Solar heating a swimming pool

[MrsJervis]

About to move to a new house with heated swimming pool in garden. Exciting about the swimming, not so much about the heating. It's got an electric heater and we are dreading anticipating monster bills. Obviously we could just choose not to heat it, but then we probably wouldn't use it either, which would be a waste. Does anyone have any experience of retro-fitting solar heating or some other kind of renewable source to supplement an existing electrical supply?

thats funny our new house has the same thing

the current owner said they used economy 7 over night heating.

Solar power sounds like a great idea tho!

We use a heat exchange pump. It's much more efficient than s "regular" heater. But a larger up front cost.

I wondered about economy 7, user, but then it's so much more expensive than regular electricity in the day time, and we're only going to be heating the pool for a couple of months in the summer. I wonder whether the extra cost of electricity through the rest of the year is worth it.

Interesting to hear about your heat exchange pump, irregularregular. Can I be cheeky and ask roughly what the upfront cost was? And does it completely replace electrical heating, or does it supplement it?

Ours is gas heated so no advice on that. However, we find true best way to keep the bills down is making sure we put the solar blanket on at night and when not in use. Not as pretty to look at though!

To state the really obvious , if you have kids or a dog fence it. The covers look solid but are not.

Yes - fencer coming out next week (before completion) so that we can get it sorted as soon as we take possession. The obvious bears re-stating when the stakes are that high.

Thanks for your understanding.

Same advice as chipsandguac. Our dog was forever bathing herself in the middle of the cover. Fencing a definite

I remember from my childhood the distress when a friends dog was found under the cover the next day. Fortunately it was just the dog.

Sorry to add nothing re: heating but we're just about to complete on a house with an (unheated) pool. Would you mind answering whereabouts(ish) you are and how you found a fencing company?

Will be interested in hearing answers too (ours has a solar cover only).

We have a heat exchanger have air source heat pumps. We would like solar panels too, to feed into the air source heat pumps but our only suitable south facing roof is shaded by a neighbour's tree! There is no cheap option but the heat retaining blanket is good. We also don't heat it too early. If it is chilly when you get out it is no fun.

Titsdown - we're in Berkshire and got a company through Checkatrade. Hope they'll be OK. Thanks for the advice, everyone.

I looked into this when we were having our pool built 2 years ago, but went for the same as bojoro. The heat exchanger air source heat pump is fab, quiet to run & not too pricey

It works by taking the heat out of the air and puts it back into the pool. I was told for every 4 degrees' air temperature, it raises the pool temperature by 1 degree. Just to add, you set the maximum temperature you want the pool to be & when it reaches that, the heater automatically cuts out. It's like an air conditioning unit in reverse. We have ours set to 26°C. At the start of the season it takes a few days for the cold winter water to achieve a swimmable temperature, but we Pesto's are hardy and will go in once it has reached 18°C