What Size Heat Pump Do I Need For My Pool?

Here you are on the Costa Blanca, Spain, new home and hopefully a new pool. When you moved in, you imagined late summer nights enjoying a glass of your favorite vino tinto and taking a relaxing dip overlooking Javea, Denia, Moraira or any number of small paradises here on the Costa Blanca, Spain.

Soon the summer ends and there may be some nice fall days warm enough to use the pool, but eventually temperatures begin to drop. You are pressed with two choices: wait for the temperature to warm up again and heat the pool naturally or, look for an affordable pool heater.

If you take the first choice and wait, the truth is you will not be using your pool all year. But, if you decide to buy a pool heater, then we are here to help you make the most informed choice. Firstly, we have to recommend buying a heat pump pool heater. They offer the best value for money and are capable of getting the job done correctly. 

If you take our advice or you do a bit of research on your own, you will surely ask next: “What size heat pump do I need for my pool?”. In this article, we will go over the basics so that you can make an informed choice and really understand what kind of financial commitment it will take to heat your pool. The answer may be well under what you think!

What is a Heat Pump Pool Heater?

Heat pump pool heaters work almost like a reverse air-conditioner. Instead of exchanging warm air for cold air, they put all of that heat generated in the process into the pool’s water.

Unlike an air conditioner, pool heaters do not need to work so hard for instant results. They implore a slow and steady technique that draws less power and costs you less money. For this reason, heat pumps have the highest coefficient of performance or COP rating of all types of pool heaters. Want proof? Every hotel that has a heated pool uses a heat pump to save on their pool heating efforts.
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A study done by the U.S. Department of Energy on pool heaters ultimately recommends using heat pumps as they perform the best and draw less power. After the study was published, the number of heat pump pool heaters sold in Florida alone grew by a staggering 480% year over year. Hotel chains rushed in to save thousands per year on pool heating.

Why Is Pool Heat Pump Sizing Important?

Pool heat pumps run on electricity. Now that can be either from Ibidrola or from a solar panel installation. Because heat pumps use electricity, they heat pools slower than a gas heater.
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Heat pump sizes and capabilities are measured in BTUs or British Thermal Units. BTUs are a measurement of heat and thus used to calculate a pool heater’s abilities. Generally, pool heaters’ BTU ratings start at 50,000 and go up to 150,000. For smaller pools or pools above ground, you may be able to use a unit of 50,000. Bigger pools will require something bigger naturally.
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A quick tip, when buying a pool heater you should always pick a unit that is slightly over the required number of BTUs. This will do a couple of favors for you.
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1. It will heat your pool faster than a smaller unit.
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2. A larger pool heater will work less hard and more efficiently.
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3. Save you money in the long run due to less operating time.
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With that being said, there are some other factors you should consider when buying a heat pump pool heater. Let’s get into them now.

How To Size A Pool Heat Pump

Factors like the size of your pool, the average air temperature, humidity level and how windy it is where you live make a difference in your pool heating efforts.

If you correctly size your heat pump, those outside factors will play less of a role in getting your water temps up and keeping them there.

Here are two ways to size up the correct heat pump for your pool:

The Easy Way To Size a Heat Pump

In our chart below, we show you the general amount of BTUs you need from a heat pump. This makes it easier for you to estimate what you need to heat your pool.

Based on this table, if you had a 60,000 litre pool but wanted to buy a 120,000 BTU heat pump you would be making a wise choice. Your pool water will be heated much faster and with less operating time on the pool heater.

Sizing Considerations

If you are still having doubts, here are some questions to consider:

• How quickly do you need to heat your pool?
  
      - The BTU output of a heat pump ranges from 50,000 and up. The higher the number of BTUs, the faster your pool will heat. If you use a conservative heat pump size, your pool will heat        more slowly than with a larger unit.
• What is your desired water temperature?
  
      - Most pool owners want their water to be between 27ºC and 30ºC. A smaller heat pump may not have the energy needed to reach the preferred temperature. You can always ask one of         our pool heating experts here at Tropical Energy Solutions for a proper size considering temperature.

Other Pool Heating Considerations

With a heat pump pool heater, maintaining your water temps will reduce the amount of electricity that you will use. Here are some recommendations:

• How often do you use the pool?
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      - You should aim to only leave your pool uncovered a maximum of 2 hours per day. If you are using your pool for more than 2 hours consider that you will be losing heat and will need to keep your pool heater on a bit longer.
• What months do you use your pool?
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      - Heat pumps work best in warmer temperatures, so lucky for us here in Spain a heat pump will work perfect all year round. Keep in mind that if you are using your pool in January or February, you will need to run the pool heater for about a week or 10 days to bring that water temp up to a swimmable level.
• How much are you willing to pay?
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      - Heat pumps are a much cheaper option than a gas pool heater. We’ve found that they are half the price at least. But heat pumps do cost a bit more up front. The savings in the long run make gas pool heaters a very expensive option when compared to a heat pump.