Installing and Maintaining an Energy-Efficient Pool & Spa

Installing and Maintaining an Energy-Efficient Pool

An energy-efficient pool can save you money on your electric bill while increasing your home’s value and fun factor! Although designing and installing energy-saving renovations for your pool may seem complex, it can be a straightforward process. Following simple tips, like heating your pool only when you’re ready to swim, can decrease the amount of energy it uses.

Skip the Heater During the Heat

During the dog days of summer when the heat is almost too much for outdoor activities, there’s no need to use a heater. Plus the heat will evaporate the water decreasing the chlorine levels and increasing the costs and supplies needed to keep your pool in working condition. To reduce evaporation rates, a pool cover is a good investment. It will prevent most of the evaporation, and keep your pool free of debris while controlling the water temperature.

Cold Winters, Hot Summers

If the region where you live experiences all four seasons, a pool doesn’t have to be costly to maintain as long as you follow some simple energy-saving tips. The key to saving energy with a seasonal-use pool is to only keep the pool heated when you’re most likely to use it, which is the spring, summer, and early fall.

Additionally, you can install a pool cover to keep in the heat provided by a pool heater, or paint the bottom of your pool a dark color to help it absorb and retain heat from the sun.

Combining a dark-bottom pool with a transparent pool cover maximizes the amount of sunlight your pool can absorb and retain. Installing a solar heating system for your pool is another option you can consider to make your pool more energy efficient.

Humid, Rainy Days

The most important factors to consider in when it comes to weather are how much your pool water is being diluted and what level of risk an overflowing pool may represent. If you experience severe rainfall where you live, you may have to drain your pool occasionally to prevent overflow. In addition to all that lost heat, you may also need to rebalance water and chlorine levels, which increases the amount of energy, resources, and money you need to maintain your pool. Depending on the severity of the weather, a pool cover may not be the best choice, as it can be damaged during frequent storms. Luckily, there are still some ways to maximize energy efficiency.

Consider installing a saltwater pool instead of a chlorine pool. Saltwater pools produce chlorine regularly, and other chemicals rarely need to be added. Hence, they make your pool more self-sufficient and cost less to maintain. In a rainy climate, a saltwater system will replenish the levels of chlorine over time, saving you from having to buy a chlorine refill. If you choose to install a saltwater pool, though, make sure to get an energy-efficient pool pump, as maintenance needs require that you run it several hours each day.

Choosing to make your pool more energy efficient reduces its environmental impact while saving you money, which you can use to tackle other home improvement projects. To maximize the benefits of your pool, consider the region you live in. A pool cover works great for hot, dry days, but may not be as helpful for humid, rainy weather. Following the tips above and considering what’s best for your backyard and budget can ensure that you are able to maximize your pool’s energy efficiency.

Maintaining a Salt Water Pool

To maintain a salt water pool you’ll need to keep your filter, pump, and skimmer clean and in good operating condition. With salt water pools, you must inspect the salt chlorinator cell and replace it when needed. Test regularly for proper water chemistry to maintain clean, clear pool water.

Salt Water Pool Chemistry Tips

Using a salt water pool test strip, test your water for free chlorine, salt, pH levels, total alkalinity, stabilizer, and total hardness.

Following severe weather or times where the load is increased such as pool parties, be sure to test again to maintain your pool’s water chemistry within proper levels. Once you have tested your pool, balance as needed.

Did You Know?

The salinity level in ocean water is 31,000 ppm, but the level in a salt water pool is much lower — only 3,000ppm. That’s less than the salinity level of human tears!

7 Common Salt Water Pool Care Concerns

1. What’s the difference between a salt water pool and a traditional chlorinated pool?

In a traditional pool, chlorine is added directly to the pool water. Advancements in the pool industry have led to a simpler and safer alternative. Salt water chlorination is a natural and more convenient sanitization method. Salt is dissolved in the pool and our system converts it into just the right amount of chlorine for clean, clear, and luxuriously soft water.

2. Is a salt water pool easier to maintain?

Yes, a salt water pool is easier to maintain! There’s no need to purchase, store and add chlorine to your pool. Simply add salt and your pool’s salt chlorinator will do all the work of making chlorine. While all pools require chemicals to maintain clean, clear water, salt water pools are more stable than traditional chlorinated pools, so they require fewer chemicals.

3. Is a salt water pool less expensive to maintain?

Yes, a salt water pool has a reduced cost of operation as compared to a traditional chlorinated pool. This cost savings is primarily because chlorine is generated from salt and there is no need to buy chlorine. Additionally, salt water pools require fewer chemicals to keep the water clean and clear.

4. Is a salt water pool, salty?

Not at all! In fact, your pool’s salinity level is about 1/12 of the salinity of the ocean and a drop of water from a salt water pool has less salt than that found in a human tear. In addition, salt water is soft and feels really good on your family’s skin!

5. How much salt does the system require?

Salt Systems work best with approximately 3200 parts per million (ppm) of salt, which is roughly the equivalent to a teaspoon of salt per gallon. However, all Hayward Salt Systems are designed to operate with salt levels anywhere from 2700 ppm to 3400 ppm. When salt levels are outside this range, our various salt systems provide a means (typically an LED light) to alert you to the need to adjust your salt level.

6. What does it mean if my salt water pool is cloudy?

Regardless of pool type, cloudy water is often a sign of a chlorine deficiency or poor filtration and circulation. Be sure to diagnose the issue by checking your pool’s chemistry first and then adjust the chemistry as needed. In a salt water pool, the salt level may be insufficient or there may be a problem with the salt chlorinator. Keep your pool filter clean and run your system so that all the water is turned over once a day.

7. Is it hard to convert a traditional chlorinated pool to a salt water pool?

Not at all!

Comfort, Convenience, and Cost Savings

Moving from a traditionally chlorinated pool to a luxurious salt water pool has never been easier. Whether you have a small backyard pool or a large commercial swimming pool, you can enjoy the many benefits of salt water swimming pools: comfort, convenience, and cost-savings.

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