In these environmentally conscious times you may wonder if installing a pool heater is a good idea. Isn’t it just wasting energy, being environmentally unfriendly and at the same time very expensive?
Certainly these points need to be considered but a pool heater can greatly increase your enjoyment of your pool (and the investment in it) by making it useable all day and extending the "swimming season".
As well as the social aspects of having a pool it should be remembered that swimming is an excellent form of exercise especially for anyone who cannot undertake more strenuous forms of exercise. Heating a pool also makes it usable by young children and the elderly for whom cold water can be a problem.
In order to control your costs and use as little energy as possible you should consider the following:
· Type of Heater - This is probably the key decision. Currently pool heaters powered by gas are the best selling type (such as the Hayward H250 suitable for in ground pools or the Hayward H100 appropriate if you have an above ground pool) but they can be costly to run, particularly if you have to use propane. The best from an energy and running cost point of view are now electric heat pumps. Normal heaters can never be more than 100% efficient (gas heaters are about 80%) but heat pumps (such as those produced by Hayward, Jandy/Zodiac and Raypak) can be several hundred percent efficient (i.e. you get several times more energy out than you put in). This is because they are not actually generating heat they are moving it from one place (the surrounding air) to another (the pool water). Heat pump heaters are not as powerful as gas heaters so need to run for longer periods but they are still much cheaper to run.
· Pool Temperature - You want the water to be comfortable but don’t heat it any more than you need to. 78 degrees is often recommended.
· Use a Pool Cover when the pool is not in use - This is essential as a pool cover can reduce heat loss by 50%. It does this by preventing evaporation which is a major cause of cooling. The cover will also help preserve pool chemicals.
· Provide wind protection - Even a gentle wind can lower the pool temperature significantly.
· Proper Maintenance - Make sure the pool and its heating system is properly maintained.
If you follow the points above you will find that a pool heater is a very worthwhile investment.
Certainly these points need to be considered but a pool heater can greatly increase your enjoyment of your pool (and the investment in it) by making it useable all day and extending the "swimming season".
As well as the social aspects of having a pool it should be remembered that swimming is an excellent form of exercise especially for anyone who cannot undertake more strenuous forms of exercise. Heating a pool also makes it usable by young children and the elderly for whom cold water can be a problem.
In order to control your costs and use as little energy as possible you should consider the following:
· Type of Heater - This is probably the key decision. Currently pool heaters powered by gas are the best selling type (such as the Hayward H250 suitable for in ground pools or the Hayward H100 appropriate if you have an above ground pool) but they can be costly to run, particularly if you have to use propane. The best from an energy and running cost point of view are now electric heat pumps. Normal heaters can never be more than 100% efficient (gas heaters are about 80%) but heat pumps (such as those produced by Hayward, Jandy/Zodiac and Raypak) can be several hundred percent efficient (i.e. you get several times more energy out than you put in). This is because they are not actually generating heat they are moving it from one place (the surrounding air) to another (the pool water). Heat pump heaters are not as powerful as gas heaters so need to run for longer periods but they are still much cheaper to run.
· Pool Temperature - You want the water to be comfortable but don’t heat it any more than you need to. 78 degrees is often recommended.
· Use a Pool Cover when the pool is not in use - This is essential as a pool cover can reduce heat loss by 50%. It does this by preventing evaporation which is a major cause of cooling. The cover will also help preserve pool chemicals.
· Provide wind protection - Even a gentle wind can lower the pool temperature significantly.
· Proper Maintenance - Make sure the pool and its heating system is properly maintained.
If you follow the points above you will find that a pool heater is a very worthwhile investment.
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