5 Things to Know About Running Your Pool Pump Intermittently

Most pools don’t need 24/7 pump operation Continuous pump runs are a holdover from less efficient pumps. You only need to cycle the entire pool volume once per day.

Aim for 8-12 hours of runtime in warm weather Running the pump longer doesn’t make the water cleaner. It just wastes electricity and wears out the pump faster.

Saltwater chlorine generators need enough runtime to produce chlorine Check your manual for the minimum runtime required. This may increase your total pump time.

Split runtime into two chunks for better circulation Use a timer and run the pump for 4 hours in the morning and 4 hours in the evening. This prevents algae from getting a foothold.

Variable-speed pumps are cheaper to run at lower speeds for longer periods Don’t set the pump to run one hour on full blast. Lower speeds save money and still turn over the water.