How many times have you wanted to jump in the pool but couldn’t because the water was freezing cold and you don’t have a heater to kick start? Well, not anymore now you can enjoy perfect temperature water in your pool anytime you desire to because we are going to walk you through the Best ways to heat a pool without a heater.
Precautions:
Before you try and heat the pool water you must check on some of the details for your and your family’s health. They are:
- Checking the temperature: If your pool does not have an in-built thermometer, you should buy one to check the temperature before, after and during the process. The ideal temperature for the pool is 78°F to 82°F (26°C to 28°C).
- Checking chlorine levels: before heating the water it is a must to check the chlorine levels in your pool. The chlorine level for a healthy pool is between 1.0 and 3.0 parts per million (ppm). An ideal pH level has to be 7.4.
- Check for fungus: if the pool is not cleaned frequently it can form fungus in the corners and bottom of the pool making it slimy. Heating the pool will just increase the growth of harmful fungus that could cause skin diseases.
Best ways to heat a pool without a heater
Heating a pool with a heater is the costliest way you can get the work done. But the techniques and products we will portray in this article will make your pool heating process simpler and cost-effective. So, without any delay let’s look into those different techniques.
Whenever we talk about heating the pool without a heater, everyone’s mind automatically goes to solar-powered heating techniques. So we are starting with all the solar-powered convenient ways you can use. They come off cheap and easy to use.
Full Solar Cover: Full Solar Cover has to be the most convenient way to heat the pool. Solar covers are designed like large shit of bubble wrap with solar power absorbent material. It covers the pool wholly and it is in an affordable price range. In between $75–$225, you can get the best quality cover for your pool. The price will differ with the size of the pool. Also if you can get in a garage sale somewhere near your area it can cost down to 50$. So choose wisely. Online options are a safer choice for the record.
Now, how to use the cover to heat the pool. It is really simple. You just have to evenly spread the cover all over your pool with the bubble side down, fix the wrinkles in the middle part, then cut the edges to fit it with the shape of the pool and cover edge to edge every corner. That is all. Your work here is done. The cover will absorb all the solar radiation and will prevent water from evaporating. The cover traps the heat in the pool and keeps the water heated. When you are using the pool, you will just have to roll out the cover and put it back in afterward or at night. Full Solar covers can absorb 121,000 BTU of heat every day.
Solar Ring: Solar rings are the same things as the full Solar cover. They are inflatable bubble wrap ring covers for pools to absorb the solar radiation and trap the heat as well. So you may wonder, why are they necessary when you already have got the option of full Solar cover in the market. Here is your answer- solar rings are easy to use, cheaper than full covers and much more convenient to handle. The cost of solar cover depends on how many rings you need to cover your entire pool. Usually, $50-$250 can get you sufficient ring covers for your pool no matter what the size.
It takes two minutes to inflate the rings and lay them bubble-side down on the water. Its convenient size helps to manage the rings. Take out the rings when you want to use the pool and toss them back in when not. Each ring can absorb 21,000 BTUs of heat every day. So if you are not using the rings, do not leave them out in the sun. They will surely overheat and cause damage to the rings.
Liquid Solar Cover: FDA and EPA approved; the liquid solar cover is a liquid substance that creates a solar charger microscopic alcohol layer over the pool water. The layer floats on the water and traps the heat under the layer. Thus, it does not let the water evaporate. Now you can have concerns about swimming in the pool with the liquid present. So you should know that the liquid means no harm to any living creature. It won’t harm the skin the slightest in contact, even if you swallow a mouth full of the liquid while swimming it won’t have any effect and it will pass naturally.
The question is how do you use it and how much can it cost you? First thing’s first, the liquid can cost you from $20-$50 depending on the size and brand. Even so, it would definitely cost less than the materialistic solar covers even a heater. You just put a general amount of the liquid into your pool and it will spread itself over the water like oil. The more often you use the pool the more often you have to put in the liquid.
Solar Domes: Solar domes are a smart way to heat the pool water. For small pools it is ideal. The price is reasonable and it can work all spring without any problems. The domes are actually solar-powered covers for the hoses or pipes that are connected directly to the pool. The easily installed domes connect to the water supply way and use solar radiation energy to heat the upcoming water flow. It is marked as super effective and reliant. The solar dome is an investment made for your leisure time pleasure. You can find different sizes and shapes of the dome in the range of $80-$400. The price will hike up if you want more branded ones and additional domes. It works amazingly, never overheats and always keeps the pool warm. Depending on the size of your pool, you can conveniently set up up-to 10 domes beside the pool
Black Hose: Using a black hose is more of an effective home remedy. No extra things need to be bought or installed. The simple science of darker color absorbing most heat is used in this technique, that’s about it. It heats the water naturally using the sun’s heat. You will be needing a black hose that is 100-300+ ft long and has a faucet on one side. Now connect one side of the hose to the water pump source (this might need the help of a professional plumber as the installable may require certain other tools), then bring the hose to the pool when it is time to change the water or before you wish to wish. Make sure you bring the hose from over the house shade/higher surface so that it can get the most amount of heat. Open the faucet and let the water be replaced by warmer water flow. Yes, it is that easy. Also, pro-tip, when not using, roll the hose into a circle and keep it in the sun. This way it will be able to absorb the most heat. This is a very natural working technique. And the cost is also reasonable. It can get the best working black hose in the range of $50-$150.
Floating Blanket: Floating blankets are also a very convenient way to heat the water. In the sun, pool blankets are specifically designed with air bubbles to float on the water and their material (vinyl) is known for retaining heat. So when you keep the blankets hovering above the water. It retains heat and keeps water from evaporating. They keep the water at the right temperature as you would like it.
Bottom line:
So now we know about some techniques for heating the pool water without using a heater. The solar options come with guaranteed effectiveness but they are more costly choices. Where hose and blankets don’t cost as much and work naturally without any effort input. The solar rings sometimes tend to overheat themselves. So you have to be careful with rings. Working with the solar covers and hose do require some salty measures. You should always wear heat-protective gloves while working with them. You can never be too careful. So, now you can enjoy your beautiful pool any time and in any weather without worrying about a heater.