Conserving Pool Heat During the Winter Season

Owning a swimming pool in an area of the country with a chilly winter season (we’re looking at you Melbourne), you may think that your swimming season is limited. However, there are certain things that you can do that will allow you to heat your pool during the winter months or extend your season. Here are our top tips on conserving pool heat during the winter season so you can save money while enjoying the benefits.

Use a Pool Blanket

Did you know that 75% of your pools heat loss is due to evaporation? Pool Blankets are a brilliant way to retain your swimming pools heat and reduce evaporation by acting as a barrier between pools surface and the air. Available in a range of colours, Pool Blankets are most effective at night, on overcast days and on windy days when the risk of evaporation or heat loss to wind is at its greatest. You can take this tip a step further and install a Solar Pool Blanket that will also add heat to your pool – as much as 10 degrees!

Accessories such as rollers and reels can make using your Pool Blanket much more convenient. There are both manual and electric options that allows you to roll up your cover in minutes with the press of a button.

• Retains heat and prevents evaporation
• Able to increase pool temperature by 10 degrees
• Easy installation and removal with a roller

Reduce Shading

What environmental elements make a pool cold? Unsurprisingly a lack of sun. Pools with a high degree of shading are colder than those in direct exposure to the sun. Shading can come from various sources including buildings, fences and trees. Removing unnecessary shading such as those from overgrown trees, can help to improve the amount of exposure your pool has to the sun. Therefore increasing the amount of direct sun exposure and heat it receives. As a bonus, removing these overhanging trees can reduce the amount of unwanted plant debris.

• Remove unnecessary shading
• Increases direct sunlight and therefore improves heating

Install Wind Blocks

Just like blowing on a cup of hot tea or soup cools it down, the wind cools down your pool as it passes the water’s surface. In fact, wind is one of the main culprits when it comes to heat loss. If your pool is exposed, it may be a good idea to install wind blocks, even if it is just along one side of the pool. There are multiple forms of wind blocks including hedges, shrubs, trees and solid or partial fences. This discrete method can not only blend into your environment, but also be used to add privacy if you have nosy neighbours.

• Reduces wind, the largest heat thief
• Discrete appearance
• Reduce the wind at the pool surface level
• Control privacy of you swimming pool
• Reduces water loss

Consider a Secondary Form of Heating

Combination pool heating systems are the ultimate choice for those looking to swim year-round without spending a fortune. Solar Pool Heating is by far the most economical and eco-friendly way to heat your pool. While Solar will provide you with reliable and cost-effective heating for 6 to 8 months of the year (depending on your system and location), it will not provide year-round heating. That doesn’t mean that you should forgo the benefits of Solar, but you may want to consider a cost-effective, combination system.

A combination pool heating system involves combining two types of pool heating, for example using Solar as the primary heat source and a Heat Pump or Gas as a secondary backup for those cloudy, overcast days. This allows you to get full scale, year-round pool heating while minimising the running costs.

If your budget is looking tight, and you can only afford to install one heating option, then Solar Pool Heating may be the safer choice. Research by Pooled Energy found that pool owners with Gas or Heat Pumps were not using them ‘as much or at all’ compared to those with Solar Heating. This was found to be the result of ‘the significant cost’ of operating them.

• Consider a combined Solar and Gas/Heat Pump system
• Combination systems offer year-round, economic and eco-friendly heating
• If the budget is limited, research suggests Solar is the way to go

The team at Boss hope you enjoyed these tips and will find them useful in keeping your pool heated this winter season – without spending a fortune. If you are looking to purchase, update or repair a solar pool heating system anywhere in Australia or are looking for some advice, the team at Boss are ready to help you. We can help you find the pool heating system that best suits your needs. Give us a call on 1300 786 489