Solar Heating Tips

By Author: Steve Merillat
Total Articles: 14
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Solar Heating Tips


Proper Installation:
Install the blanket on the pool bubbles down. Before trimming, the blanket should be left on the pool for a few days to allow wrinkles and folds to disappear.
Use ordinary scissors, being careful not to puncture the lining of the pool. The blanket should fit snug to the pool sidewall. To avoid trimming the blanket too small, the first cut should leave the blanket slightly larger, then make the final trim a few days later. The blanket should not overlap the sidewall, which could result in an opening for wind to get under the blanket.
A properly fitted blanket will be held in place by surface adhesion, requiring no tie-downs during windy periods and heavy rain. Avoid putting the blanket on the lawn for any reason. The sun's rays passing through the bubbles could cause damage to the grass.

Proper Handling:
By using the "fanfold" technique, two people can easily remove the blanket from the pool in minutes. Simply pull three or four feet at a time over one end of the pool and continuously fanfold the blanket "accordion fashion" until the ...
... entire blanket is stacked on the deck. The blanket can then easily be pulled back onto the pool in seconds.
Or try our Solar Folder; an easy way for you to neatly remove your solar blanket on an above ground pool on your own.

Our reel system enables one person to roll the blanket on or off the pool in seconds - plus it makes a convenient storage unit, when the blanket is not being used. Optional casters add a "roll-away" feature. Never drag the blanket across a rough deck, coping or the sharp edge of a pool. And always cover the blanket with its white protective cover sheet when it is not in use.

Proper Care:
Always cover the blanket with its protective sheet when it is not on the pool.
The blanket should not be stored in an area where temperatures might reach 120 degrees F. These extreme temperatures can expand the bubbles and cause delaminating and blistering - weakening the blanket. Blanket defects caused by exposure to the sun or incorrect storage while off the pool are not covered by the warranty. The blanket should be removed any time the pool is being chemically treated - and not put back onto the pool until safe concentration levels are reached.
The level of chlorine should not rise above 3 parts per million. If the level must be raised over this point, the blanket should be removed. Damage caused by excessive chemical exposure is excluded from the warranty.

Cleaning and Storage:
A clean, highly Tran missive solar blanket is more efficient than a darker, dirtier one. Cleaning will allow more of the sun's rays to pass through the blanket to heat your pool water at all depths. Use a chemically safe solar blanket cleaner with water and a soft brush as prescribed by your pool dealer. To keep your pool cleaner, hose off the dirt and leaves from the floating blanket directly into the pool skimmer.
Before storing the blanket, clean it and allow it to dry thoroughly to prevent mildew. Fold it on the seams and roll it from one end. Place the blanket in a clean, dry, rodent-free area where temperatures will not reach 120 degrees F. To prolong the life of your blanket, it should be removed from the pool during the winter months and replaced by a winter cover to keep your pool clean.
S.Merillat(r)

To learn more about Solar Energy-Efficient Measures, visit http://www.1800pools.com
Steve Merillat has been in the Pool industry for 35 years. He started early on working for various Swimming Pool supply companies before ventured out in his own business. He pioneered many processes with the installation of pools that are used as industry standards today. He regularly holds seminars and classes on how to properly maintain your Swimming Pool. Visit http://www.1800pools.com