Last Updated on February 25, 2019
You may think that owning a pool where winter can get really cold limits your swimming time, but this is not necessarily true. Even in colder months, you can enjoy a relaxing swim or throw a pool party. You just need to know how to effectively keep your pool heated during the winter season. Below are the best ways you can keep your pool warm and keep the enjoyment going through each season.
Pool heater options
- Gas Heaters: Gas heaters keep the pool water warm by burning propane or natural gas. Because gas is used and not the sun, you can keep your pool heated no matter what the weather is doing. Gas heaters work more efficiently and quickly than heat pumps. Despite the benefits, gas heaters are not the most energy efficient means of heating a pool. Not only are running costs generally higher, but gas heaters also have a shorter life span as compared to other options.
- Air-Source Heat Pump: These are becoming more popular because they offer cost-effective and energy-efficient heating. These pumps work be taking heat from the air and using it to warm your pool water. The high energy efficiency of these pumps means a lower impact on the environment and lower operating costs for you. Air-source pumps can operate in much lower conditions than other pumps but this can be a problem. The condensate that is formed as it generates heat can freeze and cause mechanical problems. There are air-source heat pumps available that turn off automatically at certain temperatures though to avoid this.
- Water-Source Heat Pump: These pumps operate with a much newer technology so are not as well known as other pump types. They transfer heat from nearby water sources such as lakes and wells. The lines that enable this to work need to be very long as do the wells, so the installation can be very costly. The good news is that once installed, the heating of your pool will be of minimal effort and expense.
- Solar Blankets: These are highly recommended for reducing the costs of pool heating. Much heat is lost from your pool through evaporation and solar blankets help to prevent this. The blankets act as a barrier between the water and the air, thus conserving heat and is most effective at night when evaporation and heat loss is most common.
There are several options available to you for keeping your pool warm all year long. Depending on your budget and just how cold the weather gets in your area, you can find a way to make sure you get to enjoy your pool all year round.
