Equipment renovation: Making pools look better and operate more efficiently
by Dave Flaherty | September 11, 2020 1:46 pm
By Phil Bach
When it comes to pool renovation, consumers generally call a professional when their pool looks old, their liner is leaking, or when they are at a different stage in life and want the pool updated to meet their new needs.
That said, pool renovations should go beyond the esthetics or basic functionality of the pool.
Renovation needs to include updating the pump room equipment, too. With the many new advances in energy-efficient pool pumps, filters, and automation, updating the pump room equipment might even provide more customer satisfaction than cosmetic changes. More importantly, today’s pool equipment is not only more energy efficient, but makes owning and maintaining a pool much simpler.
Changing lifestyles, changing water circulation
One of the most common reasons for renovating a pool is because the homeowner’s lifestyle has changed. Interestingly enough, updating a pool because it will be used differently will also likely change how the water circulates. As a result, this immediately puts the renovation of the pump room at the forefront of the conversation.
In fact, Kathi Belcourt, manager at Aqua-Tech Pools in Winnipeg, says this is a frequent conversation she has with homeowners looking to renovate their pools.
“We often have clients call us because they no longer have school-age children using their pool, so it has changed from being used for cannonball parties to cocktail parties,” says Belcourt. “However, once there are fewer swimmers in the pool, the water actually does not circulate as well. In fact, since swimmers actually move the water very effectively and keep it circulating, having no swimmers in the water decreases circulation and inevitably increases algae growth.”
Belcourt and her team like to take the time to explain to their customers that once the pool water is not moving and circulating as it did when the pool was filled daily with children, the filter does not do its job as well and the chemicals in the pool need to work harder to combat things like algae.
“Lack of water circulation leads to dead spots in the pool, which leads to surface algae on the pool as the water is not getting filtered, nor is it being properly sanitized and heated; it is just using up the pool’s bank account of chlorine,” says Belcourt.
Variable-speed pumps (VSPs) make maintenance easier
Once the pool owner gets a better understanding of how important it is to continuously circulate and move water through the filter, they begin to understand why maintenance is going to get harder if they no longer have kids constantly swimming in the pool.
“This is the eye-opening ‘a-ha’ moment that makes it easy to start the conversation about the need to upgrade to one or more VSPs and how the pump room will work more efficiently so pool maintenance is easier and more cost-effective,” says Belcourt.
It is important that pool professionals be able to discuss how a VSP can also make pool maintenance easier than a single-speed pump. Historically, pumps with induction motors, which operate at only one or two speeds, tend to draw more energy than is required to circulate the water. These units must constantly operate at high speed to perform demanding jobs, such as running a waterfall or pool cleaner. However, it takes far less power to simply keep the pool water filtered—a difference single-speed pumps cannot address.
In terms of upkeep, keeping pool water effectively filtered keeps maintenance to a minimum. By having the pool pump operate at slower speeds but run all the time, the water is constantly circulating, thus allowing the filter to do its job correctly. This also helps the chemicals in the water to work more effectively, so the pool water stays clean with very little effort on behalf of the pool owner.
Water feature additions point toward VSPs
When pool professionals talk with their clients about adding potential features during a renovation, water features are always at the top of the list of ways to enhance the beauty and tranquility of the pool in the backyard.
“This is especially true for pool owners whose children are now adults, and the pool is more of a gathering place rather than a swimming hole,” says Belcourt.
Whether it is a waterfall, grotto, bubblers, or laminar jets, all of these features work best if they are running with a VSP. As water features jump to the top of the list of must-have accessories homeowners want to incorporate into their pool renovation, the need for a VSP resurfaces.
“Unfortunately, using a single-speed pool pump to control a slide and bubbler is not ideal because these pumps do not allow the customer to adjust the flow of these other features,” says Belcourt. “Being able to control the flow so water does not gush down the slide or a huge geyser comes out of the bubbler is very important to customers who want to customize the effect of their water feature.”
Customize pool renovations with VSPs
Every family is different and every pool is unique, but a VSP allows homeowners to customize the mechanics of the pool water. Since water features have become one of the top renovation items added to a pool, the ability to customize them by using a VSP allows builders to create a truly unique pool, unique to each client’s desires.
“We like to program the VSP on our water features to create ‘moods’ for our clients,” says Belcourt, whose company added a waterfall and laminar jets to a client’s older pool to create more ambience for the owners who now use the pool to enhance their backyard.
“We helped create several mood options for the client, including one we called ‘The Vegas Setting,’ which was programmed so the water features all turned on at once with the lighting.
“We also programmed a setting that has the laminar jets go on by themselves, which they decided to call ‘The Chardonnay Setting,’ giving them that delicate sound with a small amount of water to enhance the backyard experience,”
says Belcourt.
