Earlier today I was chatting with a customer about using solar heating systems for their pool. He asked some excellent questions and I thought I would pass on the highlights to you.

First, solar heating has always been used for heating pools and, second, technology improvements have made it a better idea than ever. In the first case, I am referring to the passive heating that occurs in nature. Water is an excellent heat-sink or accumulator for heat. In pools, or even in water parks, the sun's energy is absorbed during the day. We experience this effect even on large bodies of water - evaporation that leads to the formation of clouds as the day passes. In the morning and evening there are local changes in our climate if we are near these pools. For example, we will often see mists or fog in the morning because the water has become warmer than the air through the night. We also experience a change in the breeze. The air commonly flows in the evening from off the lake as the air over the land cools much quicker than the air over the lake and causes a cyclonic effect. Our pools at home also respond to this passive solar heating. Unfortunately, even indoor pools may take weeks to accumulate enough heat for your comfort. Fortunately, current technology provides solutions to adjust the use of passive solar heat to meet your needs.

There are a couple of key recommendations for solar pool heating. First, use a system correctly sized. This is the main source of dissatisfaction. Second, while you may easily do all your water heating with passive solar water heaters (if your local conditions permit any solar water heating), you will be much happier with a smaller solar water heater that is dedicated to keeping your pool at the right temperature and another system for your shower and washing needs. Third, if you choose an electric or gas tank-less water heater system, both your home and pool heating can be accommodated with just one heater of the right capacity. The apparent contradiction can be explained because your pool system should be set near the temperature that you want for the pool water, while your household water system should be set neat the temperature that you choose for your washing needs. The passive system chosen should be circulating at the correct temperature while tank-less systems provide water heating on demand and will heat the water to the correct temperature when you call for it.

A separate consideration is the need for pool insulation and protection. Under any circumstances you need a good indoor or outdoor pool cover. Your pool will lose heat to the air whenever the air is cooler than the water. The cover also prevents debris from falling in and hinders animals from using the pool. Debris and animal visits will always be a major source of pool maintenance and provide most of the discussion between pool owners.

For indoor systems, you should also evaluate whether your ventilation system is performing properly. Indoor pools create a great deal of humidity that many home or building owners use throughout the building and perhaps for special purposes - an atrium, solarium, or greenhouse for example. This can be very beneficial but it is important be aware of how this humidity affects the building structure. Change in how you use your home also changes how you should consider ventilation - a solarium becomes a workout area or a greenhouse becomes more of an art studio and workshop. Fixing your ventilation problems can be another simple solar energy project with the use of solar powered gable or attic fans. The cost is completely justifiable when measured against the damage that out of control humidity may cause.

Today's customer left with a solar-powered gable fan and is gathering some more information so he can change to a tank-less gas water heating system. I appreciate the time we had together to go through the issues and look forward to his updates on how he uses energy efficient power to make his life more comfortable and convenient.