What Type Of Swimming Pool Heating Should You Use?
If you’ve splashed out on a swimming pool at your property, you’ll know it’s one of the biggest single purchases a 
householder can make, adding desirability to any home.
But if your family’s not enjoying dips all year round, you may feel that you’re not getting full value for the money spent, especially as your pool still needs upkeep when not in use.
It can be a great investment to install heating to extend your swimming season. With the right heating system, your pool can be just as desirable in winter as in high summer.
The good news is that retro-fitting a pool heating system is a straightforward and effective solution if done properly.
There are four types of pool heating, solar, gas or electric and heat pumps. Each has its benefits, but a professional pool installer such as Barrier Reef Pools can advise on what will work best for you, based on the location and size of your pool.
Solar
The cost of solar pool heating starts at around $1,500 for a self-build, to upwards of $4,000 if professionally installed. But that’s all you pay.
Solar heating draws on the sun’s energy, making it environmentally friendly and very cheap to run. It can double the number of swim days available each year. Pool solar heating uses thin, flexible strips of piping that unobtrusively fit on the roof of the house and capture the sun’s heat.
The amount of solar heating you need depends on where you live, the size of the pool and how warm you’d like it to be. The heat generated will fluctuate according to weather conditions, but won’t increase your fuel bills.
Gas And Electric
For full flexibility of temperature and year-round availability, gas and electric heating offer the most controllable options.
Turned on or off at will or set with an automatic timer, these thermostatically controlled heaters mean no nasty surprises when you dip a toe in the water.
Electric heaters can be included in a circuit with your pump and timer, or connected to the pool`s filtration system, cleaning the water before it is heated and protecting it from debris and algae.
The main advantage of gas and electric pool heaters is that unlike solar heaters, you can heat the pool at any time. With the right combination of pool cover and heating, you’ll be happy to swim all year round. Your pool installers can advise and guide you through the variety of gas and electric heaters on the market.
Heat Pumps
The same technology used in refrigeration and air conditioning is now being applied to pool heating. Heat pumps are an environmentally friendly solution that is also cheap to run.
By gathering heat from the air, heat pumps transfer energy to the swimming pool water. Heat output can be up to six times the electrical input power, so if you install the right heat pump, you’ll have much lower running costs than a gas or electric system.
With over 30 years of experience, Barrier Reef Pools is WA’s leading expert on home pools. Call us on 08 9314 1388 for personalised advice and service.
Check out some of the Barrier Reef Testimonials that our customers have written.
