Some of my best times in an outdoor pool have been when it's below freezing outside. Some of the ski resorts have them and it's really nice. Sipping a beverage of your choice, a cigar perhaps, snow flakes falling, steam rising, sun setting.....
On Aug 16, 6:23=A0am, Tom Lachance
In my world there is no science that supports that it takes less energy to heat a pool continously as opposed to letting the temp drop and then reheating. It's just like setting back the temp in a house. Unless you have different energy sources at different times or different energy rates, you're always going to save money by letting the temp drop, then reheating.
It's rare to see them used here in NJ too. A lot of people have them, but very few use them due to the cost. OP says there is no room on the roof for solar. Another option would be to install them on an angled wood frame. But that only works if you have good south or west exposure, room, can hide it somewhat, etc.
There is yet another option. It would not be my first choice, but there is a company that sells a solar heater that goes in the ATTIC. It's basicly a heat exchanger with a powerful fan that the pool water gets pumped through. With a 32F delta between the pool water temp and the attic air it delivers 60K BTUs. So, if the attic is 107F, and the pool is 75F, you're getting
60K BTU for free. Whether it can work depends on how big the attic is, how hot the attic gets, where the attic is versus the pool, size of the pool and if it's covered.Google solar attic pool heater if interested.
But think of the solar cover as insulation. They really do help. In NY, I could regulate the temperature within about a +/- 4 degree window using the pump (night or day) and the solar cover. I liked the water about 78-80F unless it was above 90F and then maybe up to 82-84F.
I'm betting you didn't get out of the pool and put the solar cover back on while dripping wet.
:)
These commercial pools don't use covers and they pass on the cost to the customers. It is also deductible on their taxes.
They have heated pools at the country club my wife runs. A small pool will have a 5 ton heat pump that will get them about 20 degrees (F) above ambient air, running all the time. Wind will cut that delta considerably.
Which raises another possibility, ie a heat pump based pool heater. I've never seen one around here. But depending on electricity costs in Canada, pool size, etc it might be an option.
A friend just installed a "lap pool" with about half of the pool only about 6 inches deep, with black granite tile on the bottom. The pump moves the water over the black shallow into the main pool - heating the pool quite effectively.
e temp drop and trying to reheat.
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