Spring is in the air and almost time to open that Bahamas plateau you have built in your backyard. The warm air melting the ice if it is not already completely melted, leaving behind that black or blue hideous tarp that hides your summer pleasure.

We are going to use that hideous tarp to your advantage to help warm the water and reduce fuel cost on firing up the heater. If there is one thing the color black or dark blue is good for around water and that is it attracts sunlight heat extremely well.

In order for this to work the tarp will have to be reasonably dry. Either use a sump pump as mentioned in a previous article or siphon the water off if you are able. You can add water if you wish to the proper level you would normally operate the pool at as this water can also be heated.

As long as the tarp remains dry it will attract the suns rays at a higher than if it was wet and transfer the heat it to the water below. One other advantage of raising the water level is that it makes it easier to remove the cover when you are ready to complete the opening of your pool

This just another tip to make all pool owners opening tasks less work and more pleasurable.