Most People are familiar with the older style of pool pumps: they use some sort of electric element or other device to add heat to the water. The heat for the water is actually generated by the heating unit (just like a furnace heats the air for your home.)

Swimming pool heat pumps are actually heat ‘movers’ – they do not generate heat, but move it from one location to another. With a swimming pool heat pump the device pulls warm air into the mechanism, extracts the heat energy from the air, and then transfers or ‘pumps’ this extracted heat into the water of your swimming pool.

Swimming pool heat pumps are very energy efficient: they can save you 50% of the cost of using a natural-gas system, and perhaps as much as 75% as compared to a propane-gas system! Swimming pool heat pumps are safer, more reliable, and easier to maintain and repair than traditional devices.

What would a typical installation of a swimming pool heat pump include?

• A thermostat – This will control the operation of the whole swimming pool heat pump
• An air handler – The air handler circulates the air throughout the unit
• The heat pump unit itself – responsible for the transfer of the heat from one location to another – in the case of a swimming pool heat pump, it is from the outside air to the water in your pool
• Air cleaner – This is a filtration unit that screens out pollutants as well as dirt and dust particles present in the air

Preventative maintenance on your swimming pool heat pump

• Clean off the blower fan blades with a soft, moist towel
• Check for loose hoses or wires – notify a pro if you find any
• If you have removable filters, check them regularly and clean or replace them as directed in your owner’s manual.

Be VERY careful when inspecting or cleaning around your swimming pool heat pump — it makes use of electric power and it is near a water source (your pool). ELECTROCUTION can KILL or SEVERELY INJURE anyone!

For this reason, if you suspect that your swimming pool heat pump needs servicing, DO NOT ATTEMPT TO SERVICE THE UNIT YOURSELF. Most of these issues require a service call from qualified professional has the knowledge and tools to do the job properly.

The price you will pay for various swimming pool heat pumps will depend on the size of the unit you need, the type (air or ground source), the manufacturer, warranty type, as well as local labor charge rates.

It is always a good idea to get several quotes when purchasing a new unit, and certainly get a number of estimates when it comes time to service your swimming pool heat pump.

Your PC can be your greatest ally in locating dealers for purchase of your new unit – inquire if they service what they sell.

Swimming pool heat pumps: they are truly a modern engineering marvel!

Swimming Pool Heat Pump

What is an Air Source Heat Pump?

Air source heat pumps are heating and cooling systems that draw heat out of the air and move it do a different location. They do this with the use of refrigerant, heating/cooling coils and a compressor which acts like a pump.

How Does an Air Source Heat Pump Work?

When cooling your home, the compressor sends refrigerant to the indoor coil located in the air handler. The refrigerant passes through a valve and expands into a gas, capturing heat from the air surrounding the coil. Removing the heat from the air surrounding the coil makes the coil very cold.

The refrigerant carries the heat outside through a copper refrigerant line. It enters the condensing unit where it is compressed back into a liquid, forcing the heat out of it. That heat is dissipated through the outdoor coil like heat through a radiator. The refrigerant then cycles back into the house to capture more heat.

The direction of the refrigerant is reversed when the air source heat pump is in heating mode. The refrigerant captures heat outside, carries it into the house and releases it in the inside coil, making it very hot. These heat pumps are effective until temperatures outside fall into the lower 30s.

The air handler pushes untreated air from the house over the indoor coil, which is either hot or cold depending on the mode, and distributes that treated air into your home through the ducts. The cycle continues until the thermostat indicates that the temperature has been raised or lowered to the desired level.

What are the Most Common Brands of Air Source Heat Pumps?

The brands that produce the majority of heat pumps include Aire Flo, Amana, American Standard, Armstrong, Bryant, Carrier, Coleman, Ducane, Electrolux, Goodman, Heil, Lennox, Luxaire, Maytag, Payne, Rheem, Ruud, Trane and York.

How Much Does an Air Source Heat Pump Cost?

Prices vary greatly depending on the size of the unit, how efficiently it uses electricity as determined by its SEER rating, and whether or not it provides staged or variable heating. The cheapest, smallest heat pumps cost under $1,200. The largest, most efficient heat pumps cost over $5,000. For most homes, just the heat pump will cost $2,500-$4,000.

Keep in mind that installation is extra and so are parts if needed such as an indoor coil or air handler and refrigerant lines. For a complete heat pump heating and cooling system installed, the price can range from $5,000 to over $10,000.

Air Source Heat Pumps