keeping the swimming pool warm

[Renate]

I appreciate this question is a little late in the year to post, but any advice would be appreciated. We cover our pool at night with a summer cover (one of those blue bubbly things). Is it best to leave the cover on during the day until things have warmed up or remove the cover in the morning and expose the water to the sun. The reason I ask this question is because our pool seems cooler than our neighbours.

[Fantine<br><br><br><br>Susie]

keeping the swimming pool warm? - buy an abri and/or a pool heater. My pool is still 30 and the pump a chaleur hasn't come on yet Sorry don't mean to gloat but it is fantastic, last year we had closed down our old pool by now as the sun isn't hot enough to heat the water now and the water temperature starts to drop considerably.

[Mpprh]

[quote]I appreciate this question is a little late in the year to post, but any advice would be appreciated. We cover our pool at night with a summer cover (one of those blue bubbly things). Is it best to le...[/quote]

Hi

I realise this could be technically difficult : but have you thought of relocating your pool to somewhere warmer - say Languedoc ?

!!!

Peter

 

 

[Frogslegs]

what is an abri? Also any chance of price and are they any good for above ground pools.

thanks

[Fantine<br><br><br><br>Susie]

[quote]what is an abri? Also any chance of price and are they any good for above ground pools. thanks[/quote]

An abri is a greenhouse type cover over the pool. They can be very low (1.7m high from the plage/margelles, not needing planning permission) but swimmable under, mid height or full height conservatory style. Have never seen one for an above ground pool, not sure if that's possible.

[nimportequoi]

Fantine is right, an abri is far more efficient at keeping heat in a pool than the blue bache. Although there is an initial outlay (ours is a low abri which cost 7000€ last year) it has a 10 year guarantee, whereas the blue baches have to be replaced every 2 years (at a cost of about 400€). In addition to this there have been huge savings in the cost of electricity for the heat pump, which has hardly been on this summer. When I opened the pool in mid April, after a week the pool temp had gone up 10°c to 24°c. It is 26°c at the moment and I am in Northern Brittany. Its a lot warmer in the pool than out of it!

[Fantine<br><br><br><br>Susie]

I'm in the Dordogne and I swam last night at 10pm under the abri whilst it was raining outside! The water temperature? 30 degrees - and the Pompe a Chaleur hasn't been used yet, infact in August we had to leave the abri open to get the temperature DOWN!

I would thoroughly recommend getting an abri. I'm hoping to swim all year round (I'm a keen swimmer and need the excercise for back problems) but I may have to see how cold January/February is.

[Jonzjob]

"infact in August we had to leave the abri open to get the temperature DOWN!"

As from the beginning of next year, if the abri is your safety conforming device, you will not be able to leave it open unless you are there to supervise to pool.... That's how I read the law anyway. The only way you can stay within the law would be to have another device i.e. fence, alarm or cover. Stupid isn't it???

It looks as if we are going to opt for the cover. It still remains to be seen what happens if there is an accident when you are not at home and you have an alarm? The law states that you are responsible for being able to hear the alarm and react to it in a very short time!! Again, stupid and impossible.

The only way that a pool is safe is by supervision! Sorry, this is a bit off subject, but I think it's very importaint...

John.

[Renate]

Thank's for all the suggestions. We do actually have central heating from our house that can be switched to heat the pool in the summer but we have never bothered to use it because of cost. We live in the Deux Sevres and have had lovely pool temperatures throughout the summer of between 25-32 but it seems the best time to swim is in the late afternoon/early evening. My initial question related to keeping the pool cover on for part of the day to speed up the the heating of the water by the sun or to roll it back first thing and let the sun warm the water directly. as fo an abri I think they look ugly but can see how they would keep the water warm. Thanks again everyone if you can answer this question.

[Fantine<br><br><br><br>Susie]

"as fo an abri I think they look ugly"

I agree, sometimes they can but I think mine looks great - take a look at my website showing it http://dordogne-garden.mysite.wanadoo-members.co.uk/

[Poolguy]

Another very popular option is to use solar absorbers to heat the water.

Using about 60% of the area of your pool in solar absorbtion material its possible to get another 3 - 4 months swimming out of your pool.Generally this material is put on a SW facing roof but it can go on the ground as well or anywhere there is direct sun.

October is certainly doable, even November in certain parts of France. Starting again in March or April.

PM me if you want the details.

Andrew

 

[Em]

Hi

To answer your question, in our experience, the pool will heat faster and retain heat better if the cover is left on for as long as possible.

The best scenario would be to only uncover when you are actually swimming, but during really hot weather this isn't so necessary.

We live in Normandy and I had my last swim just last week - November! We don't have an abri as I do think they would spoil the look of the place.

Em