Make sure you spend enough time on your swimming pool plans and identify the right equipment to purchase. If your swimming pool plan is badly put together, the facility will not run smoothly and you will not enjoy using the pool. Bargain basement products should be avoided, because lower upfront costs might end up being a bad decision over the long term. Certain items of equipment like filters are compulsory, while other items like heat pumps are optional. Here’s some of the equipment that should feature in your pool designs.

The pump and filter combination in your swimming pool is important, because this controls water circulation and filtration. Whether you opt for a multiple speed or one speed pump; or a cartridge, sand or DE (Diatomaceous Earth) filter, the pump and filter should be compatible. To gauge their capacities, you need to factor in the amount of water in your pool. In addition, you should measure the pipes appropriately. Your swimming pool contractor will carry out these calculations, so you can select the right sized equipment for your purposes.

Some animals don’t mind swimming when the water is cold, however most humans do. For this reason, homeowners often decide to purchase a pool heater — especially if they own a spa as well. Based on where you are located, a heater can prolong the swimming season into the autumn.

Pool Heaters

There are three main types of pool heaters: solar systems, gas heaters and heat pumps. Each provides specific benefits for energy efficiency and performance. Solar systems are the best type of heating system for the environment. These systems are ideal for people who live in sunny climates — particularly if the local energy rates are costly. Solar is most suitable for people who do not need their pools or spas heated quickly. While solar prices have dropped over time, the systems still have notable installation and purchase costs. Nonetheless, you will recoup the money you spend eventually, because your pool will be warm and ready to use with no further heating bills.

Heat pumps are electrically powered and function by transferring warm outdoor air to the swimming pool to increase water temperature. These pumps are not cheap, however they are a wise option for people who live in some locations. They might be suitable if the swimming pool is used throughout the year, and the water temperature needs to be kept constant. Although heat pumps maintain the temperature efficiently, they are like solar in that they take a while to reach high temperatures. If your pool needs to be  ready to swim in the next day, you will have to use a different heating method. The same is true if you want to use your spa at short notice.

Gas heaters are the most commonly used heaters for residential pools. These systems depend on natural gas, with some units designed for propane use. Heaters powered by gas come in various sizes, depending on the quantity of heat they generate. BTUs (British Thermal Units) are the unit of measurement for output. The majority of swimming pools have heaters that measure 400,000 to 150,000 BTUs.

Pool Chemicals

The water in your swimming pool must be treated, so it stays hygienic and clean. The PH (Potential Hydrogen), total hardness and total alkalinity has to remain at a specific level to allow chlorine to gill germs. Also, this enables you to prevent issues with scaling, corrosion, biofilm formation or green water. A salt chlorinator system maintains the quality of your water and puts your mind at ease. It stops problems with pool products from occurring and eliminates green water, which might require your pool to be emptied. This system works automatically round the clock to protect your pool.

Pool Cleaning

As time passes, your swimming pool will gather debris and dirt at the bottom, so you will have to clean it with a vacuum. You can do this yourself using a pool vacuum hose, telescopic pole and vacuum head. When carrying out pool maintenance and cleaning, it is sensible to monitor the filter gauge to check the pressure. If the pressure is unusually high, it means that the pool has gathered debris and requires backwashing. This can be done using a backwashing hose and multiport valve to cleanse the filter and return it to its correct operating pressure.

Pool Filters

Filters have an important part to play in pool cleanliness, because they remove debris and dirt from the water. When water passes through filters, the material or ‘media’ inside them blocks the debris and dirt. Cartridge filters have cylindrical tubes of pleated fabric material inside storage tanks. Every cartridge, or tube, uses 175  to fifty square feet of material. These filters place little stress on the pump motor, because they don’t use much power. The pleated material permits more water to flow through every hour, so it doesn’t take long to filter the whole pool.

DE (Diatomaceous Earth) material consists of the fossilized remains of marine life. This soft sediment breaks down into a thin powder, similar to talcum powder. This material covers a section of grids inside a swimming pool filter. DE filters can block the tiniest of particles, however they need a lot of maintenance as well. Every time a DE filter is cleaned, new powder has to be purchased to fill up the grids.

Sand filters are the original type of swimming pool filters. They capture particles of dirt from the water flowing through their tanks using fine silica sand. Often, water struggles to pass through these filters. Consequently, sand filters place the highest demand on pool pumps and water takes longer to circulate during pool filtration.

Remember that it might cost more initially to buy energy efficient pool equipment. However, this equipment should feature in your swimming pool plans, because it allows you to maintain your pool cheaply during the year. Generally speaking, pool designs that embrace energy efficiency soon pay for themselves over the long term, due to the lower annual costs. Take care of the environment by opting for an eco friendly swimming pool plan that saves you money.