Without a pool heater, your swimming pool will not get warmer than 23°C to 25°C on a sunny day. You need to heat your in-ground pool to overcome winter cold. If you don’t have a heater, you can only swim from the summer month to some time in the autumn; but you will have to close up for the rest of the season. To swim year round, you need to have a heater to cope with the winter cold, and it will be worth the cost.
Coming back from a stressful and typical summer day to relax at the pool, there is no feeling like relaxing and swimming in the pool in summer; this feeling is lovely. But seasons change, and now autumn is almost over, another -0°C is approaching, no one wants to swim in a frozen pool, that’s why you need a pool heater.
Now, let me give you some insight on how to heat your pool faster, the gadgets, the characteristics, and the consideration.
Gas heaters
The gas heater is the most efficient and reliable way to heat your pool to any desired temperature; with a gas heater, you should be swimming in less than an hour. It is extremely fast, irrespective of the season, be it winter or the middle of autumn, it delivers. Nothing heats more quickly than a gas heater, and they are great for emergency heating of the pool. It can heat pools within an hour.
Proper installation and maintenance should be carried out by a professional to enable the best efficacy from the pool heater. My suggestion is to get an experienced team to carry out the installation.
Pros
- Ability to heat your pool in any season.
- It saves heating time.
Cons
- High fuel consumption.
- Costly, due to the price of propane.
Consideration
- How much does a gas heater cost
- What size of gas heater do I need for my pool.
Solar pool heaters
Solar heaters are simple, popular, and cost-effective ways to heat your pool without the need for you to be gas or fuel-conscious. It is an energy-efficient and environmentally friendly way of heating your pool. There are different systems of solar heating pool, namely;
Heating with solar water heater
Heating your pool with sunlight is lovely, cost-effective, and environmentally friendly. This solar heater is mainly used for residential purposes, and it can be used for the functioning of the home heater, also for pool heating.
This heater depends on the number of solar panels installed on the roof; the more the panel, the higher the energy.
Pros
- It’s environmentally friendly.
- It has a renewable source of energy.
Cons
- The amount of solar panels determines the efficacy of the heater.
- The effectiveness of the heater depends on the amount of sunlight ray absorbed by the panel.
- It’s not the best for pool recommendations because its efficiency is based on the amount of sunlight. So it can only be used in summer.
Consideration
- You need to have a considerable budget.
- You need to have space for installation.
Heating with the Solar Panel
As the name indicates, the solar panel produces energy, not heat. It is very much possible to heat pools with a solar panel. This panel collects rays from the sun and transforms them into energy, which is then used to power the heater of the house and heater of the pool. It is also determined by the number of panels.
Pros
- Environmental friendly.
- Renewable energy source.
- Low consumption rate.
Cons
- Not too economical.
- It can only be used in summer.
- Need ample space for installation.
Consideration
- Size of the family.
- Price of the panel.
- Space for the installation of the panel.
- Number of the panel.
- Quality and type of solar panel.
Heating with dome-shaped solar collectors
A solar heater dome is the most ecological and economical way to heat your pool. Due to its innovative design, it allows a considerable amount of heat to be transferred to the pool, using sunlight as an energy source.
It takes little or no space for installation. It is not too costly. This makes it better than the solar panel.
Pros
- It takes little or no space.
- It is ecological.
- It is easy to install.
- It is cost-effective.
- It has a renewable source of energy.
Cons
- It is advisable to use it in the small pool.
- It makes use of sunlight, so it can’t work perfectly in deep winter.
- It is best used for a small pool because one dome heats up to 5000L of water, so you will need more dome to heat a bigger pool.
Consideration
- It takes a great deal of energy to pump water through the dome.
Heating your pool with a heat pump
A heat pump doesn’t generate heat itself; they use electricity to absorb heat from the surrounding atmosphere and distribute it into the water. They generate up to 5kw of heat and 1kw of energy.
Due to its design to depend on the environment, it cannot function well at any temperature lower than 10°c. Installation of a heat pump is to be done outside because its heating rate is determined by the ambient temperature. It takes days to achieve up to 5kw of heat.
Pros
- It can be recommended for the larger swimming pool.
- It’s very efficient.
- Long-lasting.
- Easy to use.
- Doesn’t make much noise.
- Low energy cost.
Cons
- They are slow heaters.
- Depends on the surrounding temperature.
- Can only be used in temperatures above 10°c.
Heating with a heat exchanger
Heat exchangers use hot water from an electric boiler or solar-heated water circuit to heat the pool. The electricity heat the resistor, and the water passing around the resistor is heated, then transferred to the pool. The principle behind the heat exchanger is, it transfers the heat without transferring the fluid that carries the heat.
Corrosion is a significant problem when using a heat exchanger, especially in a chlorinated or saltwater pool. Utilizing a titanium heat exchanger to heat your pool is one of the fastest ways to heat your pool. Heat exchangers contain titanium which contains a corrosion-resistant element.
Pros
- Heats pool very fast, in less than a day.
- Long life span.
- Little cleaning need, due to its high flowing speed.
Cons
- Less environmentally friendly.
- Works best when in combination with another heating system.
