Do you want to enjoy swimming in your outdoor pool but the water is too cold? One of the best ways to keep your pool warm in cold weather is to use a pool heater. However, pool heaters can be pretty expensive sometimes. But, the good news is that there are plenty of do it yourself pool heater ideas that you can use if you don’t have enough budget.
Pool heaters enhance your swimming experience in winter and allow you to relax in warm water. Although there are many different ways to make your own pool heater, we will show you different solar do it yourself pool heaters ideas in this article.
Why Solar Do It Yourself Pool Heater Ideas?
Firstly, solar do it yourself pool heaters are pretty easy to make compared to other pool heaters such as electric, gas, or wood-burning. And since they use sunlight to heat the water, they also help you save electricity costs. Not to mention, solar do it yourself pool heater ideas are a safer option compared to electric heaters.
Solar Do It Yourself Pool Heater Ideas
1. Make a pool heater using Irrigation tubing
What you’ll need:
- 2×4 Lumber
- Plywood sheet
- Table saw
- Wood glue
- Tar paper
- Irrigation tubing
- Plastic
- Wire clamps
Step 1:
The first step is to make a rectangular (4×8 inch) frame. To do so, take two pieces of 2×4 lumber, one 8 inches, and the other 16 inches. Now, cut them in half using a table saw. You can also buy the lumber of your desired length if you don’t have a table saw.
Step 2:
Next, take a ¼ inch thick plywood sheet measuring 4 inches in width and 8 inches in length. Now attach the pieces of lumber you’ve cut in the first step at the corners of the plywood sheet using wood glue to create a frame.
Step 3:
Now, divide the frame into two sections by attaching a 4 inches long piece of wood at the center of the frame.
Step 4:
Cover the wood frame with tar paper using staples. Remember to do this step in the shade because tar paper gets very hot in sunlight. And this is exactly the idea behind this do it yourself pool heater.
Step 5:
Now, take two 250 ft irrigation tubing (½ inch thick) and roll them in loops on the frame. You can use 2×4 lumber as bracing to make neat and quick loops.
Step 6:
Next, make a hole on one side (shorter side) of the rectangular frame and pass one end of the first loop through the hole. Now, connect the other end of the first loop to one end of the second loop. Next, make a hole at the other side of the frame and pass the free end of the second coil through it. You can use a drill bit to make holes.
Step 7:
Next, secure the coils using wire clamps. Now, secure the coils to the frame. To do so, you can attach a 2×4 lumber over the coils. Now, wrap the frame in plastic so that sun rays can get trapped and heat the frame.
Step 8:
Now supply the water to the coils through your garden hose. You’ll have to use a pump/pool pump for water intake.
2. Easy Pool Heater from Black Plastic Tarp
This is one of the easiest do it yourself pool heater ideas. But you’ll probably need more than one of these to heat your pool.
What you’ll need:
- Four pieces of one inch PVC
- PVC glue
- 90° PVC elbows
- Black plastic tarp
- Duct tape
- Foam pipe insulation
- Wire ties
Step 1:
Take 4 one-inch PVC pipes, about two feet long, and attach 90° PVC elbow to one end of each pipe using PVC glue. Now, connect the pipes together through elbows to create a square frame.
Step 2:
Now, take a black plastic tarp and cut it according to the size PVC frame. Remember to keep the dimensions of the tarp slightly larger than the frame. Secure the plastic to the frame temporarily using duct tape.
Step 3:
Next, measure the size of one side of the frame and cut four foam pipe insulation accordingly. Now attach the foam pipes to each side of the frame. Remember to buy the pipe insulation with an adhesive film so that you can easily secure it to the frame.
Step 4:
Now, make a few holes in the plastic tarp and further secure the pipe insulation to the plastic using wire ties.
Step 5:
You can now use the pool heater, or if you want additional heat, you can add a black rubber hose to it. To do so, roll the rubber hose in a loop and secure it to the black plastic tarp. Now, connect it to the pool’s water supply.
