by Florida Atlantic University shows that most pool owners saved as much as 75% of their pumping bills when they utilized these energy conserving pumps. A 0.75 horsepower or smaller pump is good enough for a residential pool. Smaller pumps may be used together with a larger filter and reduced pipe length (or larger pipe diameter) to decrease your pool’s circulation system and hydraulic resistance. Doing so will cut down the pump’s use of electricity by as much as 40%.
The pump’s operation is also significant in energy efficiency. It is not necessary to circulate the pool’s water everyday for debris removal since the debris can be disposed using skimmers or vacuum. Longer circulation does not also guarantee reduce algae growth, using water chemicals and wall scrubbing does it better. Reduce the time for filtration to 6 hours and if the water still appears dirty, increase half an hour per day till it becomes clean. Installing a timer will also help control the pump’s cycling.
Siting (where you place the pool)
Most pools are sited for accessibility and aesthetics, but for those who are concerned with energy efficiency proper siting of the pool can provide an opportunity. A properly sited pool can increase the effectiveness of a slowly heated pool system or even eliminate it. Pools are solar collectors, and around 80% of the sun’s energy hits the pool surface, converting it to heat energy. That being said, optimal siting will help you maximize the solar gain for heating your pool instead of spending on energy cost for supplemental heat. Solar pool heating is undeniably cost effective, on top of the additional comfort for an outdoor swimming pool. But just like any other heating system, addressing energy losses is vital to maximize its efficacy and performance in order to get savings.
Cleaners
You have several options when it comes to pool cleaners. Your choice largely depends on the type of pool you have and the amount of debris to be collected. A suction-side cleaner is attached to the suction line of the swimming pool’s plumbing system, which picks up the dirt and transfers it to the skimmer and the pool’s filtration system. On the other hand, pressure-side cleaner connects to a pool pump and uses pressure to move around, putting debris in a removable filter bag. You may opt for a robotic cleaner, it is more expensive than the above two types but, it is by far the most energy-efficient option. According to Pacific Gas & Electricity, a robotic cleaner consumes 0.18 kilowatts per hour (kWh) in operation. That’s a total of 197 kW annually using three hours per day for a year, 88% less than the energy required to power other types of cleaners.
Low Maintenance Pool Deck
A low maintenance pool deck is one of the biggest trends in outdoor design. A colored, textured and attractive area surrounding the house pool should do more than just providing a safe, slip-resistant surface for sunbathing. It should also involve low energy cost for cleaning and maintenance. Low maintenance options include pressure treated wood, composite deck materials, fiber cement decking, vinyl decking and modified wood pool decking. These materials can virtually withstand anything you throw at them, including any weather climate. While the installation costs may be higher, due to their improve performance, the assurance of a low-maintenance capabilities and durability is well worth the investment.
Now that you know what to include and do in building an energy efficient pool at home, it is high time to consider how much energy goes into keeping your pool full, clean and heated. This saves up for the unnecessary extra time and money spent in maintenance and powering of the pool. Build an energy efficient pool and save up in the long run.
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