Consideration
- Temperature differential: The temperature between the coolant and the hot fluid is critical in the heat exchanger because a lower coolant will take out more heat than a warmer coolant.
- Flow rate: A greater flow rate will increase the capability to transfer more heat, keeping the exchanger clean.
- Installation: Installation should be done strictly based on manufacturer guidelines.
Heating with wood
Can I heat my pool with wood? The answer is yes. In this system, water runs along with the stove, picking up heat generated by the fire; the water is then transferred to the pool. But too much effort is put into it, so, this system is not highly recommended for pool heating.
Pros
- It is a quick pool heating method.
- It can be used for emergency pool heating.
Cons
- It is labor-intensive.
- Wood is expensive.
- There can be a high loss of heat from a different medium.
Consideration
- Loss of heat; through the wall of the pool and surface.
- Wind also causes heat loss through evaporation, so using an insulating blanket to cover the pool will reduce heat loss.
How to heat your pool faster
Now we have talked about heating your pool with a different type of gadget, from very efficient, expensive, and optimal for heating of your pool to the less efficient, cost-effective, and undesirable. I want to tell you how to heat your in-ground pool fast without any kind of heater, solar or otherwise.
I am talking about the solar cover, these solar covers, when placed on the pool over time, can give you an optimal result, but again, we have different types of solar cover with various qualities. They are very cheap, easy to use, easy to maintain, and don’t require charging from any source.
There are presently various types of solar cover, but I recommend these three below:
- Blanket/full solar cover.
- Rings solar cover.
- Liquid solar cover.
Blanket/full solar cover
These are solid and thick layers of translucent plastic bubble wrap exclusively fabricated for the heat swimming pool. The wrapper is spread across the four corners of the pool and left in place for several hours to absorb solar radiation from the sun. A solar cover can increase and also maintain the temperature of your pool.
Pros
- It reduces the cost of energy.
- Increases heat retention.
- Most environmentally friendly.
Consideration
- Due to various designs of pools, you will have to do the trimming to the shape of your pool.
Solar ring cover
Solar rings are solar swimming pool heating device, that absorbs sun rays from the ring’s upper transparent layer and relay it to the lower blue layer, which absorbs 50% of the heat and converts it to heat. They are way cheaper than the blanket solar cover, but they follow the same application principle. They are applied at the surface of the pool to attract sun rays for heating the water.
Pros
- Environmental friendly.
- Cheap to buy.
- Easy to use.
Cons
- Do not leave in the sun after use to avoid overheating.
Consideration
- Size and shape: Since the ring is disc-shaped and small, and you want the ring to cover your pool for maximum effectiveness; you will have to put the size and shape into consideration
- Density: Lighter rings might lose efficiency faster, but thick rings will last longer and avoid heat from the pool.
- Number of rings: Obviously, you can not use three or four rounds. You have enough rings to cover 80%of your pool for maximum effectiveness.
Liquid solar cover
It is a mixture of fatty acid and alcohol that form a thin translucent layer that floats on your pool; the liquid solar surface can attract and absorb sun rays and transfer them into the pool .it also reduce evaporation of heat from the pool at night. It is very safe to your skin, even if you mistakenly drink the pool water while swimming, it’s harmless.
It is the oldest form of water heating, goes back to November 17, 1988, it’s signed and approved by FDA. It is environmental friendly, and also offers no threat to you. Example include; Pool basics 2706PB heat trapper solar blanket.
Pros
- Very affordable.
- Safe to you.
- Very effective.
Warning: Do not drink directly from the bottle.
How to save money and reduce energy loss from your pool
You ask, how can I reduce the cost of heating my swimming pool? Well, to reduce the cost of heating, there are things to be considered. Firstly, how to reduce the cost of energy used to heat the pool and secondly, how to reduce the amount of heat the pool gives up.
If the amount of heat given up by the pool is reduced, then the cost of energy used to heat the pool is also reduced. Here are tips on how to reduce energy loss from the pool.
Pool Insulation: When planning a pool, think about insulation because a swimming pool loses heat in various ways; evaporation has been the largest source of heat and energy loss. Using a pool cover can help save energy loss.
Moreover, any cover will reduce energy loss. But, heat loss can be diminished, and heat can also be renewed using Solar Slats as a cover; these slats absorb sun rays and convert them into heat to make the pool a few degrees warmer. And you are not chanced, you can install an automatic pool cover.
Turn down the heater: I am sure you are wondering, why? Why should I turn down the heater? Well, wonder not. Imagine you keep the heater at a particular range, maybe 72°c (the optimal temperature for A pool), and not overheat. Energy loss won’t be noticed, and the cost for heating won’t be felt.
Dark interior lining: In my physics class, I was told a dark surface attracts heat, and a light surface doesn’t. My point is, the pool temperature can also be determined by the ambient temperature, so incorporation of a dark surface in the pool, be it a blanket or painted, will attract heat into the pool.
Conclusion
There is nothing better than swimming in a pool in the hot summer or autumn but, if you want to continue been refreshed and happy for the rest of the season, then you will have to pay that price. The list of gadgets above will give you insight on which to choose, what to expect, and ways to go about saving energy and heating cost.
