Lower Energy Bills: Save on the Costs of Running a Pond

Feb 2, 2011
Tricia Edgar

Reduce Bills With Energy Efficient Pond Equipment - linder6580

Reduce energy bills by using energy efficient pond pumps and lights. Design a pond to save energy during the summer and winter.

In the winter, there are energy bills from heating. In the summer, there are energy bills from cooling. The bills keep on coming throughout the year, and the last thing you want is for your garden landscape to contribute large amounts to the energy bill. Unfortunately, the more mechanized a pond or other water feature gets, the more it contributes to the energy bill. Lower energy usage and costs with these tips.

Design a Pond to Be Energy Efficient

Be sensitive to your future energy bills when you plan your pond. A pond that contains animal and plant species that naturally thrive in local conditions will be relatively easy to maintain. A pond that contains tropical species or less-hardy species may need extra help in the winter. If you want a tropical-themed pond in a cool climate, bring tropical plants and fish indoors in the winter if at all possible, or keep a winter pond in a heated garage. If your pond is deep and you have hardy plants and animals in the pond, consider allowing it to freeze in the winter.

Choose Energy Efficient Solar Lights and Pond Pumps

Use solar lighting for pond pathways and choose solar lights to illuminate the pond. These lights go on when darkness falls and gather solar energy during the day. They do tend to be more expensive than the plug-in variety, so find solar lights on sale at the end of the season and install them I the spring when the ground unfreezes.

For those who need a pond pump, solar pond pumps are now available. Avoid cords and use the sun’s energy to circulate water through a water feature. As with the pond lights, look for a new pump at the end of the season sales to reduce the initial cost.

Use Solar Power to Heat Large or Tropical Ponds

Solar hot water heating has a very short payback period, which means that although it requires an initial investment to pay for the system, you can pay it off from the energy savings in several years. If you are looking for heating for a natural swimming pool or a warm, tropical pond, solar hot water heating is a sensible choice.

Lower Energy Bills Using Efficient LED Lights

If solar lights are not available, LED lights are now coming onto the market. When you choose new underwater lighting, spotlights, or pond path lighting, choose the most energy-efficient lights possible. LED lights can use up to ninety percent less energy than incandescent lights.

Reduce Energy Use by Adding Timers to Pond Equipment

Determine when pond equipment needs to operate and put it on timers. If the pond needs a bubbler during the warm, quiet afternoons, then have the bubbler set to automatically go on during this time. Put lights on timers so that they go on automatically when the sun goes down.

Creating a pond should be a beautiful addition to your garden, not the downfall of your energy bill. By choosing a pond design and equipment that save on energy costs, you will have a lovely pond and lower energy bills.