A simple approach to solar pool heating

October 21, 2026 at 5:00 a.m.

By The Coffee Shops®.

Discover a compact pool heating solution designed for easy installation, adjustment and seasonal storage.

At Everything Under the Sun, OutdoorCoffeeShop™ met with Don Symonds of Beluga Pool Solutions to discuss a compact device designed to heat swimming pools using water warmed inside a garden hose.

The Beluga Solar Pool Heating Device screws into a pool’s 1 1/2-inch return fitting and connects to a standard garden hose, ideally a black rubber hose. An end valve allows users to adjust the water flow, creating a stream about the size of a little finger that moves through the hose at approximately 30 gallons per hour.

As the water travels through the hose, it is heated by the sun before returning to the pool. Don said the water can reach close to 100 degrees. Running his pool pump for 10 hours a day returns approximately 300 gallons of heated water to the pool.

“And it works. It keeps pools nice and warm,” Don said.

The idea began when Don was washing down his pool deck and noticed that the water coming from the hose was hot while the pool remained too cold for swimming. He wanted to connect the two without splicing lines or creating a complicated system.

Don has experimented with the concept for more than 40 years. The original version was nearly a foot long, earning the nickname “the hillbilly heater” from his children. After years of encouragement from his family, he re-engineered the device into its current form and turned the idea into a business.

The removable design does not require winterization. Pool owners in colder climates can unscrew the device when closing their pools, store it and reinstall it the following season. Don said the unit retails for $50 and is available online.