Environmentally Friendly Pool Maintenance Tips in Southern Maryland
Debbie Naugle • Aug 27, 2015

There are ways to make swimming pools environmentally friendly with eco-friendly changes to pool maintenance throughout Calvert, St. Mary’s and Charles County.

According to USA Swimming and the National Swimming Pool Foundation, there are 10 million swimming pools in the United States, with 360,000 public pools that stay open all year long. If homeowners began to employ green practices with respect to their swimming pools, they could have a big impact on protecting Maryland’s environment.

  1. Use a solar blanket to heat the pool water. If you prefer warmer pool water, a solar blanket will heat up the water by using the sun’s warmth with no additional energy needed from a heating source. Keep the blanket on at night to trap the warmth in the pool and prevent it from escaping into the cool night air.  (link the word pool water to the pool water page)
  2. Use a variable-speed filter pump. Most recommendations say to keep your pool filtering for 8 to 12 hours per day. That can eat up a lot of energy and be costly. New multi-speed pumps enable you to run the pump at lower speeds when the pool isn’t in use. Raise the speed when adding chemicals or if there are a lot of swimmers planned.
  3. Invest in a cartridge filter. Traditional filters use sand or diatomaceous earth to help filter the water. However, these filters need to be backwashed to clean out debris, wasting a lot of water in the process. A cartridge filter simply has a cartridge that can be removed and hosed off, saving water in the process.
  4. Buy a robotic pool vacuum. Plug the vacuum into a standard outlet and let it efficiently clean the pool. Other pool vacuums must be plugged into your pool pump and can use considerably more energy – including your own personal energy.
  5. Keep up with pool maintenance. A green, murky pool will require much more energy to restore to clarity. Therefore, follow the pool manufacturer’s recommendations for keeping the water pristine. This way you don’t have to use extra chemicals or power to clean the water that has gone to the dark side.

 

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