A heat pump is a device that uses a small amount of energy to move heat from one location to another. Heat pumps used for heating pools transfer heat from the outdoors into the water. Unlike gas heaters that require natural gas or propane, they use heat that is already available and just move it from one place to another, thereby using a cleaner heat via electricity, producing no carbon monoxide.
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Heat pumps are perfect for use in warmer climates! Heat pumps are most efficient when they’re heating outdoor air that’s above 50 degrees Fahrenheit. Anything below 50 and a heat pump does start to lose efficiency. In fact, heat pumps work more efficiently the warmer the air temperature gets.
If you want to save on your energy bill, heat pumps provide great value.
Think of a gas heater as a muscle car and a heat pump as a bike. A gas heater will definitely heat your pool faster, but you’ll pay a price for it when the energy bill comes. On the other hand, a heat pump will provide an even and consistent heat once it reaches your ideal temperature, operating with much less effort. The U.S. Department of Energy confirms that if you run an average heat pump year-round at 85 degrees, you’ll experience up to $400 a year in energy savings.
If you’re in the market for a heater, you’re probably already invested in your pool, and making it an enjoyable experience. Why not go the extra mile?
A premium heat pump model won’t just heat your pool, but also keep the water cooler when the weather is too hot outside.
As the pool water circulates through the pool pump, it passes through a filter and the heat pump heater. The heat pump heater has a fan that draws in the outside air and directs it over the evaporator coil. Liquid refrigerant within the evaporator coil absorbs the heat from the outside air and becomes a gas. The warm gas in the coil then passes through the compressor. The compressor increases the heat, creating a very hot gas that then passes through the condenser. The condenser transfers the heat from the hot gas to the cooler pool water circulating through the heater. The heated water then returns to the pool. The hot gas, as it flows through the condenser coil, returns to liquid form and back to the evaporator, where the whole process begins again.
Higher efficiency heat pump pool heaters usually use scroll compressors versus the reciprocal compressors of standard units.
Heat pump pool heaters work efficiently as long as the outside temperature remains above the 45ºF–50ºF range. The cooler the outside air they draw in, the less efficient they are, resulting in higher energy bills. However, since most people use outdoor pools during warm and mild weather, this usually isn't an issue.
You should have a trained pool professional perform a proper sizing analysis for your specific pool to determine pool heater size.
Sizing a heat pump pool heater involves many factors. Basically, a heater is sized according to the surface area of the pool and the difference between the pool and the average air temperatures. Other factors also affect the heating load for outdoor pools, such as wind exposure, humidity levels, and cool night temperatures. Therefore, pools located in areas with higher average wind speeds at the pool surface, lower humidity, and cool nights will require a larger heater.
Heat pump pool heaters are rated by Btu output and horsepower (hp). Standard sizes include 3.5 hp/75,000 Btu, 5 hp/100,000 Btu, and 6 hp/125,000 Btu.
To calculate an approximate heater size for an outdoor swimming pool, follow these steps:
Pool Area x Temperature Rise x 12
This formula is based on 1º to 1-1/4ºF temperature rise per hour and a 3-1/2 mile per hour average wind at the pool surface. For a 1-1/2ºF rise multiply by 1.5. For a 2ºF rise multiply by 2.0.
For an outdoor pool, use the following tables to help estimate your annual heat pump pool heater costs and savings compared to using an electric resistance or a gas pool heater.
Table 1 estimates annual heat pump pool heating costs by location, by water temperature, and with or without using a pool cover.
Table 1. Costs by Location of Heating Outdoor Pools with a Heat Pump*
LOCATION SEASON TEMPERATURE 78° 80° 82° Miami 1/1–12/31 $ $ $ w/ cover 1/1–12/31 $293 $409 $559 Phoenix 3/1–10/31 $927 $ $ w/ cover 3/1–10/31 $49 $116 $158 Dallas 4/1–10/31 $491 $ $ w/ cover 4/1–10/31 $123 $191 $279 Atlanta 4/1–10/31 $ $ $ w/ cover 4/1–10/31 $211 $279 $395 Los Angeles 5/1–10/31 $ $ $ w/ cover 5/1–10/31 $116 $211 $327 Kansas City 5/1–10/31 $974 $ $ w/ cover 5/1–10/31 $198 $279 $368 New York 5/1–9/30 $ $ $ w/ cover 5/1–9/30 $143 $204 $273 Chicago 5/1–9/30 $ $ $ w/ cover 5/1–9/30 $143 $204 $266 Denver 5/1–8/31 $ $ $ w/ cover 5/1–8/31 $95 $136 $204 Boston 5/1–8/31 $ $ $ w/ cover 5/1–8/31 $164 $225 $320 Minneapolis 6/1–9/30 $899 $ $ w/ cover 6/1–9/30 $136 $170 $259 San Fran 6/1–8/31 $ $ $ w/ cover 6/1–8/31 $129 $225 $327 Seattle 6/1–8/31 $ $ $ w/ cover 6/1–8/31 $204 $293 $382*Figures based on a 1,000 square foot, outdoor pool heated with an air to water heat pump with an average COP of 5.0 at $./kwh.
Table 2 estimates the savings for every $ in annual pool heating costs using a heat pump pool heater compared to using an electric resistance or gas pool heater with an efficiency of 55% (baseline).
