One in every seven South Australian homes has a swimming pool. With so many pools across the State, our energy advisor Harry decided to share some of his top tips on how to save energy (and money) on your bill.

Stop pumping up your power bills

A swimming pool filtration pump can be one of the most energy hungry appliances in your home. On average, the cost of running a swimming pool’s filtration pump is third only behind the energy used for running a home’s air-conditioning and electric hot water service.

Get the right pump to suit your swimming pool

The single most effective thing you can do to save energy, is to get a variable speed, energy efficient filtration pump. Not just any pump, get the smallest available one that is suited to your pool’s size and usage. *

Run the pump only as needed

Set the pump to work only for the required time, not 24-hours per day. Many people make the mistake of running their standard swimming pool pump all day long. This is not necessary. In most circumstances, the pump only needs to be used between six to eight hours per day in summer, and around four hours per day in winter. 

You can also split the daily filtration time across multiple short cycles. This strategy will ensure there are no long periods without filtration in which debris can build up.

Minimise the need to use the pump

Take some steps to minimise the need to clean your pool. This will mean you can cut down the pump usage and save on chemicals.

• Algae loves warm water, so one option to save is simply not to heat the pool. If you get algae due to hot water, you may need to run the pump more often and use additional chemicals to keep algae under control, which adds to the cost.
• Use a pool cover to stop excess leaf litter, sticks and insects from falling into the pool. It will also help to slow evaporation, which will save you money on your water bill. 

Use solar energy to your best advantage

If you have a solar power system, the cost of running a pool pump can be almost completely absorbed. To get the best result from solar generation, you should use the electricity generated by your system during the sunny middle part of the day. For example, run the pool pump when the sun is shining rather than through the night. That way, you are taking advantage of the energy your solar system is generating, and minimise the need to buy power from the grid.
This will generally provide even more costs savings and can improve solar performance when the network is congested. 

Take advantage of solar, even without a solar system

Even if you don’t have a solar system installed, you could still be able to take advantage of the abundance of available energy during the middle of the day (due to rooftop solar). Many energy retailers offer a cheaper price for electricity depending on what time of the day it is used. This is known as Time of Use pricing because the price may vary depending on what time of day you are using the energy. 

Different retailers call the tariff by different names. This cheaper tariff during the middle of the day is also sometimes referred to as Solar Sponge tariff or Shoulder tariff. Speak to your retailer to see if you can get access to this tariff.

Learn more about pricing and tariffs

How much will you save from your swimming pool pump?

Energy efficient pumps are more expensive than regular pumps, which makes the initial investment slightly more than when buying a regular pump. However, the higher cost is generally absorbed within the first year for most pools.

If you switch to the right size energy efficient pump, and properly set it to run in the most efficient way, you could see the energy consumption drop to around one-eight of the original.

If you follow these simple tips, we are confident that you will see savings in your next power bill. The energy reduction on your bill is not the only saving. These tips could also help you to save on other expenses such as your water bill and reduce the need to purchase chemicals.

More information

Read more about the steps we are taking to empower South Australia’s energy transition to the future energy space.

To find a pool and spa industry professional, visit the Swimming Pool and Spa Association (SPASA) website.

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*Always consult a licensed pool technician to get the best advice on the pump that is most suited to your swimming pool.