Blog Category: Heating

Today I’m bringing you information about air-source heat pumps, so you can make the smart choice about your pool heating needs.

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Today I’d like to bring you yet another excerpt from my recent seminar on choosing the right pool heating system. For this installment, I will be specifically speaking about air-source heat pumps.

A heat pump is a mechanical device which uses refrigerant to transfer heat from one place to another. Cooling with such a pump can also be achieved. But in that case, the heat would be transferred away from the desired source instead of toward it.

Heat pumps are actually a technology we all use every day. With that being said, let’s go over how this technology is applied as a pool heating method.

Every heat pump will share a common set of base components, including a compressor, an expansion valve, a condenser, and an evaporator. You can see how each of these components connects in air-source heat pumps, specifically, in the diagram shown in the video. Feel free to reference this graphic in order to better understand the process I’m about to describe.

The condenser side of an air-source heat pump is where the pool water absorbs the heat from the freon. From there, the freon moves to the evaporator, where a large coil and fan will vaporize the freon. Finally, the vaporized freon travels back through the compressor and into the condenser, where it again becomes a liquid. This process will repeat continuously, moving heat and vapor to the pool water in the condenser, until a certain temperature is achieved.

The refrigerant moves the heat from its free source. Meanwhile the air fan and motor move the air itself.

For an air-source heat pump to work properly, though, they must be installed outside. It’s also important to note that they are most effective, and most commonly used, in mild climates. An air-source heat pump used on a pool in a colder climate will typically be accompanied by a backup gas heating method of some kind. This is because, if air gets cold enough, the evaporator coil can freeze.

Now that you’ve got an understanding of how this kind of system works, let’s discuss a few pros and cons.

Starting with the positive aspects, air-source heat pumps are relatively inexpensive in terms of installation and operation costs. They are also capable of cooling pools in addition to heating them.
However, air-source heat pumps do have some definite drawbacks. Namely, they tend to exhibit poor performance during cold weather, which is when pool heaters are needed most.

If you are interested in learning more about your heating options and what I think is the best, please feel free to contact me. I would be happy to speak with you.

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Today we will be discussing the advantages and disadvantages of a rather passive pool heating method: solar heating.

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Welcome back to our series on heating pool methods where I review information from one of my past seminars on the subject. For today’s installment, we will be discussing solar heating systems.

Solar heating systems are very passive. Panels on the roof of the property adjacent to the pool capture solar energy. Water moves past these panels through a connected tube, absorbing between three to five degrees of heat upon each pass. That said, it takes a significant amount of time for the water to become adequately heated. And solar energy is only effective when the sun is shining.

As a result, 70% of heat loss occurs in the overnight hours. This means, when it comes to building up energy, your system must essentially restart each morning. If you are a morning swimmer, you shouldn’t expect your pool to be warm early in the day when using solar heating systems. It essentially takes an entire day just to replenish the heat lost overnight, leaving you with very few hours in the day to enjoy a sufficiently heated pool.

Many people who use a solar heating system will add an additional, supplementary system, but doing so ultimately negates the reasons why someone might opt for a solar system.

On average, a solar pool heating system will produce 1,000 BTUs per square foot of panel per day. So, you will need a lot of panels. This is certainly something to consider before investing in a solar panel.

Beyond that, this heating method offers limited effectiveness during winter months when the days are shorter, the sun is lower in the sky, and the air tends to be cool.

There are, of course, benefits to the solar heating method. Two examples I have already mentioned are low operating cost and limited environmental impact, but there is also the fact that this method can work to cool pools down in the summer.

Yet, there are also a number of disadvantages to keep in mind. Low heat output during pool heating season and a large physical installation footprint are just two examples.

If you have any other questions or would like more information, feel free to give me a call or send me an email. I would love to speak with you.

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Recently, I gave a seminar about different types of heating methods for swimming pools that I thought I would share with you. We have previously discussed the pitfalls of using gas. In this section, I will be discussing electric heating.

Among the multiple types of pool heating methods for commercial and residential pools, some are more popular than others. Electric, solar, air source heat pumps, and geothermal heat pumps are all used.

Electric heating works a lot like a toaster. There are electric coils in it where water runs across it. This creates a little bit of heat from the small box. Because of the size of the heater, it is not a good application for a commercial pool. For residential pools or residential spas, you can see electric heaters like that.

You can think of an electric heater like your water heater. It is an insulated, contained tank that is about 50 to 80 gallons. Meanwhile, spas average 500 gallons with no cover, so it takes a lot more heat than the little electric strip can do.

With electric heating, for every kilowatt you pay FPL, you get one kilowatt in the form of heat. So, your efficiency is still 100% compared to 82% for gas heaters mentioned in my video here. You also need a 60-amp breaker for that 11 kW heater at 240v. So that’s a lot of electric just for 37,000 BTUH.

You’re not getting a lot of bang for your buck there on that kind of a small system. But, there are some pros of the method. It is a small physical footprint and it can be installed indoors or outdoors.

The cons, however, are high. It has a super high operating cost, and the performance and electrical demand that you need is quite a bit.  

If you have any more questions about electric as a method for heating a swimming pool, please don’t hesitate to ask. I would be happy to speak with you.

