8 Easy Ways to Green Your Pool and Save Energy

Memorial Day is upon us, and you know what that means! It’s time for the pool to open! If you’re anything like me, you probably look forward to hosting parties and hanging out with family by the pool. However, pool ownership can also be pretty expensive in terms of upkeep and energy usage. If you’re looking to save money, give back to Mother Nature, or reduce your exposure to harsh chemicals this Summer, then it’s the perfect time to look into greening your pool.

8 Ways to Green Your Pool and Save Money – Get the Tips! #Pool #Green #EcoFriendly #Save #Money

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Not sure where to start? Check out these 8 tips:

1. Reduce chlorine
Think chlorine is the only way to keep your pool clean? Think again!

Although it may not be possible to completely eliminate chlorine, you can drastically reduce your usage by installing a salt water and UV filtration system. As the salt travels through the system it is broken down to produce chlorine (bye-bye manufactured tablets!) and the UV filtration fights algae and bacteria.

2. Go solar
Going green doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy heated water.

If you want to heat your pool, rely on solar power to get it up to temperature. Installing solar collectors can reduce the amount of energy, such as gas or electric, used by up to 60 percent per year. You can install a solar heating system complete with panels, or use a solar cover for your pool.

3. Cover it up
In fact, simply covering your pool will go a long way towards making it greener. A pool enclosure reduces evaporation, cuts down on the amount of chemicals you need by keeping out debris, and can keep your pool up to 10 degrees warmer without a heating system.

4. Bring on the rain
Stop wasting water (and money) by using rainwater to top off your pool. Whether you use a tank or a diverter system is up to you, just make sure to think about how to handle overflow and filter out debris.

5. Double-duty landscaping
With the proper planning, you can improve your landscape AND block wind from your pool. Using shrubs or planters to block the wind naturally helps reduce evaporation and heat loss. Just be sure to calculate how far back to plant so fewer leaves migrate into the pool.

Don’t forget that certain plants attract pests while others can deter them. With a little extra planning you can have a bee-free pool in addition to natural shade, privacy, and wind shield.

6. Make an upgrade
You know that upgrading to a new fridge or washer can help improve energy efficiency. The same theory goes for pool pumps. If your pump is old, consider upgrading to a more energy efficient model (or even a solar model). For bonus savings, add a timer so you have better control over when the pump is in use.

7. Invest in manual labor
A pool skimmer will only set you back a handful of bucks and a little personal labor. In return, you won’t have to work your pump or filtration system as hard, saving energy.

8. Build naturally
Want to go green from the ground up? Try mimicking nature by building a pool that uses plants for filtration and is made of clay and gravel. This kind of natural pool takes a bit more know-how to keep clean, but it is cheaper in the long run and much more eco-friendly.

Hopefully these ideas will give you a starting point for making your pool more of a joy to own and less of a burden. I give you full permission to break out the swim suit and pool inflatables in preparation for this weekend! How will you be spending your Memorial Day?
~Megan

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