View Full Version : So who in the northern climes is still swimming?
ChuckD
10-04-2007, 08:57 PM
And I'm not talking about indoor pools!
Went for a swim today. Water's holding in the high seventies, flirting with 80. Credit nightly covering with the solar blanket, a jury-rigged solar heater (350' of black PVC spread out on the lawn, fed by a pool inlet) and only running the pump during the sunny hours. It took an hour long bike ride to warm up to it, but with a full sun all day, temps in the high 70's, sure glad I haven't closed yet!
C.
tphaggerty
10-05-2007, 12:22 AM
Same here in Poughquag, NY (near Poughkeepsie). Temps into the low 80s due to solar. Just have to clean up leaves before swimming. All my neighbors are closed, so I invite all the kids over for a nice fall swim.
CarlD
10-05-2007, 11:54 AM
Not me!
My solar cover picked late August to start popping bubbles into the water, so it's been pulled and sliced up for disposal.
So the solar panels are off to let the water cool down. Without the cover, this time of year it's IMPOSSIBLE to keep the temp up--plus the sun patterns are different so I don't get as many hours. Water's been in the 60's since there's cover.
I'll probably get in, but I'll have a wetsuit on--too cold for my wimpy skin!
myLABSpool
10-05-2007, 12:01 PM
In Rochester NY we're still swimming as of Oct. 5 and we'll use the pool this entire weekend since the Wx will be sunny and in the low 80's!
I've been heating with gas on days when we plan on using the pool to get the temp back to 84. The temp has been holding well in the mid/upper 70's as we keep it covered and I do keep the filter off all night which really seems to help. I've have noticed the sun is definitely loosing strength because I'm barely seeing any temp rise from the sun.
First swim was May 9th this year, so we will have 5 months of use... a great year for a pool!:D
cschnurr
10-09-2007, 12:27 PM
I'm in Southern Ontario. We're not swimming regularly but since I haven't closed yet, I go for a dip occasionally.
On Saturday I went for a swim, water temperature was 68.
On Monday, (Canadian Thanksgiving Weekend), we had a heat wave
air temperature was 84, but with the humidity factor, it felt like 100.
I'll likely close next weekend
It's hot here, but closed the pool last Wednesday - I couldn't keep up with the leaves, and no one was swimming , so I caved and closed:(
aylad
10-09-2007, 06:27 PM
On Saturday I went for a swim, water temperature was 68.
Geez, you're a glutton for punishment, aren't you? ;)
Janet
AquaBill
10-09-2007, 08:59 PM
We are also in southern Ontario. The kids have been in the pool each day since Friday. Water was 79 yesterday, but it's cooling down now (77 today). We've had hot days for over a week, so the solar panels did their job well. The nights have been warm and humid, so the pool did not lose too much heat at night.
Wouldn't it be great if the pool did not lose any heat at night? I've not found a good way to keep all the heat the pool gains during the day. Even with a solar blanket, we lose from 2 to 4 degrees.
..Bill
Poconos
10-09-2007, 09:33 PM
Here in Northeast PA I was in mine today for about an hour. Fully in, floating on a noodle. Water 77.9, air about 79. Today is the last day....cold snap coming. Packed the solar cover up yesterday.
Al
Kimrst
10-10-2007, 07:39 PM
I have swimming envy. Its raining here in Michigan and I swear I see snow clouds on the horizon. But a few of you still were swimming up north. That is amazing. I keep thinking about going over to the local HS and swimming laps but the idea of getting into a public pool after all I have learned here just curls my hair! I don't think I can do it... Kimrst
digger01
10-12-2007, 11:21 AM
We swam everyday last wkend. Temp 78. This comming week we would need a wetsuit especially for myself, cant comment for the kids!
I still have the solar cover on, but am getting ready to start closing it up. I will try to close in the next few weeks, sometime before a frost.
My pool company wants over $400 dollars to close the pool :eek:
He scared me last year with a warranty threat, But not this year
fcfrey
10-12-2007, 06:15 PM
My pool is still 80 degrees. But with the front that came through yesterday it will drop pretty quickly. The solar system still adds some heat and the solar cover keeps it in but if it's cloudy.........
I look to close when the water temp drops below 75.
I was in day before yesterday but the air was 62 BRRRRRRR when you get out!!!!
fcfrey
10-14-2007, 06:59 PM
Not me!
I'll probably get in, but I'll have a wetsuit on--too cold for my wimpy skin!
Just curious --- where did you get the wet suit?? Somehow I can't picture my CHUBBY body in a wet suit but.
The bottom fell out of the pool temp --- down to 72 this morning so I put the winter cover on but it's so depressing having to close.
CarlD
10-14-2007, 09:57 PM
Just curious --- where did you get the wet suit?? Somehow I can't picture my CHUBBY body in a wet suit but.
The bottom fell out of the pool temp --- down to 72 this morning so I put the winter cover on but it's so depressing having to close.
Online. I think it was West Marine or a similar place. Cost about $100 from ankles to wrists. I'm no string-bean myself, but they come in all sizes. Just don't wear it when and where anyone who doesn't love you (like spouse and kids--wellllll--maybe not the kids) can see you!
Meanwhile, we had a cold snap and my pool hit 60, so yesterday I closed it down for the winter. As usual, figuring out which end of the safety cover was which was...interesting. I figured out which end was which, but it took my 12 year old to figure out which corner went where--BEFORE we unfolded all 42'x18' of it!
I drop the water enough so if I hang by my feet from the railing I can get the low drain in without freezing more than my arm to mid-bicep. I put on a diver's glove so the fingers don't go numb--elbow and upper arm don't matter. Otherwise I have to put on the wet-suit and get in.:eek:
It went surprisingly easy this year. The solar panels blew out faster, the cover went on faster, and the equipment (pump and plumbing) broke down faster. I must finally be getting good at it...
ChuckD
10-15-2007, 01:51 AM
My pool is still 80 degrees. But with the front that came through yesterday it will drop pretty quickly. The solar system still adds some heat and the solar cover keeps it in but if it's cloudy.........
I look to close when the water temp drops below 75.
I was in day before yesterday but the air was 62 BRRRRRRR when you get out!!!!
Re: your sig - 'the solar only works when the sun shines', how true. 4 days last week without that sun part sent water temps below 70. Weatherman's talking about temps in the low seventies this weekend but the truth of the season is starting to hit home.
If the pool wasn't such a dominant visual feature in the backyard I'd probably close it now, but looking at that closed pool is just so sad!
chem geek
10-15-2007, 01:03 PM
We're still swimming (near San Francisco), but with gas assist to heat the pool. With some rainy and cloudy days, plus cooler days and nights, the pool temperature drops quickly. With the opaque safety cover, the pool loses 3-4 degrees Fahrenheit overnight and if there's no sun during the day it loses another 2 or so during the day. The sun is much lower in the sky so the solar heat isn't as fast. If we didn't have gas heat, the pool would probably be below 80F now, but still probably above 75F due to some sun.
Since my wife uses the pool for swim exercise therapy, she'll probably use it until the first week or two in November. Then she'll switch to an indoor pool at a community center which is far less convenient. Heating our pool with gas to 88F ain't cheap. Without accounting for heat losses, it costs around $2.33 per degree Fahrenheit (with gas costing $1.39 per Therm).
Richard