If you're looking for a way to heat your pool when temperatures are cooler outside a pool, heat pump is a great option. It can save you a lot of money compared to other types of heaters, but there are a few drawbacks and it doesn't work in every climate. So here's everything that you need to know about pool heat pumps, let's dive in real quick before we continue. If you want more help taking care of your pool, be sure to grab our free pool care cheat sheet at swimuniversity.com, cheat sheet, it's totally free and will help you keep your pool, clean and clear all season long.

First, how does a pool heat pump work? The pump uses electricity and ambient air to heat up your pool water and, unlike a gas heater pool, heat pumps, actually don't produce heat, they just transfer it. It's basically like an air conditioner, but in reverse the pool heat pump, uses a fan to pull in heat from the outside air, and then the heat is sent to the pump's evaporator coil, where liquid freon absorbs the heat and becomes gas that warm gas passes through The pump's compressor where it gets even hotter. At the same time, your pump is pulling in cooler pool water, the hot gas and the cool water transfer heat in the heat. Exchanger warming up your pool wall by three to five degrees.

Fahrenheit, then, that warmer water flows back into your pool. Meanwhile, the hot gas is passing through your condenser turning back into liquid freon and the entire process begins all over again. So how long does it take to heat your pool with a pool heat pump? The pump uses ambient temperature to heat your water, which means the warmer. It is the quicker it will heat your pool.

It can take days to heat up your pool water if it's 60 or 70 degrees fahrenheit outside. So it's more efficient to run your pool heat pump during the hottest part of the day or when the outside air is hottest. Should you leave your pool heat pump on all the time? Well, every time your unit starts up, it uses a lot of electricity and just like an air conditioner in your home, turning it on and off can waste energy. That means it's more efficient to leave your pool heat pump running okay, now that you know how it works, is a pool heat pump worth it.

Besides the electricity used to power the unit, a pool heat pump, uses very little energy to heat your water, but like other types of heaters, the unit itself is pretty expensive to purchase and install, and your day-to-day operating costs will vary. Based on your pool size, your water temperature settings and the cost of electricity in your area compared to other energy sources like natural gas, it also matters what climate you live in. Your pool heat pump uses ambient temperature to heat your pool water, and that means the warmer the air is outside the more heat the pump's evaporator can absorb and the more efficiently it will run once temperatures start to drop, the heat pump becomes less and less effective. The ambient temperature needs to be at least 50 degrees, fahrenheit or 10 degrees celsius for the unit to properly work.

So, if you experience consistent colder temperatures throughout the winter, a pool heat pump may not be worth it. On the other hand, pool heat pumps work really well in humidity, the more humid the air, the more heat your pump will be able to extract from it. So if you're in a warm humic climate, a pool heat pump can be a very efficient option and once your pool is heated, your pool heat pump is pretty effective at maintaining it. You can also help retain that heat by using a solar pool cover.

Now, there's a way to save even more money by using your home's air conditioning system to heat your pool, that's right! If you have an ac unit, it's possible to use the wasted warm air, that's produced from your air conditioner to heat your pool. After all, a pool heat pump is an air conditioner in reverse, but you'll want to have a professional set this up since it involves liquid freon. So should you get a pool heat pump? Well, if you live in a colder climate, you will probably need a natural gas or electric pool heater to keep your pool water warm. But if you live somewhere that doesn't usually drop below 50 degrees, a pool heat pump is a great option that will save you money in the long run and if you need more help, maintaining your pool throughout the season grab our free pool care cheat sheet at Swimuniversity.Com cheat sheet and if you found this video helpful leave a comment hit the like button and subscribe for more pool maintenance tutorials throughout the season.

That's it thanks again and happy swimming.