The Geothermal Pool Heat Pump: How It Works
Need a pool heat pump? Consider going geothermal. Geothermal heat pump systems, which have been in use since the 1940s, use 25 to 50 percent less electricity than standard systems. Air-source heaters, the most common type used to heat pools, require up to 44 percent more energy to do the same job than a geothermal heat pump. Because geothermal heat pumps have fewer moving parts and the pumps are housed indoors, they are very durable and can last longer than air-source heat pumps.
The benefits are clear, but how does a geothermal pool heat pump function? The answer lies underground. Geothermal heat pumps, as the name suggests, get their heat from the below the earth’s surface.
Geothermal heat pumps rely on the heat of the ground just below the Earth’s surface. While air temperatures can vary greatly from month to month, the temperature of the ground in the first 10 feet below the surface stays nearly constant between 70 and 80 degrees in Florida. Geothermal heat pumps consist of pipes buried in the ground near the building or pool the system is designed to heat, a heat exchanger and ductwork into the building or pipes into the pool. As the relatively cold water passes through the pipes, it is heated by the ground. That heat is then concentrated before being distributed to areas of need.
By drawing on the inexhaustible, stable heat of the ground, geothermal heat pumps are able to maintain higher water temperatures in the winter than air-source heaters. When the surface temperature dips below 50 degrees, traditional heat pumps can’t keep water warm enough for swimming.
Geothermal heat pumps do tend to be more expensive than traditional alternatives, but their efficiency can lead to significant long-term savings. Operation costs may be as much as 85 percent less than air-source or gas heat pumps.
Contact a Symbiont Service Corp. representativetoday for more information about how you can start enjoying the benefits of a geothermal heat pump.
Our goal is to help educate our customers about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems). For more information about heat pumps and other HVAC topics, download our free Home Comfort Resource guide.
Symbiont Service Corp. serves Englewood, Florida and the surrounding areas. Visit our website to see our special offers and get started today!
Photo courtesy of Shutterstock.
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