Save On Swimming Pool Heater Costs

First Steps To Save Energy

Heating a swimming pool can be an expensive business. However, there are a number of measures you can take to minimize these costs without sacrificing any enjoyment of your pool, and you could make a saving of 70% or more for very little expense.

Start with the circulating pump. You might think that the larger it is the better, but the opposite is in fact the case. A 0.75 hp pump, or even smaller, will work perfectly well for an average pool. If you have a larger pump than this, particularly if it is getting old, consider replacing it with a smaller one.

Now inspect your pipe runs. The aim is to reduce flow resistance as much as possible. Larger diameter pipes, shorter runs and fewer bends will all reduce the load on the pump (and therefore your energy costs). Try to replace any 90 degree bends with 45 degree ones, or use flexible pipe. A larger filter will also make a huge difference to flow.

These measures will give you an immediate saving of 40% in your energy bills.

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Circulation settings are the next thing to examine. It is quite common for people to have their circulation pumps running for up to 12 hours a day, when one hour would be quite enough. The main task of circulation is to mix the pool chemicals. Once mixed they will remain suspended in the pool water without the need for further mixing.

You can remove any pool debris by skimming or vacuuming. Algae are killed off by the chemicals, not by circulation.

Set the pump timer to operate the pump in many small periods during the day. Remember, a single long period of operation will simply waste electricity.

BY doing all these things you should be able to save at least 75% of your electric bill during the pool season. But there are still more things that you can do.

Lower Wastage From Evaporation

About 95% of your pool’s warmth is lost by radiating heat and evaporating water at the surface. Heat loss to the air is easy to understand, but consider also that any water that evaporates is water that has been warmed and chemically treated. Replacing that water will use a whole lot of new energy (and cost).

Pool covers, even though not particularly attractive, are very efficient energy preservation devices. Not only will they significantly reduce heat and evaporation losses but they will also reduce debris entering the pool.

There are many types of pool cover, and there should be one available within any budget. It is possible to install devices to help cover and uncover the pool, probably well worth the cost in saving effort and preserving the cover.

Ensure that your pool is covered properly at night, which is when most of the energy losses take place.

Lastly, it is a good idea to fit a windbreak fence close to the pool if possible, again to reduce surface evaporation losses.

Using Solar Energy For Free Pool Heating

Solar energy is an extremely effective way to heat your pool. The system works by circulating the pool water through a solar collector, where it is gently warmed and then returned to the pool. It is simple to modify an existing pool water circulation layout to incorporate the solar heating loop, using the pump that is already there. This is environmentally friendly, renewable, virtually free energy, and it works beautifully.

If you live in a very hot climate, where the pool water might get uncomfortably warm, you can pump the water through the solar collector at night to cool it down.

Because fitting a solar heating system is one of the easiest projects to do yourself, even if you have no previous experience, we have a good quality instruction manual, available online, to help you. The costs are minimal, the product has a good guarantee, and the instructions are very easy to understand.

It is well worth a look, and could be the key to both extending your swimming pool season and also saving a packet on utility bills using pool solar heating.

 

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