New Year, New Pool

New year, new pool?

At the beginning of every new year, we take the time to list ways to better our personal lives. Sure, often times we tout our “new year, new me” goals as fruitless endeavors or reoccurring themes. However, what if we invest the same energy into our pool? What if at the start of every new year, we make goals to improve our swimming pool?

What exactly do these goals look like? 

New Year, New Pool

In most cases, when people think of new year’s resolutions, they think of personal goals. However, let’s broaden this mindset just a bit. We don’t always have to apply a resolution to our life, we can also apply them to our swimming pools. So, what would these resolutions look like? To help start your pool on the right foot, we created two loaded but attainable list of resolutions you can apply to your pool.

Resolution 1: Make the Most of Your Money (and Pump)

Upgrade Your Pump

Every year, pool products are becoming more and more efficient. That’s a good thing for the longevity of the equipment and for your pockets. Still, there are things that you can do to make the most of your spending. First, you can immediately capitalize on your savings by upgrading your pump. If you are currently running your pool on a single speed pump, we recommend upgrading to a variable speed pump.

Did you know that swimming pool pump motors are one of the largest consumers of household energy? In fact, they are only second to air conditioners. By upgrading your pump, pool owners can use up to 75% less energy. Less energy consumption results in more money in your pockets. Unlike single speed motors that can only operate at maximum flow rates, the variable speed motor can slow the water flow and maximize savings.

One of the biggest drawbacks is the price. We understand if you cannot upgrade the entire pump at this time. However, you can also look into upgrading just the motor. If you are unsure which variable speed motor replaces your current one, give us a call. We can help you with that.

Follow State Mandates

Some states, like California, passed a law requiring pool owners to install variable speed pumps for their pool. This was a state-wide effort to conserve energy on a wide scale. Before purchasing a replacement motor, we recommend looking into the requirements your state has. We don’t want you to purchase something officials can fine you for.

You can read more about California’s new variable speed pool pump law below.

Sizing Your Pump and Filter 

If you can’t upgrade your pump at the moment, we understand. Still, you can make sure that you sized your pump and filter correctly and that you are running your pump long enough. If you have a single speed pump and you are running it all day, the odds are that you are running it for too long.

Running your pump longer than necessary draws more energy and increases your electric bill. Not to mention, it cuts the life of your equipment short. If you need help sizing your pool pump, we recommend watching our Inground Pool Equipment Selection Series below.

If you have any questions on sizing your pump or how long you should be running it, feel free to give us a call: 407-834-2200.

Resolution 2: Do Not Procrastinate

Open Your Pool on Time

Sure, procrastination can affect our personal lives but it can also affect your pool. One of the biggest setbacks for a swimming pool is procrastination. For example, a lot of pool owners lose out on their swimming season because they opened up their pool later than originally planned. If you have a pool, you want to use it as much as possible, right?

Opening your pool on time also gives you more time to address any pre-existing maintenance issues. Also, it gives you time to order any replacement parts if necessary. Trust us, you don’t want to wait until the week before Memorial Day to check your pool.

Before and After a Storm

In most cases, you cannot physically prepare for a thunderstorm. However, in some cases, like hurricanes, you have time to prepare a little. In the event that you can prepare for an oncoming storm, don’t forget about your swimming pool. A little pool maintenance before a storm can save you hundreds of dollars in repairs.

Depending on the severity of the storm, your first priority may not (and should not) be your swimming pool. And rightfully so. However, if you have a little time to invest in your pool, why not? A little maintenance before and after a storm can save your family money and time.

Pool Resolutions

New year’s resolutions should not overwhelm or stress you out. If they are, you are doing them wrong. A new year’s pool resolution is simply small recommendations that can improve your pool’s overall health. Often times, families are wary about owning a pool. Some worry about the amount of money you invest in a pool, while others question the amount of time.

Our goal with the pool resolutions is to help pool owners invest less time and money into their pool and spend more time in the pool. Do you have any new year’s pool resolutions? If so, leave them in the comment section.