Want to Heat Your Swimming Pool But Don’t Know Which Type to Use?

Have you dreamt of having a heated pool so you can swim year-round?  Are you looking to heat your pool, but not sure which pool heater is the best?

Fair enough, there are different types of pool heaters on the market, and they all have their pros and cons.  To save you time, we’ve done a deep dive (pun intended) to explore which heating system is best suited to you.

Air Source Heat Pump

How does an air heat pump work?  Air at any temperature contains energy and a heat pump (like Aquaheat) absorbs the energy in the air and uses it to extract heat from the environment, which then directs it into the swimming pool.  It doesn’t need to be a hot day because energy exists in the air at any temperature.

Amazingly, around 70-90% of energy needed to run the heat pump comes from the air and the rest is supplied from the electricity.  So, you could say, the Aquaheat pool heater runs on air!

A Heat pump pool heater will cost slightly more than a gas pool heater, but they have much lower annual operating costs because of their higher efficiencies. With proper maintenance, heat pump pool heaters typically last longer than gas pool heaters so you’ll save more money in the long run.

The Pros and Cons of an Air Source Heat Pump:

• Pros: Heat pumps run largely on air, so they are super-efficient, meaning low power bills.
• Pros: Once the water is heated, it runs on low power so the impact on the environment is minimal.
• Pros: Heat pumps also cool water down so if you live in a hot climate, this is a real benefit.
• Pros: Heat pumps last longer than gas heaters.
• Cons: The set-up cost for a heat pump is more than other systems

To read more of the positives of a heat pump, click Aquaheat product page here.

Solar Thermal Pool Heating

If you live in a house that gets a lot of sun, solar heating can be a great option, and we are all for using natural resources at the Taylor Made Energy Group.

How does Solar work? Pool water is pumped through the filter and then through the solar collectors, where it is heated before it is returned to the pool.  Most solar pool heating systems require a fair bit of equipment including:

1. A solar collector, the device through which pool water is circulated to be heated by the sun.
2. A filter – removes debris before water is pumped through the collector.
3. A pump – circulates water through the filter and collector and back to the pool.
4. A flow control valve – automatic or manual device that diverts pool water through the solar collector.

The Pros and Cons of Solar Heating:

• Pros: Out of the three types of pool heaters, solar is the most considerate of the environment.
• Pros: Solar heating has low operating costs however…
• Cons: There is a substantial investment in installing the equipment on your roof.
• Cons:: For solar to work, you need a roof that gets a lot of sun.
• Cons: The target temperature of the pool cannot be achieved as the solar energy is intermittent

Gas Pool Heating

Out of the three types of heaters, gas heating is the most expensive method, and the least efficient in terms of the environment.

How does a gas heat pump work?  As the pump circulates the pool’s water, the water from the pool passes through a heater. The gas burns in the heater’s combustion chamber, generating heat that goes into the water which is then returned to the pool. Gas pool heaters use either natural gas or LPG as a source.

The Pros and Cons of a Gas Heat Pump

• Pros: Gas heats your pool up quickly.
• Pros: The set-up costs are the lowest with gas heating though…
• Cons: You do have to deal with large gas cylinders that need replacing.
• Cons: The operating costs are the highest with gas heating.
• Cons: The environmental impact is the greatest with gas heating.