An inground pool pump is part of an overall swimming pool sanitation system. The sanitation system ensures that pools, hot tubs, and other recreational water features stay visually clear and prevent the transmission of infectious diseases. The sanitation of a pool includes filters to remove pollutants, disinfections to kill dangerous microorganisms, and regular testing of the pool water for chlorine and pH levels.
The electric water pump is the main device that recirculates water from the pool Water is pumped through a filter and returned to the pool. Most pool pumps use 500 to 2,000 watts of power. Residential inground pool pumps usually need to be run 4 hours a day when the pool isn’t in use, and up to 24 hours a day during the summer.
To save electricity, most people run their inground pool pump on a timer for between 6 and 12 hours in summer. Commercial pools require a minimum of 4 hours circulation of the entire water volume. Some inground pool pumps have two different motor speed settings to cut down on power usage when full power isn’t needed. Variable speed pumps sometimes run 24 hours a day at a slow speed, which allows smaller particles to be filtered. Also at slower speeds, there’s minimal resistance in the pipes, reducing the energy needed to make the water move through the pump.
Most pool pumps are self priming in that they may be positioned above the average water level of the pool, but still start up and function after a timed rest period. The non self-priming pumps are called "flooded suction" pumps and are gravity fed by being placed lower than the average level of the pool water. Most modern inground pool pumps have a small filter basket that strains out hair and lint. It keeps hair, lint, and leaves from reaching the impeller part of the pump.