Should Swimming Pool Pumps Run All The Time?
Your pool’s pump works hard to allow you to enjoy clear, clean water. It is an essential part of your water circulation system – but does it have to run all the time?
The good news, both for your pocket and the planet, is no, it doesn’t. There are many variables around pool pumping, but the basic rule is that you need to set the pump to run for around eight hours each day – this can be in one long burst or several shorter periods throughout the day.
What about winter?
If you close your pool down for winter, running the pumps for a short period each day will make it easier to get it back up and running next summer. When you are getting your pool ready for summer, test the water for its pH level, then shock the pool. It’ll take a week or more before the pool gets balanced and becomes swimmable. Leave the pump running 24 hours a day and reduce the run by only an hour or two each day until the water is balanced.
Opening-up the pool
Once your pool is in use, the amount of time your pump runs each day depends on size. The pump’s job is to add chlorine and pull water through the filter and all the water needs to be filtered over a 24-hour period. Bigger pools mean that more pumping time is needed to filter all the water.
Calculate your capacity
Find out what the normal capacity of your pool is by multiplying the length, width, and average depth of the pool together to get find the cubic meters, then multiply by 1000 to calculate the number of litres. A small pool like the Stradbroke (3m by 2.5m by 1.37m) holds just over 10,000 litres.
Meanwhile one of our biggest pools, a Hampton Grande (12m by 4.45m by 1.6m) takes more than 85,000 litres to fill.
With a pump that handles 250 litres a minute your Stradbroke will be clean in under an hour, but your Hampton Grande will need close to six hours to do the job with the same pump.
What's the exposure?
Apart from size, the amount of use your pool gets will affect the pumping time, as will whether it is covered when not in use, and if its setting means that leaves and debris are likely to fall in.
If you want to reduce the amount of pumping time and keep your energy bills down there are several steps you can take.
- Cover your pool to reduce debris and leaves falling in
- Skim and vacuum the pool regularly
- Have a weekly maintenance schedule that includes cleaning the filters.
No shower, no pool!
Ever wondered why public pools ask customers to shower BEFORE getting in the water? The answer is related to the pumps. Moisturiser, sunblock, hair products and general grime all contribute to pool contamination.
Having a firm rule that no one gets in the pool without showering first could do your pump a real favour and reduce its workload.
Factory Pools Perth is the number one pool experts in Perth. We offer advice and guidance on anything and everything to do with pools so whatever your requirements come and pay us a visit. We have three showrooms in Perth in Mandurah, O’Connor and Joondalup and we offer a lifetime surface and structural guarantee.
