Pool heating recommendations

[LICY]

As we about to embark on extending the villa my thoughts are again turning to pool heating. I know Macassa has a great solar system that serves him well. Others have heat exchangers. I would like to get some quotes and would appreciate recommendations of firms undertaking pool heating installation.

[sam]

We used Solambiente for our heat exchanger, but that was 20 years ago. At that time they were reasonable price and very helpful and reliable. We paid about 11am and they delivered about 1pm and fitted it that afternoon. It is still working well.

[steve]

We got a very good deal from Solambiente when we installed the heat pump for our pooç a few years ago. I used them again recently for a replacement electric pool cover. They are very reliable, use only good quality products and offer superb customer service. They used to be a bit expensive but they now seem pretty competitive.

[LICY]

Thank you both.

[Bruce Wallis]

We have an air temp heat pump.
It works very well indeed, and the heatpump is very cheap to run, they say 50 cents a day.
What you need to remember is that you need to add onto any of these heating options, no matter how cheap and attractive an option, and the air heat pump does appear to be the best, you need to run your pool circulation pump all the time the heating bit is working, and THAT cost can rack up the real cost of pool heating.
The other thing you need is a good quality pool cover, because there is no point in heating your pool if all the heat is lost overnight into the cooler air.

[steve]

I don't know where you got a figure of 50 cents a day from. If only. My heat pump draws 4.5 kw to which you have to add the circulation pump of about 1 kw. Off peak that is about 65 cents an hour and at peak rates it works out at just under €1.25 per hour. That may not sound much but when you run it in the winter for 24 hours a day it mounts up. €45 a week for the off peak hours and €120 a week for the peak hours.These figures are obviously reduced if the pump keeps the water up to temperature without continuous operation but it is not cheap.

[laserblazer]

Get a load of old central heating radiators, paint them black or a dark green and mount them facing south. Connect a solar powered pump and suck water out of the pool, through the radiators and back into the pool.

[maccasa]

Solar Mats are the most efficient and cheapest way to heat a pool. Last 4 weeks mine has been at 32 - 35C. The only extra cost is the slightly higher pump rating needed to account for the head pressure of pumping to where the mats are situated, which is a fraction of a kW. Alternatively you can add a small booster pump of <400w. Mat Cost is currently around £300 for each 0.6 x 6m mat (I have six) if bought in the UK and then add the shipping and piping cost. The biggest drawback is you need a flat area which is at least half the area of the pool or a "spare" piece of roof which needs to be "south-ish" facing.

[CM]

Send me pm if you still need this sorting, my dad has put one in and its a belter! you could go and a have a word with him??

[sam]

Get a load of old central heating radiators, paint them black or a dark green and mount them facing south. Connect a solar powered pump and suck water out of the pool, through the radiators and back into the pool.

I know someone who did this with black piping on their roof. Not sure how effective it was.

[Rampage]

I installed a heat pump about 6 years go for our pool. The increase on the electricity bill was negligible. It is essential that you have a decent pool cover so the heat does not escape at night, and you have to remember that the heat pump will not work when ambient air temperatures fall below 5C (but who wants to swim then anyway?). What we have found is that it extends the 'comfortable' period of pool usage by at least 2 months per year - which is worth having.

[LICY]

We have a pool company coming Friday, so fingers crossed they can advise on our pool as you know how strange our pool us. Hope you are well.