Being conscious of your energy consumption is a great way to reduce your environmental footprint, and as a bonus, you can save money too. Pools and their equipment can be a household’s biggest power guzzlers so, implementing strategies to reduce this is always a positive step in the right direction. Here are some effective ways you can make your pool eco-friendly and energy-efficient!
Start Small If Necessary
Regardless of whether you have an existing pool or you’re building a new one, you don’t have to splash out on expensive equipment and accessories all in one hit, you can slowly convert your pool as you go. The fewer chemicals, energy, and water your pool uses, the better it is for mother earth and your back pocket.
Consider A Solar Pool Pump
When it comes to running your pool, your pump is undeniably the greatest energy consumer of all. It plays an integral role in keeping the water circulated and clean, and to do this, they generally need to run for around 10 hours a day, every day. By converting or installing a solar pump, you can swap expensive operating costs to practically nothing. Rather than depending on an artificial source such as electricity, a solar pump works by utilising natural energy from the sun, and as a result, places little to no impact on the environment.
Choose Solar Heating
If you have heating already or you’d like to install it at some point down the track, choosing solar is a great way to be more eco-friendly and energy-efficient. Other pool heating options such as electric heat pumps or gas heating can depend on non-renewable resources that are detrimental to the environment. Not only that, they are typically expensive to run, and it’s not unlikely that you’ll see a jump in your pool operating expenses. Contemporary solar pool heating is now more advanced than ever and can be managed using automation. Most have settings that allow you to control the temperature and running time. This can bring down your costs further, and it prevents energy wastage. Solar pool heating works by harnessing energy from the sun to warm the pool. Collector tubes or panels are positioned onto your roof. The roof of your home is exposed to continuous sunlight, and it is the perfect location to place such equipment. Cool water from the pool is pumped up to the tubes and is warmed as it travels through them. It then returns to the pool at an increased temperature. You’ll get the best results from pool heating when there is a lot of sun around.
Get A Pool Cover
Pool covers are often seen as an eyesore, and many pool owners choose not to get one for this very reason, but there are so many reasons why you should get one. Good quality pool covers are one of the most affordable yet effective ways to reduce your pools carbon footprint. They cut down on water loss, chemicals loss and heating loss by a huge 70% or more. Let us explain.
- They prevent external contaminants such as rainwater and leaves from entering the water. This keeps the pool cleaner and reduces the need for excessive chemical consumption to sanitise the water.
- A cover helps to capture and retain heat in the water, and this means you don’t have to run pool heating for extended periods to warm the pool back up.
- It stops the wind from hitting the pool and evaporating the water. Those without a cover will have to periodically top the pool back up with water more often, especially when the weather is warm. This costs money and puts a burden on the environment and resources in times of drought.
The most effective pool covers are hardtop versions such as an automatic cover however, they are expensive. For a cheaper alternative, consider a solar cover. It can add additional warmth to your pool by using the suns UV rays.
Swap To LED Lighting
Does your pool lighting fixtures have halogen globes? If yes, it’s time to swap them to LED. LED lights use 85% less energy than halogen globes while projecting the same amount of light. Halogen lights are notorious for omitting a yellow-like glow, whereas LED produces a clean and crisp light that enhances the natural appearance of the pool instead of giving it a yellow tinge when lit up. LED are the way to go in terms of permanent pool lighting that’s eco-friendly and energy-efficient. When it comes to removable pool lighting, you can’t go past solar-powered lighting. It costs nothing to run as it uses the sun to charge during the day. By only using your pool lighting when you are outside, you can cut down on the amount of energy they consume.
Invest In A Self-Cleaning Pool
Pool chemicals are strong and potentially hazardous which can be damaging to the ecosystem. Self-cleaning systems enable your swimming pool to be earth-friendly by accurately dosing the water with the correct level of chemicals. They quickly remove debris and leaves from the bottom of the pool before they have a chance to disrupt your chemistry levels. This makes your pool cleaner and safer to swim in. Here at Barrier Reef Pools Perth, we have an innovative self-cleaning pool system, QuikClean Xtreme, and if your budget permits, we highly recommend installing one in the pool building phase if being gentler on the environment is a priority.
Factor In A Windbreak
Wind can be a major contributor when it comes to the rate that your water evaporates. It can cool your pool water down and affect the quality of your heating if you have it. As we’ve mentioned above, a pool cover can help with this, but for even more protection, it’s worthwhile putting in a windbreak. This can be anything that inhibits wind from reaching the surface of your pool. Glass fencing works well, as does plants such as hedging, or you can buy premade screening for your local hardware store. The more your pool is protected from the wind, the more energy-efficient it will be.
Convert To Smart Technology
Smart technology can be integrated into most aspects of your pool and allows you to control and automate your pool equipment and accessories with one touch of a button from a smart device. This enables you to have full control over your pool. It stops pool dosing mishaps from occurring and prevents equipment from running for longer than it needs to. This can help to boost your pools energy efficiency. The great thing about smart technology is that it has gained momentum at a rapid rate over recent years, and there are many options available nowadays. Because of this, it’s becoming more and more affordable. Smart technology for pools is undoubtedly the way of the future, and it most certainly makes your pool eco-friendlier.
Here at Barrier Reef Pools Perth, we are dedicated to bringing our customers the very best in fibreglass pool manufacturing and our swimming pools are better for the environment, easier to look after and cost the bare minimum to run. For more information on how you can make your pool eco-friendly and energy-efficient, contact our friendly team!
