Visit our Virginia Graeme Baker Pool & Spa Safety Act Page. Florida requirements are more restrictive and require gravity drainage system; view VGB page for more info.

Latest Information:

• 2011 Design Award entries are due October 29, 2010.
• Vote NO on Amendment 4! For more information visit www.Florida2010.org. You can also view the Vote No on 4 campaign video
• Florida contractors get free info on federal, state and local programs designed to reinvigorate Florida's construction industry and job opportunity information. Click here to view the reConstructFL flier.
• CPSC's new FAQs and Pool Safely campaign. View their PSA at http://www.youtube.com/poolsafely
• Pool and spa energy legislation and information
• Suggestions for removing oil and tar from pool decks and surfaces
• View a timeline of items to be implemented in the new Healthcare Reform
• View the official response of the CILB regarding service contractors converting public pools to gravity drainage.
• CPSC response to inquiry regarding vacuum line covers and VGB (Oct, 2009)
• 64E-9 - Public Pool Rule Revision - The final rule revision is in effect.
• For information on Swine Flu go to www.myflusafety.com or call 1-877-352-3581
• The Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) has a new Web site dedicated to swimming pool & spa safety, www.poolsafety.gov
• Sign up to receive the e-newsletters, Splash and Springboard!
• Construction contracts, liens and receiving payment. Legal information that is applicable to all types of construction, not just homes.Click here
•    
• Follow FSPA and the Orlando Pool Show on twitter!
• Web advertising is now available!
  Information & Rate Sheet
  Order Sheet

 

Saving energy and money

By Barbara Gudgel, Cox Pools

Everyone is always looking for ways to save money on their electric bill. One of the ways to save money every month is by installing one of the new energy efficient variable-speed pumps that are now available. The old pumps and motors that used to be considered standard equipment in our industry are very inefficient, so much so that they can consume as much energy as all other home appliances combined! The energy and cost savings are so substantial with these new pumps that in some areas of Florida electric companies are giving consumers rebates for upgrading to the new energy efficient multi-speed pumps.

In California there are regulations dating back to 2006 requiring all new residential pools built have a high-efficiency filter pump. If the application requires more than one total horsepower it must be a multi-speed pump. This requirement holds true for replacement pumps also. Similar energy regulations are now in effect in Connecticut, New York, Colorado and Washington. Earlier this year Florida lawmakers adopted the same laws, which will be mandated starting in the latter part of 2011.

Many times we all feel like saying, "That's just what we need is another law on the books," but in this situation it's actually very good for our industry and for pool owners. Another big plus for pool owners, and all of us in the pool industry, is that these new pool pumps have been selected by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) as a potential new product category, and we hope to someday see Energy Star ratings on our most energy efficient pool pumps. This would be another way for all of us to make an educated decision on the best and the most efficient product to buy, which would equate to the least expensive to run.

Some new pumps use a hi-tech motor that is similar to those used in hybrid electric cars. The savings with these new motors can be anywhere from 30-90 percent of what is presently being spent to operate the pump that is running now. Along with saving you a substantial amount of money on your electric bill, these pumps are also extremely quiet; you barely know they are running. These new motors are what they call "permanent magnet" motors and they can run slower than the old motors. Think of it like your car, you drive slower you consume less gas, drive faster and you have less efficient miles per gallon. For example, when the pump speed is reduced by half, your energy consumption is reduced to just one-eighth of what it was. Additionally, the motor lasts longer and is pretty much trouble-free because the product runs cooler and there is almost no vibration. I have been in the pool industry for over 25 years and these new pumps are the best new technology I have ever seen introduced both for our industry and for the consumer.

Be sure you understand what these changes can mean for homeowners and your business. Pass the information on to homeowners and show them why the multi-speed pump is a good idea.

 

                                                 

 

Previous News

FSPA membership... A good business decision
Nothing will influence the future more
Keeping Safe in the Sun
FSPA Scholarship Awards
The other day I heard it again, "I got beat by price."
Remember when?
May is National Water Safety Month
Always learning
New CPSC clarifications on the VGB Act
Audits, payrolls, sub-costs and certificates....oh my!
Your business refined
Emphasis on sales, more important than ever
Going green
How do I prepare for an audit?
The Big Show
ALERT:Federal Healthcare Legislation Unfairly Targets Only Construction Industry with Harmful Mandate
FSPA members promote pool pump rebates
Using newsletters for your business
Energy efficiency standards are coming
ICC unanimously upholds adoption of ANSI/APSP-7
11/13/09 - CILB responds to a Petition for Declaratory Statement regarding pool contractors
Solar energy - the future is here
What employers need to know about Motor Vehicle Records
Bridging the gap in service - the competitive advantage
Progress: noun - development or advance toward a better, more complete, or more modern condition
Controlling property insurance costs
Florida Building Commission adopts 2008 NEC, exempting GFCI requirement on residential pools
Our voice continues to be heard
The Relationship Between Privilige and Responsibility
Surviving to thriving for pool service professionals
How Qualified is your Electrician?
What does FSPA do for me?
Remodels and renovations
FSPA and APSP redefine relationship
Forming customer loyalty
Florida is on top of pool safety
Damage to Your Work by Subcontractor Ruling
Preventing entrapment tragedies, by Steve Getzoff
Summary of the Pool and Spa Safety Act