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Is an electric heat pump less expensive to operate than a gas heater?

Yes. A an electric heat pump pool heater uses a chemical refrigerant, just like the refrigerant in your refrigerator and your home air conditioning system, and a mechanical compressor to produce four to six times more heating energy than the electrical energy required to run the compressor. On average, the electricity to run a swimming pool heat pump costs about one-third of the cost of propane gas; about half the cost of natural gas; and about one-sixth the cost of direct resistance electric heating. (Direct resistance heating with a heating element is sometimes used for small spas, but is impractical for swimming pools. Some affluent homeowners combine a heat pump pool heater to maintain their pool’s temperature during the spring and fall months, with a gas heater to provide an extra boost during the coldest winter weather.

How does a swimming pool heat pump work?

A swimming pool heat pump works just like your home air conditioning heat pump works during the winter heating months. The only difference is that instead of absorbing heat from the outside air into a refrigerant, and then transferring that heat into the indoor air, the refrigerant transfers heat into the swimming pool water. Your home air conditioning heat pump sends the heated refrigerant through a coil inside an air handler, while the swimming pool heat pump has a heat exchanger with two liquid coils in contact with each other—one coil for the refrigerant and the other for the swimming pool water.

How noisy are swimming pool heat pumps?

A swimming pool heat pump has the same noise-generating components as the outdoor compressor and condenser coil unit for your home air conditioning system (compressor motor, condenser fan motor and fan blades), so the outdoor noise level is about the same.

Do some heat pumps use more environmentally safe refrigerant chemicals than others?

Since January 1, 2010, all manufacturers have been required to use more environmentally friendly refrigerants. Most heat pumps today all use the same refrigerant: R-410A.

I have heard that swimming pool heat pumps stop operating once the air temperature falls below a certain point. Is this true?

Yes. Remember that heat pump pool heaters take heat out of the outside air to heat your pool. Once the air temperature falls below about 50°F, a heat pump loses most of its rated efficiency, and most models have automatic shutoff switches that are triggered when air temperature reaches 35–45°F. Heat pumps are an ideal solution for pool owners who want to swim during the winter in between cold fronts when the daytime air temperature is above 60°F or so because they have much greater recovery rate than the typical solar pool heating system. That is, the heat pump can put far more heat into the pool in much less time than a solar pool heating system.

I am considering a heat pump instead of solar so I can avoid having to use a pool blanket. Will a swimming pool heat pump allow me to do this?

It is true that a reasonably sized swimming pool heat pump will give you a longer swimming season without the use of a pool blanket than a solar pool heating system. However, as a general rule, you can cut the cost of electricity to run a swimming pool heat pump in half by using a pool blanket at night during cold winter weather. Using a pool blanket at night during the winter months also reduces the heat pump’s recovery time to bring the pool back up to a comfortable temperature after a cold front passes.

How often does the refrigerant in a heat pump pool heater need to be recharged?

Unless a leak develops, the factory charge of refrigerant should last for the life of the unit. If your unit stops heating as a result of low refrigerant pressure, the most likely reason is a leak that will require repair. Most refrigerant leaks result from shipping or handling damage and are readily apparent following installation.