PICogeneration Article - Solar Heating your Pool

Earlier today I was chatting with a customer about using solar heating systems for their pool. He asked some excellent questions and I thought I would pass on the highlights to you. Solar heating has always been used for heating pools and technology improvements have made it a better idea than ever.

When I say that pools have always used solar heating, I am referring to the passive heating that occurs in nature. Water is an excellent heat sink or accumulator for heat and whether in natural pools or in water parks, the sun's energy is absorbed during the day. We experience this effect even on large bodies of water in the evaporation that leads to clouds and in the morning and evening changes in the local climate. For example, we will often see mists or fog in the morning when the cool air starts to move back over the water which has remained warmer than the air through the night. We also experience a change in the breezes that commonly change direction in the evening from off the lake as the air over the land cools much quicker than the air over the lake and causes a cyclonic effect.

Our pools at home also respond to this passive solar heating. Unfortunately, even indoor pools may take weeks to accumulate enough heat for your comfort. Fortunately, we can easily adjust the use of passive solar heat to meet your needs. In our PICogeneration Mall, you will find different solar water heating solutions that can easily keep your pool at the temperature that you choose.

One of my recommendations is to use a system correctly sized, but not over-sized for this use. The other recommendation is that while you may easily do all your water heating with these solar water heaters, you will be much happier with a smaller solar water heater that is dedicated to keeping your pool at the right temperature and another system for your shower and washing needs. However, if you choose an electric or gas tankless water heater system, both your home and pool heating can be accommodated with just one heater of the right capacity. This is generally true because your pool system should be set neat the temperature that you want to the pool water to be while your household water system should be set neat the temperature that you choose for your washing needs. The passive system chosen should be circulating at the correct temperature while the tankless systems provide water heating on demand and will heat the water to the correct temperature when you call for it.

One thing that does not change under any circumstances is the need for a good indoor or outdoor pool cover. Your pool will lose heat to the air whenever the air is cooler than the water. The cover also prevents debris from falling in and hinders animals from using the pool. This will always be a major source of pool maintenance.

For indoor systems, you should also evaluate whether your ventilation system is performing properly. Indoor pools create a great deal of humidity that many home or building owners use throughout the building and perhaps for special purposes - atriums, solariums, greenhouses, etc. This can be very beneficial but it is important to stay aware of how this humidity affects the structure. One situation that often occurs is that uses change - a solarium becomes a workout area or a greenhouse becomes more of an art studio and workshop. Fixing your ventilation problems can be another simple solar energy project with the use of solar powered gable or attic fans. The cost is completely justifiable when measured against the damage that out of control humidity may cause.

Today's customer left with a solar-powered gable fan and is getting some more information to change to a tankless gas water heating system. I appreciate the time we had together to go through the issues and look forward to updates on how he uses energy efficient power to make his life more comfortable and convenient.

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