Chiller/Heater Worth It?

[elbenn]

We were discussing heater/chillers with our PB and he said that if we wanted to swim in the winter, it would be cheaper to keep it heated by a chiller/heater system because they are electric and therefore much cheaper to run. He said they aren't good for heating up a pool very quickly but they are good for maintaining a certain temperate and that the difference in utility costs could be several hundred dollars if a pool was heated for an entire month. We have a standard spa pool heater in our new pool (Jandy), 0and thought we would add a chiller if we needed to cool the pool down, but we hadn't thought about using the chiller for its heating capabilities. So my questions are:

1. If you have one, do you use it to heat your pool in the fall/winter/spring and if so, is it economical to heat your pool with it?

2. Do you use it for the chiller part and how expensive is it to run that?

3. How much did it cost you to add this to your pool equipment?

Thanks!

 

[Isaac-1]

It sounds like you are talking about a heat pump with cooling option, this is basically a reversing valve that is added to a normal pool heat pump to let it work either as a heater or a cooler and typically cost a couple of hundred dollars more than a standard pool heat pump. (there are other types of pool chillers that only chill the water and does not heat)

Heat pump efficiency varies with local climate and works best when the desired pool temperature is close to the air temperature, so you will want to compare performance with other people in the DFW area. Also you don't have your signature filled out so we don't know how big your pool is Pool School - Read This BEFORE You Post a big too will cost more than a small pool, both for heat pump and running cost.

Ike

p.s. a substantial cost to install is going to depend on if you have to upgrade your electrical service to your pool pad

 

[pooldv]

I doubt you will find anyone who is heating their pool year round in dallas. A heat pump can't do it, it gets too cold here. With a solar cover and a heat pump I think the best you could hope for is sometime in March until sometime in November.

Our pool is partially shaded, it only gets full sun for about an hour. In prior years we heated with solar panels only, no cover, and we got later April early May through late September early October. With a cover that will add 5 to 8 degrees to the water from where it would sit normally. Without a cover I could keep my water a few degrees above halfway between the high and low temp, ie hi 90 low 70 water would be 83 or 84. Since adding a cover I have been able to keep the water a few degrees above the hi temp. So, I think we will be able to swim early April thru October with solar and a cover.

I have a small heat pump that I will install this fall to see if we can swim sometime in March to sometime in November.