The Amazing Benefits Of Pool Heating And How You Can Extend Your Swimming Season
When you have a pool, most owners only think of the warm sunny days when they used them. Those were the days when the pool was utilized to its fullest. Whether it be friends or family, everyone could easily use the pool but as winter approaches, you are ready to put a cover on it.
But wait, what if we told you there is a way to extend the use of your pool well into the winter? This can be achieved using pool heating. As the name suggests, a pool heating system will raise the temperatures of the water and make it comfortable enough to take a dip on colder days too.
It is the perfect way to get the most out of your pool, even on chilly days. With a great pool heating system in place, you can adjust the water temperature according to the weather and make full use of the pool.
Getting the most out of your pool has never been easier and with pool heating, your swimming pool will be an all-weather resource.
There are a number of ways you can heat the water in your pool, here are a few of them –
Solar Heaters
Solar Collector – This is the device through which all the water in the pool will be circulated through so that it can be heated by the sun.
Filter – removes debris from the water before it is pumped through the collector.
Pump – helps in circulating the water from the collector back into the pool.
Flow control valve – it diverts the pool water.
All the water in the pool goes through the filter and then into the collector. Upon reaching there, it is heated and then returned to the pool. On hotter days, you can use your collector to cool down the water too. All you have to do is leave the water in the collector for the night.
Some advanced systems have automatic valves and sensors to divert the water from the collector. These collectors can be made of different materials as different climates need different builds.
If the temperature in your area does not go below the freezing point, then you should get an ‘unglazed’ collector. They do not have a glass covering and are made of rubber or high-grade plastic.
Glazed collectors have an iron-tempered glass coating which makes them better suited for harsher climates. The coating absorbs the heating much more efficiently and can be used in any climate, no matter how harsh or extreme it is.
Electric Heat Pumps
One thing that everyone should know is that the heat pumps do not generate but rather use electricity to capture heat and displace it. This means that a heat pump will move the heat to the place where it would be more beneficial for you.
As the water from the pool circulates through the filter, the pump heater directs the air from outside to inside itself. The liquid refrigerant within the coil absorbs the heat from the outside air and goes to the compressor. This compressor will then increase the heat that has already been absorbed and then passes through the condenser. The condenser transfers this heat to the circulating water and that is how you get hot water.
The hotter the temperature, the easier it is for your electric heat pump to heat the water. On colder days, this process will take a lot longer as the heat in the air is less than compared to hotter days.
There are a variety of pumps available in the market but you should select on the basis of these 3 criteria.
Size
Have a trained professional do a thorough size analysis of your pool area so that he can recommend the place where you can put your pool heater. The size of the heater will depend on the size of the pool and how much water it can hold.
Here are some things you should do before calling in an expert
- Decide on the average temperature of your pool
- Decide the temperature for the colder days
- Calculate the number of degrees you will have to increase the temperature on cold days.
- Calculate the surface area of the pool.
Efficiency
An efficient pool heater will use less electricity to operate and will save you money in the long run. There are no standardized tests for the coefficient of performance (COP) but some of the heat pumps will have a higher COP than others.
Costs
The size and COP will give you a good estimate of the operational costs of your pool heater. There are various resources online that give you an estimate of the costs. You just have to put in your location and the model of the heater that you are going to use.
Gas Pool Heaters
These happen to be still one of the most popular forms of pool heating to date. The new age gas heaters are much safer than they used to be and also more efficient. Depending on the size of your pool and the climate, you can get a Gas Pool Heater to suit your needs.
They work very well if you want to get heated water quickly and a good choice for pools that don’t get regular use. They can maintain the temperature of the pool water at any temperature, no matter how harsh it is.
Size
The size of the pool heater will depend on the size and surface area of your pool. You should get a trained professional to determine what size gas heater will be best for you.
Efficiency
The heater efficiency of a gas heater is the ratio of the usable output to that of energy input. This means if you use a pool with an 80% efficiency rating, your pool will provide you with $80 worth of heat for $100 that you put in fuel costs.
Operational Costs
You will have to take into account fuel costs while estimating the running costs of a gas pool heater. There are sources online that will help you estimate the annual costs of operating one in your area. All you have to do is mention the temperature, location, and whether you will be using a pool cover.
Pool heaters can be boon for people who like to use the pool on a regular basis. They make it easy for you to get the best out of your pool, no matter what the weather is like. They may not be the cheapest to install but once up and running, they make the pool owning experience a lot better.
Consult a professional pool installer, and they will be able to help you out in selecting the perfect pool heater for you. Installing a pool heater in most cases does not take very long but you should be prepared for overhead costs beforehand. Make sure you are clear about what you want to do with the pool heater and how you are going to make the best use of it.
