It’s mid-summer and your family and friends have been enjoying your swimming pool long into the warm evenings. As the maintenance person for all things related to the pool, you will soon need to consider when to close it down as the days stretch toward cooler weather. But, there are ways to maximize your family’s enjoyment later into the year by heating the pool. 

The most important thing to remember here is that heating a pool isn’t only about providing energy to heat up the water but it’s also about avoiding heat loss through evaporation. The best results are when you combine both methods.

Here are some of the best heating and pool insulation tips and tricks to get the most enjoyment from your swimming pool!

Low Cost, High-Efficiency Pool Heating and Insulation Options

The air temperatures may take a dip as autumn approaches but the water in your pool can be kept warm enough for swimmers to enjoy many more days in the pool. These tips and tricks for heating your pool can make a significant difference without a costly investment:

Use a Heat Pump During the Ideal Time of Day 

Heat pumps for swimming pools use the air around them. This means that running the pump during the warmest part of the day makes sense because it provides the pump with heat that already exists. The heater has to work less by using the hot or warm air around it. 

The way to best implement this tip is to use an electronic timer on the heat pump and filtration system. This eliminates some of the work for you as the pool maintenance person.

There are three main kinds of heaters for pools: solar, gas, or electric heat pumps.

Solar

Solar heating uses the sun’s energy to heat a pool’s water as it is circulated in and out of the pool.

Gas

These heat pumps use either propane or natural gas. The water is passed through a hot combustion chamber and is then returned to the pool.

Electric

Works by circulating water through a heating tank and then pumping it back into the pool.

Use a Pool Cover

One of the benefits of using a pool cover whenever the pool is not in use is that it will limit the natural water evaporation from your pool, no matter what the ambient temperature is. In fact, according to the US Department of Energy, it is estimated that up to 70% of a pool’s heat is lost through evaporation. 

There are several kinds of pool covers available for your pool. But, some of the best options use the power of the sun.

Solar Covers and Solar Blankets

These pool covers are some of the most cost-effective ways to reduce evaporation. They are a bit awkward to use, but you may find the benefits worth it. Solar covers/blankets are made of plastic (think bubble wrap!), which allows sunlight to heat the water naturally while stopping the loss of water. If you can’t put the cover on yourself, you can choose one that deploys on its own. It’s more expensive but may be the right option for you.

To make sure you are getting the best value for your money, make sure the cover you choose covers the entire pool. And UV-stabilized polyethylene is one of the best options for heat transfer while minimizing the sun’s UV rays on the pool’s chlorine levels.

Solar Sun Rings

Solar sun rings are newer in the pool accessories marketplace. They are made of heavy-duty, UV-resistant vinyl, last longer than solar blankets, and are easier to maneuver on and off your pool. They also offer better heat retention than solar blankets. 

Just as their name implies, they are flat rings that are five feet in diameter and clip together with magnets. You can connect as many as needed to cover the surface of your pool. 

Try a Liquid Pool Cover

Liquid pool cover is another option for preventing water evaporation and serves as an alternative to heavy pool covers. A liquid pool cover uses an invisible, microscopically thin layer of fatty alcohol to float on top of the water’s surface. It’s non-toxic and perfectly safe to swim in. It can stop up to 50% evaporation and keeps heat loss to a minimum. As swimmers use the pool, the liquid separates and moves around them, and then resurfaces once movement stops. 

Utilize the Power of Wind Blocks

Wind can decrease the temperature in your swimming pool by several degrees. To prevent this, use hedges, a privacy fence, or some other solid structure to block the wind. Even low hedges (and other similar pool landscaping), partial fences, and small storage sheds will re-direct the wind away from the pool’s surface.

Maximizing the Use of Your Swimming Pool

As cooler weather soon approaches, there are ways to extend your family’s enjoyment in the pool by using one or more of the tips we have presented above. There is still time to make at least one change that will help keep your pool open a bit longer this year. Your family and friends will certainly thank you!

Pool heaters, covers, solar rings, and wind blocks are tools to consider. Remember, you will also save money and increase the efficiency of your pool by using it longer each year. 

Once you implement these tips, you can also become a pro at maintaining your pool all year with the one-of-a-kind online videos from Pool School Videos! 

Pool School Videos was created by pool professional Mike Steele, who has over 30 years of experience in professional swimming pool maintenance. His goal is to make pool care as simple and effective as possible. These 20 in-depth, self-paced videos will help you enjoy your pool more while also saving money at the same time. Mike developed these online pool maintenance videos to share his professional expertise with information you won’t find anywhere else. And they’re all available for an affordable one-time fee!

In addition, after you buy the video series, you will become a member of our private Facebook group that provides personalized guidance. If you have a question about your pool heater or pool cover or anything else pool related, simply post your questions and we will answer them within 24 hours!

You can save hundreds of dollars on pool care each year with the help of Pool School Videos. Get started today!