Solar
pool heating provides cost-effective temperature control
which can easily extend a traditional pool season by two months, often
more. The effectiveness of such a system largely depends upon the amount
and type of solar heating panels from which the system draws heat.
One of the concerns that some people have is whether or not a solar
energy system can effectively heat a pool, even on a day that is cloudy.
This is, of course, important because the cloudy days are when the pool
most needs heat.
What few realize is that there is a difference between sunlight and
solar radiation. As long as solar radiation exists, the panels can collect
and make energy. Solar radiation exists at any time when there is daylight.
There does not necessarily have to be direct rays of the sun, but as
long as the sun is out – even if it is behind clouds – solar
radiation exists.
However, direct sunlight is necessary for the solar pool heating system
to work at maximum capacity. If there is not a lot of direct sunlight,
or if there are many cloudy days, the situation may be combated by installing
extra panels.
Because each panel can only collect and process so much energy at a
time, if a pool does not have many panels to work with, it may not heat
as well as the owner would hope. Adding a couple of extra panels could
greatly increase the system’s capability to heat.
If buying more panels is not an option, solar pool heating can often
be greatly improved with a pool cover. Most of the heat that the solar
energy system produces is lost due to evaporation. This evaporation
can be stopped by using a cover. Also there are some cover styles that
not only trap the heat in, but create more heat which provides extra
heating for the pool.