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If you have a swimming pool where you want to install a heating mechanism, then you should definitely consider using an alternative source of heating like solar energy before going for conventional swimming pool heating using electricity or gas. This is because you can save a lot of money in the long run by using a solar pool heater and cover. Even if you already have conventional swimming pool heating installed, you can change over to solar heating since this is an extremely cheap, not to say eco-friendly method of heating up the water in your swimming pool. 

While initial installation charges of a solar heating system for your swimming pool can range anywhere between three to five thousand dollars, it is an extremely small sum when compared to the electricity and heating bills that you would end up paying every year as the cost of heating your swimming pool.  A solar pool heater can either be installed on the roof of your indoor swimming pool, or if you have an outdoor pool, on the roof of your house. The mechanism involved in a solar pool heater is quite simple–pool water is first passed through a filter that removes debris and then passed through a solar collector, where the water is heated and transferred back to the swimming pool. The pool collector is the main part of any solar pool heater, since this is where all the heating takes place. Once the water has turned warm, it is pumped back to the pool through an automatic or manual flow control valve.

The kind of solar pool collector that you buy will be the main determinant of the cost of your solar pool heater, since pool collectors that work above sub zero temperatures are made only out of high quality plastics. On the other hand, if you live in an area where you constantly face sub zero temperatures, then you will have to go for a pool collector that is made out of metal coated with iron tempered glass and will therefore be costly.

Another method of saving money spent on your swimming pool is by buying a solar pool cover. Once you have your pool covered with a solar pool cover, you can avoid loss of temperature in your pool, thus saving energy. In fact, if you use a transparent pool cover, you will be able to use your pool cover for bringing up the temperature in your swimming pool by trapping solar heat. Another way in which a solar pool cover saves you money is by preventing evaporation. You can lose hundreds of gallons of water from your pool every year. Along with this, most of your pool chemicals also keep vaporizing when the pool is not covered. Thus you not only save on heating costs with a solar pool cover, you also save a lot on chemical and additive costs. At the same time, a pool cover will keep pollutants from falling into your pool, keeping it cleaner for longer periods, saving both water as well as heating expenses.

Solar energy is one of the most widely available and easily harvestable sources of alternative energy. Energy drawn from the sun can be used for different purposes ranging from producing electricity, running machines and appliances to heating and lighting. There are a large number of ways by which the sun’s power can be harnessed to cater to our energy needs and all of us should try to use solar energy as part of our total energy usage in order to save non renewable fossil fuels. As compared to fossil fuels, solar energy is totally clean, eco friendly and renewable and once you have the necessary installments in place; it is also quite economical to use.

You can install solar energy panels on the roof of your house and start using solar power to provide electricity for all your household needs, or if you cannot afford a total solar energy conversion, you can always go in for installing solar heat exchangers for taking care of your house’s heating requirements. Different types of solar heat exchangers are available in the market for different purposes, but the main purpose that all solar heat exchangers serve is to heat water for your daily needs. A solar heat exchanger works on the principle of trapping the sun’s heat and then transferring it to the liquid being heated.

Based on your requirement and budget you can go for either liquid to liquid or air to liquid type solar heat exchangers. Apart from being divided into these two broad categories, solar heat exchangers also vary in design and style. Your solar heat exchanger manufacturer or contractor will be able to suggest the best kind of solar heat exchanger for your house based on your needs, requirements and budget.

In case you are building a new house or renovating your old one, then you should try to make changes that let you avail maximum use of solar energy. In order to heat your house using solar energy, you can install heat attracting glasses in windows and doors facing the sun. Different types of glass panels are available that let the heat of the sun in without letting glare pass through. You can also go for glass panels that allow for only one way visibility to protect your privacy. Try to install as many sun facing glass windows and doors as possible so that the sun takes care of most of your heating needs and you do not have to resort to using too much electrical power. While making your house solar energy- friendly might cost you initially, you will end up saving thousands of dollars every year on heating bills.

Putting in sky lights is also a great idea since this will save you from using artificial sources of light during the day. Not only will this prove economical in the long run, but a little exposure to the sun is also good for overall health.

Solar pool heating systems are the most cost effective and environment friendly way of heating up your swimming pool. While a solar heater installed atop your roof can heat your pool’s water throughout the year and can totally replace the need for an electric or gas heater, the initial installation cost keeps many people from investing in such a mechanism. However, everyone can easily buy and use a solar pool blanket, which is definitely the cheapest way of keeping your pool warm.

Solar pool blankets are can be likened to large sheets of bubble wrap, but they are made out of a more durable and tougher material. The bubbles in a solar pool blanket trap the sun’s heat and transfer it to the pool. The bubble like structure of the sheet acts like hundreds of tiny magnifying glasses that help in magnifying the heat of the sun before transmitting it to the water. Solar pool blankets can easily increase the temperature of your pool water by ten to fifteen degrees Fahrenheit during the day. On the other hand, they also act as a protective barrier against the heat from your pool being lost to evaporation in the night. Once your pool is covered by a pool blanket, it will not lose the amount of heat that an uncovered pool would and save your heating costs if you have to reheat the pool in the morning.

So a solar pool blanket is a must for you if you live in a cold climate where you have to keep heating your pool before using it. A solar pool blanket will keep the temperature of your water up by 10 to 15 degrees F so your pool will get warm faster when you heat it. On the other hand, if you live in a warm climate, then you might not have to invest in a pool heating system at all since your pool blanket will effectively be able to keep the water in your pool warm and comfortable.

Solar pool blankets can be bought from pool supply stores, home stores or online stores for anything ranging from a hundred to two hundred dollars based on the size of your swimming pool. In order to maximize the efficiency of your solar pool blanket, buy a blanket that is black on the top and silver on the bottom. While black will absorb maximum heat from the sun, silver will keep maximum heat into the water. It is a good idea to buy a pool cover reel for your blanket. Putting your blanket on a reel makes it easier to manage and store. At the same time, reeling a blanket in is the best way to remove a blanket from your pool. You can go for either manual or electric reels based on your budget. These reels are movable and can be easily removed from the pool area when swimming is going on.

Apart from keeping your pool warm, a solar pool blanket will also prevent evaporation from your pool, saving both your water and chemical costs. A blanket also keeps debris out of the pool, so you will need to clean your pool less often.