Pumps, Motors, and Piping, oh my! The daunting task of Pool Pumps and it’s components have never felt so confusing. Here you thought Dorothy and her companions were having a tough time walking through the forest on their way to the Emerald City.
Which pump should I buy?
How big should it be?
How many GPM’s. (Gallons Per Minute)?
What diameter piping, 1-1/2” or 2”?
One article talks about the gallons per minute divided by the volume of the pool. The other article wants to know what is the ‘feet of head’ of your system? Feet of Head = Total Dynamic Head (TDH). What the heck is that?
The Pool Man feels your pain. The more you read, and the more you research, the more confusing it gets, till it all starts to swirl around in your brain and gives you a ‘brain freeze’. That temporary headache you get from eating too much ice cream too fast. We know the feeling.
If you are in the Lower Keys- Big Pine on down to Key West- The Pool Man will provide you with clear explanations for all of your pool related questions.
Now, if you are the intrepid sort who likes a good challenge, then you are going to want to stick around a quick schooling on what you need to know about owning and replacing pool pumps in the Florida Keys.
1. There are Regulations on Pump Size
First of all, there are regulations in Florida for calculating your pump size that are based on reducing energy use. Which if you think about how many pools and spas there are in the entire state means quite a lot of electricity going down the wires.
Meanwhile you can benefit personally from this kind of thinking by upgrading your pump to take advantage of significant savings over the coming years.
Here’s how it goes: One complete recirculation of the volume of water in your pool should not take less than 6 Hours. It’s that simple.
Well there’s other stuff, too, and if you are super curious you can read a short article put together by the Florida Swimming Pool Association. This article goes into detail about all the factors to consider when designing, upgrading or maintaining your pool and/or spa.
2. Some Pumps Are Better Than Others
Regarding the question of pump size and style, there are a lot of choices. I know! Have you googled ‘pool pumps’ lately? You can take my word for it; There are a lot to choose from.
But if you want to simplify the process The Pool Man recommends a variable speed pump.
What do we mean by a variable speed pump? Why is a variable speed pump the best choice?
Simply put, a variable speed pump has a controller that can change the speed of the motor. When you change the speed of the motor, you change the flow rate or gallons per minute.
3. Make Your Pool Pump Work for You
Not only can you change the speed of the motor, you can also control the time when the speed changes occur. This function will enable you can get your pump to do the bulk of recirculation at off peak hours when the electricity rate is lower.
You can read more about off peak electrical use from Florida Power & Light (FPL) here.
Your ultimate goal will be to operate your pump at the slowest possible speed that keeps your pool up to the standard of cleanliness that you desire.
Do you have a solar system for heating your pool water? Well, during peak solar time you set the pump to increase circulation to take advantage of all that heat.
Many pool owners use the high speed setting for cleaning the pool, or if they are using a salt chlorine generator, or for water features like waterfalls. With a variable speed pump, you can tinker with the speed settings until you find the right speed for your pool and it’s features, as well as your pocket.
Bottom line, saving energy is like money in the bank. Money that you use for other things in your life. Who doesn’t like saving money?
4. Save the Guess Work and Hire a Pro
But all these factors to consider, that’s a lot to think about. Here at The Pool Man of Key West, we are all certified pool operators willing to help you make the best decision regarding your pool maintenance and repair needs.
Yes, we are more than just a pool cleaning service. The Pool Man is a completely diversified pool service company. We can handle any pool related task you want us to do.
The Pool Man is now under new management. We are on a single-minded quest to provide the best and most professional pool maintenance service possible in the Lower Keys. Get to know more about us here.
The Pool Man services from Sunset Key and Key West to Big Pine. We take the guess work out of system repair, upgrades and installations.
Call us today!
