Many of us have our pool covered for a variety of reasons. It may be Winter and we have closed our swimming pools. We may have a safety cover to help prevent drowning. We may have a solar cover to increase our water’s temperature. Whatever the reason, can we run our pumps?
The answer is YES! The pool cover does not interfere with the functionality of the equipment. It is on, or above, the surface of the water and has no bearing on our need for proper circulation.
Proper Circulation
Proper circulation is key to a clean and safe swimming pool. The pool pump is like the heart of the swimming pool. It pushes the water through our various pieces of equipment including the pool filter. The pool filter is where dirt and debris will get captured. Running the pump makes the chemicals mix and therefore more efficient. These things help keep our swimming pool algae free, beautiful, and most importantly, safe.
Make sure your filter is clean and that you are running your pool pump the appropriate amount of time, on the correct RPMs,If you have a variable speed pump. This will accomplish what is known as a turnover. A turnover is where the amount of water that is in your swimming pool passes through your pool filter. We typically shoot for one time a day.
Still don’t have a variable speed pump because you think you can’t afford it? Think again. The American made, household name of BLACK + DECKER has loaned their expertise and quality to the swimming pool industry. They are half the price of pumps you would find at your local pool store and come with an unprecedented FIVE year warranty. Check them out here.
Solar Covers
Solar covers are thick pieces of plastic with bubbles on one side that floats on your swimming pool’s surface. They not only keep heat in, but help pull heat from the sun’s rays. If you have a heater you should also have a solar cover as you lose most of your heat off of the surface of the water. The bubbles go facing down to heat the pool and up to cool the pool. They come in a variety of sizes and can be cut to fit your swimming pool. They kind of look like bubble wrap you would see in a package.
Solar covers can heat your pool in as little as six hours. With three days of sunlight, you may experience an increase in temperature of 10-15 degrees. To get the maximum benefit of your solar cover, you’ll want to cover your entire pool. This means extra diligence in water chemistry to prevent algae. It also means proper circulation, you guessed it, from running your pool pump.
Safety Covers
There are so many varieties of safety covers. The most common are a solid piece of fabric that is tension held by hooks being drilled into your pool deck. These are not something you can easily pop on and off. Technology is advancing with safety covers. They even make retractable ones. Keep in mind, the fancier you go, the more expensive they are. It’s tough to put a price limit on these potential life saving devices. A properly installed safety cover can support someone walking on it so it prevents people from falling into the water. They are especially great if you have small children, pets or care for an elderly family member. Please continue to run your swimming pool pump as normal, even when the cover is on.
Winter Covers
These are used in areas that get colder temperatures. They are typically put on at the end of the swimming season as we winterize our pools. They stay on all Winter to keep dirt and debris out of the water. If you winterize your equipment and store it, you obviously will not be running your pump. If you do not, then please continue to circulate your water. You can run your pump significantly less during these cold months, which saves you on power.
Don’t forget to invest in a good cover pump to remove the water build up on the surface of your cover. BLACK + DECKER also makes awesome cover pumps that are easy to use and affordable. Check them out here.
See you poolside!
Related articles:
