RESIDENTIAL SWIMMING POOL ENERGY CONSERVATION
POOL HEATING RECOMMENDATIONS

bullet point Reduce the heater thermostat to maintain a 78° or lower temperature.  The National Swimming Pool Institute and the American Red Cross hold that the most healthful swimming temperature is 78°. Be certain that you are using an accurate pool thermometer. A variance of 4°, from 78° to 82°, will use as much as 40 percent more natural gas.

bullet point Heat pools only during the summer swimming season. Heating a pool for three months, rather than five, will reduce gas consumption by an additional 33%.

bullet point Mark the proper setting on your pool heater thermostat control and discourage further adjustment

bullet point Set your filter time clock to start the pump no earlier than 6 am, during the pool heating season. This is the time when nightly heat loss stabilizes.

bullet point For pools which have only weekend use, heater thermostat settings should be reduced by eight or ten degrees during the week.  Thermostats should be reset to the 78° level before use.

bullet point During the winter, and when on vacation for more than one week, turn off the pool heater, including the pilot light. Before relighting the pilot light on the heater, at the beginning of the swimming season, have a competent swimming pool heater technician inspect the heater and make any needed adjustments.

bullet point Shelter the pool where possible from prevailing winds by using well trimmed hedges or other landscaping, cabanas or fencing as windbreaks.

bullet point Follow a regular program of preventive maintenance for pool heaters. An annual inspection and de-liming of the heat exchanger when necessary will maintain heating efficiency.

POOL FILTRATION RECOMMENDATIONS

bullet point  Reduce filter operating times to no less than 4 or 5 hours per day during the summer and 2 to 3 hours per day during the winter period. This will reduce annual electrical consumption by 40 to 50 percent. Normal and heavier swimming use may require as much as eight or more hours filtration per day. Should water clarity or chemical imbalance indicate inadequate filtration, immediately operate the filter until acceptable water clarity has again been established. If additional filtration is still indicated, increase filter operating time in one-half hour increments until the water remains clear and properly balanced chemically.

bullet point  Follow a regular program of preventive maintenance for pool pump and filter. Backwash or clean the filter as recommended by the manufacturer to obtain maximum efficiency. Maximize water recirculation by removing foreign materials from the strainer baskets in the pump and skimmer regularly.

bullet point  Run your system during off-peak hours, avoiding the 12:00 noon to 6:00 p.m. peak load hours in summer and 4:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. winter peak load hours. The best hours are between 6:00 a.m. and 12 :00 noon.

bullet point  When the pool is being heavily used, it is recommended that the pool be operated manually and that the filtration system be run under such conditions. Under no circumstances should the water quality of any swimming pool be so poor that the main drain cover is not clearly visible from the deck.
AUTOMATIC POOL CLEANERS WITH SEPARATE PUMPS RECOMMENDATIONS

bullet point Reduce cleaner operating time to three or four hours per day during the swimming season and to two or three hours during the off season. This will reduce energy consumption for such cleaning by as much as 50%! It should be noted that if this procedure does not provide for adequate cleaning, or if there is an abnormal amount of dust or dirt entering the pool, increase cleaning time on one-half hour increments until proper cleaning is obtained.

bullet point Use a wall brush and leaf skimmer frequently.

POOL WATER CONSERVATION

bullet point Install an evaporative pool cover and keep your pool covered whenever it is not in use. This prevents water evaporation and can save hundreds of gallons of water a month. The cover can also reduce heating bills by preventing nightly heat loss and will save on chemicals too. Pool covers come in a wide range of types and costs. Consult your pool service company, builder or pool retail store. Make certain that it fits properly. The cover is the Number One water and fossil fuel conservation device!

bullet point Turn off the tile spray device on your automatic pool cleaning equipment.  A good deal of that spray evaporates before it hits the tile. Scale formation on tile is reduced when the spray is turned off.

bullet point Plug the overflow line when the pool is in use. Again, keep the pool water in the pool.

bullet point Reevaluate the frequency of backwashing if your pool has no separation tank. Most people backwash more frequently than necessary. This wastes water. Some pool filters do not have to be backwashed at all; they can be taken apart and cleaned, even though this process is less convenient.

POOL CHEMICALS RECOMMENDATIONS

bullet point Add chlorine during the evening hours whenever possible. With reduced filtration time, it is particularly important to maintain an adequate chlorine residual at all times.  To do this on pools with erosion type chemical feeders, it may be necessary to supplement chlorine feeding by hand.

bullet point Maintain pool pH between 7.2 and 7.6.

bullet point Your pool should be initially treated with conditioner to achieve a minimum of 30ppm (parts per million).

POOL AND PATIO LIGHTING RECOMMENDATIONS

bullet point Eliminate or reduce the use of both pool and patio lighting merely for atmosphere.  However, lighting should always be used when required for safety, that is, when people are in and around the pool.