Ways to Make your Pool More Energy Effecient

Energy efficiency has become a major factor when making decisions on how you’d like your pool to operate. Here are some ways you can make your pool more energy efficient and in turn, ways you may be able to save some money!

1. Pick the right finish. Darker colored pool finishes absorb the sun’s rays, and that energy helps heat your pool. While not everyone wants a dark finish, if you’re on the fence and want to keep heating costs down, it’s something to consider.

2. Create a natural windbreak. For many people, pool landscaping is often an afterthought. However, planting a hedge, building a berm, or creating some other form of windbreak can help lower heat loss, which in turn lowers energy costs. It also helps decrease the evaporation of water that you’ve already heated, here again providing savings.

3. Install a variable-speed pool pump. A variable speed pump can deliver significant savings compared to single-speed pumps, according to the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Using a variable-speed pump also helps cut greenhouse gas emissions.

4. Use advanced heating technology. There are a number of new technologies available for heating pool water more energy efficiently. Consult your local Colley’s expert to see what may work for you.

5. Install an automatic pool cover. Not only does an automatic pool cover help to make your pool safe, it helps prevent heat loss and evaporation.

6. Use larger pool filters. Larger filters have a bigger surface area through which water can flow, which can mean your pump doesn’t have to work as hard to move the same volume of water. Not only does this lower the pump’s energy consumption, it can extend the life of the pump which can save you money!

7. Install LED lighting. LED lights can save 80% or more over incandescent lights, and last three times as long.

8. Automate your pool operations. There is now technology that can automatically run your pool systems when energy costs are lower to help you optimize your energy use.

Paramount Vanquish Cleaning System

When it comes to spending your free time there are more important things to do than tending to your swimming pool.

Built right into the pool, Vanquish is engineered to clean your pool floor and walls. When not operating, the Vanquish nozzles disappear flush with the pool floor, becoming virtually invisible. There are no unsightly robotic cleaners and hoses. All that’s left is a sparkling clean pool, ready to enjoy! Paramount in-floor cleaners are considered the most technologically advanced pool cleaners available.

How it Works

• Your pool is divided into separate cleaning zones, individually activated by a water valve.

• Nozzles in each designated cleaning zone pop up and sweep debris towards the drain and skimmer with powerful jets of water; ultimately cycling through a full 360 degrees..

• Each zone directs dirt and debris to the optional MDX-R3® debris safety drain.

• When finished cleaning they retract flush with the floor, becoming virtually invisible.

Benefits

• Enjoy cleaner, healthier water

• No poorly circulated, algae prone areas

• Eliminates cold spots for a more comfortable and uniform pool experience

• Saves energy costs for over the life of the pool

• Better for the environment

The pop-up nozzles also come in an array of colors to fit your pool’s theme!

How to Prime Your Pool Pump

Your pool pump is the central piece of equipment that allows the function of your pool filtration system. It keeps the water moving so that dirt and debris can be filtered out and so that your pool chemicals can do their job effectively.

Without a functioning pool pump, your pool water can quickly become stagnant. Keeping your pool pump functioning is essential to maintaining a clean and healthy swimming pool. By extension, knowing how to take care of your pool pump is also crucial so that you can avoid costly repairs and replacements.

We are often asked, “my pump isn’t priming, what do I do?” A pool pump often gets pockets of air trapped inside. Anytime that it is not operating full of water such as when the pool is closed down or re-opened for the season, there is a potential to get air inside the pump. Before you can operate a pool pump that has air in it, you will need to blow out the lines with water to get rid of any air and replace it with water. This process is priming the pump.

It is important that a pool owner should learn to prime their pump as operating a dry pump can lead to possible damage to surrounding fixtures. These devices are only to run when they are full of water.

Steps to Priming Your Pump

A precautionary first step may be to check your water levels, empty out your skimmer basket of debris, backwash (if you have a sand filter) or clean your filters (if cartridge).

1. Turn off the pump. Although your pump is probably already off if you need to prime it, make sure that the power button is truly in the off position or that power has been disconnected to the unit. Anytime that you are working with water and electricity, heed additional safety precautions before beginning your task.

2. Switch to recirculate. The multiport valve on your filter can be set to recirculate (or whirlpool on some filters) the water. This will bring water directly into the pump and then recirculate it back out into the pool. In the recirculate setting, the water bypasses the filter and goes directly into the pump to ensure that there is in fact, water in the pump.

3. Release air. Relieve excess air pressure in the lines by opening up the air relief valve located on top of the filter (if sand filter)

4. Clean out the pump basket. Remove any debris that has collected in the basket and rinse with a hose. Inspect for wear and tear and replace parts like o-rings as needed.

5. Fill the pump basket. Use a garden hose to slowly fill the pump basket and put the lid back in place.

6. Once the pump basket is filled and tightened, make sure the air release valve is open and turn the power to the pump on.

7. Check the water flow to your pump. Water should be consistently flowing within thirty seconds. If you do not have a consistent flow, turn the pump back off and repeat the previous steps. Thoroughly re-check all of your hardware for wear and tear.

Once the water is constantly flowing, close the air pressure release gauge (most commonly found with sand filters- other filter styles generally have a pressure release valve).