Depending upon your perspective a swimming pool in your home can be either a luxury or a necessity. As we lose potable water to waste and pollution it becomes more important than ever that you maintain your pool in the greenest manner possible.
The good news is, there are lots of great ways to make your pool ‘green’.
- Check For Leaks.
This may seem obvious but it’s a great first step. Swimming pools can develop leaks over the years from general wear and tear. These leaks slowly drain your pool of precious water and can go unnoticed for long periods of time.
Visually inspect your pool and fix any weak spots. Measure the water depth regularly. A difference of even a quarter to half an inch could indicate a leak. Check the surrounding area for any damp or soft spots that could indicate excess water leaking from your pool.
- Install Pool Covers
Evaporation is a huge source of water loss for a swimming pool. It is estimated that approximately 7,000 gallons of water is lost from a medium sized swimming pool annually. Wow!
A swimming pool cover is a relatively small investment when you consider the water you’ll save. It will also help keep debrie from collecting in the pool. A swimming pool cover is also a good idea if you have small children around the house – it can act as a safety net of sorts (although nothing can replace a watchful eye.)
- Lower The Pool Temperature
Turn the heat down…or off completely. Not only will you save money on heating costs but you will reduce your carbon footprint at the same time. A swimming pool is all about cooling off on a hot summer day, right? So isn’t it more refreshing to dive into a nice cool swimming pool than a warm one? Besides cool water is better for your hot skin.
If heat is absolutely necessary then consider a swimming pool cover that collects heat from the sun and transfers it to the water.
- Avoid Pool Chemicals
I realize you can’t get ride of the chemicals completely but you can reduce them or change your sanitizing methods. Chlorine is hard on the environment and well as bad for the respiratory health of small children. Consider using salt, copper ionization or ultraviolet sanitization systems as a greener alternative.
If you are one of the lucky people that own a swimming pool I sincerely hope you enjoy it. The important thing is to remember to include your swimming pool in your overall family, green plan.
If you are just thinking about installing a swimming pool consider all your options. You could step away from the traditional swimming pool and install a unique, natural swimming pool. A natural pool would use rocks and water plants as a natural filtration system. Think outside the box – it’s an option.
Here is a link to a great, affordable ebook called Swimming Pool Maintenance Secrets that can help you better manage your swimming pool.