The rule of thumb is generally 8 hours, although it could be anywhere from 6-12 hours, depending on your pool's size. Each pool is unique, so to keep your pool pump efficient and effective, you need to figure out exactly what your pool's turnover rate is.
Every pool must turn over at least once a day, so most pool pumps should run approximately 8 hours a day. But here's the thing: you don't have to run your pool pump consecutively. You can choose to run it for three hours in the morning before you leave for work and another 5 hours in the evening.
Although it's generally recommended that all the pool water undergo filtration every 24 hours, the pump does not need to run all the time. A proactive, productive and energy-saving maintenance activity is to remove the debris floating on the pool surface with a hand-held skimmer.
It's best to run your pool pump during the day
Not only does sunlight give fuel for algae to grow, it also destroys your pool chlorine and this is why you should always run your pool during the day!
There is no problem with running your pool filter overnight. If you choose to run it 24 hours a day, your pool will have much better maintenance, but be advised, the constant running can result in an increased electricity bill. To avoid this, run it for around 8-12 hours a day instead.
One of the most significant consumers of energy in homes with swimming pools are pool pumps, which keep pools clean by circulating water through filters. Pool pumps can consume 3,000 to over 5,000 kWh per year.
The rule of thumb is generally 8 hours, although it could be anywhere from 6-12 hours, depending on your pool's size. Each pool is unique, so to keep your pool pump efficient and effective, you need to figure out exactly what your pool's turnover rate is.
If your pool pump manufacturer has declared your pump is rain safe, you can leave it on in rainfall. Nevertheless, during a thunderstorm, it is highly recommended that you switch off and unplug your pool pump to prevent any costly and irreversible damages to your pool equipment.
You cannot run your pool pump every other day because the standing water can pose a health risk as it can quickly accumulate bacteria and fungi. It is crucial to run the pump every day for 8 hours (in one or multiple sessions), so the entirety of the pool's contents run through the filter once.
Depending on the size of your pool, we still recommend you run your pump run at least 4-6 hours a day during the fall and winter months. The daily cycle can be divided into multiple cycles, but each cycle should be no shorter than 4 hours, for all the water to pass through the filter at least once.
Even if you have your pool covered, some debris may still get in it during the winter. For this reason, you should consider running your pump on occasion whenever the outdoor temperature is between 35 and 65 degrees. Around four to six hours should be sufficient to remove debris and help promote good circulation.
The size of your pool, the efficiency of your pump and filter, and how dirty your pool is are just some of the factors you need to consider. Nevertheless, most pool cleaning professionals would advise against running a pool pump for more than 8 hours a day.
Keep the pump and filter on while you are away.
Set it before you leave to ensure the pool filter system will run at least 8 to 12 hours per day.
Shock is liquid or granular chlorine. You should add one gallon (or one pound) of shock per 10,000 gallons of pool water every week to two weeks. During hot weather or frequent use, you may need to shock more frequently.
Running your filter after shocking your pool is a must and is just as important to your pool as shocking it is. Be sure to run your filter for at least 6 hours, but shoot for 24 hours to several days, if your pool is particularly dirty or has algae, to properly circulate the chlorine and clean the water.
Heat transfer efficiency is higher with higher flow rates. However, you have to look at total efficiency and cost. It may be worth the extra heat loss to run the pump at lower speeds.
Low flow = poor circulation which will lead to algae in the pool. Bottom line, the filter must be backwashed on a regular basis to ensure that your pool water is clear. "When do we need to backwash?" - It is recommended to backwash your filter once every 4-6 weeks of regular use.
It may be cheaper to run the pump at night, but honestly you should run it 1 hour a day per 10 degrees of temperature at least, and it should be during the day. Running the pump at night should only be when you are doing a major chemical treatment such as algae clean-up.
If you have a typical rainfall, or even several inches, your pool should be fine, since drains and skimmers are designed to remove the excess water. In most cases, your pool can even handle rain from most tropical depressions and hurricanes.
Rainfall dilutes pool chemistry levels and lowers the readings for pH, alkalinity, hardness, stabilizer, and chlorine. Rainfall does not contain chlorine. As well, rainfall brings with it small amounts of contaminants that are washed into the pool.
Shocking your pool isn't necessary, although, it's not a bad idea either. If you get an extremely heavy rain fall, you could shock your pool for good measure. This will help fight off any contaminants that the rain may have brought to your pool.
Most pool professionals agree that the water level in both in-ground and above-ground pools should be at the midpoint of the pool skimmer.
Take daily cost and multiply by how many days per year you operate your pump. $2.91 cost per day x 365 days = $1,062.15 per year to operate your 1-½ HP pool pump.