All About Pool Heat Pumps
Choosing the correct size and type of heat pump for your pool is very important.
The major factors to consider when purchasing a heat pump are:
• Size of the pool.
• Location of the pool.
• Location of the heat pump.
• Does the pool have a cover/ thermal blanket.
• The amount of time that you want to use the pool.
• Will I need a separate water circulation pump or can I use the pool pump?
A good heat pump is one that is well constructed and has the ability to effectively transfer the heat produced into the swimming pool. It will also last longer, and save you a fortune in running costs. This is a very important point, as the heat pump has to be designed to operate in a wide ambient temperature range.
Unfortunately many manufacturers use tiny heat exchangers (to reduce cost). The tiny heat exchangers will struggle to heat 1000 Liters of water. The average pool has about 35000 liters of water.
This is one area where a good price is not a good deal. Choosing the incorrect size or specification for your regular or solar swimming pool will result in an enormous amount of running time and electricity consumption, for a very small return. All the money you saved on buying the wrong unit will be soon eaten up in running costs. The rate of heat loss through the surface of the water will be faster than some heat pumps can warm the pool.
It is important to note that a pool heater pump is better suited for someone who wants a consistent pool temperature for a long period of time. Heat pumps heat the pool very slowly. The temperature rise in the water, on a correctly sized unit, with a pool blanket on, is about 1 degree Celsius every 4 to 5 hours of running time.
The most economical way to run this type of heater is to let the unit run automatically to keep “topping up” the heat.
What size heat pump will I need and how much will it cost?
The table below is a rough guide of our heat pumps for regular or solar pools: