What does your pool actually cost to run — and how much could you save?
Honest monthly numbers for an Arizona pool: water, energy, chemicals. Then a side-by-side of what variable-speed pumps, automatic covers, and solar pre-heat would save you — with payback periods, not vague promises.
What you'll spend month-by-month
Seasonal weights applied to each cost line — evaporation peaks Jun–Aug, heating runs Oct–Apr, pump and chemicals shift slightly with water temperature.
| Month | Water | Pump | Heating | Chems | Total | Water | Pump | Heating | Chems | Total | Save |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Current | Recommended | ||||||||||
| Jan | $3 | $26 | $498 | $36 | $563 | $1 | $6 | $22 | $30 | $59 | $503 |
| Feb | $4 | $26 | $436 | $38 | $504 | $1 | $6 | $19 | $32 | $59 | $445 |
| Mar | $7 | $27 | $342 | $42 | $419 | $2 | $6 | $15 | $36 | $59 | $359 |
| Apr | $9 | $29 | $218 | $47 | $302 | $3 | $6 | $10 | $40 | $58 | $244 |
| May | $12 | $30 | $62 | $51 | $156 | $4 | $7 | $3 | $44 | $57 | $99 |
| Jun | $14 | $33 | $0 | $56 | $103 | $4 | $7 | $0 | $47 | $59 | $44 |
| Jul | $13 | $35 | $0 | $56 | $103 | $4 | $8 | $0 | $47 | $59 | $44 |
| Aug | $12 | $33 | $0 | $53 | $98 | $4 | $7 | $0 | $45 | $56 | $42 |
| Sep | $10 | $30 | $62 | $49 | $151 | $3 | $7 | $3 | $42 | $54 | $97 |
| Oct | $7 | $29 | $249 | $45 | $329 | $2 | $6 | $11 | $38 | $57 | $272 |
| Nov | $4 | $25 | $404 | $40 | $473 | $1 | $5 | $18 | $34 | $59 | $415 |
| Dec | $3 | $25 | $529 | $38 | $594 | $1 | $5 | $24 | $32 | $62 | $532 |
| Year | $97 | $348 | $2800 | $550 | $3795 | $29 | $75 | $125 | $468 | $697 | $3098 |
What each change actually saves
Installed-cost ranges from AE Outdoor Living's 2024 retrofit pricing. Rebates and solar tax credits not included — they usually make the math better, not worse.
Variable-speed pump
Pentair IntelliFlo3 or equivalent. AZ rebates often available — APS/SRP $200–$350.
Automatic safety cover
Cuts evaporation ~70%, slashes heating, doubles as code-compliant safety barrier.
Solar pre-heat panels
Roof-mounted glazed panels. Pairs with existing heater for shoulder-season comfort.
How these numbers are built
We publish every rate and formula so you can sanity-check the math. Update these in your head if your situation differs — or ask us for a custom audit using your actual bills.
Rate assumptions (2024)
- Water + sewer: $5.25 per 1,000 gal (City of Phoenix blended residential).
- Electricity: $0.145 per kWh (APS/SRP blended residential, summer-weighted).
- Natural gas: $1.45 per therm (Southwest Gas residential).
- Evaporation: 0.18 in/day annual average for Phoenix (NWS climate normals + ASHRAE pool evaporation formula).
Calculation formulas
- Water: surface sf × in/day × 0.6234 = gal/day. Shade reduces evaporation up to 30%. Manual cover cuts evaporation ~35%, auto cover ~70%.
- Pump: annual kWh by pump type × electricity rate. VS pumps run longer at low RPM — but use far less energy.
- Heating: baseline by heater type, scaled to pool gallons, reduced by cover (manual -30%, auto -50%). Assumes ~6 months of active heating to ~80°F.
- Chemicals: $550/yr baseline for a 17k-gal pool, scaled by volume, -15% with any cover.
Confidence limits
±20% is a fair confidence band on the annual total. Heating is the biggest swing variable — set point, swim season length, and weather can move it materially. If you heat year-round to 86°F you'll see higher numbers; if you only heat April–May and Sept–Oct, lower.
Payback periods assume rates hold steady. They've trended up, so most paybacks are actually faster than shown. Rebates (APS, SRP, SW Gas) and federal solar tax credit aren't included — they typically shorten payback 15–30%.
This is not a billing forecast or appraisal. For exact numbers, we run an on-site audit against your last 12 months of utility bills and equipment nameplate data.
What this is not
We don't connect to your pool equipment or read your utility bills. This is a planning tool, not telemetry. For an audit using your actual usage, request an efficiency review and we'll send a written report with measured kWh, gal, and therm data.
Want a real number for your pool? Send it over.
Share your scope and lot. AE follows up with an estimate that reflects Arizona soil, sun, water, and code — not a national ballpark.
If the form does not load, start your project at /start or call (623) 300-2589.
Why this is an investment, not a cost.
An AE backyard is engineered to add daily livability and long-term home value. We publish honest ranges and build to code with a licensed and bonded Arizona crew. AE provides project-specific workmanship and manufacturer-warranty information in the signed agreement. Website summaries are for planning only.
- Licensed, bonded & insured in Arizona. ROC 340966 (R-62) · ROC 341002 (R-3) · ROC 347738 (KA-5) · ROC 211530 (CR-21). Most Arizona contracting work valued at $1,000 or more — or requiring a permit — must be performed by a properly licensed contractor, subject to statutory exemptions. Verify the legal entity, license status, and classification with the Arizona Registrar of Contractors.
- Real ranges, itemized scope. You see materials, finishes, equipment models, and a line-item budget before you sign — not a one-line "pool — $90,000."