Salt water Pools and other “green” ideas for your Palm Springs pool
Sunday, July 18th, 2010
Swimming pools in Palm Springs are a fact of every day life here in the desert. Lately, more and more homeowners are converting over or installing “Salt-water” pools. Below is an article that describes “saltwater pools” as well as other “green” ideas for your own swimming pool:
SmartMoney Magazine by Joan R. Magee (Author Archive)
Green Pools Make a Splash
It started with cans and bottles, evolved to include bamboo flooring and nontoxic paints, and now the latest focus of the eco-friendly movement is…swimming pools. Installations of in-ground residential pools have dropped by double digits in each of the past three years, according the Association of Pool & Spa Professionals, but installers say there’s one bright spot in the market—sales of green pool equipment. Some of the options:
Swap for Salt
Saline pools, which are about 10 percent as salty as seawater, have become increasingly popular with people looking to minimize chlorine use. Chlorine is still present—it’s created when the saltwater passes through a salt chlorine generator—but pool owners don’t have to buy or handle it. Proponents of salt pools also say the water smells better and is easier on eyes and skin, not to mention wallets. With salt costing $2 to $10 a month, a saline system is cheaper to maintain than a standard chlorine system. One downside: Some owners report corrosion of nearby decks or furniture.
Cut Chemicals
Looking to reduce chlorine even further? Some pool owners are turning to ultraviolet light filters, which reportedly help shrink a pool’s chemical content by about 70 percent. These systems work by filtering the water through a chamber that kills organic matter by blasting it with powerful UV light. But the special bulbs, which cost as much as $400 apiece, must be replaced every couple of years. A slightly more affordable option is Zodiac Pool Systems’ Nature2 CF, a $102 cartridge that can be dropped into a standard pool filter and cleans the water using minerals; each cartridge lasts about four months.
Save Your Energy
Of course, going green isn’t just about what’s in the water. A variable-flow circulation pump, which filters more slowly than most, uses about six times less electricity and saves up to $500 a year, says Dana Anderson, president of Oregon-based Anderson Poolworks. Using sun power can also help conserve; solar pool covers reflect rays and minimize evaporation, while solar heating systems all but eliminate power bills. They’re not cheap: The heaters start at about $3,000. But according to the U.S. Department of Energy, they can pay for themselves in as little as two years and typically last 10 or more.
Read more: Green Pools Make a Splash – Spending – For the Home – SmartMoney.com http://www.smartmoney.com/spending/for-the-home/green-pools-make-a-splash/#ixzz0u4lvVyzV
