It is vitally important that your water chemistry be maintained. Pool water that is acidic or alkaline will attack your heater's internal components in a relatively short time. A monthly (minimum) analysis by a reputable pool store will help you maintain proper water balance and extend the life of everything in your pool, be it pumps and equipment, ladders and handrails, marsite, paint or vinyl liner.
Pool Heater Maintainance - Gas Pool Heater Gas heaters are the most common type of pool heaters being used presently. The gas heaters work on natural gas or propane tanks. The gas heaters are favorite hide out of spiders and other insects. It is recommended to regularly clean the spider webs and the debris off the heater. For it can clog off the burner openings. You can clean them manually or with the help of a vacuum cleaner as well. The most important thing about maintaining the gas pool heaters is to check the gas supply regularly. Check out the pipes to detect any leakages. You can easily detect the leakages using a soap solution. Prepare a liquid dish soap and warm water in the spray bottle. Now spray the solution on the pipe joints. If you find any bubbles emerging from the surface, you immediately need to repair the pipes. Never use the heater until the pipes are replaced or repaired by a qualified plumber. Pool Heater Maintainance - Electrical Pool Heater Electrical pool heaters are also getting popular these days. The heaters produce the heat with the help of heating elements. The element can get coated with certain minerals present in the atmosphere. This hampers the heating process. You can easily take it out and clean with a wire brush. Some elements get damaged beyond repair. You have to replace the element. Take along the old element with you while looking around for a new one in the market. It is absolutely vital to change the element otherwise it can send some current in the swimming pool. First of all, turn off the power supply to the heater to avoid any injuries. Open up the drain pipe and take out water from it. Fix the new element and test the heater by filling water in your swimming pool so that the heater can work to its full efficiency.
Keep in mind that even with gas heat it usually takes 24h to warm the pool, so you don't turn on the heat and hop in. For a pool that isn't used every day (or almost every day), an active heating system can be a waste of money.
If you don't use the pool all the time, I would consider something that is more "passive". Solar Heaters are pretty cheap, and the energy cost is basically zero. However, they don't provide a lot of heat (less so on a cloudy day), but it may be enough to enjoy the pool without shivering. I'm not a fan of solar covers, unless you have a crank that allows you to easily cover/uncover the pool. The solar cover on our 27ft pool was so difficult to drag on and off (and keep it clean) that we gave up on it. We also ended up dragging a lot of junk into the pool.
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It is vitally important that your water chemistry be maintained. Pool water that is acidic or alkaline will attack your heater's internal components in a relatively short time. A monthly (minimum) analysis by a reputable pool store will help you maintain proper water balance and extend the life of everything in your pool, be it pumps and equipment, ladders and handrails, marsite, paint or vinyl liner.
Pool Heater Maintainance - Gas Pool Heater Gas heaters are the most common type of pool heaters being used presently. The gas heaters work on natural gas or propane tanks. The gas heaters are favorite hide out of spiders and other insects. It is recommended to regularly clean the spider webs and the debris off the heater. For it can clog off the burner openings. You can clean them manually or with the help of a vacuum cleaner as well. The most important thing about maintaining the gas pool heaters is to check the gas supply regularly. Check out the pipes to detect any leakages. You can easily detect the leakages using a soap solution. Prepare a liquid dish soap and warm water in the spray bottle. Now spray the solution on the pipe joints. If you find any bubbles emerging from the surface, you immediately need to repair the pipes. Never use the heater until the pipes are replaced or repaired by a qualified plumber. Pool Heater Maintainance - Electrical Pool Heater Electrical pool heaters are also getting popular these days. The heaters produce the heat with the help of heating elements. The element can get coated with certain minerals present in the atmosphere. This hampers the heating process. You can easily take it out and clean with a wire brush. Some elements get damaged beyond repair. You have to replace the element. Take along the old element with you while looking around for a new one in the market. It is absolutely vital to change the element otherwise it can send some current in the swimming pool. First of all, turn off the power supply to the heater to avoid any injuries. Open up the drain pipe and take out water from it. Fix the new element and test the heater by filling water in your swimming pool so that the heater can work to its full efficiency.
Keep in mind that even with gas heat it usually takes 24h to warm the pool, so you don't turn on the heat and hop in. For a pool that isn't used every day (or almost every day), an active heating system can be a waste of money.
If you don't use the pool all the time, I would consider something that is more "passive". Solar Heaters are pretty cheap, and the energy cost is basically zero. However, they don't provide a lot of heat (less so on a cloudy day), but it may be enough to enjoy the pool without shivering. I'm not a fan of solar covers, unless you have a crank that allows you to easily cover/uncover the pool. The solar cover on our 27ft pool was so difficult to drag on and off (and keep it clean) that we gave up on it. We also ended up dragging a lot of junk into the pool.
You can ask : Jean Milord