Trying to figure out how to extend your pool season? Keep reading:
Sure, swimming in the summer time is great, but what if you want to swim longer?
What if you want to swim in the fall, or what if you want to start swimming earlier in the year? You shouldn’t have to sacrifice a good swim just because it’s a bit colder outside.
Well, if you’re eager to extend your pool season, then you’ll be happy to know that it’s much easier than you think. There are plenty of great strategies for extending your swim season while keeping costs at a minimal.
Most of these tips to extend your pool season are simple, and many can be applied as soon as today.
How To Extend Your Pool Season
Black Garden Hose (smaller above ground pools)
You’ve probably heard of this trick before. It’s the “cheap” way to heat your swimming pool.
Well, we won’t tell it doesn’t work. In fact, it’s one of the best “free” methods for heating a pool. But of course, this method is pretty much limited to smaller above ground pools, since anything else would call for much more water and time.
Here’s what you do:
Use a long black hose (the color black naturally absorbs heat) and a submersible pump to create a siphon. Attach one end to the pump underwater. Lay the rest of the hose in direct sunlight, draping the other end over the edge and into the pool.
Run the pump in 10-minute intervals. This will slowly allow the water traveling through the hose to heat up.
Fair warning: The process is very slow, only works for small above ground pools, and is nowhere near as effective as other pool heating methods. But hey, it’s a free way to extend your pool season, so why not?
Solar Blanket/Cover
Solar blankets, or covers, do precisely as the name implies — shielding your delicate pool water from the harsh rays of the sun. They effectively reduce evaporation and chemical loss, while saving you plenty off your water bill and pool chemical costs
Most blankets are simple, and only need to be unrolled across the surface of your pool water. However, you may want to consider purchasing a roller since using one makes applying and removing the solar blanket quick and easy.
Solar Rings
An excellent alternative to solar blankets, solar rings are compact with coverage divided across smaller individual solar rings. What makes solar rings great is how easy they are to use and remove. And just like solar blankets, solar rings are designed to pull in heat from solar rays while trapping the heat in your pool water. So on top of reducing evaporation, these rings help keep your water warm. If that’s not one of the easiest ways to extend your pool season, we don’t know what is.
Well, on second thought, this next tip might be even easier.
Liquid solar cover
You know what’s neat about solar covers in general? They come in liquid form.
That’s right, you can easily apply a solar blanket to your pool without so much as touching an actual blanket. The liquid pool cover is comprised of a combination of pool safe chemicals designed to form a protective coating at the surface of your pool. And even if you splash around or swim, the liquid cover quickly regroups once the water settle.
Now you won’t be able to any of this happening with your eyes, but just know that the magic of the liquid pool cover is alive and well.
Energy efficient pool heaters, the ultimate pool season extender
We stuck true to the good ole cliche and saved the best for last here. (Well, close to last)
Although all the above methods are all great, low-cost options you can use to extend your pool season, pool heaters reign supreme.
Pool heaters can provide heat well into cooler climates, allowing you to start your swim season earlier and end it later.
But you don’t want just any pool heaters. An energy-efficient pool heater, like a pool heat pump or solar heater, is your best bet.
(But what about gas and electric pool heaters? Too expensive, among other reasons we talk about in this pool heater comparison)
+Pool heat pumps
Pool heat pumps are among the most “green” pool heaters on the market, boasting impressive energy efficiency at an exceptional cost to performance ratio. Air-source pool heat pumps work by drawing in warm air from the environment, heating it up further, and using it to warm up pool water. Pool heat pumps, like the Oasis Platinum, can run all the way down to 50 degrees Fahrenheit. Which means you can enjoy a swim just as easily in the fall as you could in early spring.
[Want to know more about pool heat pumps? Check out this post on how pool heat pumps work]
+Solar pool heater
Of course, solar pool heaters are also an excellent way to swim outside of the typical summer months. Since solar pool heaters work by absorbing direct sunlight through a series of solar panels, they can harvest heat even when it’s not scorching hot out. But direct sunlight is key here, without it, you can’t do much. Hence why solar pool heaters are best for pool owners living in sunnier states who can do without the convenience of a traditional pool heater. Which leads into an important idea:
Many pool owners combine pool heat pumps with solar pool heaters, alternating between the two. The result being an even more low-cost, extended swim season. You can read about that here.
Bonus Tips for Extending Your Pool Season
Maintain your filter
Your pool filter is your best line of defense against the intruders of your pool. Dirt, twigs, leaves, and all the loose strands of hair in a 100-foot radius.
A well-maintained pool filter traps contaminants and keeps your water looking clean and clear. But pool filters need to be cleaned and have their filter media replaced here and there. Otherwise, they end up doing far more harm than good, reducing water flow and allowing more debris to lounge around in your pool water.
Therefore, it’s best to make a habit of maintaining your filter on a schedule. Or even as part of a pool care schedule. Here are some helpful resources on that:
[How to Replace Your Filter Cartridges]
[How to Change Your Pool Filter Sand ]
Inspect pool equipment for leaks or damage
If cold weather isn’t the number one killer of the swim season, then it’s pool equipment breaking down. From your pool pump to your pool heater, the results of wear and tear make no exceptions. At some point, your equipment may start leaking, or a part might break, causing effectiveness to drop. And nothing slows down a swim season to a screeching halt like surprise repairs and water loss.
But as a pool owner, there’s plenty you can do to extend your pool season and keep your pool equipment going strong.
- Regularly inspect your equipment for damage, strange noises, or leaks
- Follow the tips in this Pool Owner Guide
- Use a swimming pool service to keep your pool equipment in tip top shape
How To Extend Your Pool Season: Closing thoughts
See how easy it is to extend your pool season? A lot of pool owners associate a longer swim season with a bunch of money signs, but as you now know, that’s not the case at all. There a plenty of simple, affordable ways to extend your swim season. Using solar blankets and rings can help trap in heat, reduce water loss and preserve pool chemicals. Of course, there’s no greater way to extend your swim season than with a pool heater. Whether it’s cool 65-degreee day in November or a mild spring afternoon, a pool heat pump can bring the heat.
What are some strategies you use to extend your swim season?
