Are you worried about the right size of a heat pump? Before buying an air source heat pump, you need to know its actual size. Because it will save you money as a pool heater with the right amount of BTUs (British thermal unit) as well as reduce your electricity bill.
Nowadays, heater pumps of different types and sizes are available, air-source heater pumps are an advanced and effective solution for heating pool water.
Today, we will explain everything from the air source heat pump to considering the swimming pool, the size of the pump, and the expenses.
Now, what size air source heat pump do I need for my swimming pool? You will know it from the next step.
Air Source Heat Pump
Generally, the swimming pool heat pump does not generate any heat. Instead, the heat pumps capture heat and move it from air to water. That way, it provides an efficient and eco-friendly system for heating your swimming pool.
However, the central heating systems available for swimming pools are LPG or propane gas, electric or oil heaters. Some of these heaters may seem beneficial to a user, but it tends to lose their appeal in terms of installation costs, and that is why it is better to select an air source heat pump.
Air source heat pumps are like air conditioning units. The size of your pump depends on how much heat you need to generate for your pool; the more heat, the larger the air source pump.
Types Of Swimming Pool Heat Pumps
There are various types of air source heat pumps in the market for swimming pools. So, select a heat pump that fits our pool.
But, first, we need to know about the type of heat pump that we will need to buy for the pool.
Electrical Heat Pumps
The electric heat pump first heats the machine’s coils and then the pool water, much like hot water tanks. Another functional aspect of this pool is that you don’t have to worry about running out of fuel.
In addition, these heat pumps are durable and have sufficient power for a long time. However, the cost of this pump is a bit higher as it provides high-quality service.
Solar Pool Heat Pumps
The name implies a solar pump, so your pool should be in a place where there is adequate sunlight. In addition, outdoor solar pumps are more accessible to install than indoor use.
Solar heating pumps have a solar collector, filter, pump, and flow control valve. As solar energy is very cheap, its popularity is growing very fast.
Gas Pool Heat Pumps
Gas pump systems are ideal for large type pools, and they can also heat water very quickly and at a low cost. Gas heat pumps are remarkable for their job, even if the air temperature changes while maintaining the temperature.
Moreover, there are three types of gas pump heaters. The coil gas in it is usually most used for large swimming pools, while convection and tank heating pumps are suitable for small pools.
Things To Know About Swimming Pool
Determining the right heat pump size for our pool is very important. There are many factors involved in the size of a heat pool pump.
Also, the size of the pump depends on various factors like pool location, high average wind speed, pool size, water flow. If the water flow rate is too low, the water in the heat pump will overheat, and the heat pump will shut off.
So to know the size of the pump, we need to know the above points of the swimming pool.
Sizing A Heat Pump Pool Heater
Without getting too much into scientific calculations, the easiest way to do it is to follow the process below:
Method 1: The Appropriate Way
When we stain with the size of our heater, we must first adjust the increase required for our expected temperature.
For example,
Let the pool has an initial temperature of 55 °F, and next, we want to heat the water to 75 °F.
Now, we need to find the surface area of our swimming pool. We will use a 16 x 32-foot pool for the total square footage of the 512.
Here, F2= Set the temperature
F1= Initial temperature
The results are as follows:
(Surface Area) x (F2-F1) x 12 = (Minimum BTU required)
512 x 20 x 12 = 122,880 BTUs
According to this calculation, we will need an air source heat pump that can take at least 122,880 BTU output to increase a 16 x 32 pool temperature by 20 ° F.
The chart above shows that 20,000-gallon pools require a heat pump with 120,000 BTU, below which is consistent with our 122,880 BTU.
Method 2: The Simple Way
Follow the chart below, which shows the available BTUs needed when using an air source heat pump. That will help us choose a heat pump that will work with the water in our swimming pool.
Based on the information in this chart, if our pool has 20,000 gallons of water and we want to take a 140,000 BTU heat pump, we can choose it. It will not be excessive, and instead, it will heat the water in a short time.
| Pool Volume (Gallons) | Heat Output (BTU) |
| 10,000 | 50,000 BTU |
| 15,000 | 90,000 BTU |
| 20,000 | 120,000 BTU |
| 25,000 | 140,000 BTU |
Final Verdict
At this point, you know what size air source heat pump do I need for my swimming pool. Using the above two ways, we can easily find the minimum heat pump size required for your pool.
It would be great if you bought a heat pump that fits your swimming pool. Also, you don’t have to worry about its cost as you can find heat pumps of different range air sources in your budget.
After purchase, by operating the heat pump properly, you can easily enjoy the pleasure of the swimming pool. Furthermore, with proper installation and maintenance, heat pool pumps can also last for many more years.