Pool Heating Methods?

[Ralph III]

Hello All,
Can anyone recommend an affordable (under $300.00) pool heating system/method for a 25k outdoor in-ground pool? Our water temp is currently 66 degrees and I'd like to begin raising the temps if possible.

1. Would you recommend a bubble cover?
2. Any viable solar circulation systems that are not enormous in size or cost?
3. Anyone build a DIY heating systems, such as solar water tank?
4. Is a propane heater worth considering? My supervisor has one installed on their pool but they could never figure out how to get it to operate properly. I may be able to get it fairly cheap if you think such is worth it.

I would like to begin gradually increasing the water temperature so our girls could begin swimming regularly until the outdoor temps rise in south Alabama. It is quite uncomfortable at the moment for them.

Thanks,
Ralph

 

[Kiss4aFrog]

Propane isn't worth considering if you're trying to go cheap. Had one and it's very expensive to run. It will raise the water temp fast so if you only swim occasionally it might not be bad but if you wanted to start the season early and maintain the pools temp so you could use it daily or every few days with the propane heater you're going to have to have a lot of propane on hand or having smaller tanks refilled often. If you have natural gas and can convert over it would be less expensive to run.
Buying a heater sometimes is less expensive than operating it !!
Solar blankets work pretty good at retaining heat but with mine I haven't noticed that much of an ability to heat with it. I think I get more heat with the cover off on a sunny day and then trap that heat with the cover over night.

 

[Esloser]

Hello All,
Can anyone recommend an affordable (under $300.00) pool heating system/method for a 25k outdoor in-ground pool? Our water temp is currently 66 degrees and I'd like to begin raising the temps if possible.

1. Would you recommend a bubble cover?
2. Any viable solar circulation systems that are not enormous in size or cost?
3. Anyone build a DIY heating systems, such as solar water tank?
4. Is a propane heater worth considering? My supervisor has one installed on their pool but they could never figure out how to get it to operate properly. I may be able to get it fairly cheap if you think such is worth it.

I would like to begin gradually increasing the water temperature so our girls could begin swimming regularly until the outdoor temps rise in south Alabama. It is quite uncomfortable at the moment for them.

Thanks,
Ralph

I think natural gas is the best bang for your buck if available. I can heat my 36000 gallon pool 20 degrees in a day and it probably costs me $50. I mainly use it for the spa and the one off pool party. Early in the season or late. The heat escapes quickly of overnight temps dip. My kids can suck it up.

 

[BasicTek]

Can anyone recommend an affordable (under $300.00) pool heating system/method for a 25k outdoor in-ground pool?

1. Would you recommend a bubble cover?

Unless you're going to spend much more there are no viable heating options especially for a pool your size. If you buy a cheap bubble cover You're temp will be much higher than without.

Without a cover your pool temp is like an average of the daily high and nightly low (not exactly but being exposed to both equally). If you get a bubble cover it will not only hold in your daily heat but will also slow down any evaporation that occurs.

The "heating effect" because it's not actually generating heat is cumulative so the longer you leave the cover on the more heat from the daytime highs you save.

Down here in FL I just enjoyed swimming in a 90 degree pool today (when our overnight lows all week were in the low 40's) in my case it's a combination of my solar + the cover retaining heat overnight.

I'd bet if you had a cover on the last 2 + weeks your pool would be more like 78 right now instead of 68. Also don't worry about quality of bubble cover I've heard it said many times they all fall apart, so grab clear or blue at the best price from any reputable seller

 

[kevinrlbd]

So a follow-up question...if natural gas is not an option besides propane what other pool heating options are there?

Thanks,

 

[CJadamec]

Heat pump or solar panels.

 

[riley00dog]

We’re going with a heat pump. We don’t have gas to our area and want to leave our roof free for solar power down the track. Do your research as to the the differences as some are more efficient than others.

 

[PoolGate]

My neighbor opens his pool mid-April so that he can turn on his heatpump and be ready to swim mid-may. It takes a full 30 days to get the pool up to temp. Then he mostly stays at 88ish for the swim season. Only a fossil fuel source is going to allow you to swim off-season.

 

[CJadamec]

Unlike poolgate's neighbor experience, my own personal heat pump (before I added solar panels) can take my pool from 55 degree water to 80 degree water in about 5 days. I opened my pool the first sunday of May last year and was swimming on Friday. Daytime temps that week were in the 60's and night time temps were low 40's and upper 30's.

There is a lot to consider when heating a pool. Every heating option out there has pros and cons. There is a ton of discussion on this forum about the differences between heating options.

 

[pooldv]

I turn on solar panels and put the solar cover on about a month before I want to swim, usually the third week in February to start putting free heat in the pool. Then depending on the weather forecast and the pool temp I'll turn the heat pump on a week or so before we want to swim. We have swam March 15/16 for the last 3 years through the end of October. Solar panels and cover do most of the work. Heat pump finishes it off or does the work if it is cloudy or rainy. Water was 87 degrees monday.

 

[ping]

Simply put, a solar bubble cover is the cheapest way to add about 10 degrees of heat to the pool. Any other way of heating the pool will be expensive.

Solar panels will be a significant cost upfront but will be next to no cost to keep the pool at a nice swimming temperature for the most months of the year. If you have the space to install them and face the sun they are the best long term solution to heating a pool. You can save money by installing them on your own, they have kits online, or you can pay someone to install them for you. My guess is $5000-6000 to have installed or buy them for less than $2000 and install them yourself. For a 25,000 gallon pool it will required something more than a black hose coiled up to heat that much water.