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| Variable-speed IntelliFlo pool pumps use about five times less energy than traditional pumps (Photo: Pentair Pool Products) |
Pool owners who replace their old, inefficient pool pump with a new variable-speed, low-energy model can cut their energy bill by an average of $500 annually, according to Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E) officials quoted in a segment on Bay Area news channel ABC7/KGO-TV. The IntelliFlo water pump uses about five times less power than traditional pool pumps by increasing the time that the pump runs and slowing the speed, says Robert Stiles of Pentair Pool Products. ABC7 interviewed two Oakland homeowners, Ernest and Sandie Rios, who, after installing a variable-speed pool pump, have seen their summer energy bill drop by about one-third. In May, their bill fell from $201 last year to $160 this year; in June, it fell from $231 last year to $164 this year. The efficient pumps cost about $1,000, but after energy savings and available rebates — PG&E and San Diego Gas & Electric Company offer rebates of up to $100 and Southern California Edison offers a rebate of up to $200 for energy-efficient pool pumps, for example — payback could be in as little as two years.
