Liquid Solar Or Solar Pills
This may not be the most effective alternative. Still, a solar pill is an economical method for heating your swimming pool up. Solar pills are just a ball that is full of liquid solar. Take note that the process will be very technical in this method. You need to poke a few holes into the object before placing it directly in the skimmer. As the pool circulates, this pill will start to dissolve in the water, and a film made of alcohol will blanket over the top of the water surface. This will retain the heat while at the same time attracting the sunlight towards the pool.
In order to cover the entire surface of the pool, you need to buy several solar pills, especially when your swimming pool is big. The good news is that it will be safe to swim in the pool. As such, you can swim as much as you want while it heats up, unlike with solar blankets that you cannot swim when it is on since it covers the pool.
How To Heat Intex / Bestway Above Ground Pool Quickly & Cheaply
u/jack4607 recenty asked a question on how to heat his new above ground pool. I have noticed a few similar posts on the sub and thought that I could share how I enjoy swimming in 30’C water in my Intex 4.5m x 2.2m pool, heated cheaply and quickly. I live in the UK where we have less favourable weather than much of America so my thoughts reflect this.
My Intex Pool at 30°C seen by thermal camera. Red = Hot. Blue = Cold.
Your domestic central heating boiler is the fastest and cheapest method of heating a small pool for temporary summer use if you can do some basic DIY plumbing. Skip to the section entitled “Making the pool heater” for the gory details, otherwise read the rest for my thoughts on other heating options for small above ground pools.
First of all, make the most of what nature gives you. If possible, place the pool in a sunny spot and preferably one that is sheltered from wind. This will maximise solar gains and reduce wind chill as far as possible.
Covering the pool shall prevent evaporation and the associated heat losses. You can get solar covers which absorb energy from the sun and transfer it to the water to heat it, but anything that will cover the surface shall prevent evaporation. So, if you don’t want to spend money on a solar cover using something like a tarpaulin or plastic sheet shall still be worthwhile. A dark coloured cover shall act as a poor man’s solar cover, it will just provide less insulation as it does not have the bubbles like bubble wrap.
How Can I Heat My Pool For Free
How to heat a swimming pool for free? Using a black hose to keep your pool warm. Solar Cover. Heating your pool with solar panels. The benefits of solar panels as pool water heaters. Using dome shaped connectors to heat your pool. Solar ring heaters for pools. Heat pool water with a floating blanket.
Also Check: Creative Ways To Hide Pool Equipment
Use A Wood Burning Pool Heater
Yes, thats right, a wood burning pool heater. They exist, and theyre pretty cool.
While most wood pool heaters are DIY or custom built, there are a few manufacturers. The folks at Wood Stove Pools offer a pretty diverse selection.
The heaters work exactly how you would think, by burning wood and transferring that heat to your pool water with the help of your pump. And based on customer reviews, they do the job well.
Of course, its important to consider how much wood youll need to burn, and how often, to keep your pool adequately heated. And this all depends on the size of your pool and time of year.
Bottom line: when it comes to cost-effectiveness, wood burning pool heaters are behind heat pumps and solar heaters.
This is why most wood burning pool heaters are better suited for spas, small pools, and seasonal use.
Pros of Wood Burning Pool Heaters
- Rustic and aesthetically pleasing
Cons of Wood Burning Pool Heaters
- The cost of constantly burning wood is expensive
- Not eco-friendly
- Doesnt maintain water temperature like gasor heat pump pool heaters
Are Above Ground Pool Heaters Worth It
These are a little pricier than other types of heaters and are kind of expensive to run. But they heat the water so quickly and efficiently that many people find them worth the extra cost. These are some of the most efficient types of pool heaters because they dont rely on warm air or sunlight to work properly.
Recommended Reading: Tibbits Pool Yonkers
Solar Ring Heaters For Pools
If you want to solar heat your pool but are not yet ready to buy a solar pool blanket, you could always use solar rings.
Solar rings are like a solar pool cover broken into smaller rings or circles. They make cost effective heating for pools. They are also very easy to use.
All you need to do is throw a couple of solar rings into your pool. The amount you will need will depend on the surface area of your water.
Your rings will absorb heat while they float. They will also connect to each other, locking together to heat your pool. This is because each of the solar rings have a magnet which attracts them to one another.
Solar rings create 21,000 BTUs of heat per day
Cost: $50 $250
Decide On Your Heat Source
There are five general categories for above ground pool heaters, with dozens of brands and models for each type. Your pool heating needs and your budget are important considerations when deciding which type of above ground pool heater to buy.