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How much heat is actually going into your pool? Today, we’ll show you how you can answer that question yourself.

Starting at 0:15 in the video above, you’ll see a two-page chart of some common gas heater brands and their features. These are the main brands available for pool owners in Florida, and there are a couple of things you need to know regarding BTUH ratings for these units.

First, a BTUH rating measures the unit’s heat input, not the heat output. In other words, that’s how much fossil fuel the unit is burning, not how much that’s going into the pool. If you want to know how many BTUHs are going into your pool, you need to multiply the efficiency rating of the heater by your heater’s BTUH rating.

For example, a 400,000K BTUH heater is a common heater for a commercial pool, and a 400,000K BTUH heater at 82% efficiency equates to a 328,000 BTUH output per hour.

No matter what heating unit you use for your pool, you need BTUHs to do it, so you need to know how many BTUHs are going into the pool versus how many BTUHs of gas the unit itself is burning.

As you’ll notice, some of the other categories of the chart include Low NOx and Fan-Assisted. A Low NOx rating is important for your heater from an environmental standpoint, and a Fan-Assisted feature basically means your heater is turbocharged.

If you have any other questions about heating your pool, please don’t hesitate to give us a call or send us an email. We’d be glad to help you.

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There are a number of pool heating methods available. Today, we’ll be talking specifically about gas heating.

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There are a number of pool heating methods available.

Electric heating, for example, is more common for residential applications than for commercial use. There’s also gas heating, solar heating, geothermal heating, and air source heating.

Today, we’ll be talking specifically about the gas heating method.

Gas heating circulates the pool water through glass tubes, which are heated by a burner. This method emits fossil fuels, so there are definitely environmental disadvantages to using a gas system.

Gas heaters may be installed indoors or out, but indoor gas heaters must be vented outside for safety. Outdoor heaters, though, are subject to corrosive elements that could damage the system.

“Gas heaters have excellent performance and a low cost of installation.”

Another important thing to keep in mind is that, as of 2013, the minimum efficiency rating of gas heaters must be no less than 82%.

All pool heaters must also have a switch outside of the unit that can shut it down. This switch must be something other than the thermostat.

Overall, gas heaters have excellent performance and a low cost of installation. These are the two primary benefits of this heating method.

As for drawbacks, gas heaters have a high operating cost, are unable to cool pools, and have a short life expectancy. Additionally, the heater’s heat exchanger can stain the pool surface.

If you have any questions for us, feel free to reach out and give us a call or send us an email. We would love to hear from you.

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What temperature should a pool be at? I’ll go over a few different suggestions today and explain how heating and cooling your pool can benefit you.

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When heating or cooling your pool, what temperature should the pool be?

Generally, 84°F to 88°F is the common range for pools, and 102°F to 104°F is the common range for spas. The Health Department doesn’t allow you to heat the spa any higher than 104°F; there are regulations on that.

That said, there are a lot of opinions on pool temperature.

For example, according to the Red Cross, 78°F is good for a fitness pool, while 81°F is good for a recreational pool and 86°F is good for therapy pools.

Personally, I think that 78°F to 81°F is too cold, but I’ve been in Florida for a long time.

FINA, the International Swimming Federation, has different regulations because they regulate pool temperatures for the Olympics and other competition scenarios. They are very strict, and this is where the cooling comes into play.

For competitions and the Olympics, the pool must be between 77°F and 82°F. If it’s any lower than 77°F, the swimmer’s record won’t count. They are very strict about the temperature range and controlling it through heating and cooling.

Here are the other FINA temperature regulations:

• Water polo: 79°F +/- one degree
• Synchronized swimming: 79°F +/- one degree
• Diving: No less than 79°F

What are the benefits of heating and cooling?

For one, you will get fewer complaints. If the pool is advertised as a heated pool but it’s not, then you will get complaints.

Heating and cooling also allows you to use the pool year round. Here in Florida, there are about six months where you can’t use a pool if it’s not heated or cooled, especially considering the weather we had this January.

“Heating and cooling your pool allows you to use the pool year round.”

Heating and cooling your pool will also increase your property value and reduce chemical usage. Sun and heat burn chlorine, so cooling your pool in the summer will help you go through less chlorine.

Ultimately, pools are a big investment. If you aren’t able to use it year round, then it’s kind of a waste to have one, isn’t it?

If you are interested in learning more about our GeoThermal Pool Heating and Cooling with Symbiont, just give us a call or send us an email. We would be happy to help you!

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In Florida, heating costs in general are not a high concern; however, pool heating costs contribute to a significant portion of a homeowner’s energy bills.

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Without a pool heater, homeowners are limited to when and how often they can use it. But if you heat your pool, you can benefit in several ways, including perhaps the most significant one: increasing your return on investment.

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Heat pumps are some of the most complicated machines that Florida homeowners possess. There are many elements and factors that come together to contribute to the efficiency of the overall system. Here are three keys to getting the most out of your heat pump.

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Many homeowners in the Englewood area have pools and spas. If you’re one of them, you know how expensive it can be to keep the water comfortable. But did you know green heating alternatives can dramatically reduce the cost of heating your pool and spa?

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