Is heating your swimming pool one cost too many? You’ve already got the pump to run, and maintenance fees. If you don’t want to commit to a pool heater, perhaps consider one of these cheap DIY solutions.
1. Solar blanket
When your swimming pool isn’t in use, you can use a solar blanket to insulate it, and keep the heat in. They are especially useful overnight and on cloudy days. Solar blankets are specailly designed to let in more sunlight then other covers too, so it can help to bring extra heat to your pool.
$40-$200
2. Solar pill
A bit like a condensed blanket in pill form (and made out of liquid), it covers the pool and protects against evaporation, saving water and minimizing heat loss.
Solar pills are non-toxic, invisible to the human eye and ultra thin. On pill can treat a 12,000 gallon pool for up to 30 days.
Around $40-$50 for 2
3. Black hose trick
Fill up your pool using a long, black garden hose (PVC is best). Make sure the hose is in direct sunlight so that it can absorb as much of the sun’s heat as possible; since black absorbs more heat, this is a cheap yet effective way of heating your pool.
The longer the house is, the more time there is for the water to heat up. At least 50ft of tubing is best.
4. Water circulation hack
By using your pool pump and a regular garden hose out in the sun, you can take advantage of a circulating system where the water passes through the warm pipe, and back into the pool. This gives you a constant heating effect on loop.
5. Trash bag heater! (Yes really..)
You know those black trash bags? They can hold heat too. Fix one up to a hula hoop and if you want, cut one side of a pool noodle to add buoyancy and you’ve got yourself a super cheap pool heater.