The short answer
The basic plant room has a filter, a pump and a control panel. We suggest a variable-speed pump for low consumption. Options include a heat pump, automatic chlorination or salt electrolysis, LED lights and phone control.
Filter
Water passes through a vessel of sand, glass or a cartridge that traps the dirt. The filter must match the pool volume and how much load it will get: a pool under pines needs a bigger filter than a pool on a roof.
Pump
The pump moves water through the filter. It is the biggest electricity user in the pool. A variable-speed pump runs low most of the time and speeds up only when needed, for example for backwashing. The savings are significant.
Heating
A heat pump takes heat from the air and gives it to the water. In the mild Attica climate it works efficiently from spring to autumn. With a night cover, the season grows by several weeks at each end. See climate and season.
Disinfection
The classic option is chlorine tablets. More comfortable is automatic dosing, which measures pH and chlorine and adds what is needed. Salt electrolysis makes chlorine from a little salt in the water, with a softer feel on the skin.
Lights and automation
LED lights use very little and last for years. They can be white or colour-changing. A Wi-Fi panel lets you switch on the lights, see the temperature and set pump hours from your phone, handy for holiday homes.
From our experienceThe plant room needs ventilation and access for service. Do not hide it where the technician has to lie down to open a valve.
