Eco-Friendly Tips for an Outdoor Swimming Pool
by Nicholas Chambers
Many Australians enjoy their backyard swimming pools, but they can feel as though owning one is a bit of a luxury in terms of their carbon footprint—if not their bank balance. There is no way that you can own and run a swimming pool privately without it having some impact on the environment, but there are things that you can do to ensure that you pool is as ecologically friendly as possible. Whether you are considering installing a pool in your home or looking for guidance on how best to lower your existing pool's energy usage, have a look at the following tips to discover more.
Trap the Sun's Energy
With so much blazing sun in Australia, the summer months can often mean that you don't need to heat your outdoor swimming pool at all. However, if you continue to use your pool year round, then you tend to end up heating it up each day in winter. If you have an electric water heater, then this can be costly because you have to pay for all that electricity. Instead, utilise as much of the sun's rays as you can and cover the pool in the evening to trap the heat in. Use a thermal pool cover with plenty of air bubbles which will minimise the energy loss.
Go Solar Powered
Solar hot water systems are nothing new, but they really come into their own when you have a pool which is partially covered by shade. With the addition of some photovoltaic solar panels on your home's roof, you can capture more of the sun's energy to convert into warm water in your pool via an electric heater. However, with plumbed-in hot water solar panels, you don't need an electrical device at all and the pool can remain heated entirely from the rooftop or garden-based closed system.
Use a Natural Pool Filter
Swimming pool filtration uses energy in the form of pumps, but many systems also rely on industrially produced chemicals, as well. In order to make your pool less reliant on chemicals and energy usage, opt for a natural filtration system. Filter systems have already been developed which don't require any chemicals at all and that allow for their bio-filtration processes to be monitored remotely. With such an approach, not only are you being more ecologically conscious, but the feel of the water on your skin as you swim is often found to be preferable.
Share
About Me
If I didn't know better, I'd think my toddler started each day with a challenge to throw something new and different down the toilet. He has managed to put nearly anything can imagine down the toilet. I have gotten pretty good at figuring out what has gone missing down the loo and whether it's something I can fix or something that I need to call the plumber to help me fix it. This blog is for other mums of toddlers who need to get toys out of the toilet and get the toilet back to working condition as soon as possible!