Air Source Heat Pump Swimming Pool
To help you find the right pool heat pump for your needs, on this page
we clearly detail the pool heat pumps we sell and explain in detail how they
work.
A swimming pool heat pump (or air source heat pump) captures heat from
the air and transfers it to your pool water. Swimming pool air source heat
pumps are an energy-efficient way to heat your pool water; you can get up to
5.25 units of heat per unit of electricity that powers them.
Environmentally friendly swimming pool heat pump
Pool heat pumps do not generate heat; they simply capture it and
transfer it from the air to the water, providing an efficient and
environmentally friendly system for heating your pool!
Some other benefits of heated swimming pools include:
1. You will enjoy swimming more. Warm water is more enticing than cold
water, and you can swim in comfort all season long.
2. Extend the swimming season. Why use a swimming pool when you can only
use it for two months of the year, independent of the weather?
3. Automation. Set your temperature and let your heat pump do the work.
4. Efficiency. Our systems are designed for swimming pools, which means
the components used provide the highest efficiency.
Do swimming pools need a heat pump?
Whether your pool is above or below ground, all swimming pools should
use a heat pump, whether it is an air source or a ground source.
Heat pumps are generally cheap. They are affordable, easy to install and
maintain, and are essential items. Having a garden pool may be aesthetically
pleasing, but if the water isn't warm and inviting, you probably don't want to
use your pool as often.
How do I heat my pool?
This is a question many people ask. Generally speaking, the main heating
systems available for swimming pools are gas (LPG or propane), electric or oil
heaters. Some of these heaters can be beneficial from a cost perspective, but
tend to lose their appeal in terms of installation (and operating) costs, which
is why air source or ground source heat pumps can be a better solution for
heating reason.
How does a heat pump work?
1. The water goes through the pump, then through the filter and the heat
pump heater.
2. The heat pump heater takes air from outside through a fan and blows
it into the evaporator coil.
3. The refrigerant in the evaporator coil extracts heat from the air and
converts it into a gas.
4. The gas passes through a compressor that raises the temperature
5. The very hot gas goes through the condenser, which transfers the heat
from the gas to the cold water, which flows into the heater and then into the
pool. The hot gas in the condenser turns back into liquid and returns to the
evaporator to restart the cycle.
How efficient is the heat pump?
Device efficiency is measured by the coefficient of performance (COP),
which ranges from 3 to 7, corresponding to 300% and 700% performance. This
means that for every unit of electricity running the compressor, you will
generate 3 or 7 units of heat from the heat pump (depending on the COP value).
The higher the COP value, the more efficient the device is.
How loud is the heat pump?
All heat pumps generate some form of noise because they require a
circulating fan to draw warm ambient air into the evaporator coil. Most heat
pump manufacturers have developed their fan motor technology to the point where
the decibel output is minimal.
The noise level (dB(A)) of a heat pump ranges from 52-61 dB(A), which is
comparable to a dishwasher! However, when installing any type of mechanical
heater, it is imperative to respect the adjacent neighbors, whether it is a
gas, oil or electric heat pump. A noise level acceptable or tolerated by one
person may not be acceptable by another!
Generally speaking, RA models are slightly quieter due to the nature of
the fans used in their manufacture. The RA has a plastic circulating fan
instead of steel blades, which means less noise is produced.
What is the size of the pool heat pump?
There are 5 steps to calculate approximate heater size:
1. Determine the desired pool temperature
2. Determine the average temperature using the coldest month
3. Desired pool temperature - average temperature in coldest month =
temperature rise
4. Calculate the pool surface area in square feet.
5. Determine the energy required for each output of the heater.
What is the minimum ambient operating temperature?
Both heat pumps will actually operate at an ambient air temperature of 0
degrees Celsius with minimal heat output. Therefore, we recommend that the
minimum operating temperature should be 15 degrees Celsius. Other conditions
such as wind, shade and physical location can affect the shutdown temperature
of the unit.
How long does it take for a heat pump to heat a swimming pool?
Swimming pool heat pumps take 24 to 72 hours to heat the pool to 11°C.
This time will vary depending on the size of your pool, the power of your pool
heat pump, and the ambient temperature.
Should I run my pool heat pump at night?
If you plan to swim first thing in the morning, you should run your pool
heat pump at night. How and when you choose to run your pool heat pump depends
on how often you swim and what time of day you are. Using an automated control
system helps reduce costs.
How much does it cost to run a swimming pool heat pump?
The cost of running a heat pump depends on the size of the swimming
pool, the ambient temperature in which the heat pump is running, and the target
temperature you want to achieve. As an approximation, it would cost £5 a day to
heat a 10m x 4m swimming pool to 28°C.
Can I heat the pool year round?
Depending on the type of pool you have, you can heat it year round with
a properly sized heat pump, if you are interested in heating your pool after
May to September, please call us and we will be more than happy to match a heat
pump to your requirements.
The time period you want to heat can also affect the speed of your
return on investment, for example, if you only plan to use your pool from May
to August, it will take longer to see your return on investment The newer
inverse Inverter models, and if you plan to heat year round, the inverter will
pay for itself faster.
Does the heat pump need to be in full sun?
Air source heat pumps absorb heat from ambient air, and an adequate
supply of fresh air is more important than a sunny location. Heat pumps will
work in shady areas as long as there is good airflow.
Placing the heat pump in an exposed or windy location is not a problem,
in fact, a windy and sunny location combines good airflow with warm air and
increases heating efficiency.
Where should the heat pump be placed?
To ensure the most efficient operation, the heat pump should be kept
away from walls, fences and dense vegetation to allow proper air flow around
the unit, which can reduce its heating capacity if cooling air is not allowed
to escape.
Horizontal equipment should be placed at least 300mm from walls or
hedges, with 700mm on each side, 500mm of clearance above the equipment, and a
minimum of 2500mm of clearance in front of the equipment for fans to exhaust
cooling air.
Vertical units should be placed at least 800-1000mm from walls or
hedges, leaving 800-1000mm on each side and a minimum gap of 2000mm above the
unit for fans to exhaust cooling air.
Can I connect a filter pump to a heat pump?
Some heat pumps have an additional electrical connection labeled
"Water Pump", a common question is can I connect my filter pump to
this connection?
We recommend that you do not use the water pump connection, this is
because once the pool reaches temperature, the heat pump will shut off,
depending on the number of heating hours required, this may mean that your
filter pump is turned off before each day the filtration cycle is complete.
Also, you won't be able to backwash the filter because the flow switch
on the heat pump shuts down the unit when it detects no flow.
Therefore, we recommend that your filter pump have an independent power
supply, rather than the flow detection on the heat pump which automatically
turns the heat pump on and off with the flow of water from the filter pump.
Talk to us about a pool heat pump
A heat pump is a well-chosen investment that will give you years of
service return and will also pay for your savings in running costs.
When sizing your heat pump for you, we don't simply ask how big your
swimming pool is, we ask you a series of questions such as how and when you use
your swimming pool, the temperature you want to reach, the Other equipment,
what pipes are involved and where the equipment is located - this will help us
build the picture and advise you on the right heat pump for your needs.
Many of our clients choose to purchase a larger heat pump than the pool size with a higher initial outlay, a larger heat pump will provide additional heating capacity to extend the swimming season or increase the water temperature - many of our clients believe the advantages outweigh the additional investment.
