Light the fire, turn on the pump and feel the water heating up. Everyone has a different ideal water temperature for comfortable swimming, but setting the thermostat too high can result in overwhelming expenses. It's easy for a small hot tub to keep temperatures above 80 degrees, but maintaining that level in a medium-sized pool would cost a small fortune. You'll incur an additional 15% and 18% in operating costs for each grade increase you establish.
Turn on the heater only when you plan to use the pool to save costs or turn it down once you're done swimming. The fastest way to heat your pool is to use a gas pool heater and a solar cover. It's like heating coffee in the microwave and covering it up. A solar water heater that can be used in the home can be effective in heating pool water.
However, the main drawback is that solar heaters operate at very low efficiency levels on cloudy days. Since this is exactly the time when the pool water will be coldest and therefore heating is most needed, this makes solar water heaters the least preferred option. In addition, this method of heating swimming pools is less environmentally friendly than solar collectors or a pool heating system with a heat pump. It will heat up your pool in just one day, making it ideal for a pool in a rural retreat or for those who only swim sporadically.
However, solar pool covers do not offer continuous heating while you swim, but need to cover the pool to heat the water. Solar pool covers, also known as solar blankets, are large sheets of insulating plastic that look like bubbles and are placed on top of pool water. The advantage of a heat exchanger is that it can heat pool water even at colder temperatures and without the sun having to shine. On the other hand, insulating an above ground pool will require a little more work, since you will have to do it again every time you go swimming.
If you decide to combine an automatic cover with solar slats, you can increase the temperature of your pool water using your pool cover. In addition, a solar or thermal pool cover will provide you with the added advantage of heating the pool while it is empty, which can save a lot on operating costs throughout the year, limit heat loss by up to 50% and reduce total energy consumption. This dome-shaped pool cover is made up of vinyl and aluminum closures that effectively convert your outdoor pool into an indoor pool. A solar dome collects the sun's rays and circulates pool water through heating channels before returning it to the pool.
This can of course depend on the surface of the pool and the volume of water, but also on the power of the heat pump.
