first time pool owner: Question about heating and cooling a pool

[wtf242]

Hello!

My wife and I are building a house in Austin, TX that is going to have a 65', 25,400~ gallon lap pool. We want to be able to use the pool 356 days a year. We were originally looking at the "Aqua Comfort heat/chill pump" but from my research it doesn't seem like it would be able to heat the pool in the winter months to the desired 80 degrees. Their calculator seems to imply we would need 4(!!) units.

So our next option is using both a "Aqua Comfort heat/chill pump" and a dedicated "Jandy JXi 399,000 BTU gas heater", although that's starting to get pretty expensive. Are there other options for heating/chilling a pool?

Do the Glacier Pool Chillers work well? They seem much cheaper than the Aqua Comfort. Are there any other options?

Here's all the info about the pool:

• Salt water Chlorinator
• Stucco Skimcoat on exposed exterior surfaces
• PeppleTec interior surface
• 6 Color LED Lights
• Jandy JEP 2.0 Variable Speed ePump
• Jandy DEV 60 DE Filter or CV 580 Cartridge Filter
• 1-2 Surface Skimmers
• Water Leveler
• Never Lube Valves
• Stainless Steel Ladder
• In-Floor cleaning system
• iAqualink - Smartphone Connected Controller

Thanks!

 

[bmoreswim]

What type of pool cover will you use? They are essential to maintaining heat.

 

[wtf242]

What type of pool cover will you use? They are essential to maintaining heat.

currently we were not planning on having a cover at all. I wonder if a solar cover would allow us to just go with the electric heater/chiller and avoid having to add a gas line and buy 2 separate units? It doesn't get that cold here.

 

[borjis]

A solar cover should work well.

No need for any fancy ones either, 8 mil thick clear or blue will do.

 

[pooldv]

Welcome to TFP!

Only 356 days a year huh? LOL! A solar cover will be required to hold in the heat overnight. I would do solar panels, if you have south or southwest facing roof available for the main heat source and supplement with a heat pump. The reason it is saying to use 4 units is because of the coldest month or two. Probably Jan/Feb. It takes a lot of heat in those months. The solar panels will also cool the pool by running them at night.

 

[bmoreswim]

Only 356 days a year huh? LOL!

ROTFL myself! I'm gonna crack you up with this one too...

Maybe he's Jewish and is celebrating The Nine Days (365-356)...

During the Nine Days, these additional activities are forbidden by Jewish law because they bring one to joy:[2]

Home improvements, painting and new construction
Planting trees, flowers or grass
Laundering clothes, towels, tablecloths and bed linens
Wearing new or freshly laundered clothing
Making or buying new clothes, towels, tablecloths and bed linens
Eating meat or poultry
Drinking wine or grape juice
Bathing for pleasure (i.e., one may not take a hot shower or bath, but may use cold water to remove dirt and sweat)
Swimming for health or exercise

 

[wtf242]

Welcome to TFP!

Only 356 days a year huh? LOL! A solar cover will be required to hold in the heat overnight. I would do solar panels, if you have south or southwest facing roof available for the main heat source and supplement with a heat pump. The reason it is saying to use 4 units is because of the coldest month or two. Probably Jan/Feb. It takes a lot of heat in those months. The solar panels will also cool the pool by running them at night.

haha oops. I was typing too fast

 

[bmoreswim]

Some acquaintances of ours built a lap pool in MD and wanted to swim during a long season. She planned to wear a partial wetsuit for the most borderline times. That could help you lower the temp during the winter.

 

[pooldv]

ROTFL myself! I'm gonna crack you up with this one too...

Maybe he's Jewish and is celebrating The Nine Days (365-356)...

During the Nine Days, these additional activities are forbidden by Jewish law because they bring one to joy:[2]

Home improvements, painting and new construction
Planting trees, flowers or grass
Laundering clothes, towels, tablecloths and bed linens
Wearing new or freshly laundered clothing
Making or buying new clothes, towels, tablecloths and bed linens
Eating meat or poultry
Drinking wine or grape juice
Bathing for pleasure (i.e., one may not take a hot shower or bath, but may use cold water to remove dirt and sweat)
Swimming for health or exercise

LOL, did you add that last one for effect??? Seems suspicious!

 

[bmoreswim]

That's the great part, I didn't. Straight from Wiki.

 

[JoyfulNoise]

A pool that size will be very difficult to heat in the cold months. I doubt any single heat source will work well enough even with a bubble cover. The evaporative heat loss when the ambient air temp drops below the water temperature is the biggest factor. You typically can't heat an open pool of water more than a few degrees above or below ambient air temps. Your best bet would be an automatic hard cover.

Super expensive - Yep.

Only way to retain the heat and/or block the sun - Yep.

Another option - build the lap pool inside an enclosed structure / pool house.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk,16k gal SWG pool (All Pentair), QuadDE100 Filter, Taylor K-2006

 

[Swampwoman]

WTF242, since you're building new, its a lap pool, and it sounds like you like to seriously swim, I am going to throw out a suggestion despite the expense because the payback in energy costs might make sense, especially if you're an early morning swimmer!

Look into building in an automatic cover. That way you can press a button in the am, and dive in, without needing the pool heater on all night to maintain temp.

I am in Michigan and heat my pool all season long, and well into the shoulder seasons where nights can be 40 degrees. I use a gas heater that does the job and uses between $200-300/ mo in extra gas -- it seems to cost less if its left to run all the time rather than big heat ups and cool downs. My pool footprint doesn't have enough room for a solar cover reel without cutting into a walkway and we don't want one anyway because like to just come out and dive in at odd times, including at night in the dark . But if there was one thing I wish this pool had, it would be a built-in automatic cover

Remember that to maintain temp overnight for an early morning swim in open water (uncovered) means you have to be running the whole system overnight as even the beefiest heaters only get you a few degrees an hour. Many people seek to reduce pump run time to save on electricity. The latter and former don't go together

I'm just mentioning these things since you're building and can design it to suit your druthers. This advice is more germane to folks who rise and swim early despite the weather If you think that might be you, give it some thought.

 

[nutria]

I would seriously consider solar panels for water heating given our climate. Also, they can be used for cooling as well if you run the pump at night. I can't speak from my own experience with heaters since I have never used ours (too afraid of the gas bill), but since I have a similarly sized lap pool and I am also located in Austin, I am very interested to know what you finally decide on and what performance you get.


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