The world is facing a water crisis today. It requires the collective efforts of us global citizens to conserve water every chance we get. In Australia, most homes have a pool in their backyard. If you are a pool owner too, you have a big source of water consumption that you need to think about. In this article, we list some useful tips to conserve water when you have a pool in your backyard. Read on to learn how you can adopt these tips.
Keep Your Pool Covered
The best way to conserve your pool water is by using a pool cover. The water in your swimming pool evaporates at a faster rate, especially on hot days. When you use a pool cover, you reduce the rate of evaporation that occurs. A pool cover also lowers your energy costs by cutting back on heat loss. This is because the longer you keep the pool covered, the more heat it can retain inside. Plus, you get a cleaner pool which helps reduce algae growth. You needn’t overspend on chemicals either once you can save water wastage. So, it’s a win-win from all angles!
Check For Leaks And Cracks
You will be surprised at how much water loss even a small leak in your pool can cause. It is best to stay on top of your game with regular inspections of your pool for any signs of leaks or cracks. You must repair any visible leaks without delay. To keep track of the water level, consider using a grease pencil to mark the water level at the skimmer. If, after 24 hours, there’s a considerable reduction in the water level, you know there’s a leak or crack. Lastly, check for faulty valves, pipes and joiners or gaps in the bond beam.
Examine The Pool Pump
Many pool owners make the mistake of running the pool pump for the same fixed number of hours in every season. In reality, depending on the different times of the year, the number of hours your pool pump needs to run can vary. You can start by running the pool pump for 8 hours per day. You can run it less often if the pool stays clear. Conversely, if the pool water gets cloudy, you can increase the running time each day until it clears. It’s a wise idea to match your pool needs with your pool’s pump size to get the best bang for your buck.
Maintain Your Pool Filter
It is pivotal to keep the pool filter clean to reduce the frequency of backwashing. Backwashing filters is required when the pool filter is too dirty. Needless to say, this process uses up a lot of water and pool chemicals. Plus, frequent backwashing can ultimately reduce the effectiveness of the pool filter too. It is recommended to backwash until the water in the sight glass runs clean. A smart decision would be to reuse this backwashed water by emptying it into the shrubs and lawns. Or, you can collect it to reuse it later.
Consider Adding Windbreaks
Water in the pool can evaporate not just on hot days but cold nights too because of the wind. A windbreak becomes essential to reduce the rate of evaporation. Typically, a windbreak is a barrier that you can place around your pool to obstruct the wind’s speed and ability to hit the surface of the pool water directly. If you are residing in a region that experiences strong winds often, windbreaks can be a saviour. They can prevent heavy gusts from causing ripples and waves in the pool water and splashing them out.
Lower The Water Temperature
Compared to cold water, warm water has faster-moving molecules that are more likely to vaporise more easily and float away. During the evenings, warm pool water becomes more vulnerable to disperse into the air. More so, if the temperature of the pool water is higher than the outside air temperature. It is best to turn off the heater if you are not using the pool for a long time. This keeps the temperature of the pool water cooler and makes it more resistant to evaporating in the atmosphere. The same reasoning applies if you have a spa.
Use Water Features Wisely
A lot of aeration occurs when the water features of your pool are turned on, which results in evaporation. Water features include everything from fountains and rock waterfalls to pool slides and sprayers. It’s advisable to turn off these water features unless you have a pool party and you are entertaining people. You will not only save water wastage from evaporation but also end up saving energy that your pool pump requires to run them.
Maintain The Right Water Level
A lot of pool owners are confused about the required water levels of their swimming pools. The right pool water level should be between 1/3rd and ½ up the pool skimmer box opening. Maintaining the right water level helps reduce water loss from splashing and active water play. Avoid the temptation to overfill your pool, as it can lower the efficiency of the skimmer and end up wasting gallons of water in the long run.
Add Sanitisers In The Evening
If you add chlorine or other sanitising chemicals in the pool water during the day, it can dissipate quickly due to the sun’s presence. Evenings are the best time to do this activity. Remember, if the pump is running while you add the chemicals to the pool water, it can give you the best results.
Closing Thoughts
Now you know the best tips and tricks to conserve your pool water and save your time and money. Not to mention, you can sleep peacefully in the night knowing that you are doing your bit for the environment.
If you have any pool-related questions or queries, feel free to get in touch with us. Our friendly team will be more than happy to discuss your pool requirements with you.
Give us a call today!
