While every pool owner enjoys the experience of their warm swimming pool, the cost of heating the pool often tends to be significant. Even with highly efficient systems such as the Heat Pump Pool Heater (HPPH), the cost often does not get that better for most people.
What new pool owners do not know is that there are cheap ways to heat a pool. In this article, you will learn how to heat a pool affordably.
Top-Rated Cheap Ways to Heat A Pool
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Use the Solar Cover
One of the most affordable ways to retain heat in a swimming pool during the summer is to use a solar pool cover. In the summer, evaporation is the root cause of heat loss.
Once the heat rises, warm water rises to the top of the pool and evaporates into the surrounding air – this usually happens during the day when your pool is exposed to the sun. The solar cover will act as a protective lid. It is designed to reduce heat loss and evaporation.
1. Use Solar Sun Rings
The solar sun rings operate similarly to the solar covers. Personal preference often determines whether to use one full pool cover, or multiple solar suns rings that you can move around.
Similar to the solar cover, the rings keep the water from evaporating and warm the pool via solar heat. Some in-ground and above ground pool owners prefer sun rings since it is often easier to cover the pools with the rings than to find a solar cover that fits their swimming pool perfectly.
2. Use a Solar Heater
Apart from purchasing the solar pool heater, solar heating is essentially free. This makes it one of the best cheap ways to heat a pool. The only downside to using a solar heater is that you may not be able to get enough heat when the sun is not shining – this could be due to cloud cover or time of the day.
To heat a pool through the solar system, you will simply need to purchase a solar heater and place it in an area with direct sunlight. This will offer you the most economical heating system.
3. Windproof Pool Enclosure
It is easy not to understand how to heat a pool by building a windproof enclosure. However, once you know how the wind takes away pool heat, building the pool enclosure becomes an ideal solution.
Wind alters the surface area of the swimming pool – this allows the warm pool water to escape from your pool. The windproof enclosure ensures that your pool is protected against the wind – this keeps it from losing its warmth.
4. Use A Liquid Pool Cover
The liquid solar cover combats evaporation and hence eliminating heat loss. Liquid solar covers create an invisible liquid barrier that stays on top of the water – the liquid reduces evaporation and hence lowering heat loss.
The liquid does not affect the pool chemistry and it is 100% safe to swim in. Also, it is biodegradable and hence safe for the environment.
5. The Black Hose Trick
Although it may take a while to understand how to heat a pool using this method (it is a little bit complicated), it works well to heat your swimming pool without breaking the bank account.
To use this method, you will need to invest in a black garden hose. Unravel the hose and connect it to the water tap outside the house. Next, run the hose to a spot that usually gets direct sunlight and wrap the hose in a coil formation. Run the remaining hose into your swimming pool – the sun will heat the water as it flows from the tap to the pool.
6. Use a Pool Heat Pump
Pool heat pumps draw in warm air from the surroundings and then use this air to heat your pool. The key to making the pool heat pump one of the cheap ways to heat a pool is to use a pump that uses a low energy process.
Compared to using the covers, this method will heat your pool more quickly. Unlike the solar panel, the pool heat pump relies on the air temperature and not the sun – this means that your pool will stay heated even on cloudy days.
7. Use Solar Mats
Solar mats are usually used to heat small pools that are usually taken down during the winter season. Using pool pumps, water is usually pumped through the solar mats.
In the mats, the water gets heated by the sun. The sun simply heats the mats which then transfers the heat to the water.
You might also like: Top Electric Pool Heaters
8. Dome Shaped Solar Collectors
The operation of the dome-shaped solar collectors is similar to that of the solar mats. However, the piping, in this case, is generally rolled up in some type of dome shape, where the water is heated.
Compared to the solar mats, this system takes up less space. Whenever you are not trying cold water swimming, one dome should help you heat an average of 5,000 liters.
9. Check the Pool Temperature SetPoint
While this solution won’t show you how to heat a pool, it is still an ideal way to lower the cost of heating your pool. The warmer you heat the pool, the higher the cost of keeping it warm will be.
Each degree rise in temperature can easily equate to a 15 to 18% increase in operation cost. While your 88 degrees Fahrenheit pool may be nice & toasty warm, it will cost you more to maintain compared to a pool held at 85 degrees Fahrenheit.
FAQs
Q: How Long Does It Take to Heat A Pool Without A Heater?
The answer to this question depends on the heating method you intend to use. For example, if you intend to replace your normal pool heater with a solar-heated panel, you may have to wait for 8 to 12 hours to cycle the pool water through the panel with an average temperature rise of 2 to 5 degrees F per circulation. If this is the case, you may need several days of sunny weather to heat your pool.
Q: Is A Pool Heater Worth It?
To determine whether a pool heater is worth it, you have to consider whether using the pool without the heater is possible. For example, if you install your pool in an area where it does not receive sunlight during the day, you may need a pool heater. If you need to use the pool in winter, a heater may be necessary.
Q: Will A Black Tarp Heat A Pool?
When used the right way, a black tarp can help with pool heating. For example, when using the black hose trick, you can lay your black hoses on a black tarp. This can help generate more heat.
Q: Will A Black Tarp Heat A Pool?
Yes, black bottom pools keep the water warmer. Dark bottom pools absorb more of the sun’s heat. This increases the temperature of the water accordingly.
Q: Is Solar Pool Heating Worth It?
In the summer, solar pool heating is worth it. It will help you maintain the ideal water temperature at a free price. When it is cloudy, however, this heating method may not be effective.
Globo Surf Overview
If you are a new pool owner, chances are, you do not know how to heat a pool. This guide shows you cheap ways to heat a pool. The options mentioned above should help you keep the pool water warm at an affordable price.
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