Anybody Insulate their pool piping?
- Thread starter Adamphotoman
- Start date
being in canada I researched this extensively. There is no insulation product that I have found that doesn't, overtime absorb water. Extruded and expanded polystyrene both absorb water as does spray foam. Water soaked into a foam makes it a conductor. I would suggest that if you go to this expense, you make sure the pipe has gravel on all 4 sides of it and that standing water will not be an issue.
Some of my pipes are inside a pump house. I found a source of roll bar padding which is essentially a polyethylene closed cell foam pool noodle with a 1 1/2 ID.
This one should not absorb water.
I am retrofitting above ground pipes and want to protect them from UV as much as for heat loss.
This one should not absorb water.
I am retrofitting above ground pipes and want to protect them from UV as much as for heat loss.
sktn77a
Gold Supporter
If you think about it logically, unless you're supplying heat to the pipes somehow, eventually the pipe temperature will equilibrate with the outside temperature, no matter how much insulation you have. With long subzero winters, it probably serves no purpose. IMO.
At this time of year and at night when I am not circulating, the water in the above ground pipes drops to 73°F/22°C. The pool will loose 3 or 4°F overnight. Air is 53°F/11°C at night and up to 78°F/26°C during the day. Our target pool temp is 89-90°F/32°C.
So I am heating, and I am loosing some heat while heating. The target pool temp is higher than the air temp.
So I am heating, and I am loosing some heat while heating. The target pool temp is higher than the air temp.
sktn77a
Gold Supporter
Ah, if you're insulating to retain heat while you're heating the pool, then that's different from insulating to prevent freezing. It might help.
My 10x12 pump room warms up. Partly that the pump is warm but also there is some 25 feet of piping in there. Out side there is about 10 feet of pipe going to the heater. The polyethylene foam is $1 per foot if I buy 120 feet. Not that expensive.
We noticed that if I run the pump at night we loose more heat than if we turn it off and just cover the pool.
I don't think it will take too long to pay back.
We noticed that if I run the pump at night we loose more heat than if we turn it off and just cover the pool.
I don't think it will take too long to pay back.
You might be surprised. Heat loss from pool pipes is pretty small. Especially if you only have 10 feet fully exposed and the rest in a "warmed" pump house. Have you done any calculations to see if it is worth even worrying about?
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