Swimming Pool Heat Pump Installers
Repairs, Servicing & Maintenance

London, Essex, Kent, Suffolk, Hertfordshire, Berkshire, Oxfordshire, Hampshire, Buckinghamshire, Cambridgeshire, Surrey & Sussex

Do you want to learn more about swimming pool heat pumps? Let’s walk you through everything you need to know about swimming pool heat pumps, how they work, their types, and the installation process.

What Is a Swimming Pool Heat Pump and How Does It Work?

A swimming pool heat pump is a device used to increase the temperature of pool water to make it more comfortable to swim in.

A heat pump circulates the pool water and passes it through a filter before it goes to the heater.

There’s a fan equipped with the heat pump’s heater that sucks air and passes it over the evaporator coil. The liquid refrigerant in the evaporator coil draws heat from the air and transforms it into a warm gas.

This gas goes through a compressor that pumps up the gas temperature to make it very hot. After that, the gas goes through a condenser that transfers the heat to the swimming pool’s water from the gas. Then, the whole cycle is reversed, and the heat pump continues operating in a similar fashion.

Heat pumps are either equipped with reciprocal or scroll compressors. Scroll compressors are more efficient, making them a favourable choice for those who want to minimise the costs of energy consumption.

A swimming pool heat pump works efficiently when the temperature of the source isn’t too cold.

There are two main types of swimming pool heat pumps: Air Source Heat Pumps (ASHPs) and Ground Source Heat Pumps (GSHPs). ASHPs work by transferring heat from the surrounding air to the swimming pool, while GSHPs draw heat from the soil.

Both types of heat pumps work well with swimming pools, but you need to consider the time of year and your location before deciding on one.

What Type of Heat Pumps Work With Swimming Pools?

Benefits of Swimming Pool Heat Pumps

There are countless advantages to installing a dedicated heat pump in your pool, which include:

Environmental Friendliness

A swimming pool heat pump is a low-carbon solution for heating your pool water. Unlike other options that rely on carbon or consume a high amount of energy, swimming pool heat pumps are environmentally friendly.

Efficiency and Low Running Costs

Some systems can cost a fortune to keep operating, but swimming pool heat pumps are actually quite efficient. A swimming pool heat pump consumes 50kW-200kW for every square metre of water heated, which is definitely an acceptable range.

Easy to Use and Maintain

Once you’ve installed a swimming pool heat pump, you can continue using it on your own without requiring assistance. Even if you run into a problem, you might be able to fix it yourself if it’s a routine cleaning procedure. Nevertheless, you can always contact a professional when further assistance is required.

Lets You Enjoy Your Pool

A pool with freezing cold water isn’t fun, especially for kids. Swimming in a warm pool is much more pleasant and enjoyable. With a heat pump, you won’t have to worry about letting your limbs freeze when you get out of the pool.

A swimming pool heat pump is very efficient, but some factors in the surrounding environment may affect its efficiency.

If the source temperature is too cold, the heat pump will have to work harder to heat the pool.

When it comes to air-source heat pumps, the ideal air temperature falls within the -5°C to 25°C range on most months, which aligns with the overall climate in the UK. Some days, the temperature might drop below -5°C, but this only happens rarely.

On the other hand, the soil temperature will often be higher than 5°C. So, while air source heat pumps will be more efficient than ground source heat pumps at certain times of the year, GSHPs are capable of having more consistent efficiency even when the weather is too cold.

However, keep in mind that ASHPs don’t use energy to pump fluid around the pipework, as opposed to GSHPs. So, an ASHP can use less energy than a GSHP when the air temperature is similar to that of the ground.

The choice between ASHP and GSHP depends on where you are in the country, as each can be more efficient than the other due to temperature fluctuations.

How Efficient Are Swimming Pool Heat Pumps?

Can Heat Pumps Heat a Swimming Pool All-Year-Round?

It’s almost impossible for a heat pump to heat your swimming pool efficiently at all times of the year, especially if it’s an air source heat pump.

Ideally, you should only use your heat pump if the ambient temperature is anywhere from 15°C to 20°C. You can still use it at lower temperatures, but it won’t likely heat the pool water as you’d expect. You probably won’t enjoy swimming when the weather’s too cold.

Nevertheless, the best time period to use a pool heat pump in most parts of the UK is in the summertime, particularly between May and September.

When specifying the size of your heat pump, there are two factors that come into play: pool size and heat loss.

The larger the pool is, the bigger the heat pump you’ll need. The heat loss is dependent on the surrounding air’s temperature. The colder the air, the faster the heat loss will be.

Put simply, two pools of the same size may require different heat pumps if one is located in a city known for cold climates with temperatures below the freezing point.

It’s worth noting that dedicated swimming pool heat pumps circulate air much faster than domestic heat pumps, so you must use a dedicated ventilation unit instead of standard mechanical heat recovery ventilation (MVHR) unit to mitigate heat loss effects.

