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.
Even the more transparent pool covers filter out a good amount of energy going to the pool. 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).
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.
An obvious solution is to cover the pool when it's not in use to keep out foreign material, but custom-made swimming pool covers can be quite expensive. An alternative option, much less expensive, is to use a large plastic or vinyl tarp, secured at the corners with tent stakes and bungee cords.
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.
If you wish to completely cover the supporting constructions, too, then a larger tarp will be needed. If I have a pool that is 15 square feet in size, with walls three feet tall, and the pool sets 5 feet high from the ground, then I would seek a tarp that is 28 or 30 square feet in size.
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.
Use a gas heater
Gas pool heaters offer the fastest heating of all the options in this post. And that makes sense because just like a grill or oven, a gas heater creates heat by burning gas. But at the same time, they also have the highest monthly operating cost of all pool heating options.
Safety covers should be drum-tight, with only a slight deflection in the middle. When covers are too loose, leaves can blow under easily, and a high water level in springtime quickly traps leaves and turns your cover into a giant tea bag.
No, but winter covers protect your pool from stains, algae growth and poor water balance that could damage pool surfaces. Pool covers block both debris and sunlight, to conserve your winter chemicals and protect soft and shiny surfaces.
You should cover your pool every night for several reasons. First off, a pool cover saves energy and conserves water by decreasing the amount of make-up water. Also, it reduces the consumption of chemicals, and finally, it saves a lot of cleaning time since it keeps the debris out of the pool.
No matter where you're swimming, avoiding water below 70 degrees Fahrenheit is a good rule of thumb for the average swimmer. The truth of the matter, though, is that 70 degrees is still pretty chilly. You'll probably have a better time if you wait for warmer water. In fact, you'll be safer, too.
A pool that is uncovered can lose up to 5 degrees F overnight; a good cover can cut that loss by half. Used at night or whenever your pool is not in use, the pool cover can help save fuel costs by cutting heat loss regardless of the type of heating you utilize.
"By putting black bin bags on top it attracts the sun and it warms it up very quickly. Within about 45 minutes the water is warm and stays warm all day in the sun."
Measure the size of the pool.
If you have a non-standard pool size like a 12'x19' oval, 15'x28' oval, or 25' round, you'll need a pool cover that is equal to or greater than the length and width (or diameter, for round pools) values of your pool.
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.