A swimming pool tarp, for example, that's black on both sides is like a giant solar panel. Because a black tarp on a swimming pool's water surface traps solar heat energy, it will eventually turn cool, refreshing pool water into a tepid, warm bath.
Black covers are opaque, allowing no light or UV rays to pass through the cover. The opaque quality and black color do allow for very fast and easy heat absorption, heating your pool quickly. However, this comes at a cost: black solar covers are typically the first to break down from wear and tear.
I know it sounds crazy, but yes, you can use a tarp to heat your pool! The process is simple: just take the tarp out to your yard and lay it on the pool in direct sunlight. The sun will heat up black fabric which will maintain the temperature of your already heated pool.
This black hose trick uses solar energy in a simple but clever way to heat the pool. Purchase a black garden hose. Unravel the hose and connect it to the water tap outside your house. Then run the hose to a spot that gets direct sunlight, and wrap the house in coil formation in the direct sunlight.
Details. Designed to cover your solar blanket when it's rolled up on its reel, the Poly Tarp is the perfect way to extend your pool blanket's life. The tarp's woven fabric wraps around the cover and is fastened with Velcro straps, effectively shielding the cover from high winds, inclement weather and UV damage.
Swimming pool covers made of sturdy fiberglass mesh will prevent anyone from falling into the water, provided they are attached and installed properly. Some fiberglass mesh covers can hold up to 400 pounds per square foot.
Winter Pool Cover: A plain cover (sometimes even just a tarp) laid over the pool, and secured on the deck with water-filled bags. On above ground pools, a winter cover sits on top of the pool and is secured to the walls with cable tied through grommets and tightened with a winch.
Solar Heaters
The next cheapest way to heat a pool is through a solar heater. The cost of running a solar pool heater is essentially free, aside from occasional maintenance. The difference is that a solar heater is a lot more expensive to install – often even more expensive than a conventional heater.
The fastest way to heat your pool is to use a gas pool heater and a solar cover. It's like heating up your coffee in the microwave and putting a lid on it. No matter how you plan to heat your pool, you should at least have a solar cover (or liquid solar cover) to help you retain the heat.
CCS polypropylene mesh tarps are the best tarp for pool covers. They do an exceptional job blocking sunlight, which is essential for preventing algae growth when chemicals are not being added regularly. Polypropylene tarps are strong, too, so they can withstand the weight of ice and snow that builds up over the winter.
When the "bubble paper" pool cover absorbs the suns rays it gradually heats the water in the pool while the cool pool water keeps the solar cover cool. The pool cover will usually heat the pool water up by one degree per day.
Dark Blue solar covers do the best job at keeping the heat in a pool, and although heat absorption and convection is higher with a darker colored solar blanket, the net heat gain during the day is less than with clear blankets.
If your ambient temperature is decent and there is not much wind, leaving the pool cover off will heat the water faster (and not just heat the cover and the water near it).
Covering a pool when it is not in use is the single most effective means of reducing pool heating costs. Savings of 50%–70% are possible. Pool covers on indoor pools not only can reduce evaporation but also the need to ventilate indoor air and replace it with unconditioned outdoor air.
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.
Turning your pool into a spa is the best option. The spa uses the same plumbing and mechanical systems as your pool, so installation will not break the bank. Adding a spa will extend your pool usage beyond summer because of the high temperatures of the water. Your pool can be a hot spring this fall.
Conclusion. Solar rings not only keep your pool water warm but also reduce the amount of dirt and debris that might end up in your pool. With solar rings, you won't have to worry about any chemicals or electricity to maintain the temperature of your pool.
Heavy snow can stretch and damage the cover, but you generally don't have to be concerned until there's two feet of snow or more on your cover. That said, more inexpensive plastic covers damage more quickly and more easily than expensive mesh or solid safety covers.
In the simplest scenario, a pool that has inflatable or rigid plastic walls that stand three feet tall or less, without anything attached or projecting from it, and the entire pool size is approximately 15 square feet, then I would seek a tarp that has 20 square feet.