Swimming Pool Heat Pump Size Guide

Swimming Pool Heat Pump Costs

Swimming pool heat pump costs are broken down into initial costs and running costs.

The initial investment would cost you somewhere between £1,500 and £2,000 depending on the size of your pool and the region’s climate.

This is much less than what you’d pay for a regular heat pump used in homes. One of these would cost you more than £13,000. You should also take into consideration the installation costs.

As for the running costs, these vary depending on the pool water’s heat loss rate. For example, an outdoor swimming pool will obviously lose heat at a much quicker rate than indoor ones due to exposure to cold air.

As a general rule of thumb, an outdoor pool will consume 200KW for every square metre, while an indoor one will consume 25% of that, or roughly 50KW.

A typical swimming pool heat pump installation process would involve connecting the unit in series from the filter to the swimming pool. However, in reality, things can get complicated, especially if it’s an existing pool. In many cases, building work is necessary to reach the pipes and connect them to the pump.

How Are Swimming Pool Heat Pumps Installed?

How Much Time Does a Swimming Pool Heat Pump Take to Work?

Ideally, your swimming pool heat pump will fully heat your pool’s water within 4-5 days.

However, you can try swimming in the pool after a couple of days, and you’ll notice that the water got slightly warmer and more comfortable, but you won’t get the most out of the heater unless you wait for at least 4 days.

If you want to get a rough estimate of how long it’ll take for the heat pump to increase the temperature of the pool’s water, use this formula:

Seconds = Litres x 4.18 (specific heat capacity of water) x temperature difference / kW

So, for example, if you have a 15kW heat pump installed to a 10m x 6m x 1m pool, here’s how to calculate how long it’ll take for the water to reach 25 degrees from 4 degrees:

Seconds= 60000 x 4.18 x 21 / 15 = 351120.

351120 seconds translates to about 97 hours or roughly 4 days.

However, keep in mind that this formula doesn’t take into consideration the heat loss that happens during the heat-up process, so you should expect the actual time to be longer.

Here are some of the most common issues swimming pool owners experience with their heat pumps:

  • Tripped Breaker. If the heat pump breaker has tripped, your heat pump may not work even if it’s turned on. In that case, fixing the wiring should solve the problem. Practice caution when dealing with electricity by yourself; it’s best to call a professional to handle this.
  • Clogged Evaporator Coil. A clogged evaporator coil will cause the gas not to heat up properly, affecting the temperature of the pool’s water. Clean the coil thoroughly to fix the problem.
  • Low Water Flow. If the water flow is low, a valve might be closed, so make sure that all the valves are fully opened. Another possible reason for low water flow is a dirty or clogged filter.
  • Thermostat Issue. A thermostat’s temperature should be set at a higher temperature than that of the water for it to function properly. Use a thermometer to check the water temperature, and if it doesn’t match that of the thermostat, it’s time to replace it.
  • Freon Pressure Error. A freon pressure error can be caused by high water flow or cold weather, depending on whether the pressure is high or low.
  • Leaks. Seeing water near the heat pump is usually nothing to worry about, but if something looks stranger than normal, use a chlorine test strip to check if it’s pool water. If it’s not pool water, then it’s condensation, but if the strip gives a reading, this is a good indicator that a clogged drain is causing a leak. Clean the drain to fix this problem.

Troubleshooting a Swimming Pool Heat Pump

Swimming Pool Heat Pumps FAQs

You can leave your pool head pumping working overnight if you want to heat up your pool quickly. However, it’s not recommended to keep it running if you don’t intend to use the swimming pool within the following few days.

Installing a dedicated heat pump in an existing swimming pool is definitely possible. However, there must be an adequate area around the swimming pool. A reliable electricity supply is also required.

Additional work might be required for indoor swimming pools, especially if all the pipework is built into the landscaping and there isn’t enough space for the pump.

Nevertheless, it’s a good idea to consider the required conditions for heat pump installation when planning your swimming pool. This way, you can specify the best possible size for your swimming pool.

A pool heat pump typically lasts an average of 10 years. However, if you properly take care of it and run regular maintenance sessions, it should last you much longer. We’ve heard people saying their pool heating systems have lasted them over 15 years.

PHS: Swimming Pool Heat Pump Installers

If you want to install a swimming pool heat pump, PHS Engineers will be glad to help.

Reach out to us, and we’ll help you decide what heat pump size and type is suitable for your pool, hot tub, or swim spa. Our goal is to make you satisfied with the heat pump’s installation and performance while keeping running costs at a minimum.

You can also request an on-site inspection to get an accurate quote. Typically, we’ll provide you with calculations, figures, and mechanical and electrical drawings for full transparency before installation.

Once we’re done, we’ll test the heat pump to ensure it’s working properly, and then we’ll wait for you to contact us a few days later to tell us how you like it.

So, what are you waiting for? Call us on 0208 252 8927 or send us an email via our contact page. We’d love to hear from you!

Swimming Pool Heat Pump Installations, Repairs, Servicing & Maintenance