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Originally Posted by inda50
We are looking into getting a pool installed for the first time. Because of medical reasons, we need the pool to be used year-round. Which now begs the question what is the best way to heat the pool. We have natural gas on the property, and I've been told a heat pump would be cheaper than natural gas to run. I would like to heat the pool to about 84 degrees year -round.
My roof is 22 years old, and I'm about due for a new roof so will my pay be better with a hot water solar or pv electric panels to run the heat pump. I've been told neither would get me to 84 during the cold cloudy days. The pool has to be located on the north due to property shape and the panels would be on the south. I would like to hear from others who have had this situation. I understand with pv panels i can connect to the electric grid, and even using the pv to run my A/C on peak summer days the return is small. Looking for ideas. Thanks
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You need a multi-pronged approach. First, solar hot water heating on the roof. That will cover probably all of your heating for six months of the year, or even eight. Second, an electric heat pump, ideally on the south side. These two share most of the pipes and all. In the winter, your solar hot water heating will still cover most of the heating, but the heat pump is an important supplement. MUCH cheaper to use than natural gas. Third, a bubble-wrap sort of pool cover that rolls up. I think that will pay for itself in electricity savings in one winter. Without the cover, heat (and water, too) dissipate all night long. The cover holds in much of that heat.
I keep my pool at 92°, as I enjoy sitting in it and chatting with friends. I don’t actually swim in it. In the summer, the heat pump is turned off. The solar heater and the pool cover does the trick. If we have a long sunny stretch and the pool is overheating, I leave the pool cover rolled up. If it’s still too hot, I turn off the solar water heater flow, too. In the winter, I use the solar water heater and the pool cover. If I’m going to use the pool, I turn on the heat pump. I can leave it on all the time if I want to, but in my case I don’t use the pool all that often, so I turn it on when needed. As the water is already in the 70s in the winter with the other two things, the heat pump raises the temperature to 92° in two or three hours.