Tip of the week: How to reduce pool costs
Get a smaller pump; Use a timer; Buy some blankets
Get a smaller pump. Anyone who owns a pool knows how expensive it is to maintain one. What many don’t know is that “most pools come equipped with pumps that are far too large,” thus inflating energy bills. In reality, “a 3.5-horsepower pump is more than enough for most pools.”
Use a timer. Putting your pump on a $20 timer can save “a ton of money.” Give the pump an hour off every day or two, then gradually increase its downtime while testing to ensure water quality remains high.
Buy some blankets. “You can’t completely stop a pool from losing its warmth,” but you can slow down the process by using floating blankets that trap the heat and are sometimes designed to absorb the sun’s warmth too. Using solar panels to heat your pool is also an option, and “in many states,” there’s a tax break for such an upgrade.
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