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Pool pump and heater electricity cost
Use the wattage on your equipment label and your rate from your power bill. The default rate is the EIA U.S. residential average for July 2026 (18.31 cents per kWh).
The math
kWh per year = watts / 1,000 x hours per day x days. Cost = kWh x your rate. A heat pump is entered in kW of electrical draw (not BTU output) times the hours it actually runs, which is often far less than the hours it is switched on.
Why variable-speed pumps save so much
A pump's power draw drops sharply at lower speeds, so running a variable-speed pump longer at low speed usually uses far less energy than a single-speed pump running fewer hours. A U.S. Department of Energy Building America guide says a variable-speed pump can cut pool pump energy use by 50% to 75%. Enter your own two pumps' watts to see the dollar difference, then compare it to the price of the new pump.
- U.S. EIA Electric Power Monthly, Table 5.6.A
- U.S. DOE Building America: Replacing single-speed pool pumps with variable speed pumps (PDF)
Common questions
How much does it cost to run a pool pump?
At 1,500 watts for 8 hours a day all year, that is 4,380 kWh. At the July 2026 U.S. average of 18.31 cents, about $802 a year.
Where do I find my electric rate?
Divide your bill’s total by the kWh used to include fees, or use the per-kWh charge on the bill.