Saving Money with Variable Speed Pumps

We can all agree, operating a pool or spa can be expensive. However, the equipment chosen for this task can greatly reduce these costs. The most energy-consuming, therefore the mose costly, piece of equipment to operate will be your pump. The pump is responsible for water filtration, water features (waterfalls, slides, fountains), and for pool cleaning.

Now, you may be tempted to install a single-speed pump as they cost less initially. Although, over time, the variable-speed pump will use less energy proving it to be the more cost-effective option. A well-designed variable-speed pump can reduce the energy costs of running a swimming pool by up to 90%. Historically, pool pumps with motors that run at only one or two speeds have drawn more energy than is required to circulate pool water. This is because a pump that only runs at one speed must be powerful enough to do the pump's most demanding job (eg. running a waterfall or pool cleaner). However, it takes far less power to simply keep water filtered. Variable speed pumps can be programmed at set speeds for each task they perform.

For an example of the cost savings: "if a pool uses a single-speed pump, it may cost $900 per year to run that pump. After five years, the owners will have spent $4500 running that pump. Meanwhile, in a well-designed system with a variable-speed pump, the comparable operational costs may be as little as $200 per year. So at the end of five years, the dollars spent running the pump will be about $1000, less than 1/4 what would have been spent running the old single-speed pump. The cost savings continue to multiply the longer the new pump is used."

Basically, the initial cost of a variable-speed pump can easily be recovered in just 2 years, making it the most cost-saving choice.