Black Trash Bags to Heat pool?

[lilhall]

I am in New England and dont have a pool heater (pool is 68*). We recently cut down some more tress but still cant get our pool hot enough for all to enjoy. My wife saw that some folks are placing black trash bags to cover the surface.The claim is that this works to heat the water and trap the heat in. Does this really work?

P.S I have a pool cover.

 

[Richard320]

Didn't for me. It might have worked if I had 100% coverage, but a bubblewrap cover would probably be cheaper, if not so easy to remove.

 

[Demegrad9]

My experience with a clear bubble wrap style solar cover is that is basically works like a insulation blanket. It's just my experience but I find reeling in the cover on sunny days helps warm the water much more than leaving the solar cover on. But you have to put the cover back on at night to prevent the heat loss during the night.

 

[camueller]

My experience with a clear bubble wrap style solar cover is that is basically works like a insulation blanket. It's just my experience but I find reeling in the cover on sunny days helps warm the water much more than leaving the solar cover on. But you have to put the cover back on at night to prevent the heat loss during the night.

It is not just you. Science supports you. Covering your pool with a plastic sheet of any color or variety will not heat your water any more than direct sunlight on the pool. These covers work to warm the pool by keeping the heat in when temperatures dip and the sun goes away (at night, or on cloudy days)

 

[Poolzzz]

The science is different at my location since the pool heats better with the cover on. Evaporation doesn't just occur at night.

 

[Chickinvic]

I don't think that's going to make any difference. 68 is pretty frosty. I would seriously consider getting a heater if you want to enjoy much of a swimming season. I can't even imagine not having one unless I lived somewhere that it is always hot.