Price:
Why you need it:
A pool water heater is a permanently installed and effective heater that can work with some types of above ground pools. It is the most expensive option but can easily raise water temperature by 30 degrees or more.
What to look for:
Pool water heaters can use propane, natural gas, or solar panels to power the heater. Some pool water heaters work well with certain types of above ground pools.
Price:
Why you need it:
While heat pumps are more expensive to install, they are less expensive to run. These heaters use the surrounding heat in the air to warm the swimming pool.
What to look for:
A heat pump works by extracting heat from the environment. If you live in a particularly cold climate, it may not be an effective choice for year-round use.
Price: –
Why you need it:
Solar blankets or covers go on top of the pools surface and stop evaporation, which helps the water retain heat.
What to look for:
Floating blankets do not require professional installation, but solid pool blankets require a mechanical device to be installed that covers and uncovers the pool. When using a floating solar blanket, you will have to take precautions so children and pets dont accidentally fall in.
Price:
Why you need it:
Price: –
Recommended Reading: Reducing Cyanuric Acid In Pool
Hot Splash The Worlds Smallest Pool Heat Pump
The Hot Splash is the Worlds smallest pool heat pump.
It is designed for small above ground pools with a water volume of up to 10m3
The Hot Splash heat pump outputs 3.3kw of pool heat for only 0.6kw of electricity used
The Hot Splash is incredibly easy to install and is a plug and play heat pump
Please click Hereto see more details on the Hot Splash pool heat pumps
What Is An Above Ground Pool Heater
Above ground, pool heaters are the swimming pool heaters that are exclusively used for heating the pool water. They are available in various types and they use different heating principles to ensure the pool is warm. This allows people to have incredible swimming experience irrespective of weather conditions.
Also Check: Costco Pool Chlorine
Heating Options For Above Ground Swimming Pool
These pool heaters use different heating options. The first one is the gas-powered heater. The gas is combusted to generate heat which will be transferred to the water as it passes by the combustion chamber. The other option is the electric heat pump which warms the water by extracting heat from the air. The last option is the solar panel heating system that works by collecting sunlight thermal energy which will be used to heat the water.
Intex Solar Heater Mat
These clear solar blankets are made with thousands of tiny air pockets that hold in the heat from the sun. The fact that its clear makes it easier for the UV rays to penetrate.
With the Sun2Solar Clear Heat Retaining Blanket, youll also have the added benefit of lower water evaporation. This way, youll have to refill the pool a lot less often, preserving our natural resources.
Using this regularly when no one is in the pool will help you retain the heat it accumulates during the day.
Don’t Miss: 18000 Gallon Pool
Solar Blankets Or Rings
Much like the solar covers, solar blankets or rings are plastic rings or rectangles that will float on the top of the pool. These products will trap the heat from the sun and use it to keep the pool warm throughout the day or the night.
Unlike the solar covers, these rings or blankets do not cover the entire surface of the pool. This causes heat to escape. This is a heating method best used in the summer months when the nights are still warm.
You can also combine this method with a Solar cover or additional blankets or rings to cover the surface of your pool.
Below is a video that has additional options to heat your pool.
Heat Pump Pool Heaters
Homeowners looking to extend their pool seasons, while staying cost-efficient and environmentally conscious, are turning to heat pump pool heaters to solve their heating needs. What exactly is a heat pump pool heater, and how does it work?
A heat pump pool heater is an advanced-technology pool-heating solution that maintains efficiency even after years of use. Essentially, the only cost is the compressor and fan motor operation, allowing you to then consume the free heat from the air!
The basic heat pump pool-heater cycle works like this:
In simpler terms, heat pump pool heaters transfer heat from the ambient air to the pool water and run on electricity, functioning similarly to a home air conditioner.
Also Check: How To Heat An Above Ground Pool Cheap
Tips For Heating Your Pool Faster
The faster the water in your pool is warm enough to swim in, the longer you can enjoy it. Most homeowners that have a pool in their backyard want to use it as much as possible, so finding ways to heat the water quickly is important. Luckily, there are several different ways to heat your pool some economic and some a little more costly. If youd like to find out what methods you can try, keep reading.
How can I heat my pool faster? Heating a swimming pool to comfortable temperatures, ideally, 78 to 82 degrees Fahrenheit, can take time and be expensive. However, using some of the following methods can help you heat your pool faster so you can extend your swimming seasons some of them arent even that costly!
- Gas Heaters
- Dark Interior Lining and Flooring
- Floor Return Lines
- Pool Location
If you try some of these methods as the next pool season nears, you will see a big difference and will soon become the swimming hotspot of the neighborhood.
