Drastically Reduce the Cost to Heat Your Swimming Pool

A great deal of energy is required to heat swimming pool water and most conventional pool heaters are very inefficient. The operating costs of a pool may be greatly reduced through simple changes to the pool maintenance routine. Efficiently using the pool pump and harnessing solar power to heat pool water are additional options that can significantly lower your annual operating costs.

Steps

Managing Pool Temperature

  1. Use a pool cover.[1] Evaporation is the largest source of energy loss for pools. This can easily be prevented by using a pool cover whenever the pool is not in use, which will minimize evaporation. It’s the most effective way to reduce pool heating costs – it can reduce cost by as much as 50 to 70 percent. There are several pool cover options available on the market, including manual, semi-automatic, and automatic pool covers.
    • These come in a wide range of prices and many of them have added features that help to conserve even more energy.
    • Even throwing a large tarp or piece of plastic over the pool technically counts as a pool cover and it will certainly help. However, it’s far more effective to use a cover that’s specifically made for pools.
  2. Lower the heater when the pool isn’t in use.[2] Run the pool heater according to how often the pool is used. Always turn it down when it isn’t being used. Gas burning pool heaters, in particular, can warm swimming pool water relatively quickly. Depending on how often you use pool, it may be more efficient to only run the heater when needed.
    • For example, if you only swim on Saturday and Sunday, it’s not necessary to run your pool heater all week long.
    • Turn your gas pool heater on Friday night, and depending on the size of the heater, you will have nice warm water by Saturday morning.
    • Turn the heater off again Sunday evening for a drastic reduction in gas costs.
  3. Maintain your pool efficiently.[2] Make sure the drain systems are clear so that water can flow freely and efficiently. Only backwash the pool filter when absolutely necessary, since doing it too often wastes both water and energy.[3] Circulate water through the filter only once each day. Keep the water temperature in the correct range when it’s being used – 78-80 degrees for active swimming and 82-84 degrees for recreational use.
    • Use a pool thermometer to properly maintain the target temperatures.
    • Use LED or solar powered lighting systems, which are the most energy efficient.
  4. Consider a pool heat pump. If you have a gas pump, consider switching to a pool heat pump. These pumps utilize the same process used by air conditioners, except the process is reversed. A pool heat pump uses warmth drawn from the outside air to heat the pool water. You need access to electricity to power the heat pump.[4][5]
    • Pool heat pumps cost more than gas heaters, but because of their high efficiencies, the yearly operating cost ends up being less than a gas heater.
    • Pool heat pumps tend to last longer that gas heaters, as well, as long as proper maintenance is observed.

Using Solar Technology

  1. Use a solar pool cover.[2] These "solar blankets" minimize water evaporation, just like a regular pool cover. As it insulates the surface of the pool, solar blankets also allow some of the sun's energy to go through the cover and into the water, where it turns into heat. This makes your pool water warmer, which means the swimming pool heater is required to run far less often and for shorter periods of time. Solar pool covers are one of the most effective and energy efficient ways to heat your pool.
    • Solar pool covers can extend your swimming season and reduce the amount of water that needs to be added by 30 to 50 percent.
    • They can also reduce the amount of chemicals a pool needs by 35 to 60 percent, and help keep dirt and debris out of the pool, which reduces cleaning time.[6]
  2. Install solar pool heating panels. Solar pool heating panels collect heat from the sun to warm pool water. Once installed, they have no operating cost, are very easy for a home owner to install and are typically very durable in all climates.[7] The only drawback is that if the sun doesn't shine, your pool isn't heated.
    • Solar pool heating panels are an excellent solution for those who live in warmer climates and have a lot of sunny days throughout the year.
  3. Invest in a solar heating system. These systems are in the same general price range as gas and heat pump heaters. Solar heating systems have minimal operating costs and they are the most cost-efficient choice for people who live in warm, sunny climates. These systems include 4 main features – a solar collector, a filter, a pump and a flow control valve.[8]
    • The pump sends water through the filter and then through the solar collector, which heats the water and returns it back to the pool.
    • If you live in a hot climate, the solar collector can help you cool your pool water down during the summer months. It does this by running the water through the solar collector during the night.

Using the Pump Efficiently

  1. Get a smaller, high efficiency pump. These pumps use approximately 30 to 45 percent less energy than a regular pump and you can actually use them less frequently. The speed can be regulated, which means you can turn the pump down on most days and only run it at higher speeds when you need a thorough cleaning.
    • Additionally, high efficiency pumps are able to circulate pool water better than traditional pumps.
    • This will save you even more money, since well circulated water causes less daily stress on the filter.
  2. Decrease filtration time to 6 hours each day. Longer increments are unnecessary and waste a lot of energy. If your pool water doesn't seem clean enough after the reduction, increase the time in half-hour increments until you achieve the results you want.
    • In a recent study, pool owners in Florida decreased their pumping to less than 3 hours each day. After doing so, the majority of them reported that they were still satisfied with the quality of their pool’s water.[3]
    • By doing this, the pool owners saved an average of 60 percent on their utility bills.
  3. Use a timer to control the pump. A significant amount of energy can be saved if you regulate the pump’s daily cycling with a timer. Set your pump to run several short cycles throughout the day rather than running for long stretches of time. Your pool will actually be cleaner by doing this, especially if you deal with a lot of debris.
    • The shorter, more frequent cycles allow debris to be filtered out of the pool faster because it prevents it from building up.
    • It also puts less stress on the filter itself.[3]

Related Articles

Sources and Citations

  1. ↑ http://energy.gov/energysaver/swimming-pool-covers
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 http://www.swimmingpool.com/inground-pools/pool-features/energy-efficiency
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 http://energy.gov/energysaver/installing-and-operating-efficient-swimming-pool-pump
  4. ↑ http://energy.gov/energysaver/heat-pump-swimming-pool-heaters
  5. ↑ http://www.learnaboutpools.com/energychemicalconservation.html
  6. ↑ http://energy.gov/energysaver/swimming-pool-covers
  7. ↑ http://www.fsec.ucf.edu/En/consumer/solar_hot_water/pools/q_and_a/index.htm
  8. ↑ http://energy.gov/energysaver/solar-swimming-pool-heaters
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