Being Environmentally Conscious About Your Pool or Hot Tub

You can still enjoy the comforts of a hot tub or pool even if you’re trying to be eco-friendly. However, water features do use a lot of water, require a lot of energy to maintain, and often require harmful chemicals for their upkeep. But don’t worry! There are solutions that allow you to help the environment without sacrificing your relaxation time. Here are some of the ways that you can go about creating an eco-friendly place to relax in the water.

Examine Energy Usage

How much you use your pool or hot tub will dictate how much energy will be required to sustain it. There are solar options that you can invest in to heat either your pool or your hot tub. This is a more efficient option than installing an electric heater. Upgrading your pump to one that’s more energy-efficient can also help to save on your energy usage. A variable speed pump also tends to be more energy efficient because it doesn’t have to be all or nothing when it’s on.

Eliminate Chlorine

Chlorine is bad for the environment and can cause your skin to become dried out. This definitely doesn’t lend well to you looking forward to being able to relax in the water. Invest in an oxidation chemical that will keep your pool or hot tub clean without all of the harsh agents. You can use basic household cleaners, such as baking soda, vinegar, and lemon juice to keep your pool clean if scum starts to get built up on the surfaces.

Purchase a Cover

Don’t underestimate the value of a good cover. The point of the cover is to prevent material from the outside from getting into the water. This keeps your water feature cleaner, which lets you pump and clean it less. Some covers are better insulated than others. This will eliminate the need for your heater to run as much when your pool or hot tub isn’t in use. It also eliminates evaporation that can occur so that you aren’t constantly refilling the water level. This is especially important as the places where pools get the most use are hot, arid regions like Arizona or Southern California. Keep your pool and hot tubs covered any time you are not using them. Keeping your pool ‘closed’ and covered for a few extra weeks every year can save hundreds of gallons, so consider holding off on pool season!

Invest in Alternatives

There are alternatives to both standard pool and hot tub setups for the summer. Saltwater pools and natural pools are alternatives to standard chlorine set-ups. They can use aquatic plants native to their area and be a part of the local ecosystem while providing summer relaxation and coolness. The installation tends to be more costly, but these costs will be made back in the long run as you’ll spend less on electricity and non-pressurized pumping. Another option when it comes to a hot tub is to purchase a wood-fired one. This will allow you to heat the hot tub when you want to use it without wasting energy maintaining the temperature all of the time.

Wood heats the water at a faster rate than a standard electric heater. This means that the water can be at the perfect temperature within minutes without being a drain on your energy resources for the rest of the time. Cedar hot tubs and other options let you take advantage of a natural construction and the outdoors at the same time. You have options when it comes to being able to relax in the water and still maintain your eco-friendly status. Use these ideas in order to create an environmentally conscious water relaxation setting. You don’t have to completely give up on taking advantage of a pool or hot tub to care for the environment.