Use A Hayward Gas Pool Heater And A Solar Cover
If youre looking to add a pool heater that would not take much space in your backyard, and easy to set up and use, then we suggest getting a Hayward Pool Heater.
Hayward specializes in providing great swimming pool products and accessories like their robotic pool cleaner. And their gas pool heaters are no different.
Theyre designed to heat your Intex pool efficiently.
One way to save money on your pool heatings operating costs is to install a proven cost-efficient pool heater.
We recommend the FibroPool FH055 Swimming Pool Heat Pump for Intex pool owners.
This FibroPool pool heat pump can add consistent, reliable heating to any above-ground pool and has low noise, so it wont bother you while you enjoy your time in your Intex pool.
Its very easy to use, unlike their gas pool heaters. You just have to find the right place to set it up and you should be enjoying a warm pool environment in no time.
Also Check: Inground Pools Buffalo Ny Prices
Pool Insulation To Reduce Heat Loss:
When planning a pool, think insulation. All pool designs, including a Natural pool or swimming pond, can benefit by incorporating some rigid panel insulation under and around the structure of a pool to save energy and costs in the long run. Regardless of where you are in the USA or Canada the ambient temperature of the ground is pretty constant, and its usually colder than the ideal temperature for enjoying a swim in the pool, so putting some insulation outside the thermal mass of the water retaining structure is a great first step in reducing the costs associated with heating a pool over the long term.
Goplus Solar Dome Swimming Pool Heater
Heres a little something different in a solar heater. The Goplus Solar Dome works just like solar panels in that it absorbs the suns rays, but the way it does it is unique.
The dome-shaped lens of this heater acts like a magnifying glass to maximize the efficiency of the heat from the sun. Its then captured by black coils that circulate the pool water through them.
Its a large enough size that it can absorb a lot of heat, but small enough to be kind of out of the way.
Read Also: Cya Reducer
How To Heat An Intex Pool Final Thoughts
As you can see there are a lot of great options on how to heat an Intex pool it all comes down to what kind of feature you need and how much youre willing to spend acquiring your pool heater and its operating costs.
If you live in a warmer climate, we suggest getting a solar cover or blanket first and test it if itll be sufficient to heat your pool. You can also benefit from using multiple solar mats from Intex.
For those living in colder regions, we recommend getting a more powerful heating system, either a gas pool heater if you need to have a heating system that can quickly heat your pool and you dont mind spending on operating costs.
If operating costs are a concern, then getting a solar heating system or using a heat pump is what we will recommend for you.
Did Not Find The Intex Pool Heater Youre Looking For? Check Some Of These.
| # |
|---|
Solar Cover / Pool Cover
Solar covers are one of the most cost-effective methods for retaining heat in a swimming pool.
Why?
Because they tackle the root cause of heat loss head-on:
Evaporation.
Most heat loss occurs during the day, while your water is directly exposed to the elements. From the fierce rays of the sun to the sporadic gusts of wind, each force of nature contributes to your waters inevitable heat loss.
Natural heat loss that cant be stoppedunless you use a shield. And what better a shield than a solar cover?
A solar cover not only acts as a protective lid for your pool but is specially designed to absorb solar heat while doing so. This feature gives it the ability to reduce evaporation while improving heat retention.
And with evaporation being responsible for 75% of heat loss, theres no reason why you shouldnt take a load off your heating bills with this simple tip.
Cost: $50 $200
Also Check: Building A Inground Pool
Use A Solar Pool Cover To Reduce Heat Loss
For most people, a pool cover is a glorified tarp. A bunch of crinkled nylon that lifelessly sits across the surface of the water.
But for smart pool owners who want to keep the heat in their above-ground pool, they know whats actually under the hood: a cost-saving, energy bill-slashing, heat-retaining machine.
Solar pool covers are far and away the best thing you can do to keep your above-ground pool water nice and heated.
Even though the days of summer are hot, the UV rays unrelenting, the heat quickly begins to dissipate and drift back into the atmosphere when the sun sets and the mercury drops.
Solar covers trap all the heat in the pool so that you can wake up tomorrow with a pool that isnt a bucket of icicles and goosebumps.
In fact, they are so effective that they can retain up to 95% of the heat in your pool overnight.
The energy savings over the long run is eye-popping.
A pool owner in Miami, for instance, using a heat pump to warm his pool would save about $2,000 a year in energy costs by covering the pool1.
Not to mention saving the frustration of having to wait for the pool to become a warm temperature again after a chilly, uncovered night.
Solar covers wont heat your above ground pool, but they will keep you from having to keep your pool heater chugging non-stop to re-warm it.
