Sometimes, your pool can get a little too cold. We know, we know, when the sun is shining, the temperature soars above 35 degrees, and you’re in desperate need of relief, a pool that’s too cold sounds absolutely perfect. But trust us, you’ll want the water to stay at where you like it, and you’re going to need a heater to help you out.
When doing research, you’ve probably come across two solutions: heaters and solar covers. Both do the same thing, while coming with their own different perks. But what if… you could get all the perks? It’s not a crazy scheme! Read on!
Heater
Heaters are the easiest way to get the water temperature where you want it, if you want it there fast. While their operation can be a little complicated, the simple explanation is this: water runs through a heater that’s run with either natural gas or propane, and this heated water then exits the system and into your pool. Just switch that dial and you’re good to go.
Pool heaters work best when you need to heat the pool in a short amount of time, making them ideal if you don’t use the pool every day. The price can seem prohibitive – a system will run you upwards of $1000 in the vast majority of cases – and this doesn’t factor in the energy costs you’ll pay to keep it running. Though heaters are much more efficient these days than in the past, there’s still a cost to keeping them going.
Solar Cover
Solar covers do actually work because your pool will lose most of its heat through evaporation. Your solar cover will look a little like a bubble wrap blanket you unfurl on top of your pool, and it can come in all shapes, sizes, and thicknesses. It provides a barrier between the water and air, trapping in the sun’s heat your pool took in during the day and preventing it from leaving at night. This is an incredibly cost effective way to raise the water temperature and prevent evaporation.
While you’re saving money on energy costs and setup, you’re not guaranteed to get the water to your desired temperature, and they can deteriorate quickly. But their cost makes them quite ideal for regular pool users.
Why Not Both?
Really, it’s not an either/or scenario; you can get both a pool heater and a solar cover. When working together, these two tools can keep your pool temperature up while keeping costs down.
The solar cover keeps the heat you’d be pumping into the pool in the pool for much longer. You can use both a heater and a solar cover to maximize heat retention and get the water to where you want it to be, while also shaving some money off your next gas or electricity bill. This covers both scenarios, and lets you use the pool longer in the season.