SPAIN – Energy prices are skyrocketing in Spain – and elsewhere. One after another record is broken. It is not clear whether this will come to an end soon. The macroeconomic conditions offer little cause for optimism in this regard.
The only thing you can do to limit the financial damage is to accept the price increase and save as much as possible on your energy consumption in general. For example, turn your thermostat down a few degrees and put on a sweater. Invest in more efficient stoves, make sure your house is well insulated, and place solar panels on your roof.
What you may not realise is that having your swimming pool also consumes a lot of energy. And we’re not just talking about the energy it takes to maintain it. The good news is that you can save a lot on your swimming pool. So do yourself and your energy bill a favour and read on for tips on how to save on energy costs for your swimming pool in Spain.
Choose an automatic pool cover
Covering your swimming pool offers you many advantages. This way you extend the season for swimming. After all, the water stays at a pleasant swimming temperature for longer. Sometimes it can make a difference of up to 10º C. Thanks to the cover, the water cools down less quickly at night. If you already have a heated swimming pool, the water under a cover will stay warm longer, without you needing extra energy.
An additional advantage is that leaves, dust, and other dirt do not end up in your pool. That saves vacuuming again. In addition, the filter gets dirty less quickly and the pump, therefore, has less work. In addition, with less direct sunlight and dirt in the water, you also need fewer chemicals to clean your water. This reduces water costs because the water in your pool will last longer if you use fewer chemicals. Finally, with a pool cover, you prevent evaporation and you don’t have to top up the water as often.
The advantages of solar slats
If you opt for an automatic swimming pool cover with solar slats, you have even more advantages in addition to a possible energy saving of 30% to 50%. Solar slats are transparent slats with a black underlayer. This black layer absorbs the solar energy and transfers it to the water so that the water is heated. At the same time, the slat with air chambers provides ideal insulation that ensures that the heat is retained at night. In this way, solar slats give the swimming pool extra and free heating of 5 to 7 C.
In Spain, you can go to the DeKobo for automatic swimming pool covers with solar slats. Since 2007 this company sells slats made of polycarbonate in Spain. That material only deforms at 140ºC, while the more common PVC does that already at 78ºC. Polycarbonate is also impact resistant and can withstand low temperatures. The exclusive quality solar slats are therefore an ideal cover for any swimming pool in any climate. Dekobo offers transparent polycarbonate slats as an interesting alternative for indoor swimming pools.
The black underlayer of the solar slats also prevents algae from forming in the pool because the solar slats do not allow sunlight to pass through. Because less sunlight enters the pool, chlorine cannot evaporate. This reduces the use of chemicals by up to 68%. For a swimming pool of 4 by 8 meters, a cover means that you need 56,000 litres of water less per year. Moreover, heating a swimming pool without a cover is irresponsible; you are firing with the doors open, as it were!
Need more information? Take a quick look at www.dekobo.es/nl for more information.
Related post: How to winterize your pool in Spain
