i have an idea to heat my swimming pool by using my oil run boiler in the house (system currenlty runs 4 heating zones, but has the capacity for 8)... if i do this, the pool would probably run off one of the existant zones or i would put in its own zone valve. i would like some opinions and feedback if anyone thinks this is a good idea or bad... plus if its possible, i need some solution on how to get the heat to the pool...

basically what i was thinking was to run some PEX pipes out to the pool filter and setup a manifold to run the pool water over to heat it up before it heads back to the pool... the only problems are that the pool filter is outside and about 50' away from the house, so running the hot water that distance underground might not be the best solution.

my next idea was to take the pool filter and put it on the outside wall of the boiler, and do the same thing but the pool filter is going to be slightly uphill and might not work...

third idea was to build a manifold for actually putting into the pool (materials would be a big question on this one)...

anyone out there have any suggestions, ideas, solutions?

serendipity pools

Interesting idea. I don't think it will work personally unless you have a commercial boiler in your house...that being said- if it IS to work, here are some ideas that will help you.

You may want to get a heat exchanger from a swimming pool supplier. Heat exchangers are used for similar purposes in commercial environments where heated water passes through an exchanger. The concept is that the hot and cold water pass close to each other in seperate plumbing systems - transferring the heat. The efficiency loss from this transfer of energy combined with the limited resources of your household water heater are the reasons I feel like this may not work.

Do not pass the hot water into your filter, it is not designed to operate at these temperatures. Filters can explode and this is an experience that you most certainly do not want.

If you were to eliminate the transfer of energy and instead plumb your water heater directly in with the swimming pool supply, you likely still could not have the BTU's required to heat the massive amount of water in your pool.

My best advice would be to take a multiple part approach to heating your pool utilizing multiple concepts. If you can design a reasonably efficient method to employ your house water heater to heat your pool - but also install a solar heating system for your swimming pool, you may have some successful results.

Solar heating is very effective and easy to accomplish. You can build one with pipes, you can install pipes into your deck inside the concrete or you can purchase solar heating panels. By also using a solar blanket on your pool and an auxiliary heater with your houses hot water tank I would be willing to believe you could heat your pool - and for much less money than with your water heater alone. Or you could just buy a pool heater...

I hope this information is helpful.

Steve Goodale
Serendipity Pools