Solar Pool Blankets

Perhaps the easiest and cheapest way to heat your pool using the heat of the sun is with solar pool blankets. Solar pool cover fabric is designed to work just like greenhouse glass, to collect and trap the heat inside, heating up the water during the day and holding it in at night. While they also work for aboveground pools, solar covers are most often effective as the sole heater in an underground pool.

Generally, one can hope to raise the temperature in the pool by about 10-15F with solar covers of whatever sort they choose. When looking to make a purchase, you’ll want to carefully consider not only your climate, but also the sot of pool you have. Is also a very good idea to consult solar pool covers evaluations online and don’t just go with one reviewer’s opinion. Solar pool covers generally come in three types, each with their own advantages and disadvantages depending upon your priorities.

The vast majority of solar pool covers are actually not terribly efficient at heating but instead; hold the heat in to supplement a solar heating system, such as roof mounted panels. Discount solar pool covers are often little more than fancy bubble wrap covers that keep the moisture and a bit of the heat in, like a dime-store beer cooler. A bubble wrap swimming pool solar cover usually floats on the surface and is not designed to keep debris out.

The most effective solar heating system is the use of solar blankets for in ground swimming pools. Above ground pools loose heat through the sides, but heat up quicker. These are spread over the top of the pool like any number of solar blankets might be, but the insulating material often a gel-like material designed to actually accumulate solar heat when you’re not using the pool. These require the swimming pool to have a solar cover reel that must be removed before you can use it.

Some companies are using a chemical type of solar pool cover that provides the same function as a bubble wrap type of cover. These have the advantage of not having to be removed and replaced each time you use the pool. However, the actual chemical that’s used with these “liquid solar swimming pool covers” is a trade secret and a shower is certainly recommended after using them. Before you buy a liquid solar swimming pool cover, check to see how long it lasts – they can end up costing far more than the more traditional swimming pool solar covers.

For DIY projects, the most complicated assembly instructions are for the rollers used to store solar pool covers when the pool’s in use. For an average swimming pool, using a solar cover reel is necessary with thicker blankets and darn handy with the bubble wrap type.