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Variable Drive Pumps and Title 20 Working Together to Save You Money

Published: Wednesday, October 10, 2012

Are you one of the over a million swimming pool owners in California who has been getting years of enjoyment from your pool? I know that my family and I enjoy our pool a lot, especially during those extremely hot summer days that the Greater Sacramento area brings! But boy oh boy, I could sure live without the high electricity bill. Couldn’t you?

This is Jerry by the way, and while I know you’re accustomed to hearing from Chris on our blog, I thought it was time, as the owner of Leisure Time Pools, to write an article of my own. This particular topic is very important to me because it has to do with a little known California regulation that affects every pool owner in the state.

Did you know that a great number of residential swimming pools in Folsom, Roseville, Elk Grove, and other cities in the Sacramento area rely on an inefficient single-speed motor filtration pump to circulate and filter the pool’s water? If your pool was built over six years ago you may need to know about Title 20, a regulation that went into effect in 2006, which could save you money on your electricity bill.

 

What does Title 20 mean for you?

Overseen by the California Energy Commission, Title 20 includes a section known as the, “Appliance Efficiency Regulations.” In short, it states that any new OR replacement residential swimming pool filtration pump must meet specific energy efficiency standards.

If your pool was built before 2006 and currently has a one horsepower or greater filtration pump it may be time to upgrade to the more energy efficient two-speed or variable speed options. In fact, in January 2008, Title 20 was amended to require that all replacement filtration pumps have either two-speed or variable speed motors with automated controls connected to them to help conserve California’s energy, which in turn saves you money. Did you know that a pool with an outdated, non-efficient, single-speed pool pump could use as much energy in your home as all other household appliances COMBINED? Replacing inefficient traditional pumps with variable drive pool pumps can bring significant savings to homeowners.

 

Variable Drive Pumps are the most energy efficient option and will save you money!

Variable drive pumps, also known as variable speed pumps, allow you to run your pump at lower speeds during filtration. Keep in mind that the faster you filter your pool, the harder your pump works and the more energy you use. According to PG&E, by cutting your pump speed in half and running it twice as long you can actually save about 50% of your current monthly pool electricity costs.

While I certainly understand that upgrading your pool’s equipment can be an expense, in the end, a correctly installed variable drive pump can pay for itself in energy efficiency in just 1½ to 2½ years. In fact, here at Leisure Time Pools our team has researched many varieties of pumps and we’ve found that Pentair Water’s IntelliFlo® and IntelliPro® variable drive/speed pumps are simply the best. These pumps can slash energy usage by up to 90%, saving you up to $1,360 in electricity costs each year! And when you add an automated control to schedule optimal times for peak equipment performance, you can save even more money.

 

Features of the IntelliFlo® and IntelliPro® Variable Drive/Speed Pumps

  • On-board computer and intelligent software automatically monitors and adjusts flow rates for filtering, heating, cleaning, and more, to optimize pump performance and minimize energy use.
  • Built-in diagnostics to protect pump from overheating, freezing and voltage irregularities, which means your pump will last longer than a traditional pump.
  • Quietest operating pool pump on the market – you won’t even know it’s on!
  • Compatible with multiple Pentair pool control systems.
  • Here’s a short video that further illustrates the benefits.

 

Still unsure? Calculate your own personal savings with this calculator from Pentair.

 

We’ll assess your pool’s equipment at no charge

Call Leisure Time today at 916-638-4100 and allow us to come to your home in the greater Sacramento area to assess your swimming pool’s equipment. If your pump is already running efficiently, we’ll let you know and be on our way. If your pump is out of compliance with Title 20, we’ll give you options to minimize energy use and ultimately save money on your utility bill.

 

Here’s to saving energy and money,

 

Jerry Houseman
Proud Founder and Owner

P.S. Be weary of companies who are willing to install a one-speed or other non-compliant filtration pump. This is illegal and clearly the company you may be getting ready to do business with does not know the law or is willing to break it. Which makes me wonder, what other shortcuts would they take with your family’s safety?