Using solar heating for your pool can dramatically cut down on the gas or electric bill, increase the swim time each year, and overall make using your pool a more enjoyable experience.  While installing solar panels for electricity generation can get a bit complicated, installing solar panels in pools is relatively simple.  

Here 3 basic tips for diy how to install solar panels in pools:

1.  Know what kind of roof you have, and the direction of the sun:

Installing solar heating for your pool usually works best when it is on the roof.  This ensures that it is above the shade of trees, bushes, and even the shadow of the home itself.  Some roof types are easier to install on than others are.  Sloped roofs are the best, whether tile or shingle composition, and flat roofs are more difficult.  On a flat roof, it is usually required to mount the solar panels on a framework first, and it is required to create an angled mount to assist the water draining back to the pool.  On sloped roofs, the panels attach directly to the roof using mounting brackets.  The slope of the roof provides ample angle for draining the heated water back to the pool.

It is also important to know the direction of the sun during the peak swimming months.  You want the panels exposed to the maximum amount of sunlight for best results.  On some homes that might be the front of the roof, on others the back.

2.  Make sure you purchase the right kind of solar panels for your climate

Solar panels come in two broad types, with many variations in style.  There are flexible solar panels, and rigid solar panels.  If you live in an area that gets cold enough that water can freeze in the winter, make sure you choose a flexible solar panel.  Flexibility gives them the ability to contract and expand during cold weather, preventing a burst.  Most solar panels built today are of the flexible style.

3.  Be careful to moderate the pump pressure through the solar panels.

The key to longevity is to moderate the pressure to as low as needed to circulate the heated water.  The normal course of action is to funnel water from the filter pump up to the roof using pvc pipes, where it then splits off and circulates through the solar panels and gets heated.  The water travels through micro-channels, which then collect into another recirculation pipe that heads down and empties the heated water into the pool.  If too much pressure is applied, this dramatically lowers the lifetime of the solar panels, increasing the chances of leaks or breakage.