Whether you are heating an indoor or outdoor pool, an in-ground or above ground pool, the single most effective way of reducing pool-heating costs is to install a pool cover.
The next step is to select a sensible temperature for the pool. 25.6 °C is recommended for competitive swimming but some pools are kept in the region of 28-30 °C. The difference may not sound like a great deal, but a 2 °C increase in water temperature could represent a 30% energy consumption increase.
How to heat a swimming pool cheaply.
Fossil fuelled pool heaters were the most popular form of heating for both domestic and commercial pools and despite them becoming more efficient in recent years, there are methods of heating that will reduce running costs.
Ground source and air source heat pumps are a popular choice for energy efficient heating and solar pool heaters can often be used in conjunction with other methods to further reduce cost.
Heat pump pool heaters.
Heat pumps don’t generate heat, they use electricity to capture heat and move it from one place to another.
As the pool pump circulates the water is drawn from the pool, through a filter and into the heat pump. At the same time the heat pump draws in the outside air – in the case of an air source pump – and directs it over an 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 a compressor. The compressor increases the heat, creating a very hot gas that then passes through a 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.
Calculating what size air source heat pump is needed for a particular installation involves many factors. Basically, a heater is sized according to the surface area of the pool and the difference between the desired pool water temperature and the average air temperatures. Other factors also affect the heating load for outdoor pools, such as usage, 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. Obviously covering the pool when not in use and particularly at night can reduce this.
Golden Coast are UK distributors for the DuraTech range of heat pumps and authorised distributors and stockists of Calorex offering the very best in heat pump and air handling technology direct from stock.
Calorex Pro-Pac heat pumps provide significant savings in swimming pool energy and operating costs, will function throughout the year down to 5 °C and below and can be specified for domestic or commercial installations.
Duratech heat pumps from Golden Coast.
Golden Coast is the UK distributor of Duratech pool heaters, designed and manufactured in Belgium using high quality components to produce an efficient and reliable pool heater.
Suitable for all types of outdoor swimming pool, Dura and Dura+ heat pumps benefit from oversized, titanium heat exchangers making them highly resistant to corrosion by salt, chlorine and bromine. Both ranges are particularly suitable for UK installation with the Dura+ able to provide all year heating capability and show a significant saving on energy bills.
The Dura Pro builds on the excellent Dura range to deliver a pump that’s even more efficient. Dura Pro pumps can reach extremely high coefficients of performance regardless of outside temperature, meaning pools are swim-ready in no time, with temperature adjustable in steps of 0.1 °C. DuraLink is a connectivity feature that allows the Dura Pro range to be monitored and controlled remotely by a suitable mobile device.
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