By mid-February our daytime temperatures can reach the high 70's and low 80's but the nights dip back down into the 50's. We gain a degree or two during the daylight hours and promptly lose them over night. It was my belief that a solar blanket (minimal investment here) would retain the heat over night and allow us to raise the temperature in the pool to a comfortable level over a period of time. The Kid disagreed. He wasn't certain a blanket would effectively warm the pool water enough to allow us to swim and thus it might be more of a hassle then it was worth. The battle has been raging for years.
Two weeks ago I took matters into my own hands. I purchased a solar blanket. The grandkids are coming in two weeks. (You can paint me excited!!) And I was on a mission to warm the pool enough for the little guys to enjoy it. Admittedly it won't be warm enough for me. If you remember correctly the temperature has to reach a comfortable 84 degrees before I take the plunge. But kids don't care. I knew if I could get the mercury to hit 79 or 80 they would jump on in and have a ball. So faithfully every morning we pull the blanket back and let the sun do it's work. Late each afternoon we cover the sun kissed water hoping to retain the heat gained over night.
It was working too. We started with the pool temperature at 70 degrees. After a week of concentrated effort I had the thermometer reading a much warmer 75. I was patting myself on the back and gloating. I was going to see 80 degrees in that pool by the time Miss A and the G-man arrived. And then that little cold front rolled through over the weekend and in a few short hours I was back to square one. My little blanket was no match for overnight temperatures dipping into the 40s.
This morning the thermometer once again reads a very chilly 70 degrees. But I'm not ready to give up. I still have two weeks. If I have to, I may even resort to boiling water on the stove and dumping it in the pool like my Mom used to do when I was a kid.
Well it worked for her didn't it?
5 comments:
As a pool owner in the north. I would suggest leaving the cover on during the day as well as the night. This will accomplish several things. First the bubbles in the cover actually help to magnify the sunlight coming into the pool. Second less water evaporation (money saver). And third with less evaporation comes less chlorine also evaporating (another money saver). I would let your pool "breathe", by taking off the cover, a couple of times a week during the day. But for the most part leave it on and know you made a good investment. Hopes this helps sell it better for Uncle D.
You are right and I agree with Josh. Solar blankets work, not as well as a heater, but they do work. Having said that, A and G would probably go in if the temp was 50!! Have fun with the fam.!!!
What you will do for the grandkids! Don't burn your hand with the boiling water!!
Pop
They'll get in regardless. And there are always those sweet neighbors of yours who we can bombard.
So glad you are trying to warm the water. I'm with you, it has to be warm for me to take the plunge. The whole solar blanket was a very SMART idea on a Grammy's part! I know they can't wait to see you!
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