Enjoying a longer swimming season
If you have a swimming pool, then you’ll understand when we say that the length of your pool season is precious and anything you can do to extend it is certainly worth investigating.
It’s all about temperature
The key to extending your swimming season is heating your pool. In Canada, where we have to close our pools for the winter and open them in the spring, having a pool heater can easily add a month of comfortable swimming to both ends of your swim season.
There are several options to add and trap heat in your swimming pool for a longer season. Below, we explore the most common options, looking at their pros and cons.
Solar blanket
A solar blanket is a low cost solution to help heat your pool. Solar blankets, which look like giant sheets of bubble wrap, perform two functions. They prevent water evaporation, where most heat is lost and also use the sun to trap heat in a greenhouse like environment, working to heat your pool. Solar blankets work, but only so far. While they are an inexpensive option, they should ideally be used in combination with other solutions.
Solar water heater
A solar water heater is another solution you can consider for heating your swimming pool. Solar water heaters are eco-friendly solutions to heating your pool and work much like a hose does when it’s left in the sun. The system is placed in a bright location and has special black tubing inside that absorbs the heat from the sun. As water passes through the pipes, water is heated. The swimming pool heating systems are moderately priced, but rely on having the sun to heat the swimming pool.
Electric heat pump
An electric heat pump is an excellent way to heat your pool for the whole season. Once the heat pump is turned on, it will start heating your pool, and in just a few days your swimming pool will be up to your desired temperature. Although relatively low in price, remember they do use electricity, so don’t try to heat your swimming pool to the temperature of a hot tub unless you are ready to pay the electric bill.
Electric pool heater
While a heat pump uses air to warm your swimming pool, an electric pool heater uses a coil to heat the water directly. Electric pool heaters quickly warm your pool water at an average rate of 1 degree per hour.
Gas pool heater
The rapid fire way to heat your swimming pool. These coil based heaters can heat your swimming pool at up to an astounding 3° per hour. These are ideal for heating your swimming pool for the whole season, but run on gas, so be aware of your natural gas prices before undertaking this venture.
Visit us or call to learn more about which heating solution is right for you, and give yourself the pleasure of two extra months of swimming.