Table 2. Annual Savings Comparisons of
Gas and Electric Pool Heaters*
*Based on an electric resistance heated pool, which costs $1,000 per year at an electric cost of $./kwh, and using a gas pool heater with a 55% efficiency (baseline) at a cost of $1.09/therm. A seasonal average COP of 5.0 was used to determine heat pump savings.
A Guide to Swimming Pool Heat Pumps: Costs & Options
Swimming pool heat pumps offer one of the most cost and energy-efficient methods for heating your pool water. Compared to other pool heaters, heat pumps can provide significant savings, helping to reduce overall running costs.
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Find out how much swimming pool heat pumps cost to run and other FAQs with our guide.
Before launching into the costs, let’s first consider the benefits you get from using a pool heat pump.
Heat pumps require very little electricity to run, which makes them cheaper and more sustainable and environmentally friendly compared to other options such as gas or electric pool heaters. They’ll help you reduce your energy consumption and heating bills while still ensuring your water stays at a pleasant temperature.
Another big appeal of pool heat pumps is their cost-effectiveness. As these great pieces of kit draw heat from the air and transfer it into the water via a heat exchanger, only a little electrical energy needs to go in to get more thermal energy out. For every £1 of electricity you put into the heat pump, you could get over £5 worth of heat out.
This all means heat pumps make a fantastic long-term investment. They’re durable, long-lasting and great at saving you money in the long run.
One of the potential cons of using a heat pump is that it can take longer than other pool heaters to heat your water up to the desired temperature. Keep in mind that how quickly your heat pump can warm your swimming pool will depend on:
Generally, in cold weather below 5 degrees, a heat pump will most likely need around 12 hours a day or more to increase the pool's water temperature by 11 degrees.
Once your water warms up, you’ll want to maintain it at this higher temperature so you don’t waste energy or time bringing it back up again. 75% of a swimming pool’s heat loss is caused by evaporation, so using a swimming pool cover will be invaluable in helping you retain the water’s heat and speed up the heating process.
Air source heat pumps draw heat from the air, so naturally, as ambient temperatures get colder, your heat pump may become less efficient – but it will still work to heat your pool! Some heat pumps (like the Aqua Inverter Turbo-Pro Silence) can operate in air temperatures as low as -15°C.
Most people will use their heat pump from May to September, or those who want to extend the swimming season may get larger, more powerful units to use from April to November. When temperatures start getting much lower but swimming is still on the agenda, some may also prefer to use their heat pump alongside other heating methods, reaping the benefits of the pump without relying on it entirely.
Prices for the heat pump unit itself will vary, depending on model and manufacturer, with some more expensive options including additional features like silent mode for overnight use.
A swimming pool heat pump could cost you between around £500 and £7,000.
The high-end ones may sound expensive when compared to other heating methods, but remember, swimming pool heat pumps are an investment, and you’ll quickly begin seeing savings on running costs to offset the initial price. Consider:
A heat pump's expenditures are nearly one-fifth of the price when compared to an electric heater, meaning that, over time, heat pumps will reclaim enough savings to pay for themselves!
Yearly running costs of your heat pump will depend on various factors like the pool’s size, initial water temperatures, ambient air temperatures and the length of your swimming season. The table below provides a rough idea of what you can expect:
Pool Volume (Litres) Typical Pool Size Heat Required Per Day (kW) Heat Required Per Season (kW) Estimated Heat Pump Running Cost (MAY-SEP) 8,000 12' Round 9.3 1,256 £50.24 16,000 15' Round 18.6 2,512 £100.48 25,000 18' Round 29.1 3,925 £157 40,000 12' x 30' 46.5 6,280 £251.2 64,000 15' x 30' 74.4 10,048 £401.92 100,000 20' x 40' 116 15,700 £682So, with all this being said, are they worth buying?
We certainly think so! With much cheaper yearly running costs and typically longer life spans than other kinds of pool heaters, pool heat pumps make incredibly worthwhile investments.
By the same calculations as above, it would cost approximately £1,909.12 to run an electric heater during the swimming season between May and mid-September. Compare this to the £401.92 it would cost to run a pool heat pump, and the potential long-term savings are evident.
Here at 1st Direct Pools, we provide a great selection of innovative pool heating solutions, including some of the best swimming pool heat pumps on the market. If you want the best of the best, there are a couple of additional features to look out for, which many of our top heat pumps include:
Some of our most recommended heat pumps include the Aqua Inverter Turbo-Pro Silence range and the Inverter Comfortline. To find out more, see our more in-depth run-down of our top swimming pool heat pumps, or head straight to the products themselves!
If you want to update your current heating system, it is relatively easy to add a pool heat pump to the existing pipework. When it comes to installation, you will need to consult a professional, but fitting a new heat pump to replace other heaters shouldn’t be a problem. Our basic heat pump installation guide explains what is necessary.
Heat pumps are designed to be durable, and provided you take care of them, they can last 20 years or more. Due to their simple and effective design, there aren’t too many accessories you’ll need to keep them ticking over. The main thing you might want to consider is a heat pump cover, which is useful for keeping your pump safe and snug during winter.
A pool bypass kit may be another helpful addition. This allows water to easily bypass the heat pump or other equipment in winter when the pool is out of use, preventing water from freezing inside your equipment and causing potential damage.
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