Home Pool Equipment Explained

Applies to: In-ground and above-ground home pools; vinyl, fiberglass and plaster finishes; chlorine and salt systems; gas, heat pump and solar heating

The equipment at a glance

• Pump: re-circulates water through the filter to keep it clear and hygienic, per ENERGY STAR.^[1]
• Filter: sand, cartridge or DE, each cleaned differently.^[9][10][11]
• Heater: gas, electric heat pump or solar thermal, according to ENERGY STAR.^[1]
• Chlorinator: Hayward describes its electronic chlorinator as a salt chlorine generator that creates free chlorine.^[2][12]
• Automatic cleaner: robotic, or powered by the pool pump or a booster pump, per ENERGY STAR.^[1]
• Covers and drain covers: Pool Safely lists pool covers and anti-entrapment drain covers among the safety devices you can install. CPSC says power safety covers should meet ASTM F1346; a solar cover is a different product (see the covers section below).^[3][4][5]

Check that equipment is meant for your pool type. Hayward says its pumps are intended for permanently installed pools, not storable pools, and Bestway says one of its above-ground pumps is for storable pools only.^[9][13]

Pumps and filters

ENERGY STAR says variable-speed and multi-speed pumps can help cut energy costs, that an oversized pump makes the filter less effective, and that a professional contractor should help select and install a pump.^[1][14]

Our pump and filter guides cover the details, including strainer baskets, pressure gauges and cleaning steps.

Heaters: gas, heat pump and solar

• Gas: Hayward explains that gas heaters burn gas and can run in almost any climate, at almost any time of year. ENERGY STAR says they suit pools that need occasional rapid heating.^[1][15]
• Heat pump: Hayward says a heat pump moves heat from the surrounding air into the water, so it needs warmth in the air to work. Hayward says its own heat pumps cut off in roughly 45 to 50 degree F air.^[15][16]
• Heat pump and solar: ENERGY STAR says both are good at holding a pool in a set temperature range over long periods but are very sensitive to climate.^[1]

Covering the pool when it is not in use can cut heating costs, ENERGY STAR says, and Hayward says most heat is lost in the evening through evaporation. If you use a solar cover, CPSC urges never leaving it partly in place (see the covers section below). The U.S. Department of Energy has required pool heater makers to meet federal energy conservation standards since 1990.^{[1][5][17][18]}

Chlorinators and salt systems

Hayward's FAQ for its Aqua Rite salt system suggests consulting a pool professional about your pool's specific needs, and says its cell should be inspected and cleaned if needed every three months or at start-up. Check your own system's manual.^[21][22]

A salt system does not replace water testing. CDC advises checking the chlorine level and pH at least twice a day, and more often when the pool is busy.^[23]

Automatic cleaners

ENERGY STAR says robotic cleaners run on low-voltage power and collect debris in built-in filters, instead of relying on the pool pump or a booster pump. It notes that running a pump-powered cleaner takes about twice the flow that filtering does.^[1]

Covers: safety covers vs solar covers

CPSC's barrier guidelines say power safety covers can serve as a barrier, and that they should conform to ASTM F1346, a standard for pool covers that protect young children from drowning.^[3]

A solar cover is different. CPSC describes it as a buoyant plastic cover that floats on the water to heat it, and warns that swimmers under part of one risk surfacing into it and being unable to breathe. Never leave one partly in place, and never swim in a partly covered pool.^[5]

Drain covers and the Virginia Graeme Baker Act

The Virginia Graeme Baker Pool and Spa Safety Act is a federal law for public pools and spas. CPSC says home pools are not required to add anti-entrapment drain covers but are recommended to. Pool Safely warns that hair, limbs, jewelry or swimsuits can get stuck in a drain, and suction can even trap an adult.^[3][4][24]

• Never enter a pool or spa with a loose, broken or missing drain cover.^[24]
• Hayward's filter manual says to keep suction outlets clear of debris, that suction outlet parts have a finite life, and to inspect covers often and replace them at least every ten years or if found damaged. Check your own cover's label too.^[9]
• Not sure your drain covers are anti-entrapment? CPSC says to ask your pool service representative.^[3]

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