We have really cheap solar panels to heat our above ground pool so from May to Sept. the pool is nice and warm but we live in Canada in S.E B.C where we get real winter. We do however get to the point in the summer where we need to actually turn the solor off it gets the pool water too hot. We have had our panels for 13 yrs on a S facing slope of our house they get covered in snow in the winter and still work well. I guess we could go to a nicer set up but not worth where we are with such a short pool season