Everything You Need To Know To Find The Best commercial swimming pool heat pumps
Swimming Pool Heat Pump Comparison Guide
When deciding on the best way to ensure a comfortable swimming temperature, it's important to consider the varying costs of heating a pool. Heaters and heat pumps provide a higher BTU output than their less costly solar-powered alternatives. However, when comparing heat pumps vs. gas or electric heaters, heat pumps come out on top when it comes to saving you money on operating costs. Once you've decided that a heat pump is the right option for your swimming pool, it's time to figure out which model you should get. This guide is here to help you through the process! Below you'll find comparison details on six of our most popular heat pumps, built by some of the most trusted names in the industry.
What Size Heat Pump Do I Need?
This is probably the most important factor you'll need to determine before buying a new heat pump. If you purchase one that's inadequate for your pool size, you may find yourself running it at full capacity all the time, and for a mediocre pool heating result. On the other hand, "bigger is better," but that also comes at a price. The higher the BTU output, generally the higher the upfront cost. To keep your heat pump purchase within budget, it'll take a bit of math to figure out what you need. We go into greater detail in our other article, An In-Depth Look at Pool Heat Pumps.
To keep it simple, most pools can follow these heat pump BTU guidelines based on water volume:
- 10,000 gallons or less: 60,000 BTU or higher
- 15,000 gallons or less: 90,000 BTU or higher
- 20,000 gallons or less: 120,000 BTU or higher
- 25,000 gallons or more: 140,000 BTU
- Heat pumps top out at 140,000 BTU, so pools larger than 30,000 gallons may take a little longer to heat up
Things to Consider When Comparing Heat Pumps
Before you commit to buying and installing a brand-new heat pump for your swimming pool, there are a few things you'll need to keep in mind. Besides the BTU heat output and the size of your pool, there are a few other points of comparison between different pool heat pump models.
Coefficient of Performance
The Coefficient of Performance, abbreviated as COP, is a measure of efficiency. It looks at the relationship or ratio between energy requirements and total heating or cooling output into the pool. The higher the number, the higher the efficiency of the heat pump. The lower the number, the more energy you'll use to control the temperature in the pool — which translates to higher operational costs per BTU.
Amperage and Voltage
Most heat pumps require a dedicated breaker for either 50 or 60 amps. However, some smaller models, such as the Raypak Crosswind, can use a lower amperage breaker. Almost all heat pumps require 240 volts. Make sure your pool's breaker box is equipped to accommodate the additional energy demands of a heat pump. We highly recommend consulting a qualified electrician when dealing with electrical components.
Flow Rate
Make sure the minimum and maximum flow rates align with your other pool equipment. If your pump isn't moving water faster than the minimum flow, the heat pump won't even turn on. On the other hand, if the flow rate is too high, you may risk damaging the heat pump. If you have a pump that exceeds the maximum flow rate, some plumbing modifications can help reduce the rate of flow passing through the heat pump. Pool owners with a variable speed pump will need to take the time to program their pump accordingly for optimized performance, as lower speeds may not provide ample heating time for the pool.
Heat Exchanger
The materials that make up the heat exchanger inside your heat pump are a major component in its longevity. Most modern pool heat pumps feature a titanium heat exchanger, which offers superior resistance to corrosion. In fact, some manufacturers offer a warranty on their titanium heat exchangers that exceeds the warranty for the unit itself. Cupronickel used to be a common choice, but has lost popularity with the emergence of longer-lasting, high-efficiency titanium heat exchangers that resist corrosion from water chemistry.
Warranty
How long is your unit covered under warranty? What does the warranty cover, and are there varying periods of liability? Take a minute to read the fine print, so you know what is — and is not — covered. If warranty coverage is a big part of your decision, go with a heat pump that offers the longest and most complete coverage.
Dimensions
How big is the footprint of your chosen heat pump? Will it fit on your equipment pad, or will you need to rearrange some things? If you're replacing an existing heater or heat pump, will the new heat pump take up more or less room by comparison?
Heat Only vs. Heat/Cool
Most heat pumps are "heat only." However, some also allow you to cool your pool. This can come in handy in really warm climates, where summer temperatures can make your pool water feel more like a hot tub than a refreshing swimming pool. If you find yourself craving cooler water in the summertime, and you don't want to invest in a secondary pool chiller, a heat/cool heat pump may be just the ticket.
Pool Heat Pumps Comparison
Now that we've got all that out of the way, it's time to look at some heat pumps! The six units featured below are among our most popular. However, there are quite a few more to choose from. Check out our heat pumps category to see what's currently in stock and ready to ship.
Heat Pump Swimming Pool Heaters - Department of Energy
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.
Why Use a Heat Pump for Water Heating?
Reason #1: You Want to Use Your Pool Year-Round
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.
Reason #2: Heat Pumps Yield Better Energy Savings
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.
Reason #3: Some Heat Pumps Can Cool Your Pool, Too!
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?
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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:
- Determine your desired swimming pool temperature.
- Determine the average temperature for the coldest month of pool use.
- Subtract the average temperature for the coldest month from the desired pool temperature. This will give you the temperature rise needed.
- Calculate the pool surface area in square feet.
- Use the following formula to determine the Btu/hour output requirement of the heater:
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.
Are you interested in learning more about commercial swimming pool heat pumps? Contact us today to secure an expert consultation!