Which swimming pool heating system to choose? This is the question we are asking ourselves today in this major dossier devoted to the most effective options to date. To discover them, scroll down !
Choosing the right pool heating system to enjoy your pool more fully
Many people stop thinking about swimming pool renovations as winter approaches. This is somewhat normal considering that swimming pools are usually used more in hot weather. But it is also possible to benefit more fully from your outdoor pool thanks to an adapted swimming pool heating system..
Having a swimming pool is a real treat, because it offers a space for relaxation, training and adventure for the little ones. Plus, a swimming pool can even increase the value of your home in the long run. A swimming pool is definitely an added attraction in the garden.
Whether you’re planning to build a swimming pool or renovate one, you probably won’t want to swim in it if the water is too cold. It is impossible to enjoy your swimming pool without heating. The water in your pool won’t be hot enough, so to enjoy it all summer long and not just on the hottest days of summer, it’s best to think about how to heat the pool. This is where the subject of the swimming pool heating system comes in..
Pool heating system – 7 efficient options
It goes without saying that, to make the most of your swimming pool, you should opt for a suitable swimming pool heating system. In fact, without it, the pool water will not heat more than 22 ° C, or even 25 ° C on very hot days. If these figures do not mean much to you, know that professional swimmers generally swim in pools whose water is heated to no less than 26 ° C. Most of the pools that can be visited are heated to 29, or even at 30 ° C.
Why heat the pool water ?
The swimming pool heating system allows us to extend the swimming season. Without heating, you can only swim during the summer months, from the end of May to the end of August. With the heating, you can easily swim for up to 4 more months, from April to the end of October. With some systems, you can even swim all year round !
So how do you heat the pool water, what type of heater or system to choose? There is a wide variety and the ideal choice depends on many factors, such as the type and size of the pool, the existing residential heating system, how often you want to swim, and at what temperature and at what time period. to swim. We take stock of the subject below.
Solar powered swimming pool heating system
First, let’s turn to the solar pool heating system. Heating the pool in the sun looks simple and attractive. It is an energy efficient and ecological method of heating your swimming pool. In this category of swimming pool heating systems there are several options, each with its advantages and disadvantages.
The solar water heater
Solar water heaters are mainly used for residential heating or sanitary installations. The exact application depends in part on the number of panels installed on the ceiling. You can also use a solar water heater to heat both your home and your pool.
This swimming pool heating system is much more environmentally friendly than gas or oil heating, but it needs energy to power the solar water heater.
A good quality solar water heater is, however, a rather expensive investment. For this reason, a solar water heater is often not the first choice for a swimming pool heating system. They have the disadvantage of working with reduced efficiency on cloudy days. However, it is precisely on days like these that the solar water heater must operate at maximum to heat the pool or keep the water warm. Therefore, to have a hot pool, we will continue to depend on the efficiency of solar energy..
The solar panel heating system for swimming pool
Solar panels produce energy instead of heat. This is the biggest difference from a solar boiler. The energy is completely respectful of the environment. It is used to heat the house and the swimming pool with an electric heating system. To quickly heat your house or pool, it is best to combine solar panels with an electric heating system such as a heat exchanger.
The price of these solar panels depends on the number of panels, the type and quality of solar panels, the capacity of the panels and the size of the family. The bigger the family, the more energy needs to be generated. Depending on these criteria, the purchase of solar panels can cost up to 10,000 euros. Solar panels also require a large area, which should preferably face south..
Heating your swimming pool with solar panels is perfectly possible. Such a system is environmentally friendly and energy is completely free. However, to invest in this system, you need a considerable budget and a surface area to install the solar panels..
to summarize,
The advantages of this system are:
- Low or no consumption cost
- Very environmentally friendly
The disadvantages of this system are:
- High purchase price
- Can only be used in summer
- Additional space needed to place solar collectors.
The swimming pool heating system with solar mats or EDPM mats
Solar mats are another pool heating system to consider. This system is commonly used to heat small above ground swimming pools which are dismantled in winter. In a swimming pool heating system based on EDPM or solar mats, water is pumped through the mats. There it is heated by the energy of the sun. The sun heats the solar mats. The mats then transfer the heat to the pool water.
As stated above, this solution is primarily intended for small above ground pools. This is so, first of all, because a large volume swimming pool requires more time to pump the entire volume of water through the solar mats. As a result, it takes a long time to completely heat a large swimming pool with this type of pool heating system..
In addition, if you decide to go for this heating system, you will need a large area to install the solar mats. The surface of the solar mats should preferably be as large as the surface of the swimming pool. These heating mats are usually installed on a flat roof. However, this means that the pump must have sufficient capacity to pump water to the ceiling. If the pump is not powerful enough, the water will heat up more slowly.
