Swimming pools are lots of fun but they need a lot of preparation before you can let people swim in them. Even though swimming pools often sit in direct sunlight, they still need heaters to warm up the water to a comfortable temperature. If you didn’t have a system to heat your swimming pool it would feel like you were diving into the 50 degree ocean on the coast of Maine; brrrrrr! There are several different ways that you can heat your pool. 
You can use a natural gas heater, a solar heater or you can even hook your pool up to your water heater. Besides the heater portion that you will need there are several things you can buy that will help insulate your pool and keep the heat in when you are not using it. Things like sun domes and solar pool covers can help keep the heat in when your heating unit is turned off during times when the pool is not being used.
A natural gas swimming pool heater can be a great option to heat your pool but is a little on the expensive side. A natural gas pool heater is usually about $1,500 but with proper care and maintenance will last for many years. A natural gas pool heater uses a combustion process that provides a very quick temperature increase without having to wait around all afternoon. Before you decide to go with this option you should shop around at local pool dealers and read reviews on specific models to make sure that you are doing all your research before you decide.
Keep in mind that you will need to pay someone a fee to professionally install this type of heater and hook it up to a gas line (unless you are a qualified electrician or experienced pool man). Another thing you will want to look into is the amount of propane fuel you will be using each day that the pool heater is in use. Make sure that the amount of money you will be spending per month on propane and electricity will fit into your budget before you decide to buy a natural gas pool heater.
If you are looking for a less expensive option you might want to try a solar water heater. These type of heaters use energy from natural sunlight to heat your pool. The price tag on a solar heater is between $200-$300 and would be an equally long lasting option. The only downside about using a solar heater is that it can take longer to heat the water than a natural gas pool heater and if it is a cloudy day your solar heater will not be quite as effective. The average homeowner can install a solar heater pretty easily, and the only extra cost will be the extra long hoses and mounting kit you will need ($25-$50). You should mount your solar heater in a location where it will get the most sunlight possible. A popular spot that people install them is on the roof of their homes because the dark color of the shingles absorbs sunlight and it is one of the highest points in your yard that is regularly exposed to the sun. If you do not feel like using a natural gas heater or solar heater you can buy a special hose from your hardware store ($30) and hook your pool up to your household water heater. You should do your research before you attempt this method, but from what I have heard it is very effective.
Another thing you can do to help keep the heat in your pool is buy a sun dome (if you have an above ground pool). The sun dome is made out of a quality vinyl and helps trap heat in your pool much like a greenhouse would. Another nice thing about a sun dome is that it keeps out most of the bugs, pollen and plants so you do not have to worry about them dirtying your pool water and bothering people that are swimming in your pool. The one downside is that you have to remove the sun dome on any day where the wind is 30mph or above since it can be a safety hazard. It can be a little tricky to take on and off but for the most part the sun dome has more pros than cons. If you have an in ground pool one other thing you can do to help keep the heat in your pool is to get a solar pool cover which you would put on the pool at night time when it is not being used. Since temperatures at night during the summer months can dip down to as low as 40 degrees if you do not have a cover on your pool you will lose a lot of heat. It can be very costly for whatever heater you have to completely reheat the pool each day, so using a cover at night time is a great idea that will save you a lot of time and money.
Hopefully this article has helped you decide which pool heater or solar cover will be the best option for you and your pool. All of the above options have their pros and cons but it is important that you always do your research and collect professional opinions about any pool product before you spend your hard earned money. Now you are ready to heat your swimming pool and relax and enjoy the sun.
