10 Best Pool Upgrades To Save You Money, Time and Energy
A swimming pool can be a great investment for your home that pays back in the form of fun and memories. When you have a pool, your home becomes the perfect hangout spot for your friends and family. It is the perfect place for you to make memories. Having a modernized pool upgrade will increase the value of your property significantly as well.
When you have the right upgrade, you can save money on energy costs as well. It is a benefit for your wallet as well as your environment. If you are looking for upgrades that maximize your pool savings, here are a few moves that you can make:
1. Upgrade The Pool's Finish
In the case of a heated pool, the one change that you can make that will not only cut down your energy costs but also make your pool more inviting is darker finishes. Having a pool with a darker finish will absorb more of the UV energy from the sun. This means that you won’t have to increase your thermostat to make your pool water warmer. This is a natural method to heat your pool that will decrease your energy usage and save costs at the same time. Also, when you upgrade the finish, you will be able to give a facelift to your pool without making any major investments.
2. Change Your Old Pool Pump For A Variable-Speed Model
If you are looking to make pool upgrades, but don’t want to spend a lot of money, the best option you have is to upgrade your pump. Even if you had installed a pump just a decade ago, a newer model would be more efficient. To maximize your savings, you should consider buying a variable speed pump that reduces vibration, noise, and energy consumption by using a magnet-based motor. Unlike the traditional pump that has a single speed, there are adjustable settings in a variable speed pump. In most cases, there are a total of 3 to 8 different settings. These pumps come in with a built-in timer system that automatically adjusts the speed of the pump.
With a variable speed model, you will be able to save on electricity costs and optimize how and when your pump runs. It will allow you to cut down on the wear and tear and extend your pump’s life as well. What you need is a high-efficiency, variable-speed pump with an energy star rating. It will help you save about 90% of the traditional, single-speed pump’s electrical usage.
3. Increase Your Pool Filter's Size
When it comes to keeping the water in your pool clear, the filter of your pool does an important job. It removes the debris while allowing the water to pass through. If you have a large filter, there will be more surface area available for water flow. This way, your pump won’t be working as hard to circulate the water, and it will use less energy. Also, it will have less wear and tear.
4. Get A Heat Pump
If your swimming pool is in a shaded or covered area, having a solar water heater won’t make any sense. In such cases, having a heat pump can be a great option. Even though heat pumps have been around for some time now, it is only recently that we have more efficient models that cost less to operate. They are much more environmentally friendly than the previous versions. Electric heat pumps use the surrounding temperature of the air to heat up the water. So, in order for them to work best, the outside temperature should be more than 55 degrees. However, when the air is in the cooler range, they can cool down the pool water on hot days.
5. Opt For Routine Maintenance
If you want your pool’s pump and filter to operate at peak efficiency, you have to keep them running in good working order. It is also important that the water in your swimming pool is clean so that it is inviting. There are some maintenance chores that you can do for yourself. For some more technical maintenance tasks, you will have to hire professionals. Taking this hassle out of your hands will allow you to have peace of mind and enjoy your pool.
6. Automate
When you have an automated pool system, you will be able to monitor your pool continually, adjust the filter, temperature, and heating system automatically. Also, to ensure ultimate efficiency and convenience for you, it will allow you to track your pool’s system via a smartphone.
7. Go Robotic
If you don’t want to get a complete automation system but still need some help with pool maintenance, you should opt for a robotic pool cleaning system. These are powerful cleaners that will clean not only the pool floor and water, but also steps, walls, and other surfaces. The best part is that they do all of this with only a fraction of the energy consumed by an outdated cleaning system. You will have to place and remove the robotic cleaners manually from the pool and get them cleaned. There is another option that you can opt for, which is an in-pool cleaning system. It will pop up from the surface and spray pressurized water to push debris and dirt towards the main drain of your pool.
8. Add Pool-Friendly Landscaping
If you want to update the landscaping of your yard, you should consider adding in a few features that will benefit your pool as well. You can add a windbreak with shrubs or trees to lower heat loss and keep your pool warmer without changing the settings on the thermostat. The windbreak will also lower your water costs by decreasing evaporation.
9. Use Of Solar Technology
You can use solar covers and solar heaters for harnessing the power of the sun and warming your pool’s water. They come with energy-collecting panels that will heat your pool during the day. They also have solar covers that keep your pool warm at night.
10. Update The Lighting Of Your Pool
Use LED lighting that saves energy and lasts longer than incandescent lights. It yields more and is efficient, especially when it is used in and out of your pool. By using such lighting, it will reduce your energy consumption as compared to conventional bulbs.
If you are looking to extend your swimming days and don’t want to suspend a huge heating bill, you can try some of the above-mentioned upgrades and make your pool more energy efficient.