Pool professionals can program water features with just one VSP using various valves. That said, Belcourt points out the standard circulation mode they programmed for the client will be used about 80 to 90 per cent of the time; however, knowing this client does a lot of entertaining in their backyard, they also added an ‘ultra low’ setting that is as quiet as possible. Although it keeps noise to a minimum, the water is still circulating and filtering actively, so the client’s salt chlorine generator will actually produce chlorine to keep the pool water properly sanitized.
VSPs reduce energy usage and lower operational costs
Because VSPs can be programmed to operate at set speeds to deliver the correct flowrate for each task they perform, the pump consumes less energy and ultimately reduces operating costs for pool owners. These pumps can also be programmed to achieve turnover rates of exactly six hours—even if the filter is dirty. This allows the required motor speed, power, and energy to be less during times when filters are clean, instead of sizing the pump to assume worst-case operating conditions.
Some VSPs even have built-in constant flow software that maximizes the advantages these pumps have, as they will automatically adjust the speed to deliver the required flowrate for each programmed task. These units were introduced about two years ago and are known as variable speed and flow (VSF) pool pumps. For instance, if an arching laminar water feature requires 151.4 lpm (40 gpm) to produce a smooth 1.8 m (6 ft) arc of water, the pump will automatically ramp up its speed when it senses resistance in the circulation system (e.g. as the filter accumulates dirt) to continually provide the proper flowrate.
When talking to consumers about the VSF pool pump, the analogy is much like that of cruise control on an automobile that adjusts its power as the car goes uphill to maintain a specific speed.
With other pump types, the water feature will gradually throw a shorter arc of water as the filter gets dirtier. No matter what type of pump is being used, however, slower pump speeds save electricity because they use less energy. Slow speeds also dramatically reduce noise levels and wear and tear on other pool equipment the water flows through.
Lower energy usage, lower costs
When pool professionals hear customers complain about how their summer electricity bills increase significantly when they open their pool, this is a terrific opportunity to introduce the concept of VSPs. Reducing electrical costs invariably will pique their interest and most consumers understand the benefits of doing everything they can to make their homes energy efficient. Consumers want to do their part to be eco-friendly.
“The province of Manitoba is heavily rebating VSPs by giving a $300 rebate on the customer’s hydro bill,” says Belcourt. “We push the clients toward VSPs because of the different programming, the savings, and all the other benefits including better circulation and cleaner, clearer water that is easier to maintain whereby using less chemicals.”
Rebates from local utilities validate what pool professionals tell the consumer. Therefore, it is important to know the numbers—from electrical savings to utility rebates—and how to communicate the savings effectively and simply.
“We explain how a VSP is going to save them money and Manitoba Hydro is even going to pay them to get that power off their grid,” says Belcourt. “It’s a terrific bonus to have the utility company validating the information you are giving the pool owner.”
Pool professionals should be sure they are using all the resources available to them to explain the energy and cost savings—and leverage these resources in their sales conversation. For example, having the pump manufacturer’s cost-calculator on display allows staff to quickly show clients the financial savings of switching to VSP. Further, explaining how the monthly electrical savings combined with rebates from local utilities can make the investment less sizeable might also help close the sale.
“We know with absolute certainty pools renovated with a VSP will lower the homeowner’s electricity costs by 60 to 80 per cent. In fact, we’ve seen customers’ electricity costs go from $400 per year with a single-speed pump to $75 per year when using a VSP,” says Belcourt.
Comprehensive renovations make for happy customers
A new vinyl liner, water features, and lighting all make for an amazing pool renovation. Pairing these upgrades with new VSPs, filters, and automation make the renovation complete, both inside and out.
In fact, Aqua-Tech finished one such renovation this summer. According to Belcourt, the customer was beyond happy as their pool now suited their specific needs and is easier to maintain.
“It was amazing the entire renovation project conversation was precipitated by a conversation with the husband about the green algae developing in their water, which led to a conversation about how the pool was being used and how it could be changed to fit their needs, and ultimately how to make the pool more beautiful and easier to maintain,” says Belcourt. “I can’t wait to hear how delighted they will be one month, three months, and six months from now when they see their lower hydro bills.”
Phil Bach is the senior sales manager for Pentair Aquatic Systems in eastern and central Canada. He has been working in the pool industry since 1978, starting as a pool service technician. Bach joined SwimQuip in 1988 and stayed with the company as it became Sta-Rite and then Pentair Water Pool and Spa. He can be reached via email at phil.bach@pentair.com.
Source URL: https://www.poolspamarketing.com/trade/equipment-renovation-making-pools-look-better-and-operate-more-efficiently/