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With Ottawa experiencing moderate drought conditions this summer, being water wise is as important as ever. As a pool owner, it is essential that you practice water conservation techniques to help the planet…and your wallet. With these few easy steps, you can enjoy all a backyard pool has to offer and do your part to help the environment at the same time:
Use Pool Covers
This may seem like a no-brainer, but try to cover your pool regularly. A good pool cover / solar blanket can drastically reduce the amount of water that evaporates. When your pool water is left uncovered day in and day out during those hot summer days and nights, it can rapidly deplete your water levels, forcing you to refill it frequently. This is especially noticeable when the pool temperature is higher than the air temperature; you can literally see tens of litres of water evaporating off the surface like steam. In addition, as water evaporates from the pool, it cools the pool down. Slowing down evaporation also helps keep the heat in the pool!
You can use the traditional bubble solar cover, of course. In addition, there are products like Cover Free, a liquid formula that is added to your pool, distributing a super-thin layer to the surface and dramatically reducing evaporative water loss. Finally, a safety cover also reduces evaporation, particularly the new models that feature up to 99% UV shielding.
Try to be diligent about covering your pool when it’s not being used. It’s a simple task that can save a whole lot of water. The same applies for your hot tub. If it’s not being used, cover it up. Do be sure to periodically (2 to3 times a week) crack open the cover for a half hour or so to let the pool breathe and off gas. Make sure your pool cover is in good condition and repair any rips or tears, all straps are working etc.
Cartridge Filters
Talk to a Purewater pool expert to find out if a cartridge filter makes sense for your pool. Cartridges use a lot less water than traditional filters because they don’t require a backwash process, so they also save a small fortune in chemicals and minerals that get backwashed out when you clean your sand filter. You can get filters that will last virtually an entire season before needing to be maintained. It’s a win-win for you and conserving water. When it comes to backwashing, do longer washes (3 to 5 minutes) but less often. Too frequent backwashing places undue stress on your filter and wastes chemicals and water.
Fix Pool Leaks
If you’re noticing the levels of your pool consistently dropping, then you could have a significant leak to deal with. Don’t ignore these signs. Look along the steps, pool lights and skimmers and get it dealt with immediately to avoid any further loss of water. Learn more about our leak detection and repair services.
Wind and Heat
Use the surrounding areas of the pool to plant hedges, trees or a fence to prevent that wind from depleting your water level and your heat. That way you won’t need to crank up the temperature as much or keep refilling it.
If you’re a pool owner, there’s no need to feel guilty when it comes to water usage. You can easily jump on the conservation wagon by incorporating some of these simple steps that can add up to some pretty hefty results. So follow these tips and put your conscience at ease.
