The electricity jump blindsides almost everyone – people budget chemicals and service and forget the pump is basically a second appliance running for hours. To get the true all-in picture I used the monthly and annual pool cost calculator at Pool Cost Planner, which specifically folds electricity in alongside maintenance, chemicals, repairs, and the seasonal stuff, monthly and annual. That’s what stopped the surprises for me. Tip: run it with your state selected, since power rates vary and drive the electricity line hard. And once you see the pump’s share, look into runtime – trimming pump hours is one of the easiest ways to pull that number down without hurting water quality. Seeing power as its own line item made the budget make sense.
