The Ten Minute Activist
Easy Ways to Take Back the Planet
The Do's and Don'ts of Swimming Pools
It's summertime, which means it's time to jump in the water. Pools are great fun and fantastic exercise, especially for people with injuries. But pools and spas are a major downer when it comes to energy and freshwater usage. Heating water is one of the biggest energy drains in our homes, so imagine heating ten thousand gallons a day!
If you're the lucky duck with the pool or spa on your block, be sure to follow a few energy-saving tips. Get a well-fitted cover to save up to 50 to 70 percent on heating costs. There are also solar covers, which save even more energy. Plus, pool covers reduce water and chemical evaporation. If you rent, badger your landlord to use a pool cover.
Also ask a pool technician about the minimum number of hours your pool's automatic pool sweeping and filtering equipment needs to run. Then set the equipment to run only as much as needed. You can also save energy by doing annual checks of the equipment, including checking the thermostat and de-liming the heat exchanger.
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