Pool Equipment and Energy Calculators
Size pumps, filters, heaters and salt cells, and see what heating and pumping really cost.
- Pool Pump Size CalculatorFind the minimum pump flow rate for your pool from its volume and turnover time, and check it against suction and return pipe velocity limits.
- Pool Filter Size CalculatorWork out the minimum filter area for your pump’s flow rate, for cartridge, sand and DE filters, using manufacturer ratings or the CDC’s public pool limits.
- Pool Heater Size CalculatorSize a gas heater or heat pump with the U.S. Department of Energy method: surface area × temperature rise × 12. Also shows heat-up time from cold.
- Salt Chlorine Generator Size CalculatorChoose the right salt chlorine generator for your pool. Sizes the cell for your volume, sun and pump hours, and shows how much chlorine your cell makes.
- Pool Heating Cost CalculatorEstimate what it costs to heat your pool with a heat pump, natural gas, propane or an electric heater, to warm it up and to keep it warm each month.
- Pool Pump Running Cost CalculatorFind what your pool pump costs to run per day, month and year, and how much a variable-speed pump would save by running slower for longer.
Sizing equipment
Pump, filter and heater sizes all follow from the pool. The pump size calculator turns volume and turnover time into a flow rate, and the filter size calculator turns that flow rate into the filter area you need. Heaters are sized from surface area and the temperature rise you want, using the U.S. Department of Energy method in the heater size calculator.
Running costs
The pump and the heater are where a pool’s energy bill comes from. A variable-speed pump saves money because power falls with the cube of speed: ENERGY STAR notes that halving the speed cuts energy use to one-eighth. For heating, a cover is the cheapest upgrade there is. The DOE and EPA both put the heating savings from covering a pool at 50 to 70%.