Hi all We've had an above ground pool for about 3 years now approx 4m x 2m. We decided that year to forego a UK holiday and use the money to buy the pool. It's been great but the pool heater is really slow yet uses lots of electricity. It takes about 4 hours to increase the temp about 1 degree. So with the heat being so precious, i don't know why i didn't think to insulate the ground before but we've just been to my sister's and had a go in her inflatable hot tub and my bro-in-law had used two solid foam pads, approx 100mm thick to keep it warm. I'm not sure if he said kingspan. He'd also put a cover over them. When I'm checking prices, for something simply made of foam, it seems really expensive. Any suggestions for a cheaper alternative would be appreciated. Thanks, Marc
I'm not sure if I've misunderstood, but the floor underneath your pool will be the place you lose the least heat. What with heat rising and all that.
Apparently it's one of the main places it loses it as the water leaches the cold from the slabs. I already have the heat insulating bubble wrap type cover which I'm not confident does much but that's already sorted.
Well we had a similar thought this year for our 7 year old boy. Werent really going anywhere on holiday and so got a new 12ft round pool at the start of summer and invested in a air source heat pump. Its not a quick heater by any stretch and it all depends on how warm the air is in general - but over the past few days the temperature in the pool has got to 32 degrees - if anything thats 2 warm But Ive had the pump on day and night and it should cost £2.50 or thereabouts per 24hrs - maybe a bit more Its definitely been worth it - 25-26 degrees is perfectly adequate too - only thing is it does take a while to warm up but well worth the investment at about £400 I think it was - hotsplash heat pump - the other cheaper heaters are basically like a kettle going all the time and cost a small fortune Also got a surface solar cover too - with air bubbles in to act as insulation on top during the night so the next day it starts off at a higher temperature in the morning No insulation underneath just the foam gym type mats
Yeah we have that bubble wrap topper too. We haven't even got the foam type mats underneath, straight on the slabs.
"What with heat rising and all that." Heat does not rise. Hot gases and liquids rises because of density effects causing convection currents. Heat can also be lost by conduction through solids i.e bottom of pool and the slabs it is resting on, and infra radiation from surfaces. The normal way to reduce conduction losses would be to use a foam substance due to the trapped air inside it. Not sure what type of foam would be best as it will have to tolerate getting wet and support the weight of water above it.