Summer Time Fun-ergy Savings

Energy Saving Tips for Pools, Spas and Hot Tubs

Electric-Heated Pools

  • If your pool is heated with electricity install a heavy-duty timer to run your pump and heater for just 12 hours from 8:00 p.m. to 8:00 a.m. This will save you electricity. This also applies for hot tubs/spas.
  • When you install a timer to help ensure your safety, your pool must be plugged into a Ground Fault Circuit Interrupter (GFCI) outlet located a minimum of 3 metres (10 feet) from your pool.

Gas-Heated Pools

  • If your pool is heated with gas a heavy duty timer is not recommended. Please contact the Pool Council of Canada for more information.
  • Why Shouldn’t I Use a Timer with my Gas Pool Heater?
    • Since gas pool heaters reach a much higher temperature than electric ones do, turning off the pump without any thought of the heater means the residual heat of a gas heater could damage some of the plastic pipes of fixtures. If you do have a gas heater, you need a timer sophisticated enough to be able to turn off the heater 20 minutes earlier than the pump – often known as the Fireman’s Switch.
    • Keep the pool’s heating and cleaning equipment clean and lubricated.

Pool Energy Efficiency

  • Keep your pool covered when not in use – uncovered pools can lose 30% of their heat, over 10,000 litres of water plus expensive chemicals monthly, just through evaporation.
    Consider a solar cover to heat the water’s surface.

  • Run your pool pump for just 12 hours, instead of around the clock to save electricity.
  • Inspect the pool heater every year to for scale, mineral deposits and corrosion.
    If your pool has a heater use a timer to preset the hours the pool is to be heated.
  • When closing a pool, drain water from the heater, filter, pump and piping system.
  • Remove the pump motor and store in a dry place.