| With gas prices headed skyward, people are doing a | | | | added low-speed mode. The low-speed mode moves |
| lot more thinking about their energy use in general. | | | | water through the filter more slowly but much more |
| Electricity costs have continued to rise as well, and | | | | efficiently. This gives you more gallons filtered per |
| energy-efficient products are the best way to offset | | | | dollar. A good analogy is: "slow and steady wins the |
| these cost increases. If you want to lower your | | | | race". It also has a high-speed mode which is used to |
| energy use, it is always best to start out by | | | | run your surface cleaning equipment (pool sweep or |
| analyzing what uses the most energy in your home. | | | | pop-ups). This is an efficient method of keeping your |
| In the southeast and southwest, most people know | | | | pool looking great, but is a sizeable investment |
| that air conditioning is number one. If you have a | | | | because it requires that you replace both your pump |
| pool, it generally fills the number two spot. The sad | | | | and controller. It will usually cost over $1000 to |
| truth is that your pool pump is an energy hog - but it | | | | upgrade to a two-speed pump. |
| doesn't have to be. | | | | A smart year-round controller allows you to keep |
| Reducing the cost of pool ownership is an area that | | | | your existing pump, but is designed to run it only as |
| the pool industry has been working on for some time. | | | | much as necessary. Most pool owners know that |
| Some great advances have been made, but most | | | | you don't need to run your filter as much in the |
| people are unaware of the energy-saving | | | | winter as you do during the summer months. When |
| technologies that are available. You want to enjoy | | | | the water is cold, bacteria and algae don't do much, |
| your pool at a minimum cost, so how can you save | | | | and you can get away with running your pump less. |
| money? Two main methods have emerged for | | | | Some pool owners adjust the run time of their filter |
| reducing the energy consumption of pools. One is to | | | | a couple times a year, but many don't adjust them at |
| have a two-speed pump. Running at an optional low | | | | all. A company out of Chandler, AZ produces a |
| speed decreases the resistance to water flow, | | | | product called the TightWatt® pool timer which |
| allowing for more efficient pump operation. The | | | | will properly run your pump throughout the year. You |
| second method employs a smart year-round | | | | simply set a "summer" and "winter" run time for your |
| controller, specifically designed for pools. A seasonal | | | | pump, and it calculates the rest of the year based on |
| cycle runs the filter less in the winter and more in the | | | | those values. This is a good option for people who |
| summer, gradually turning up through the spring and | | | | want to save money but can't afford the investment |
| down through the fall. | | | | in a two-speed pump. It is an affordable replacement |
| A two-speed pump is pretty simple to understand. A | | | | for an aging mechanical timer, at about $149, and an |
| two-speed pump is just a conventional pump with an | | | | easy way to save some money. |