| When you bought your swimming pool, you knew | | | | should be adequate. |
| the summer fun involved additional costs. First in | | | | Many pool owners run the pump much longer |
| line is the cost of the pool. Next there is | | | | than necessary. Four to six hours a day is usually |
| maintenance and pool chemicals. Then you | | | | sufficient. Remember you don't have to run the |
| received your summer electric bills. | | | | pump constantly for this 4-6 hour period. If you |
| You cannot eliminate the electric costs of running | | | | tend to get bugs collecting overnight, run the |
| your pool, but you can minimize them. Swimming | | | | pump for a few hours at mid-morning then again |
| pool pumps consume a lot of electricity, second | | | | for a few hours in the afternoon or early evening. |
| only to home air conditioning. Is your swimming | | | | In between your filtering, use your skimmer net |
| pool pump sized correctly? The larger the pump | | | | for any surface debris that gets in. |
| the greater your maintenance costs will be. Most | | | | Make sure to monitor and adjust chemical levels |
| private residential pools require .75 horsepower | | | | as required. If the water is properly balanced and |
| pumps or less. Consider the following chart. | | | | is still cloudy with your reduced filtering, add |
| Hours .5 HP .75 HP 1 HP 1.5 HP 2 HP | | | | filtering time in .5 hour increments until you reach |
| 4 70 105 133 184 239 | | | | an optimal filtering time. Any amount of filtering |
| 6 105 157 200 276 358 | | | | time reduced will save you money. It's worth a |
| 8 140 209 267 368 477 | | | | little trial and error to find your lowest required |
| 10 174 262 334 460 597 | | | | recirculation time. Do the math, and then save |
| 12 209 314 400 552 716kWh per month - multiply | | | | some money. |
| by your electric rate for dollar figure | | | | If your current swimming pool pump is nearing |
| Source: San Diego Gas & Electric Co. | | | | replacement, consider a high efficiency, two speed |
| Reducing the size of your next swimming pool | | | | pump at the correct horsepower rating. With a |
| pump by even .25 horsepower will have a | | | | two speed pump you normally run the pump on |
| significant impact on your electric use. But you | | | | low except for vacuuming and backwashing. The |
| say you need a large pump to circulate and filter | | | | low speed is much quieter and consumes much |
| the water frequently. Generally if your swimming | | | | less electricity. |
| pool water recycles once every 24 hours, it | | | | |