One of the great disadvantages of these EPDM mats or solar mats is their dependence on bad weather. Without the sun, the mats will not transfer enough heat to the pool water. The price of these rugs is around € 50 per square meter (excluding installation cost). For a swimming pool of 8 m by 4 m, it would therefore be necessary to count around 1,600 €.
The swimming pool heating system with dome-shaped solar collectors
The operation of these solar collectors is quite similar to that of solar mats. Here, however, the hose is coiled into a sort of dome, where the water is heated. Compared to solar mats, this swimming pool heating system takes up much less space. A dome heats a volume of at least 5,000 liters of water. For a swimming pool of 8 m by 4 m of 1.5 m deep, you will therefore need 10 of these domes.
However, this pool heating system is also only recommended for relatively small pools. It also relies on sunlight and uses a large amount of energy to pump water through domes. The price of a dome is around € 100. It is therefore slightly cheaper than solar mats.
Heat your swimming pool with a heat pump
Heating the swimming pool with solar energy makes it dependent on sunlight. Therefore, a heat pump is a perfect alternative to the heating means discussed above. The heat pump does not depend on the sun to generate energy. This is why it is a swimming pool heating system that has been very popular for years.
There are many advantages to using a heat pump to heat your swimming pool water. A heat pump is very efficient, economical, easy to use and durable. This type of heating is much more environmentally friendly than a gas or fuel pool heating system. In addition, heat pumps have a long service life. If you want efficient swimming pool heating, you need to choose a high quality heat pump.
How a swimming pool heat pump works ?
A heat pump uses electricity to extract heat from the outside air and distribute it to the water. Heat pumps do not produce heat on their own. Therefore, heat pumps are dependent on the outside temperature. Heat pumps are efficient as long as the temperature is above 10 ° C. They generate up to 5 kW of heat for 1 kW of energy.
If the outside temperature drops below 10 ° C, it is best to stop the heat pump. This is why heat pumps are ideal for those who want to swim from April to the end of October. However, there are specific heat pumps that can be used at lower temperatures. If you want to swim all year round, you can use a heat exchanger during the winter months.
Heat pumps compared to other swimming pool heating systems
An electric pool heater is expensive to use. It uses so much electricity that it can only be considered for whirlpools up to 1,500 L. An electrical system is not suitable for a standard swimming pool of about 50,000 L.
The main disadvantage of gas or oil heating systems is their low efficiency. These heating systems require 5 kW of energy to generate 1 kW of heat, whereas for a heat pump, it is the other way around. Therefore, a large amount of energy is required to heat a large swimming pool..
Solar systems are also very popular pool heaters. Their major drawback is their dependence on the sun.
Advantages and disadvantages of heat pumps for swimming pools
The main advantage of a swimming pool heat pump is its high efficiency and low energy cost. Subject to normal use, the cost of heating a heat pump swimming pool is 600 to 700 euros per year. However, this involves the use of a good quality swimming pool cover..
Unfortunately, heat pumps are slow heaters, so it will take a few days to heat the pool from 15 ° C to 28 ° C. You can expect to get a daily gain of around 2 ° C..
A heat pump also depends on the ambient temperature. The efficiency of a heat pump increases at higher temperatures and decreases at temperatures below 10 ° C.
Pool heat pumps are often considered extremely loud, but in reality they are not. The sound level corresponds to a whispered conversation. The heat pump does not cause noise pollution, except within a radius of 5m.
to summarize,
The advantages of a swimming pool heating system with heat pump are:
- Very effective
- Reduced consumption costs
- Long life expectancy
- Extremely quiet
- Ideal for heating larger pools.
- You can swim from April to October
- Environmentally friendly heating method
- Easy to use
The disadvantages of a heat pump swimming pool heating system are:
- Higher purchase price
- Depends on the surrounding outside temperature
- Can only be used at outdoor temperatures above 10 ° C
- The ideal place for the installation of the heat pump.
Your heat pump should preferably be installed outdoors. This eliminates the need for a service area that requires adequate supply and exhaust air..
If the heat pump is installed outdoors, it is ideal for expelling as much cooled air as possible. This will benefit the direct room temperature of the heat pump and thus improve its efficiency.
The heat pump does not necessarily need to be installed in the sun. The only parameter that matters is the ambient temperature. However, around the heat pump, there must be a clearance of 50 cm on each side. On the fan side, there should be a clearance of 3 to 5 m. This space is necessary to allow the cooled air to escape under the best conditions..
Noise is another parameter to consider when installing the pool heater pump. Although heat pumps are manufactured to generate less and less noise pollution, it is always best to keep this noise to an absolute minimum. This can be accomplished, for example, by installing the heat pump in a corner away from the house and the pool itself..
