Heating a swimming pool is usually one of the biggest ongoing expenses with this home feature. Many homeowners keep the heat on all the time instead of turning it down or off when the pool isn’t in use for a few days or longer. As with home heating, turning the heat down or off altogether saves money and energy. When people use the pool infrequently, it costs less to warm the pool back up than to keep it at optimum temperature all the time.
Optimum Pool Temperature
Swimmers generally find a pool temperature of between 78 and 80 as the most comfortable for recreational use. Although swimming in cooler water temperatures certainly is common – consider that lakes can be pretty cold – warmer water simply is more inviting. Homeowners can expect to get more use out of the pool if they keep the water warmer. That’s especially important on chilly days.
To learn what temperature is acceptable for those who use the pool most, a pool owner can set the thermostat a degree lower on each day of use until the water temperature doesn’t feel comfortable enough anymore.
As-Needed Heating
Intermittent pool heating costs less than continuous heating. Many homeowners only use a pool on weekends, for example. They might turn off the heat on Sunday night and turn it back on again Thursday evening so the pool is warm by Friday afternoon.
Another strategy would be to turn the pool thermostat down to 70 or 72 degrees instead of keeping it at 78 or 80. That decision will rest primarily on factors such as the area climate and current weather conditions, the size of the pool and size of the heater.
It also makes sense to turn the heater off or the thermostat down when the family will be out of town for at least a few days.
Covering the pool helps a great deal to retain heat. That also saves money since the pool owner can warm the pool back up from a higher temperature than would be true without a cover.
Considerations
One main consideration with this money-saving strategy is needing to remember to turn the heater on and off. A second consideration is that people can’t spontaneously use the pool whenever they happen to feel like it. Both of these issues may be too inconvenient for some pool owners.
As a pool owner, you’ll need to decide which heating method is best for you. If nobody in the home ever uses the pool during certain days of the week, this is an especially easy way to save energy and reduce the amount of the utility bill.
Do you need more information on heating a swimming pool? Do you need a new pool or pool remodeling? Do you need additional pool features? Do you need pool supplies and maintenance? No worries! Skovish Pools and Spas has 2 locations, one in Luzerne, PA and the other in Shickshinny, Pa. Our entire staff of pool technicians is ready to help you not only to those living in Luzerne and Shickshinny but to the surrounding areas as well. Feel free to Contact Us for any additional swimming pool information needed.
