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Yes, pool pumps use a significant amount of electricity, making them one of the biggest energy consumers in a home. A pool pump can use up to three times as much electricity as a refrigerator. Typically, a residential pool pump consumes about 1 kilowatt-hour (kWh) for every hour it runs. Because pumps often need to run for about eight hours a day to properly filter the water, this can add up to an annual consumption of 3,000 to 5,000 kWh, which can cost between $480 and $800 per year based on average electricity rates.

The amount of electricity your pump uses depends on its size, energy efficiency, and daily run time. To lower your energy consumption, you can choose an energy-efficient or variable-speed pump, ensure it is correctly sized for your pool, and run it only for the minimum time required to keep the water clean.

You should avoid filling your pool overnight—just as a precaution. You’ll want someone around to check on the progress. If your hose springs a leak or you overfill your pool, you could end up with some costly water damage. At worst, you could flood your home’s foundation. For this reason, ensure someone is home and awake, even if your pool takes a couple of days to fill.

Generally speaking, you should expect to wait 24 to 48 hours after filling a pool before you use it. However, the actual timeline depends on a few factors. Most importantly, you need to shock the water with chlorine or an alternative to swimming pool chlorine and let the concentration come down to a safe level before using the pool. Additionally, most water sources will be cold, and it can take days before the sun or your pool heater warms your water to a comfortable temperature. Alternatively, getting water professionally delivered could have you swimming in just a few hours.

Yes, you can use chlorine tablets in a salt water pool. It is not the standard recommended practice, but if your pool needs more chlorine, adding tablets can help temporarily fix the problem. Only add as many tablets as needed to keep your chlorine level around three parts per million. After adding the tablets, test your water to determine the chlorine content.