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Don Vandervort, Head Homeboy, has written more than 30 DIY home improvement books, been a segment host on HGTV, served as MSN.com's home improvement expert and written countless magazine articles.
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Electric Pool Heaters & Heat Pumps |
Electric heaters, similar to those used for electric hot water tanks in homes, heat water by emitting an electric current that produces heat in a coil. The coil warms a tank of water, which is a fairly slow process.
While the purchase price of an electric heater is slightly less than that of a propane or natural gas heater, the cost of electricity in most parts of the country makes these heaters the most expensive to use and therefore a poor choice.
One way electricity can be used wisely to heat a pool is to connect a water heater to a heat pump. Heat pumps operate on the same principle as air conditioners: refrigerants, heat exchangers, and compressors combine to transfer heat from one area to another rather than to generate heat. But while an air conditioner transfers heat from inside to outside, a heat pump in a pool transfers heat from the air to the water. Warm outside air heats the refrigerant within the heat pump; it is then further heated and compressed by the compressor, resulting in a very hot gas. When the gas passes through a heat exchanger, its heat is transferred to the pool water.
The beauty of a heat pump is that although it runs on electricity, it actually yields many times more heat than could be produced by the same amount of electricity running an electric heater alone. The downside is that heat pumps work best in hot climates and are of little use in warming a pool in a northern climate during the spring and fall.
More about pool heaters:
Get Pool Cleaning Help in Your Area Swimming Pools & Spas All you need to know about planning and installing a pool. Also, guides to pool equipment and components. Includes an idea gallery with breathtaking pool photography. Copyright Sunset Publishing Corporation
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