Rose | 
09 6th, 2009| 
Solar heating for your pool is a wonderful clean, green addition to your swimming pool and a huge plus for your swimming experience. Solar pool heat can be generated inexpensively by any one of several easy-to-install, manage and maintain systems – one of which will suit the conditions of your home terrain, climate and budget best. That solar pool heating systems work has been proved time and time again.
However, relying solely on your solar pool heat system to maintain the heat of your pool without bringing in some extra help is, in most situations, not enough to ensure the warmest results. And this is not caused by a failing in your solar pool heating system, but by the fact that there are a couple of laws of nature at work that continuously try to undo what your solar pool heating system has already done.
You must be wondering what on earth I am talking about. Heat loss is what I am talking about. It is a big issue especially in temperate areas and it takes place because of perfectly natural processes.
How does heat loss occur?
- Evaporation is a big one. It causes significant heat loss because evaporation is intrinsically a cooling process. Just think of how we perspire when we are hot. The perspiration evaporates and cools us down. It is no different for a pool.
- But not only does evaporation cause a lowering of temperature, it results in water loss of between 50% to 70% depending on your climate. Having to top up the warmed pool with cold water means that you are constantly pushing cold water into it, lowering the temperature again.
- Heat transference, in Nature’s ongoing need to re-establish equilibrium, will work to try reduce the temperature difference between the cold air outside and the warmer pool water. In other words, given the chance, it will generously try to spread the heat to the areas beyond your pool!
What is to be done about it?
A solar pool cover is just the thing to give your solar pool heating system additional leverage for keeping your pool heat where it belongs – in the pool water!
What are solar swimming pool covers and how are they different from conventional pool covers?
They are pool covers with a solar heating capability built into them so that the surface area they cover (i.e. your pool) also exhibits solar heat absorbing properties. This heat is then transferred to the water below it. Even without the help of a solar pool heat system, a swimming pool solar cover can raise the pool temperature by a few degrees, but when it is used together with a solar pool heating system, it makes a noticeable difference – easily 15+ degrees rise in water temperature.
Not only is the starting temperature of the water passing into the solar collector a little warmer at the beginning of each day, but the pool solar cover will prevent the inevitable cooling effect of evaporation because it stops evaporation almost completely.
Covering your pool when it is not in use means that heat is retained and does not escape.
Admittedly, if you have to manually put on and remove the solar pool cover each time you want to go for a swim, it can seem like an awful nuisance because it is such a cumbersome task. Installing a solar pool reel to do that job for you is a much better option. Some solar cover reels are electric and reel in at the touch of a button; others are manual and work on the hand winching principle.
What other benefits do solar swimming pool covers have?
- A solar pool cover extends the length of your swimming season. For chilly locations, it will stop
heat loss, retaining the pool warmth from the day before by preventing the usual nightly drop in temperature. If you are someone who loves an early morning dip, the pool water will certainly be much warmer than in an uncovered pool.
- A solar pool cover drastically reduces water-loss caused by evaporation. Evaporation is a process that removes water from your pool steadily throughout the day. Those weekly or bi-weekly top-ups that you used to do become a thing of the past. Now only infrequent topping up will be needed especially if the pool is being used most of the day.
- Pool solar covers cut down on work around the pool. The cover catches leaves, insects and other debris that would otherwise fall into the water reducing the amount of cleaning and scooping that needs to be done.
- Pool solar covers save you money. Because you don’t top -up your pool level as frequently, your water bill definitely reflects this positively.You will also buy less pool chemical. Evaporation will constantly throw off the chlorine balance (or whichever pool chemical you happen to use) in your pool. You will have to monitor these levels constantly and top up levels more frequently.
- A solar pol cover will improve safety around your pool. It will increase safety at your pool. Even if your swimming pool is fenced, the gate can accidentally be left unlatched with potentially tragic consequences for small children and animals. A solar pool cover will provide an additional measure of security.
Solar swimming pool covers make a difference and are well worth investing in to improve the overall effectiveness of your solar pool heating system which, in turn, will improve the quality of your swimming experience in less than ideal swimming weather.
Incidentally, should you decide to purchase something from any of the links on my site, I will be paid a small commission for having promoted the product on my site.
