new law for pool motors

http://www.sun-sentinel.com/business/fl-pool-pumps-vasquez-20110527,0,6918237.column

Having a pool at home to beat the Florida summer heat is practically a necessity, but could your monthly maintenance bills be unnecessarily draining your bank account?

Chances are the answer is yes if you are not using an energy-efficient pool pump, which is why Florida lawmakers passed legislation to require pool owners to dump old power-wasting models for newer ones this summer.

A statewide law is scheduled to go in effect on July 1 that will ban the sale and professional installation of old-school single-speed pumps for any owner using models of one horsepower or greater, which are most typically used by pool owners. In their place, pool stores and product vendors will sell what are called two-speed or multispeed pool pumps, which use much less energy.

n energy bill passed by lawmakers last month could delay the pool pump deadline until December 31 to coincide with the 2010 Florida Building Code in order to provide better enforcement. The bill is expected to be sent to Gov. Rick Scott for his signature or veto this month. If he does nothing, it will become law.

It will be OK to use an old pump until it dies out. You will have to upgrade to an energy-efficient one when replacing the old one unless it is still under the original manufacturer’s warranty.

The new law will apply to both residential pools and in-ground spas using pumps or motors of one horsepower or greater, but not portable spas.

The downside: A one-horsepower pump and motor can cost about $150 or more, not including installation, while the price for newer models can start at about $700. The upside: The old pumps can cost $2 or more per day to run for the recommended eight hours a day - depending on the size of your pool, how long you run the pump and how well it works - while the newer pumps can be as low as 40 to 50 cents a day, say experts.

“Those figures sound about right,” said Wendy Parker, executive director of the Florida Swimming Pool Association. “In a state where swimming pools are in almost every backyard, we obviously want people to be aware of their pool pump energy use. These new models are designed to use much less power each day and will pay for themselves over time.”

Because the age and condition of your pool and its pump and water circulation system can vary, it may be a good idea to have a professional visit your home to check on how efficiently it is running, Parker said.

“Should the governor extend the deadline, it will be good because it will give people more time to understand the new requirements and prepare,” Parker said. She also said that consumers should not feel as if they have to wait for the law to take effect if they want to start saving on monthly energy bills now.

To get an idea of how much your old-style pool pump is costing you on a monthly basis, check out the Florida Power & Light website at http://www.fpl.com, place your cursor on the tab “My Home” and click on “Appliance Guide” and then “Pools & Spas.” You can select the horsepower of your pump and the number of hours you run it per day (running the pump keeps water circulating and clean).

At my home we use a one-horsepower pump and run it for eight hours a day, which the site shows is costing us about $41 a month — or $492 a year. That amount could drop to a little more than $100 a year with a more efficient pump.

Major well-known manufacturers include Pentair, Jandy, Hayward and Zodiac. Parker recommends seeking the help of a local licensed contractor.

To find a member from Broward, Palm Beach, Miami-Dade and Orange counties of the Florida Swimming Pool Association — all of whom are properly licensed and insured — go to the group’s website at http://www.floridapoolpro.com or call 941-952-9293.

To find a licensed contractor, experts recommend:

Ask a friend or neighbor for a recommendation. Get estimates for monthly maintenance service or repairs from at least three companies.

Any pool company that does work beyond regular water treatment — including refinishing, repaving and pump replacement — is required to have a state license. You can check whether a company has a valid license and a consumer complaint history by visiting http://www.myfloridalicense.com and typing in the name of an owner, company or license number. You may also call 850-487-1395.

Hey thanks for the heads up. Im inspecting an installation of a pool right now.

Thanks for the info wsiegel!

Todd,

What the heck are you doing working on Memorial Day. This is a day to party.

  1. You taking me a bit to literal. LOL
  2. Its a day to honor and respect the service men and women whos service and sacrifice made this great country of ours.
  3. Then party!

The dead line has been extended till Jan. 1 to coinside with building code adoption. I posted a heads up on this several months ago. I even sighted the same website www.floridapoolpro.com. That is THE place to go if you’d like to keep up on pool related issues. You can also ask me I’m a member of the FSPA and on their builders council so some times I get info a little before it’s made public.

Larry is the pool man…He knows his pools!

Nah, Larry’s no pool man, he doesn’t have a cue.

No, but I know where to go to find out.

Thanks for the pool motor info, just bought a couple extra pool pumps instead of another gold eagle, seems like a reasonable investment.

Did you not serve your country?

Go 82nd
Airborne all the way

Actually the new variable speed pool pumps and variable speed replacement motors will really save you more in electric costs than the difference in price over their expected life. ROI on these guy’s is usually 2 years or less. After that the savings is like found money!

That may be true, but this old guy doesn’t care for change. I use the new light bulbs in some places but I also have a case of the old bulbs.

I like the health insurance I got with my retirement and don’t want to change, no mater what the progressives say. :slight_smile:

This job is a hobby for me, for 10 years now, so I guess the $ saved is not really a big deal to me.

I like commodities, guns, old corvettes, gold and now pool pumps.

have fun out there.

How is it that any State / Federal / Provincial Govermental Office feels that they can dictate what specific products can be purchased.???

Maybe in Florida
and Texas
Not in PA where Pools are used 2 - 3 months a year…

What makes the variable cost of an electric motor increase from $150 to $750?

LOL

:slight_smile:

Actually retail on a one horse pump for an in-ground pool starts at more like $300. The variable speed motors are made with rare earth magnets instead of windings and usually include controllers similar to stepping motors. That and the fact that in Florida you will have to buy them is what’s setting the price.

Yea but in Florida it’s part of our “new” energy code, thant you Charley Christ.