Warmer water wanted!

[FunFinder]

Hi All. I don't want to give up our fun family time in the water just yet. How can I keep my pool open for longer?

Seems like solar is the way to go, but we don't have a south facing roof or place in yard to do a stand (I think). We have a west facing roof right next to the pool and it is blazing hot in the afternoons here in South Louisiana. Can anyone give me some ideas that might work for us and aprox cost? Would my current pump work with a solar set up? I also still have the pump that came with the pool, less than 1/2 hp, never used.

How much would a bubble type blanket help in the evenings for an AGP like mine? Husband says it would be a waste, but I'm not so sure. This weekend pool water was 84, then dropped to 72 overnight and has only gotten back to 79.

Lastly, I'm thinking of getting a hot tub also. Since my pool is so small, any chance we could use that to heat the water in the pool occasionally without breaking the bank?

 

[booboo]

Just in case you decide to install solar. I got some Heliocol 4x12 panels off craigslist, 9 for $250 and 6 additional from someone else for $300. A couple hundred dollars in extra parts and PVC and they work great.

 

[JohnT]

A solar blanket would prevent a fair amount of heat loss. It is the first thing you should have if you want the pool warmer.

Solar panels will help. You probably won't need a different pump. West facing is okay. The most important thing is the hours of sunlight they get per day.

 

[JVTrain]

If you're going to use any method to heat the pool (solar, natural gas, electric, heat pump) it's a no-brainer to also have a solar cover on the pool. The solar cover most importantly does not gather heat from the sun. They are horribly named. Yes, some colors and configurations of solar covers are better at transferring heat to the pool but all solar covers have one thing in common that they all do well: KEEP HEAT IN THE POOL AT NIGHT. If you're heating your pool in any way, it makes sense to keep that heat in the pool as much as you can so do a solar cover too and keep it on every night when you want to maximize heat retention.

I used only a solar cover this summer, no other heat. My pool hit 85-86 degrees for several weeks where last year with no cover, I only hit high 70s and maybe 80 degrees once. This happened simply because when it was cool outside at night, my solar cover kept the heat from evaporating/radiating out.

 

[FunFinder]

Thanks for the replies! I notice you all have inground pools- will the solar blanket be as helpful on my above ground pool?

 

[Isaac-1]

Solar blankets prevent heat loss caused by evaporation of water, this is the prime way most pools loose heat, so does not matter if it is in ground our above ground. The cheapest source for them I have found is ebay, but don't expect a long life out of a cheap solar blanket (then again don't expect one out of an expensive one either)

Ike

p.s. it looks like they start at $47 with free shipping on ebay for 18 ft round

 

[PAGirl]

A solar cover does help with holding in the heat. Even on the Intex.

 

[Isaac-1]

Do be aware that a solar cover by itself is only going to buy you a few more weeks of swim season most years.

 

[FunFinder]

Thanks for the clarification Ike and PAGirl! I'll take every extra day I can get with warm water.

 

[Bing125]

A solar cover will help but with an above ground you will lose some heat out the sides. Insulation would help prevent that but not sure how you would go about setting that up.


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[FunFinder]

Thanks Bing. I've thought about saving all the bubble wrap we get from Amazon shipments and sticking it to the outside of the pool! Any other ideas would be welcome.

 

[Isaac-1]

At some point the answer is a heater, but that is a whole other discussion.

Ike

p.s. what part of Cajun Country are you in, there are some practical differences between say Marksville and Morgan City when it comes to climate.

 

[Sparkle]

I've thought about saving all the bubble wrap we get from Amazon shipments and sticking it to the outside of the pool! Any other ideas would be welcome.

Solar blankets work because they reduce evaporation. The bubbles are there to keep the blanket on top of the water, not to insulate the pool.

 

[FunFinder]

Ike, I likely won't be looking at actual pool heaters for my little Intex! If I can get solar panels cheap off of eBay or craigslist, that might be a option, now that I know my pump will likely work with it. I'm from the part of Cajun country where people love, eat, and make Tabasco.

Sparkle, thanks for the physics lesson. i appreciate everyone's input.

Nobody commented on the idea of using a spa to heat the pool occasionally. I read somewhere on this forum there were no stupid questions, right?!?

 

[pabeader]

Correct, no stupid questions. Occasionally, there are questions that don't pose a ready answer. I read back through the thread and I don't see where you mention the actual gallons of your pool. That might make a difference because most spas are like 400 gallons, whereas pools are like 4000+. Might make the poor heater work too much.

You could use foam board insulation for the sides. It comes in different thicknesses and you can paint it to look like whatever you would like.

 

[FunFinder]

Pabeader, oh sorry, my little pool is about 4,000 gal. After reading more threads, it seems like the spa heater would be a no go. I also discovered people on here have had some pretty creative ideas.... that didn't work. Love that this forum is so supportive and nice- I didn't even read a post that said, "we told you so!"

I have the insulation boards under my pool and they make for a very smooth surface. If anything were to be placed on the sides of the pool, I would think it would have to be flexible to fit the curvature of the soft sides. When I want something done, my brain automatically thinks of repurposing things, rather than buying something new. Most of the time, my ideas don't pan out after thinking on it a while, but I do enjoy the process of figuring it out. Thanks for your help.

 

[pabeader]

Well if you want to get real DIY on it you could use repurposed foam from old coolers and things that come with foam packaging. Make tiles and duct tape them together. That way they would have flex and be in better contact with the pool itself. Kinda like platemail from old timey days.

 

[Isaac-1]

Ah now you are making me want to drive down to Avery Island, I have not been down there in several years enough though it is a nice day trip from here.

 

[FunFinder]

Pabeader- unfortunately, I don't have a storage room full of old coolers to tear apart, otherwise I might try it! I have thick bamboo reed fencing around the outside of my pool to hide the gray blob, so nobody will see what I stuff under there anyway!

Ike, since you are an official on this site, I'm sure you could use a trip over here as a write off for your job! Cajun country pool inspection for TFP trip! Every pool you inspect could get a gold star next to the owner's name, and that would mean the owner doesn't have to "post numbers" every time they ask a question!