Pool Season Approaches - Is Your Pool Pump Running Long Enough?
As the days get longer, pool season is almost upon us. And that means it’s a good time for some reminders about your pool pump run time.
Your pump is the heart of your pool system. If it’s not running long enough, even perfectly balanced Poolsyde water and frequent cleaning can fail to keep your pool clean, clear, and inviting.
Why pump run time matters
Your pool pump circulates water through the filtration system so that debris, contaminants, and microscopic nasties can be removed. It also helps distribute chlorine and other chemicals evenly around the pool. It’s what stops your pool from becoming stagnant.
Pool pros often talk about something called “turnover.” That’s the amount of time it takes for your particular pump to circulate all of the water in your pool through the filter once. When your pool is in use, it should achieve at least one full turnover every day to keep water healthy and clear.
Let’s assume that:
Your pool builder installed the rightly-powered pump for your pool size;
Your pump is running at optimum speed, and,
Your filtration system is Poolsyde-clean.
You should have a turnover rate of about eight hours. This is the absolute minimum time you should run your pump for per day while it’s being used.
If your pump isn’t running long enough, you may start to see:
Cloudy water;
Poor chlorine performance;
Algae trying to move in uninvited;
Debris settling instead of getting filtered.
If you’re unsure if your pump flow rate to pool size ratio is right, we can check for you - just give us a call or send us a message in our app.
So, eight hours is your starting point.
As the weather warms up and pools get used more frequently, we need to increase pump run-time. During the peak summer months you should be up to about 12 hours.
The weather is key
During winter, many pools can get away with shorter pump cycles because cooler temperatures slow down algae growth and chemical demand.
But as spring rolls in:
Water temperatures rise
Sunlight increases
Pollen and debris ramp up
Swimming starts again
All of which means your pool needs more circulation and filtration to stay crystal clear.
If your timer is still set to winter mode, now’s the perfect moment to adjust it.
When daytime temperatures are consistently above 70°F, we need to add an hour per 10°F to the pump time. That’s because higher temperatures mean your chlorine needs to work harder to kill contaminents.
How you use your pool is crucial, too
The biggest enemy to your pool chemistry is human bodies. We categorize residential pool use into three core tiers:
Tier 1: Light use
Examples: A small family taking a quick dip every day or so.
Extra pump time: none.
Tier 2: Moderate use
Examples: A family using the pool for bathing and play every day.
Extra pump time: 30-60 minutes per day.
Tier 3: High frequency use
Examples: A family with lots of kids using the pool regularly.
Extra pump time: 60-90 minutes per day.
Our cheat sheet
Assuming your pump is running at full efficiency, here’s a ready-reckoner that may help:
| Average daytime temperature | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Use | 70 | 80 | 90 |
| Light use | 8-9 hours | 9-10 hours | 10-11 hours |
| Moderate use | 8.5-9.5 hours | 9.5-10.5 hours | 10.5-11.5 hours |
| High frequency | 9.5-10.5 hours | 10.5-11.5 hours | 11.5-12.5 hours |
Does the time of day matter?
It can - somewhat - but it’s primarily your choice.
The chemicals keeping your pool safe and hygienic are more likely to burn off while the sun is shining and your pool water is stagnant, so it’s best to run your pool pump for at least a few hours during the middle of the day. Otherwise you can split your run-time as you wish.
To be clear, if you’re running your pool for 10 hours in 24, those 10 needn’t be consecutive. You could do two 5s, four 2.5s or even ten 1s.
We’re here to help!
Whether you’re a lucky Poolsyde customer or not, reach out with any questions.
