Your choice of pool heating solutions.
Keep your pool nice and warm with a pool heater. Extend the swimming season by a month or two, or even swim all year round. Like most household appliances, the cost of pool heaters has come down appreciably and they have become a lot more energy efficient.
There are three commonly used methods of heating domestic swimming pools in Australia: solar, gas and heat pumps – each have their advantages and disadvantages.
Solar: Solar heats your pool using direct heat from the sun. Solar heaters are very effective when the sun is shining, but less so when it’s cloudy or temperatures drop. In most parts of the country, a solar heater will be able to extend your swimming season by 4-6 weeks. Whilst they are generally accepted as being the cheapest heaters to run, they often require a dedicated pump to push water up to the panels on the roof.
Heat Pumps: Heat pumps are a great alternative to a solar heater. Depending on the size of the heat pump, the upfront product and installation cost are often lower than a solar installation. Heat pumps are almost as energy efficient as solar heating. A heat pump works in a similar way to a reverse cycle air conditioner; extracting heat from the air and transferring it to the pool water. The main advantage over solar is that a heat pump will operate in almost any climate and will extend the swimming season by at least twice as long as a solar system. They are considerably cheaper to run than a gas heater but will heat the pool more slowly. They are the perfect option for anyone who wants to use their pool for most of the year. Zodiac’s Power 7 & 9 heat pumps, are plug and play units which do not require an electrician to install (as long as there is a power outlet in which to plug the units). These are the smallest heat pumps in Zodiac’s range and are great season extenders for small to medium sized pools (up to 50K litres) in temperate climates.
Gas Heaters: Gas heaters are great for spas, small pools and for situations where ‘heat on demand’ is required, as they have the ability to raise the water temperature more quickly than any other systems. Gas heaters use direct and constant heat from a flame to heat the water and are powered by either natural gas or LPG tanks. Like heat pumps, gas heaters come in a range of sizes and must be sized correctly for your pool. When installing a gas heater, it is imperative that the gas lines to the heater are sized correctly, ie. the right diameter relative to the distance the gas heater is from the gas meter (supply). An experienced gas fitter is required for installation.
Pool heater sizing: It is critical that you get your heater ‘sized’ for your specific requirements. Selecting the right heater depends on lots of factors, such as the location and size of your pool or spa, whether or not you will use a pool cover, and the water temperature you would like to achieve.
Visit www.zodiac.com.au/ products/pool-heaters to find the best heating solution for your pool with our easy calculation system. With just a few details about your pool and the way you enjoy it, we will instantly recommend the most suitable systems for your needs. We’ll even provide you with an estimate of their associated running costs!
