Pool equipment and energy
Run the pump long enough, not longer, and size a heater that can actually keep up.
After chemicals, electricity is the biggest ongoing cost of owning a pool. The pump is usually the largest single load, and an oversized single-speed pump running all day can cost more than every chemical you buy. Heaters are the other big decision: an undersized heat pump never catches up in cool weather, and an oversized one costs more up front than it needs to.
Start with these tools
- Pump run time calculatorWork out how many hours your pump needs each day to filter all your water, from your pool size and flow rate.
- Pump energy cost calculatorSee what your pump costs to run each month and season, and what a variable-speed pump at lower speed could save.
- Heat pump sizing calculatorEstimate the heater output (BTU/h) your pool needs from its surface area and climate, using the Department of Energy's sizing rule, plus how long and how much it costs to heat up.