3. Double Glazed window pool heater
If you have an old double glazed window, you can upcycle it to build a pool heater.
What you’ll need:
- Double glazed window
- Irrigation hose connectors
- Carbon Steel Vibration Saw Blade
- Irrigation Hose 1/2″
- Hose Clamp
- Irrigation tubing
Step 1:
Start by detaching the mirror of the double glazed window from the frame. Next, take apart the mirrors of the window. Now you have two mirrors.
If you don’t know how to remove the glass from a double glazed window, you can watch this video:
Step 2:
Take one mirror and cut a small piece from one corner so that the irrigation tubing can pass through it. Now paint the mirror black using high-quality spray paint. Do the same for the second mirror.
Step 3:
Take two irrigation hoses, roll them into one loop and secure them together using wire clamps. Connect the inner ends of the loop using a small piece of irrigation hose and hose clamps.
Step 4:
Next, secure the coil to one of the mirrors using a glue gun. Now, put the mirror with the coil back in the frame. Remember to drill holes in the frame and pass the free ends of the coil through them.
Step 5:
Now, create a water supply system by attaching hose clamps, piper connectors, garden connectors, and expandable flexible garden hose to the free ends of the coils. This will help supply warm water to the pool through the coils.
Step 6:
Finally, attach the second mirror to the frame using a glue gun.
4. Upcycled aluminum cans pool heater
This is one of the best upcycled do it yourself pool heater ideas through which you can utilize all those beer cans or any other beverage cans made from aluminum.
What you’ll need:
- Aluminum cans
- Caulk
- Black spray paint
- 1×4 wood/lumber
- Plywood sheet
- Foam insulation
- Glass panel
- Drill
- Wood glue
Step 1:
Take several aluminum cans and rinse them properly. Then drill three holes at the bottom of each can. Remember to remove pop tabs from every can before drilling the holes so that you can hold them steady.
Step 2:
Now, make 3-4 columns of cans by stacking them on top of one another. Remember to secure the cans with caulk as you stack them. If you are making a large box for holding the cans, you can add more columns of cans.
Step 3:
Next, build the box for holding the cans. To do so, take a ¼ inch thick sheet of plywood and attach a 1×4 inch piece of wood at each side of the sheet using wood glue. The size of the plywood sheet depends on how large or small you wish to make the box.
Step 4:
Take foam insulation and attach it to the back and sides of the box. Remember to seal the holes and edges using caulk. Next, paint the foam insulation black using spray paint.
Step 5:
Take another 1×4 piece of wood and drill holes in the middle. The number of holes should be equal to the number of columns of cans you have. Now, attach it horizontally, about 2-3 inches from the box’s bottom. Don’t forget to make it airtight by sealing the edges using caulk.
Step 6:
Next, drill holes in the middle of the top and bottom of your box.
Step 7:
Now attach the columns of cans you built in the start to the inside of the box using caulk. Remember to line the columns so that they match the holes you made in the extra 1×4 piece of wood (refer to step 5). Next, paint the box black using spray paint
Step 8:
Take a glass panel and attach it to the front of your box using high-heat glue. Remember to make it airtight. Now, your pool heater is ready.
5. Above ground pool heater from old sliding glass door
If you want to keep your above ground pool water warm, this do it yourself pool heater is a great option.
What you’ll need:
- Plywood sheet
- 2×4 lumber
- Glass sliding door
- Wood glue
- Copper manifold
- Soldering gun
Step 1:
Start by removing the glass from the sliding door. Then measure it and cut the 2×4 lumber accordingly using a table saw.
Step 2:
Attach the 2×4 lumber to a plywood sheet using wood glue. Now, take a copper flashing backing plates and place it on the frame
Step 3:
Take several copper manifolds and attach them together using copper fittings. Next, solder the copper tubing/manifold to the backing plate using a soldering gun. Now, paint the manifold and the backing black.
