Swimming Pools
INFORMATION
CENTER
from houston pool builders |
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Heating
Your Pool/Spa |
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Choices
you have
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To heat your pool/spa there
are three common options you may choose from. (1)Electric Heat Pumps -
(2)Solar Collectors - (3)Gas Fired Heaters. The most efficient for
you are the (solar systems) which absorb heat from the sun's radiation,
and (Heat Pumps) which attract heat from the air. Below you will find
information on each of the above. |
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Heat
Pumps
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Heat pumps work this way -
Inside the heat pump contains a liquid Freon gas. This gas circulates
through the coils by using a compressor. As this liquid passes thru the
coils it absorbs heat from the air, which in effect turns the liquid
into a gaseous mixture. The warm gas mixture is then compressed forming
a very hot gas which then passes thru the system's heat exchanger. Your
pool water is circulating around the heat exchanger which absorbs the
heat. As the water becomes warmer (absorbing the gas heat) the freon
turns cooler and back to a liquid state. Then the cycle starts all over
again. The heat pump is designed to automatically turn off once
the desired temperature setting is reached. Heat Pumps are most
efficient in warm humid weather, and will work better for spas and small
to medium (12 to 15,000 gallons) pools. In colder weather, a heat pump
will run longer trying to reach the desired temperature. A cover is
recommended for the best effiency. A heat pump's cost is generally
more than a gas fired heater. |
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Solar Collectors
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A good solar system will
will give you the quickest return on your investment. This is a
simple system that gives you year round heating for your pool. This
system is not real effective for spas since the desired temperature for
spas would be hard to reach. The other drawback is the collector
system which would require a collector area of about 350 to 500 sq. ft.
of black pvc installed on a roof or panel. If the drawbacks are
acceptable then you could have a year round swimming pool available to
use. |
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Gas Fired Heaters
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With a 'high output'
natural gas or Propane' gas fired heater, you can increase the
temperature of a 500 to 1000 gal. spa 40 degrees in less than an hour.
The pool (avg. 20,000 to 30,000 gals.) can be heated up to 80 to 90
degrees in a matter of hours (24 to 48). Cost for this varies due to the
variable cost of your gas. Although heaters come in a variety of sizes
(measured in btu's), the most common and largest (in the residential
line) is the 400,000 btu. This one is really recommended for most
pool/spa applications. Just remember, 'the larger the btu's, the
better'. |
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Some Tips |
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Your pool's water is
circulated through return lines generally 12" to 18" below
water surface. The suction part generally is brought thru skimmers
located at water level. So this being the case, your water will be
warmer on the upper portion of your pool and cooler at the bottom of
pool. One way to get around this is to have an 'in floor cleaning
system' installed. This method will heat entire pool more effectively
and also clean pool at the same time. |