The ongoing costs of a salt water pool can add up quickly. Costs that you’ll experience are generally grouped into the following categories:
Electricity, chemicals, water, heating, parts replacement and repairs.
You can lower the cost of running your salt water pool with a few changes to how you do things.
Here are 9 ways to reduce the operating costs of your salt water pool.
Run your pool pump only as needed
The average pool pump uses significant electricity. Depending on where you live and the local cost of electricity, you can expect to pay $10 – $30 per month during the pool season to run your pump.
The model and style of pump affects this cost too since a variable or dual speed pump can lower your costs. The more water you have (ie. the bigger the pool) the more it’ll cost.
Of course it also depends on how long you run your pump each day. A pool pump doesn’t need to be run 24/7 as most pool owners will discover. While hotter weather and increased pool usage increases pump run time, the need to operate your pump for around 8 – 10 hours per day is fairly standard and will suffice for most people.
If you live in an area that has time of use where you pay more money during certain times of the day for electricity, try to schedule your pump run time during off peak hours where possible, too. See what works for you as your pool might not need the pump running as long as you think.
Replace your one speed pump with a variable speed model
Eventually your pool pump will need replacement. When that time comes, look at a variable speed model which runs at different speeds rather than just one speed as older style pumps do.
What’s the benefit?
You can (for example) keep your pool pump running 24/7 at a low speed to continuously pump and filter water while also producing chlorine rather than shutting the pump on and off. You might find that you spend less on electricity running the pump longer but because it’s on a lower speed, it uses less energy.
Plus your water may end up cleaner since it’s constantly being filtered around the clock.
Use a solar blanket
Research has shown that a solar blanket can reduce water evaporation by up to 95% which saves you money and time involved to refill a pool. You may be surprised at the amount of water lost due to evaporation in a pool but it’s noticeable in very hot weather and can easily amount to several hundred gallons each week in hot environments.
A solar blanket also blocks the UV of the sun from hitting the water which kills chlorine and adds to your chemical costs.
Additionally, the solar blanket will of course help your pool water retain heat which can lower your heating costs if you employ the use of a pool heater. While you can use a solar blanket during the day, don’t leave it on for more than a day or so as algae can start to grow if the cover is kept on too long.
Don’t drain water unnecessarily
While your water level can get too high after a large rain storm, you should be careful before draining the water especially if you are generally having to add water due to evaporation, splashing, backwashing, etc.
If your water level does get too high and needs to be lowered and you have a filter that requires backwashing, you might as well as use the opportunity to do a quick backwash and kill two birds with one stone: You empty water out as needed while also washing the filtration system.
If you do need to drop the water level, keep an eye on the pool as it’s being drained and don’t let too much get out.
Use the proper pool equipment
When building your pool or replacing parts, ensure you choose the right size for each. Getting a pump that is too small will mean it has to be run more than it should be which increases your electricity costs and wear on the pump. If you pick a pump that is too big for your pool size, it’s a waste of money as well.
Same goes with a filtration system and pool heater. They need to match your pool specifics.
For a salt water pool, getting the proper salt chlorination system is also key. Aim for a system that has a capacity that is 1.5x – 2x your pool size in terms of water volume. Salt chlorinators are rated at 15,000 gallons, 25,000 gallons etc but this is measured assuming you are running your pump 24/7 which of course most people don’t.
Properly size each aspect of your pool and ensure it fits your pool size and volume.
Switch to a cartridge filter
If you use a sand filter or DE filter that requires backwashing, this means every few weeks during the pool season you will drain several hundred gallons of water to wash the contaminants and debris from your filtration system. Not only do you then need to refill your pool with water ($), you may also need to add salt ($$) and chemicals ($$$$) to make up for what was lost when you backwashed it.
A cartridge filter uses round pleated filtration cartridges that just need to be hosed off once or twice during the season and that’s about it. It’s far easier and less maintenance than a system that involves backwashing like a sand filter which additionally needs the sand replaced every few years.
While a DE filter is the best current system on the market in terms of being able to filter out small particles, it’s more expensive to buy than a cartridge filter which filters the second smallest size particles. But the cartridge filter doesn’t require backwashing and needs less ongoing maintenance.
If you do have a filtration system that requires backwashing, only backwash when needed. Unless your model says otherwise, it’s typically when the pressure gauge reads 8 psi – 10 psi over normal.
Learn how to manage your pool yourself
The more you can manage your salt water pool yourself, the less it’ll cost you. Other than having to pay a pool company to open and close your pool, the more you rely on them to sort out water chemistry issues and other problems, the more chemicals you’ll inevitably end up buying from them. When you can troubleshoot things on your own, you’ll solve the problem quicker and cheaper.
While you might want to pay a pool company to continue to open and close your pool and handle repairs that you can’t do yourself, the more you learn about taking care of your pool, the less it will cost.
You’ll also figure out over time certain quirks that your pool has that perhaps your neighbor’s pool doesn’t. The more you learn about your pool and can do yourself, the more money you’ll save in the long run.
Use substitute products over certain chemicals where possible
Baking soda can be bought in bulk and used to raise the alkalinity in your pool rather than using a more expensive commercial chemical:
Expect to pay $20 for a 16 lbs bucket of commercial alkalinity increaser whereas you can find a 15 lbs bag of Arm & Hammer baking soda for $8. So the package sizes are slightly different but you’re paying $1.25 per pound of commercial alkalinity increaser and $0.53 per pound for the baking soda.
Salt Water Pool Report
You can also use vinegar for pool step stains, lemon juice for cleaning and vitamin C tablets for stains, among others household products you may already have around the house.
These products tend to be cheaper and are often the main ingredient in some of the products you’re replacing, just at a lower cost to you.
Buy pool chemicals in bulk when possible
There’s a saying I recall reading regarding various protein and weight gain products used by gym goers that come in buckets: The bigger the bucket, the bigger the scam.
This doesn’t hold true with pool products though. The smaller the container, the more you’ll pay per unit. If you’re going to need chlorine as a shock in your salt water pool, you might as well buy the large bucket rather than the small sachets of shock because over time it’ll cost less per unit ie. per ounce, per gram.
Whatever chemicals you need to buy, the bigger the container (within reason) will generally cost you less over time when you consider the per unit cost.
Use salt that suits your chlorination system
While you can use actual pool salt, it’s tends to be double the price of regular pellet salt made for a water softener. You can save some money by sticking with regular water softener salt pellets. Stay away from rock salt that is multi-colored and stick with white pellets.
While pool salt is crystalized and does dissolve quicker than pellets, it also costs more and I’m not sure there is an advantage. If you’re looking at saving a bit of money with nothing lost, regular water softener salt does the trick.