Step 4:
Next, build a support structure near the pool using 4×4 pieces of wood/lumber.
Step 5:
Now, calculate the best angle through which you can get maximum sunlight. You can use an online sun angle calculator for this purpose.
Step 6:
Mount the frame on the support structure. Next, create a water supply system by installing the intake valve and the outflow valve. You can use PVC and the pipe connecting the filter to the jet for the intake value. For the outflow valve, you can use copper tubing.
Step 7:
Finally, install the glass on the frame and secure it using a strong adhesive.
6. Create mini pool heaters from hula hoops
If you opt for this do it yourself pool heater idea, you’ll have to make several mini pool heaters to warm your pool water. However, these pool heaters are pretty simple to make, and you don’t need any pump or water supply system. Another great thing about these heaters is that you don’t necessarily have to remove them from the pool to swim. And they will only cover half the area of your pool.
What you’ll need:
- Polyethylene film
- Hula hoops
- Soldering gun
- Blade
- Clamps
Step 1:
Take a polyethylene film and cut it slightly larger than the size of hula hoops using a box knife or scissor. You can use cardboard while cutting the film to create a safe cutting surface.
Step 2:
Attach the film to the hula hoops temporarily using clamps. Remember to seal the joints of the hula hoops using an electrician’s tape. This will help make the hula hoops watertight.
Step 3:
Now, secure the film to the hula hoops using a soldering gun. Cut the extra film along the edges of the hula hoops to give them a neat and tidy look.
Step 4:
Next, make nine small holes in the film. Make one hole in the center of the film and create the other eight holes to form a circle of 24-inch diameter. You can use the tip of the soldering gun to make holes.
Step 5:
Finally, place the hula hoop into the pool. Since these heaters are in contact with the pool water, they directly transfer the heat from the sun’s radiation to the pool.
7. Solar heater from PE tube
What you’ll need:
- Roll of PE tube
- Garden hose
- T-joints
- Submersible pump
Step 1:
Start by cutting the PE tube into ten pieces of about 5 meters. You’ll also need to cut several small pieces of tube to connect the T-joints.
Step 2:
Connect T-joints using the small pieces of the PE tube you’ve cut in the first step. It’s better to use gloves while you connect the pieces.
Step 3:
Now connect the 5 meters pieces of PE tube to the T-joints. Next, connect one end to the hose attached to the pump. Also, connect a hose to the other side, which goes into the pool.
FAQs
How can I heat my pool water cheaply?
If you want to heat your pool without spending too much money, you can make a solar do it yourself pool heater. Solar pool heaters reduce your swimming pool heating costs significantly. There are so many solar do it yourself pool heating ideas, and you can choose one, depending on your budget.
How do DIY solar pool heaters work?
Solar pool heaters work by using thermal energy from the sun. These heaters use black color to absorb more heat from the sun and then transfer the heat to the water that runs through them. When you’re building a do it yourself solar pool heater, you can use tar paper, black plastic tarp, polyethylene film, black irrigation tubing, or paint the heater black to allow it to absorb more heat.
Are do it yourself pool heaters effective?
Do it yourself pool heaters, if built rightly, can keep your pool warm and enjoyable even in cold weather. The effectiveness of a do it yourself pool heater greatly depends on whether you’ve built the right size heater for your pool. For instance, if you have a large pool, you’ll need a large or multiple small do it yourself pool heaters to keep your pool water warm.
Conclusion
Do it yourself pool heater ideas are a great way to heat your pool without spending a lot of money. If you want to cut down your pool operating costs, you can build a solar do it yourself pool heater. Solar pool heaters can be built from irrigation tubing, tar paper, double glazed window, aluminum cans, etc. The concept behind these heaters is to use a black surface to trap more heat from the sun and then use it to heat the water that goes into the pool.
If you liked this article, you may also like one of our articles on “Above Ground Pool Kits Do it yourself Costs, Types, and Problems.”
