Pool heaters are excellent devices but they can also be quite costly both to install and to operate. So, whether you want to save some money or you just like efficient life hacks, here are several good ways how to heat a pool without a heater. Many of them can even be combined to further amplify their effectiveness.
Put some kind of solar cover on your pool
The main cause of heat loss for pools is evaporation. Simply placing a solar cover on your pool solves that issue while also absorbing solar heat. If you don’t feel like purchasing a solar cover for your entire pool you can also get multiple smaller solar rings and use them to cover your pool.
Alternatively, you can also use a liquid solar cover. It works on the same principle but it’s liquid and is essentially invisible to the naked eye. They are less effective and trickier to remove, however.
And, if you doubt the effectiveness of solar covers or rings, keep in mind that solar rings can generate up to 21,000 BTUs of heat per day depending on how much sunlight they have access to.
Another covering option is to build a windproof glass or plastic pool enclosure. This can also reduce evaporation while also capturing heat from the sunlight making it likely the best way to heat a pool without a heater.
Use a long black garden hose to collect solar power
Yes, you don’t need solar panels to do this. Just get a 400-500 ft long black hose, connect it to your pool’s pump, and place the rest of the hose on a nearby roof, preferably wrapped in a horizontal coil. Then, just run your pool’s water through it to get warmer as the black hose absorbs warmth from the sun.
Pool heat pumps and solar pool heaters
To build on the life hack above, here’s how to heat up a pool fast without a heater. Instead of using a hose or a traditional heater, you can collect solar energy via a solar pool heater and a heat pump. All you’ll need is a solar panel and a pool pump to transfer the collected heat to your pool.
This is essentially a faster and more sophisticated variant of the black hose life hack but it also has a costlier initial price. Once that’s out of the way, however, this method can save you a lot of money down the road compared to an electrical or gas pool heater.
