There are two types of pool covers that are most commonly used today. These are the vinyl cover solar the solar cover. Vinyl covers are made from thick plastic sheeting and generally have a long life. They are beneficial in that they prevent evaporation of the pool's water, but they do not add any heat to the pool from the sun's radiant energy. They will help retain the pool's heat, but the insulated vinyl covers will do a better job of heat retention than the single ply vinyl sheet covers.

On the other hand, solar covers both prevent evaporative heat loss and allow the radiant energy of the sun to pass through the cover and heat the pool. Solar covers resemble the bubble wrap that is used in packaging, but are made from a thicker plastic material and have additives to prevent degradation from the ultraviolet light of the sun. Outdoor swimming pools will generally collect 80% of the sun's energy that hits its surface, and a transparent solar cover will allow 90% of this energy through it.

Solar pool covers are estimated to heat the pools water by 10 to 15 degrees F. This will allow the above ground pool heater to use less energy to heat the water and will also bring the water temperature up to the desired level quicker since there is less of a temperature differential to overcome. By employing the use of a swimming pool cover to greatly reduce the pool's evaporative loss, fewer chemicals will need to be added to the pool. Consequently, this will minimize the increase in the pool water's hardness, calcium and total dissolved solids levels and will require less make-up water. This will help prevent scaling in the above ground pool heaters, pumps and filters.

During the swimming season, pool covers should be kept in place while the pool is not being used. When used during the daytime, it is best to remove the cover right before you swim in the pool and replace it as soon as you are done. However, during the warm and humid summer months, it may be more beneficial to leave the cover off since evaporation is minimized anyway. If this is the case, and your pool is located in a windy area, the installation of windbreaks in the form of bushes and shrubs will help further prevent evaporation loss.

Solar pool covers will save money and energy by requiring less heat input from above ground pool heaters, In addition, a solar pool cover will reduce the make-up water required by your pool, lessen the amount of pool chemicals that need to be added to maintain your water balance and reduce your cleaning time since it will help keep dirt and other foreign material out of the pool.

Pool water is moved by means of the pump from the pool, through the filtering system and then through the heater where the warm water is discharged back to the pool. The water is heated when it is passed through the unit's integrated heat exchanger where the heat from the combustion of the fuel is transferred to the pool water.

Gas pool heaters generally have the highest operating costs due to the higher pricing of fossil fuels and because of their relatively low operating efficiencies. In the recent past, gas pool heaters typically had efficiencies of 60% to 70%, but today standard gas pool heaters normally operate at an 80% efficiency. However, efficiencies approaching 95% are available in these units but have not gained popular use due to their high cost.

The most efficient way to operate a gas fired pool heater is to run it for a short period of time to bring the temperature of the pool water to the desired setting. For this reason, they are ideal for pools that aren't being continuously used. Although solar pool heaters and heat pumps require certain ambient conditions for their optimum performance, gas pool heaters can be used to raise the pool water temperature without regard to the weather or climate. The only requirement for gas pool heaters is the ability to connect them to a natural gas line or the siting requirements for an LP tank.

The Department of Energy provides a handy formula to size an above ground gas pool heater. It is expressed as: Pool Area X Termperature Rise X 12. The pool area is simply computed from the dimensions of the above ground pool and the temperature rise is determined by obtaining the normal ambient temperature of the coldest month that you will use the pool and subtracting this from your desired pool water temperature. It is based on a temperature rise of about 1 degree per hour and a wind speed of 3-4 mph. Refer to the associated Sizing Chart for Above Ground Gas Pool Heaters.

Pool Heaters Comparison Summary

My gas pool heater stopped working. I have reset the circuit breaker and there is electrical power at the heater itself. I have also visually inspected the wiring and do not see any problem areas.

What else should I look at? Thanks!

I'm thinking about getting a swimming pool and I have not decided whether I should get an above ground pool or an inground pool. I guess cost will be the biggest factor. I mostly want it to cool off during the hot summer months since I live in the northeast.

During the installation process, they show a variety of different ways to do the site preparation and the pool erection depending on how much blood and sweat you want to expend on the project. Advice is given for both the hard way of doing it and the easy way, providing you have a tool rental center near you.

There are four videos in this series, so be sure to watch them all. There is a lot of work involved, and even if you decide to contract the job out, you will have an understanding and appreciation of the time and effort required to install an above ground swimming pool.

The do-it-yourselfer should watch these videos and pay careful attention to the site preparation and the development of the base, while considering their own site characteristics. This will help you decide if this is a project that you can handle or whether it is something that you may wish to leave up to the professionals.

I am going to get a pool heater for my above ground pool. Although I have an above ground pool, I'd like to know if I can install an inground pool heater. My pool is 15 feet by 30 feet and I'd like to install a 200,000 BTU/Hr heater but I can only find inground pool heaters in that size. Is there a difference in these two heater types that would preclude me using an inground heater on my above ground pool?