Hi, I'm reading up on all the options for pool heaters. We live in coastal South Carolina (almost Savannah, GA which is similar climate to N FL since we're very near the water on an island...right now during summer we have temps in upper 80's-mid 90's during the day, low 80's to upper 70's at night. In winter, we can still get days in the low 70's and usually have a few freezes per year although this past winter we didn't have any and a few years ago we had several days in a row in the 20's). We installed an above ground pool this summer and want to extend our swimming season - it's already cold in the pool as we've had some cloudy days/rain and night temps in the mid-70's! I think we're unlikely to use it much when the water temp dips below 80 (ok, we are huge wimps!! It's the Florida blood). It seems like we're resigned not to use the pool Nov-Feb because it just won't be warm enough air to want to swim (we have a hot tub too) but it would be great to be able to use it some on nice sunny days Mar-Apr and Sept-Oct when the water temp will dip.
We're unlikely to use the solar option - too much space needed for the panels and the pool isn't close to the house. I also don't love the idea of the solar blanket - we've got young children that can swim and of course we keep the exterior pool ladder inaccessible but I worry if they somehow climbed something and fell onto a pool cover that they would get tangled and be unable to get out. Nor do we have anywhere to store something that bulky and we tend to be in and out of the pool so I think putting it on and off would not happen. We do have gas lines so that's an option. I don't want to spend a few hundred dollars each month to heat the pool either...
So anyway...#1, why is the water already so cold? Is it to be expected to have a small pool change temps easily? Would it improve temp to run/not run the pump at certain times? Anything else we can do to keep the water warmer when it's not just hot and sunny other than the solar blanket?
And does anyone have a suggestion as to our best options for a heater? Say in those outside months, we only use the pool 1-2x per week. In that case, would a gas heater that could quickly bring our small pool temp up be the way to go? What if we want to be able to swim at any time? And what about in summer months when we are just being wimps? How much are we likely to need to run a heater to keep the temp above 80? I'm looking specifically for recommendations for our climate which is relatively mild and humid most of the year.
We're unlikely to use the solar option - too much space needed for the panels and the pool isn't close to the house. I also don't love the idea of the solar blanket - we've got young children that can swim and of course we keep the exterior pool ladder inaccessible but I worry if they somehow climbed something and fell onto a pool cover that they would get tangled and be unable to get out. Nor do we have anywhere to store something that bulky and we tend to be in and out of the pool so I think putting it on and off would not happen. We do have gas lines so that's an option. I don't want to spend a few hundred dollars each month to heat the pool either...
So anyway...#1, why is the water already so cold? Is it to be expected to have a small pool change temps easily? Would it improve temp to run/not run the pump at certain times? Anything else we can do to keep the water warmer when it's not just hot and sunny other than the solar blanket?
And does anyone have a suggestion as to our best options for a heater? Say in those outside months, we only use the pool 1-2x per week. In that case, would a gas heater that could quickly bring our small pool temp up be the way to go? What if we want to be able to swim at any time? And what about in summer months when we are just being wimps? How much are we likely to need to run a heater to keep the temp above 80? I'm looking specifically for recommendations for our climate which is relatively mild and humid most of the year.
