Green Your Swimming Pool - Sustainable Options for Pools and Maintenance

Green Your Swimming Pool - Sustainable Options for Pools and Maintenance
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It’s a luxury to be able to have a pool in your backyard, and you can save quite a bit of cash on club memberships, concession stand food and gasoline by relaxing in your own yard. However, pools require regular maintenance, which includes adding water and chemicals.

While there might be some eco-friendly benefits to swimming at home, there are also negative environmental aspects of owning your own pool. Fortunately, there are some sustainable options when it comes to constructing a swimming pool.

Eco Pool at Home

How can you can have an eco pool in your backyard? First, you can create a natural or organic pool. This type of swimming pool doesn’t require chemicals, but it does need vegetation and a rubber or reinforced polyethylene liner. It would be comparable to a large pond in your yard.

To improve the setting as well as the water quality, you can incorporate a waterfall. The plants will help filter the water and the waterfall will aerate it, so once your natural pool settles, it can appear almost as clear as a chlorinated pool. At the beginning of the process, you might experience algae or large debris, but you can collect these items with a skimmer if they bother you. Also, if you’re concerned about germs, you can have a UV sterilizer installed.

Eco-friendly Building Materials

When you’re ready to start constructing the pool of your dreams, it’s important to consider the types of materials for the job. Below are some eco-friendly materials you can use for this process.

  • Insulating concrete foam (ICF) such as rastra, polystyrene and durisol can be used for the foundation of the pool, and a percentage of these materials are made from recycled materials.

  • Using paint that doesn’t contain volatile organic compounds (VOCs) is beneficial for the inside and outside of your house. Look for paints that are VOC free and are durable enough for the pool.

  • Select tiling that is made from recycled glass. You can still create a spectacular design with recycled tile.

  • Landscape around the pool with natural stone.

Keep Your Pool Maintenance Sustainable Too

Aside from the actual construction of the pool, you can also incorporate regular habits to prevent your pool from wasting natural resources. For instance, to prevent yourself from having to refill the pool so often, don’t allow family and friends to splash or dive into the pool. It’s also wise to lower the pool’s temperature and cover it when you’re finished using it so the water doesn’t quickly evaporate.

Also, monitor your water meter to keep track of the amount of water that your household is using. Maybe the reason why you keep refilling the pool is due to a leak in the above ground pool. Another tip is to change your filter regularly and switch to a water-saving filter.

Owning a pool doesn’t have to increase your expenses or negatively affect the environment, so keep these tips in mind if you already have a pool or are looking to build one.

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