Solar heaters and pump heaters are economical and effective ways to heat your pool water. They use less energy to function and will save you quite a bit of dough on your monthly energy bill. But if you use a natural or propane gas heater for your pool, you’re probably looking for a way to cut your pool heating cost and energy demand.
Thankfully, you’re in the right place! Follow the 5 tips below to learn how to cut back on pool heating costs and reduce your carbon footprint.
How to Reduce Pool Heating Costs
Reducing costs does not mean reducing quality when it comes to pool heating products. Learn about the most common ways pool owners can reduce their heating costs, while still maintaining a nice, toasty pool.
Liquid Solar Cover
Solar Blanket
Winter Cover
1. Liquid Solar Cover:
Products like Natural Chemistry COVERfree contain cetyl alcohol to protect your pool from the sun. Cetyl alcohol, commonly found in cosmetics, works as a thickening agent on the water’s surface. The molecules bind together and form a thin layer on the water, trapping in heat and keeping UV rays out. A liquid solar cover can reduce evaporation in your pool by 50%.
2. Solar Blanket:
Solar blankets, whether blue, clear, or pink, perform a twofold job — heating and heat retention. The sun’s UV rays pass through air bubbles on the solar blanket and heat the water, raising the temperature upwards of 10 degrees. As the rays enter the pool and heat the water, the solar blanket traps them, keeping the heat in the water and preventing evaporation. Solar blankets also keep humidity levels low on indoor or enclosed pools. Install a solar reel to make covering and uncovering your pool a breeze.
3. Solar Sun Rings:
Made of heavy duty, UV-resistant vinyl, solar sun rings are relatively new to the heat retention marketplace. They have greater longevity than their solar blanket cousin, and are easier to install and remove from your pool. The large, 5 ft in diameter rings clip together with magnets and sit on the pool water. You can connect as many as you need, depending on the size of your pool. Providing more heat retention than solar blankets, and easier usability, solar sun rings are a great way to lower your pool heating cost.
4. Install Wind Blocks:
Believe it or not, wind is the biggest pool water heat thief and can decrease your pool’s temperature by a few degrees. Block a portion of your pool from the wind with hedges, a solid fence, or any other solid structure. Even partial fences and low hedges can be useful in blocking the wind. Just be sure not to block the view of the pool from the house, which can pose a safety hazard.
5. Install a Pool Cover:
Winter pool covers, even mesh pool ones, dramatically reduce heat loss. A pool cover is the most recommended method for reducing heat loss, and will pay for itself in a short time. Automatic pool covers, made of PVC-reinforced vinyl, keep the heat in while keeping the dirt and debris out. Using a winter safety cover on your pool during the summer is not common, but it is a great way to reduce your pool heating cost, keep your pool clean, and prevent unauthorized use of the pool.
Saving on your pool heating cost doesn’t have to be a challenge! There are many ways to keep your pool toasty, while saving your hard earned cash.
Hey, just wanted to say thanks for the info and outline a plan I have this spring to not only heat my 15×30 above ground pool, but also retain the heat during the time the ‘heater’ is not on. Here is the plan;
First install a high efficency pool heater (natural gas) with an adequate btu (maybe 20k??). Also considering a heat pump…no final decision made!
As my pool is in dire need of a new liner soon to be ordered, I plan on placing padding in the bottom with the thought that insulating the bottom from ground temp may assist the goal of retaining heat! Thought???
Also, I am considering using an insulation product (approximately 1″ thick and somewhat stiff) on the inner walls of the pool.
Then of course installing the new liner over the padding and the lined walls of the pool.
Noe, as to a cover, yes I am considering a bubble cover for further heat retention.
I live near Chicago thus the ‘pool’ season can be short. Add to this, my wife refuses to get into a cold pool…the cold water makes her hands ache.
Anyway just wanted to bounce these ideas off someone and get an opinion.
Thank you for taking the time to read this and looking forward to hear from you.
Sincerely,
Bob Norris
Hi Bob, your idea makes sense, I am not sure of the R-value gain, but could be significant. Most pool heat loss is thru the ‘roof’ so to speak, but walls and ground can have a cooling effect, pushing heat towards the surface. Insulation would be the logical choice. The walls are easy enough, just use foam board, aka pink board, and spray glue, then tape the joints. The floors are more tricky and boards are not the best choice, as the seams are too visible. Seams are a problem, b/c they trap dirt, and make a weak spot for the liner. it’s like a reverse wrinkle. You could use a geotextile like our Liner Guard product, these are cut to fit your pool size, no seams, but are like a 1/8″ thick Felt mat, not very thick. But most importantly, a good Solar Cover, that is used at night and during cool weather, or when not using the pool, and a Solar Reel to make it as easy as possible to remove/install.