New to pools… late summer, shade is starting to cover my pool several hours now… whats an inexpensive way to heat the water? Or, what are any ways? What works, what doesn’t work? TYIA
AG inexpensive water heater?
- Thread starter JerryGarcia
- Start date
- May 3, 2014
- 62,796
- Pool Size
- 6000
- Surface
- Fiberglass
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Pentair Intellichlor IC-40
Using a solar cover helps to retain the heat. To add heat, you need a heat pump, gas heater, or solar panel heater. None of those three are low cost.
The solar cover is a cheap way to heat the pool. It is sometimes a pain though, when you pull it off, where would you put it. At 8000 gallons, if you leave it on too long, it will heat up rather quickly. I would ditch the test strips and get a proper test kit, such as the TF PRO Salt.
Last edited by a moderator:
You've probably got dozens of options. If you mean truly inexpensive, you're maybe looking at a handful. On our Intex-type 15' x 3' pool, we tried to add hot water. Didn't work; very expensive. We added a solar cover. Did a fairly good job of retaining heat but didn't make any.
I know I've looked at several "Mc Guyver-ized" solutions on this site that seemed like they would work, but involved more time to assemble, test, and fiddle with, than I had available. Your mileage may vary. LOL. I'm sure some will chime in to add their solutions to the mix. Somebody will have something that will work for you!
When, after 3 years, we upgraded to a hard side 24' x 4.5' hard-side pool, we needed to make a decision, since we couldn't get much more than 78 degrees in it in the middle of the summer, even with a good quality solar cover. Our decision was to buy a heat pump for the pool. Still using it with almost no problems 7 years later. It does a great job of meeting my wife's "85 Degree Requirement Mandate."
Admittedly, I enjoy it too, but it was nice to have her "nagging" me to get it! 
Nope, it was not cheap! About $1,750 at the time, as I recall. So far, it has cost us an average of $250/year. Operation is surprisingly cost-efficient. It adds about $15-20/month to our electric bill; waaay less than our pool pump. Once the pool reaches my wife's "mandatory" temp, the solar cover lets us go for days or weeks in the summer heat without the heat pump kicking on. Of course, the cover comes off nearly every day for swimming and airing out of the water.
*UPDATE*: We got a two-speed pump this year that costs us less than a dollar a day to run it for 12 hours on low speed.
Good luck in your quest!
I know I've looked at several "Mc Guyver-ized" solutions on this site that seemed like they would work, but involved more time to assemble, test, and fiddle with, than I had available. Your mileage may vary. LOL. I'm sure some will chime in to add their solutions to the mix. Somebody will have something that will work for you!
When, after 3 years, we upgraded to a hard side 24' x 4.5' hard-side pool, we needed to make a decision, since we couldn't get much more than 78 degrees in it in the middle of the summer, even with a good quality solar cover. Our decision was to buy a heat pump for the pool. Still using it with almost no problems 7 years later. It does a great job of meeting my wife's "85 Degree Requirement Mandate."
Admittedly, I enjoy it too, but it was nice to have her "nagging" me to get it! Nope, it was not cheap! About $1,750 at the time, as I recall. So far, it has cost us an average of $250/year. Operation is surprisingly cost-efficient. It adds about $15-20/month to our electric bill; waaay less than our pool pump. Once the pool reaches my wife's "mandatory" temp, the solar cover lets us go for days or weeks in the summer heat without the heat pump kicking on. Of course, the cover comes off nearly every day for swimming and airing out of the water.
*UPDATE*: We got a two-speed pump this year that costs us less than a dollar a day to run it for 12 hours on low speed.
Good luck in your quest!
VinnyinNJ
Bronze Supporter
- Jul 20, 2022
- 1,054
- Pool Size
- 13500
- Surface
- Vinyl
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Hayward Turbo Cell (T-CELL-5)
I owned a 24 ft round above ground pool, it had approximately 13,500 gallons. Assuming you get a lot of sunlight the best and cheapest way to warm the water is with a solar cover.
I never bought an expensive one just paid around $100 and they lasted for about 3 years so $33 a year. The added benefit was very little evaporation which meant less water usage. Kind of keeps the pool clean too!
We cut a flap where the ladder went into the pool so that area was covered as well. I kept my return facing down and toward the side and the cover rarely had movement issues.
As to what to do when swimming we would just lay it on the ground bunched up next to the pool. There is a AG solar reel but we didn't get one, was pretty easy to put the cover on/off.
It would take my water to 90 F + easily as long as it didn't get too cool at night, definitely in the 80's . If we decide on an IG pool this is how we would heat the pool again.
I never bought an expensive one just paid around $100 and they lasted for about 3 years so $33 a year. The added benefit was very little evaporation which meant less water usage. Kind of keeps the pool clean too!
We cut a flap where the ladder went into the pool so that area was covered as well. I kept my return facing down and toward the side and the cover rarely had movement issues.
As to what to do when swimming we would just lay it on the ground bunched up next to the pool. There is a AG solar reel but we didn't get one, was pretty easy to put the cover on/off.
It would take my water to 90 F + easily as long as it didn't get too cool at night, definitely in the 80's . If we decide on an IG pool this is how we would heat the pool again.
Similar threads
