One thing that stops many people from installing a pool is the cost, both financial and environmental, of heating a pool. A solar pool heater that partially or fully relies on solar power for heating can be the answer to the problem of keeping your pool heated to a comfortable temperature. Before you jump in the deep end and buy the most expensive solar pool heater on the market or decide not to even get your feet wet, learn how to choose a solar pool heater. You may be surprised to learn how many options are available to you.

Passive vs. Active Solar Pool Heaters

When most people think of solar pool heaters, they think of complex and costly systems that entirely replace electric or gas pool heaters. However, there are many passive and partially active solar heating options in between that may suit your needs and budget better. At the most basic level, a passive pool heater is simply the heat of the sun applied directly or indirectly to the surface of the water. These are some passive solar pool heating solutions:

• Choosing an area that gets plenty of direct sunlight for your pool is a form of passive solar heating.
  
  
• Using a heat absorbing pool "blanket" not only warms the water, it helps minimise heat loss after the sun goes down.
  
  
• In a warm climate, an above ground pool will keep the water warmer than an inground pool.

Of course, every solar power heating system depends on sunlight, so passive systems alone are limited in their effectiveness. However, the addition of passive solar features will maximise the effectiveness of any other pool heating system, including active solar pool heaters.

While solar panels work on the same principles as passive systems, they are classified as active because at the very least they require a pump to transfer water from the pool to beneath the surface of the solar panels and back into the pool. In addition, they require a flltering system, a manual or automatic flow control device and, usually, a thermostat. The combination of active components can become quite complex and adds to the cost of the system as a whole.

Solar Assisted Pool Heaters

Solar pool heaters are not fool-proof in any climate except perhaps in the outback, where keeping your pool water cool may be more of a challenge than keeping it warm. In a temperate climate, a solar assisted pool heater can be a big money and energy saver. When conditions are optimal, the electric or gas pool heater can remain idle. When the solar system is unable to heat the water sufficiently, it continues to warm the water enough to minimise the need for gas or electricity. Using passive and active solar pool heating in conjunction with conventional heating can have a dramatic effect on your energy consumption.

The question is not whether or not you should choose a solar pool heater, it's how much solar pool heating you need. A pool builder in your area is the best person to ask about that. Be sure to talk to a local solar power expert, because only they will know everything about your local climate and what has or has not worked for other pool owners in your area.