In South Africa, we’re lucky to have hot summers and, in most parts of the country, mild winters. This means you can enjoy a swimming season lasting between four and five months, from November to March, depending on where in the country you live. The great news for swimming enthusiasts is that an economical heat pump will give you even more enjoyment out of your pool.

Swimming pools are quite costly to install, and they require year-round maintenance, regardless of whether they’re warm enough to swim in or not. So it makes sense to use them as much as you can, for as long as you can, to get the maximum benefit and value from your pool. With a heat pump, you can.

How Does A Pool Heat Pump Work?

Heat pumps are probably the most economical and efficient way to heat your swimming pool. They work in pretty much the same way as an air conditioner, except in reverse! They use a combination of electricity and air drawn in from the outside to warm your pool water. For the more technically minded among us, the process works like this:

• The pump circulates the water in your pool, and as it does so, it passes it through a filter and then through the heat pump water heater.
• This heater uses a fan to draw in air from outside, which it then circulates through an outer evaporator air coil.
• This coil contains liquid refrigerant, which absorbs the warmth from the air and turns it into gas.
• The gas is pumped through the heat exchanger along with your pool water, which transfers the heat from the gas to the water.
• The warmed water then flows back into the pool.

Heat pumps can help raise the temperature of your pool water by an average of between three and five degrees, depending on the outside air temperature.

Although they do need electricity to heat the water, pool pumps are incredibly efficient, using one unit of electricity to generate five units of heat. You can increase the electricity savings even more by combining your heat pump with solar thermal technology.

At Pool Spa and Filtration Supplies, we supply and install electrical swimming pool heat pumps for any size swimming pool. You can get an idea of the approximate monthly running costs here, or please chat to one of our friendly and experienced staff who will happily answer any questions, and advise you on suitable options for your specific pool.