Pool Heater Heat Pump or Other in NC?

[blbncsu]

Looking into the possibility of adding a pool heater to our pool, going into our 2nd season with the pool and we had it "pre-wired" for a heater when building the pool but didn't pull the trigger on buying an actual heater.

We are in the Raleigh NC area and it would seem a fair amount of heat pumps are used on pools. Our house runs on 2 heat pumps.
I'd like to try and be able to extend the season a bit starting it in early May through mid-end September. Kids don't mind the cooler water temps but the adults like it around 83-86 degrees.

I do have a solar blanket (which is a pain to use I've found) and I'd primarily look to use the pool on a Friday-Sunday basis during these extended season times.

Can a heat pump be a good option or is gas better? If a heat pump, can it be run for part of the week with a solar cover on the pool in anticipation of weekend only use?

Been reading around on the forum and various online sites but any thoughts or input? Thanks.

 

[ps0303]

Heat pumps are slow to heat so if you would expect to turn it on say Wednesday to heat is say 15 degrees depending on the outside weather conditions, it may or may not heat it up in time. I'm sure you've done your research you'll know that heat pumps rely on weather conditions to to how well they heat. They actually extract heat from the atmosphere to heat your pool. If you are looking for something to consistently provide you a warm pool in say a 24hr time frame, gas is it. Especially in/during the cooler climates/temps.

Do you have natural gas or propane? That will also be a deciding factor.

 

[JasonLion]

To elaborate a little on what ps0303 said, heat pumps are good for maintaining a constant temperature for weeks/months at a time, while gas heaters are much better at heating for a day/weekend here and there and letting the pool cool off the rest of the time. Running the heater is going to be quite expensive, so a lot of people who think they are going to heat the pool all the time end up only heating the pool for special events, i.e. that one nice weekend in the fall.

 

[duraleigh]

Regardless of the fuel for your heater, you will surely need the solar blanket to make the heater effective. I think they are a pain, too, but a heater without the use of a solar blanket will provide little benefit.

Welcome to the forum. :lol:

 

[blbncsu]

Thanks for the input and that's what I think also. I'm versed in how heat pumps work and their relation to ambient air temps having read up on them and lived with 2 for the house.

As much a pain as a solar blanket is for me, let alone my wife, to remove off the pool it would be very beneficial.

The next question I have is the size of the heater unit. I'm leaning towards one at 75,000 BTU versus a 110,000 BTU being its a smaller pool and not going to heat it in the winter time, and a cheaper unit.

Still open to any other thoughts or suggestions. Thanks!