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Today''s Homeowner exists to help you maintain or improve your home safely and effectively. We uphold strict editorial standards and carefully vet the advice and resources referenced in our articles. Click below to learn more about our review process and how we earn money.
There''s nothing better than going for a swim in a nice, heated swimming pool on a breezy day, but electric pool heaters use quite a bit of electricity. Aalternative energyof sunlight to sustainably warm up your swimming pool. While solar pool heaters are relatively cheap, building your own is even cheaper, and more fun. If you''re the type who likes to build, you can design your very own. The materials are cheap and readily available, and it can be done in a day if you have some help. Keep reading to learn how to build your own DIY solar pool heater!
The better question is, why not? Solar water heaters tend to be inexpensive, even more so if you build your own. You can find the materials at a local hardware store for less than half the price of a high-quality solar pool heater. This guy made one for just $25 bucks.
It doesn''t take much time either. Two to three people can build one in a matter of hours. Even if you make some blunders, which you will, you''ll have yours set up and running within a day. While it can be done alone, it''s recommended to have at least one other person there to lend a hand.
While it''s nice to order a premade solar pool heater from the internet, building your own gives you the freedom to create your own design. There''s also no warranties to worry about, so you can modify it as much as you want. If it breaks or malfunctions, you don''t have to put the blame on the manufacturer, since you made it yourself. You know how it was built, so you know exactly how to fix it.
Building a DIY solar heater is more simple than it seems. The materials are easily found at a hardware store. You''re going to need wood to build a frame, an irrigation hose, a transparent hard plastic cover, anda pool pump. You should also keep a thermometer handy to check the temperature of the water.
The first step is to build a frame. This is going to be what houses the irrigation hose which collects the heat from the sun, similarly to howsolar water heatersheat water for your home. You can build the frame in any shape you like, but to keep it simple, it''s best to use a square or rectangular shape. Remember to build the frame according to the size of your pool. More water needs more volume and vice versa.
Use a large piece of plywood for the backing of the frame, then cut down some two-by-fours to enclose the borders of the backing. You can also use a two-by-four to bisect the backing and create two large areas to collect heat,like this guy did.This center beam will also double as a support beam.
It''s very important to paint the frame black to help absorb heat from the sun, replicatingthe typically-black design of solar panels. You can paint the wood pieces separately before you build the frame, or you can paint the frame as a whole once it''s put together.
If using a circular coiling pattern, you can run the hose in through the outside of the frame, and out through the center, or in one side and out the opposite end. If using a snake pattern, you''ll be running the hose in through the top of the frame and out of the bottom from the opposite end. There may still be a significant amount of space in the center of the frame once the hose is coiled. This is a good place to drill in an extra support beam using a two-by-four,like this guy did his.This will come in handy when applying the cover later on.
Before moving on through to the next step, run some water through the hose and make sure it flows correctly. Check for holes and kinks, and do a temperature check of the water before and after it runs through the hose to check that it works correctly.
Now that you have the base of your heater complete, it''s time to put the finishing touch. Enclosing the frame in a transparent sheet will protect the hose from the elements as well as create a greenhouse effect to help trap the sun''s heat. Depending on the type of cover, the temperature inside the solar heater can reach well into the hundreds, more than enough to heat up your swimming pool.
The cover should be made of a hard plastic like Lexan or acrylic. Glass is not recommended, you don''t want to have an accident and shatter the glass. Ideally, you want a completely transparent cover, avoid covers that are colored or slightly opaque. Though it''s best to have a flat cover, many DIY solar pool heaters are built with corrugated covers as well.
Great job! You''re almost done building your DIY pool heating system! Now it''s time to get that water circulating. While some may use a separate pump to get the water to flow through the solar heater, others find it easier to use the pool''s filter pump.
Now that your system is up and running, it''s time to check the temperature. Check the temperature of the water in the pool compared to the outside air temperature. Then take the temperature of the water coming out after it''s been running for a few minutes. Adjust the flow rate to get the optimal temperature. After about an hour or two, check the temperature of the pool. It should be getting warmer, but don''t let it get too hot. Remember, your heating up a swimming pool, not a jacuzzi!
If there''s no shady space on your property, you might have to mount it on a wall or roof facing the sun. This is a bit more difficult, especially if you''re setting it up on a roof, as you don''t want to cause any structural damage to your home. If you are fixing your heater to the roof, you may need some mounting brackets to make the job easier. To maximise the efficiency of your solar pool heater, itshould be mounted in the same direction as you would mount solar panels.
If your not the hands-on type, or if you just don''t want to put the effort into building your own DIY solar pool heater, then no worries! There area ton of high-quality solar pool heaters outh therefor you. Choose one that''s right for you!
Solar pool heaters are an environmentally friendly way to heat up your swimming pool. While there''s a large selection of solar pool heaters online, you can also build a DIY solar pool heater at home in your garage. The materials to build one cost less than half the price of a quality solar pool heater, and you can build it within a day. It does take some elbow grease, but the enjoyment of a nice, warm pool is well worth it!
Building a DIY solar pool heater is cheaper than buying one online or at a pool store. You''re free to modify your solar pool heater and create your own designs.
You''re going to need a few sheets of plywood and some two-by-fours to build the frame, a black irrigation hose to run the water through, and a hard plastic transparent sheet to close the housing. You''re also going to need black paint to paint the frame, a pool pump to regulate the water flow, and a thermometer to check the temperature.
Solar pool heaters heat your pool for free, utilising only the energy of the sun. As such, there are few cons attached. The only negatives are to do with the availability of sunlight: the same disadvantages which tend to affect solar panels.
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