How Long Should You Run Your Pool Pump?
5 Tips for Running Your Pool Pump
If you own a pool, you’re probably wondering, “When should I run my pool pump and for how long?” The answer to that question is simpler than you might expect! All that you need to do is divide the number of gallons in your pool by the number of gallons your pump filters per hour. However, there are some situations when you may need to run your filter longer. Here’s what you need to know.
1. You Need to Consider the Environmental Conditions
High winds are likely to cause a significant amount of twigs, leaves, and other forms of debris to fall into your pool. In addition, heavy rainfall is an important factor to consider if you’re wondering how long to run a pool pump. This is because debris from trees can accumulate in a pool during a heavy rainstorm.
Furthermore, your pool’s location plays a role in the length of time that you’ll need to run your filter. If your pool is located near trees, it’s best to increase the amount of time that you run your filter slightly. So, what you may be wondering is, “When should I run my pool pump if twigs have built up in it?” The answer to that question is that you should run the filter immediately after removing the pieces of large debris with a net.
2. Examine the Pool for Debris
Even if the weather conditions have been calm, it’s still important to check the pool for debris. If you notice a lot of loose leaves and twigs floating around in your pool, it’s best to run the filter for significantly longer than you would otherwise. If there seems to be an exceptionally large amount of debris, you could even run your filter for twice as long as you would normally.
3. Check the Filtration System Periodically
It’s important to ensure that your filtration system works properly. This will allow you to know that your pump is running at full capacity. Here are a few things that you need to check:
- Ensure that all lines are free of debris and clogs.
- Always check to make sure that debris doesn’t seem to be circling around in the pool.
- Check to make sure that you feel water coming out of the jet, and make sure that it feels just as forceful as usual.
4. Consider Your Past Routine When Determining the Best Time to Run Your Pool Pump
It’s important to keep track of how various factors impacted the pumping time in the past. In most cases, the amount of time that was effective in the past will continue to be effective throughout the lifespan of your filter. If you’re wondering, “Can I run my pool pump every other day?” the answer to that question is that it depends on the circumstances.
If the pool is covered and debris cannot get into it for most of the day, you can usually run your filter every other day without any issues. Also, it’s important to note that the best time to run your filter depends on when you’re using your pool. In other words, run the filter right after you use your pool. Keep in mind that what worked this year is almost certainly going to work next year as well.
5. Consider the Chemical Analysis of Your Pool
Unusually low levels of chlorine can be an indication that contamination could have begun to take hold, which means that you should run your filter for significantly longer. Some pool owners may even choose to double the run time of the filter.
Pool Pump Run Time Conclusion
Even if you’ve noticed a filter left on too long at some point or are wondering about the consequences of not running the filter long enough, you can rest assured that it’s possible to prevent the effects of improper filtration before they become serious.
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