How Can I Make my Pool More Eco-Friendly?

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Conserving our precious planet’s resources is an important task that we all must participate in as often as possible. Although it can be easier in some situations than others, you can almost always find ways to be more eco-friendly, even when it comes to your private swimming pool.

While it’s true that owning a swimming pool does require a significant amount of resources to keep it running and clear, there are a number of things you can do to ensure that your existing pool is as efficient as possible. These tips from your Dallas pool company will put your mind at ease, knowing that your pool is as sustainable as it can be.

If your pool requires heating, use a solar-powered heater. Pool owners who choose to leave their swimming pools open year-round may do so because they live in a mild enough area to enjoy swimming in December. If you’re lucky enough to enjoy your pool even during the cooler months, you may need to heat up the water just a bit to keep it comfortable for swimming. A solar-powered heating element will harness the power of the sun, which will mean less unsustainable energy sources will be used.

Keep your pool covered with an insulated solar cover when not in use. In doing so, you’ll prevent the pool’s temperature from dropping too much during cooler times. Solar covers do double duty by using solar power to warm up the pool through the cover itself. A pool cover also prevents excessive amounts of water loss due to evaporation.

Use the most energy efficient pool equipment. All pool pumps and equipment have energy ratings. Do your research to find the most energy efficient pool pump on the market. There are exciting technologies being used in some of the newest pool pumps – giving you the ability to make a higher return on investment than ever before possible.

Install LED lighting around your swimming pool. The LED lighting trend is just as popular for outdoor use as it is for indoor use, and for good reason. Traditional (incandescent) light bulbs simply aren’t energy efficient enough to justify their use any longer. Light bulb manufacturers now focus their efforts on producing bulbs that use more effective technology – so they’ll last longer and shine brighter. Solar-powered outdoor LED lighting is the “greenest” option and will save you money on bulbs and electricity in the long run.

If you’re in the process of installing a new swimming pool, ask your Dallas pool builder if they can:

Use wide piping from pool pump to pool – The concept of using wider pool pipes that travel in the straightest lines possible (avoiding sharp angles) reduces the amount of natural resistance created within the pipes, allowing the pool pump to use less energy to keep water moving.

Install windbreakers – Today, windbreakers are more than just jackets to keep you warm! Also called wind fencing or windbreaks, these fences were originally used to reduce erosion on open fields. By installing them around your new pool, you can reduce the amount of evaporation caused by wind, saving water and money over time.

Plant eco-friendly landscaping – Whether your pool company does the landscaping or works in tandem with a landscaping company, plan for only the most drought-resistant, low-maintenance plants to be installed around your pool. You can also use certain trees and bushes as natural windbreakers (see above). By planting eco-friendly, native plants, you’ll deter soil erosion around your pool while you simultaneously encourage natural plant life to thrive.