The world is facing a water crisis today. It requires the collective efforts of us global citizens to conserve water every chance we get. In Australia, most homes have a pool in their backyard. If you are a pool owner too, you have a big source of water consumption that you need to think about. In this article, we list some useful tips to conserve water when you have a pool in your backyard. Read on to learn how you can adopt these tips.
Keep Your Pool Covered
The best way to conserve your pool water is by using a pool cover. The water in your swimming pool evaporates at a faster rate, especially on hot days. When you use a pool cover, you reduce the rate of evaporation that occurs. A pool cover also lowers your energy costs by cutting back on heat loss. This is because the longer you keep the pool covered, the more heat it can retain inside. Plus, you get a cleaner pool which helps reduce algae growth. You needn’t overspend on chemicals either once you can save water wastage. So, it’s a win-win from all angles!
Check For Leaks And Cracks
You will be surprised at how much water loss even a small leak in your pool can cause. It is best to stay on top of your game with regular inspections of your pool for any signs of leaks or cracks. You must repair any visible leaks without delay. To keep track of the water level, consider using a grease pencil to mark the water level at the skimmer. If, after 24 hours, there’s a considerable reduction in the water level, you know there’s a leak or crack. Lastly, check for faulty valves, pipes and joiners or gaps in the bond beam.
Examine The Pool Pump
Many pool owners make the mistake of running the pool pump for the same fixed number of hours in every season. In reality, depending on the different times of the year, the number of hours your pool pump needs to run can vary. You can start by running the pool pump for 8 hours per day. You can run it less often if the pool stays clear. Conversely, if the pool water gets cloudy, you can increase the running time each day until it clears. It’s a wise idea to match your pool needs with your pool’s pump size to get the best bang for your buck.
Maintain Your Pool Filter
It is pivotal to keep the pool filter clean to reduce the frequency of backwashing. Backwashing filters is required when the pool filter is too dirty. Needless to say, this process uses up a lot of water and pool chemicals. Plus, frequent backwashing can ultimately reduce the effectiveness of the pool filter too. It is recommended to backwash until the water in the sight glass runs clean. A smart decision would be to reuse this backwashed water by emptying it into the shrubs and lawns. Or, you can collect it to reuse it later.
Consider Adding Windbreaks
Water in the pool can evaporate not just on hot days but cold nights too because of the wind. A windbreak becomes essential to reduce the rate of evaporation. Typically, a windbreak is a barrier that you can place around your pool to obstruct the wind’s speed and ability to hit the surface of the pool water directly. If you are residing in a region that experiences strong winds often, windbreaks can be a saviour. They can prevent heavy gusts from causing ripples and waves in the pool water and splashing them out.
Lower The Water Temperature
Compared to cold water, warm water has faster-moving molecules that are more likely to vaporise more easily and float away. During the evenings, warm pool water becomes more vulnerable to disperse into the air. More so, if the temperature of the pool water is higher than the outside air temperature. It is best to turn off the heater if you are not using the pool for a long time. This keeps the temperature of the pool water cooler and makes it more resistant to evaporating in the atmosphere. The same reasoning applies if you have a spa.
Use Water Features Wisely
A lot of aeration occurs when the water features of your pool are turned on, which results in evaporation. Water features include everything from fountains and rock waterfalls to pool slides and sprayers. It’s advisable to turn off these water features unless you have a pool party and you are entertaining people. You will not only save water wastage from evaporation but also end up saving energy that your pool pump requires to run them.
Maintain The Right Water Level
A lot of pool owners are confused about the required water levels of their swimming pools. The right pool water level should be between 1/3rd and ½ up the pool skimmer box opening. Maintaining the right water level helps reduce water loss from splashing and active water play. Avoid the temptation to overfill your pool, as it can lower the efficiency of the skimmer and end up wasting gallons of water in the long run.
Add Sanitisers In The Evening
If you add chlorine or other sanitising chemicals in the pool water during the day, it can dissipate quickly due to the sun’s presence. Evenings are the best time to do this activity. Remember, if the pump is running while you add the chemicals to the pool water, it can give you the best results.
Closing Thoughts
Now you know the best tips and tricks to conserve your pool water and save your time and money. Not to mention, you can sleep peacefully in the night knowing that you are doing your bit for the environment.
If you have any pool-related questions or queries, feel free to get in touch with us. Our friendly team will be more than happy to discuss your pool requirements with you.
Give us a call today!
