New developments in eco-friendly pumps
Following the COP21, and the enhanced environmental awareness and boom in organic product sales, ecology has now become more than a trend, and the pool sector is no exception. Today, consumers are looking for efficient and environmentally friendly services rather than budget prices because they know that in the long term, they will be doing a good deed for the planet and their wallet.
Filtration pumps are pools’ lungs: as the water passes through them, impurities and polluting particles are filtered out. There are many different types of pump, some of them being energy-greedy. In order to choose the most appropriate pump and to reduce costs, there are different solutions, including some that are eco-friendly.
Pumps: several alternatives
There are three main types of pump on the market. Centrifugal pumps firstly, which have the advantage of being cheaper and more compact than other pumps. They use centrifugal force and a rotational movement to draw the water out of the pool and then discharge it back in. Then, there are submersible pumps, which are very popular with natural pool owners: they can be used to pump water from rainwater tanks and create oxygenation movements. Lastly, self-priming pumps are fitted in most private pools.
Choosing the right pump
To choose the pump that is best suited to your pool, you must first assess its discharge and its power depending on the water volume, the distance separating the pump from the pool, etc. But on top of these calculations, you must think about the impact that this pump will have on its environment. Noise pollution can for example be a constraint if there are housing units in the immediate vicinity. You also need to look at the pump’s power consumption in order to avoid unpleasant surprises when the electricity bill comes in! If they are not configured properly or consume a lot of energy, certain pumps can be financially draining.
An eco-friendly alternative: solar-powered pumps
Among the eco-friendly solutions available, solar-powered pumps are the most popular. They operate in the same as standard pumps, but are connected to photovoltaic panels. They have many advantages: they are very silent, their service life is longer than a standard pump, and – of course – they provide considerable energy savings. They are self-sufficient so they do not contribute to the pool owner’s electricity bill. Installing this kind of system is a real investment (budget to be considered: between €2000 and €3000, to which the cost of the photovoltaic panels must be added) but it soon pays for itself.
Energy costs represent one of the main costs for pool owners, along with the cost of purchasing maintenance products such as bromine or chlorine tablets. In a context where environmental concerns are becoming increasingly important, eco-friendly pumps are low-cost solutions in addition to being environmentally friendly, for “greener” pools that remain just as blue!
