Heating pool water....Thoughts???

[InTheSwim1969]

Hi Everyone!

Aside from buying a propane or nat. gas heater, are there any other products i can purchase to raise the water temp? I have read about the solar rings but the reviews leave a lot to be desired.

I have a 12' round 52" deep steel wall above ground pool. Approx. 4k gallons with a 1.5 HP Hayward DE filter.

The weather this summer in the northeast is so inconsistent and need to raise the water temp for what i hope is a coming heatwave next week.

Thanks All!!!!!!

 

[CJadamec]

Sorry to say but there is no easy or cheap way to heat a pool quickly. You are much better off getting a purpose built pool heating equipment than wasting money on gimmicks and being disappointed.

A solar cover will help keep heat in your pool day to day and should help warm up your pool.

You can get a solar panel with controller set up as well for around 500 if you lay the panel on the ground.

You could also get a small heat pump for about 2000. Same goes for a gas heater but that's only worth it if you have natural gas available.

 

[InTheSwim1969]

The main gas line coming into my house is not very far from the pool filter so i assume it would be pretty easy to tap it and direct a line to the heater but that is a project for the fall, not now.

I do have another question- i have read reviews of these inflatable solar rings and while there are many unfavorable reviews, there are a lot of favorable ones as well from people with pools much larger than mine.

What gives?

 

[CJadamec]

Those rings are no different than using a traditional solar bubble wrap type cover. They are trapping heat by stopping evaporation. There is very little heat gain from them.

Something like THIS is what you are looking for. It will stop nighttime evaporative heat loss and help your pool warm faster. Don't expect any passive cover like this to have your pool that much warmer in just a week. If you want water more than a couple degrees above the average daily air temp you need a heater.

 

[mas985]

The biggest complaint I hear with the rings is that the tend to pile up on one side of the pool with even a mild wind. Also, I think they may be more work getting on off than a cover.

 

[Kathe]

We have a heat pump which works well if the temp is above 60. We have been heating the pool during the day to 87. In the eve, I turn the heat pump off. It's been getting down in the 50s and the pump will work too hard at night to keep the temp steady. That's been working well for us. The pool is 82 in the morning and by noon it is up to 87. The sun keeps it warm and goes even warmer. On a cloudy day, it stays at 87 which is comfortable swimming.