Solar Pool Heating Systems - Solar Pool Blanket
January 28th, 2008
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.