Welcome back to another instalment of Nicole’s Advice in which we will be outlining how to use your pool all year round! This year we have seen more customers than ever before invest in pool heating. We’ve noticed more and more people wanting to make the most of their investment in their pool and one way to do this is to increase the amount of time you can swim in the pool. This is the perfect time of year to add a heat pump to your pool so you can keep swimming in the cooler months.

There are three main ways to heat your pool:

1. Solar heating, which requires matting on the roof and a pump and controller to run the system – this works well when the sun is out.
2. Gas heating. This heats quicker than most methods and works very well on spas and small volumes of water or for people who only use their pool occasionally.
3. The final method to heat your pool is currently the one most customers enquire about, which is to warm up the water with heat pumps. This is a popular option due to how efficient they are and how well they work at any time of the year.

How do heat pumps work?

Heat pump popularity has risen greatly here in Perth over the last several years, as their efficiency means you can heat your pool without very expensive power bills. They work just like a reverse cycle air-conditioner, they extract ambient heat from the atmosphere, which is then transferred to the pool water. They use a fraction of the energy to generate the same amount of heat, compared to gas. They work most effectively when you also have a pool cover.

There are a great number of sizes and models, so you are best to get expert advice on the best size for your requirements. Experts will ask for details such as how many months a year you want to swim, what temperature you prefer (most of our customers choose 26-28 degrees), if you have a pool cover, how large the pool is, how much wind exposure there is around the pool area and several other details that will provide you with the best sized unit to suit your needs.

What size heat pump do I need?

You can email us to assist you with this! To get you started though, some suppliers have online calculators you can use. A simple one is the Astralpool Heat Pump Size Calculator below:

https://www.astralpool.com.au/support/heat-pump-calculator

Which heat pump should I choose?

Some recent examples of our installations of heat pumps are below. One is the Zodiac Z400 IQ range of heat pumps. This heat pump features a top-mount fan, so you do not require as much area around it for airflow, it is WIFI enabled and runs very quietly, which makes it a very popular choice for customers wanting a more efficient heat pump than average.

Another example of an efficient heat pump with a top mount fan, that takes up quite a small footprint compared to most, is the Waterco Electroheat ECO-V inverter range of heat pump. For every 1kW of electricity consumed, Waterco ECO – V inverter heat pumps can produce up to 7kW of heat, making them a very efficient option.

For other customers, a heat pump that requires plenty of area for airflow works quite well and one example is the Astral Eco Inverter Heat pump installed below.

If you are located here in Perth and need advice on a heat pump, feel welcome to email me at nicole@bppe.com.au and I can send you a sizing form and advise you on the most suitable size for your pool – then quote you suitable models.