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Company NMLS Consumer Access 2110672 MORTGAGE BROKER ONLY, NOT A MORTGAGE LENDER OR MORTGAGE CORRESPONDENT LENDERNOTICE TO VERMONT CONSUMERS: THIS IS A LOAN SOLICITATION ONLY. CONSUMERS UNIFIED, LLC IS NOT A LENDER. INFORMATION RECEIVED WILL BE SHARED WITH ONE OR MORE THIRD PARTIES IN CONNECTION WITH YOUR LOAN INQUIRY. THE LENDER MAY NOT BE SUBJECT TO ALL VERMONT LENDING LAWS. THE LENDER MAY BE SUBJECT TO FEDERAL LENDING LAWS. Home Warranty disclosure for New Jersey Residents: The product being offered is a service contract and is separate and distinct from any product or service warranty which may be provided by the home builder or manufacturer. Consumers Unified, LLC does not take loan or mortgage applications or make credit decisions. Rather, we display rates from lenders that are licensed or otherwise authorized to work in Vermont. We forward your information to a lender you wish to contact so that they may contact you directly. Copyright © 2023 Consumers Unified, LLC DBA ConsumerAffairs. All Rights Reserved. The contents of this site may not be republished, reprinted, rewritten or recirculated without written permission. Sorry, we just need to make sure you're not a robot. For best results, please make sure your browser is accepting cookies. Type the characters you see in this image: Try different image Conditions of Use Privacy Policy © 1996-2014, Amazon.com, Inc. or its affiliates A heat pump is a device that uses a small amount of energy to move heat from one location to another. Heat pumps used for heating pools transfer heat from the outdoors into the water. Because they use heat that is already available and just move it from one place to another, they use less electricity. How a Heat Pump Pool Heater WorksAs the pool water circulates through the pool pump, it passes through a filter and the heat pump heater. The heat pump heater has a fan that draws in the outside air and directs it over the evaporator coil. Liquid refrigerant within the evaporator coil absorbs the heat from the outside air and becomes a gas. The warm gas in the coil then passes through the compressor. The compressor increases the heat, creating a very hot gas that then passes through the condenser. The condenser transfers the heat from the hot gas to the cooler pool water circulating through the heater. The heated water then returns to the pool. The hot gas, as it flows through the condenser coil, returns to liquid form and back to the evaporator, where the whole process begins again. Higher efficiency heat pump pool heaters usually use scroll compressors versus the reciprocal compressors of standard units. Heat pump pool heaters work efficiently as long as the outside temperature remains above the 45ºF–50ºF range. The cooler the outside air they draw in, the less efficient they are, resulting in higher energy bills. However, since most people use outdoor pools during warm and mild weather, this usually isn't an issue. Selecting a Heat Pump Pool HeaterHeat pump pool heaters cost more than gas pool heaters, but they typically have much lower annual operating costs because of their higher efficiencies. With proper maintenance, heat pump pool heaters typically last longer than gas pool heaters. Therefore, you'll save more money in the long run. When selecting a heat pump pool heater, you should consider its:
Sizing a Heat Pump Pool HeaterYou should have a trained pool professional perform a proper sizing analysis for your specific pool to determine pool heater size. Sizing a heat pump pool heater involves many factors. Basically, a heater is sized according to the surface area of the pool and the difference between the pool and the average air temperatures. Other factors also affect the heating load for outdoor pools, such as wind exposure, humidity levels, and cool night temperatures. Therefore, pools located in areas with higher average wind speeds at the pool surface, lower humidity, and cool nights will require a larger heater. Heat pump pool heaters are rated by Btu output and horsepower (hp). Standard sizes include 3.5 hp/75,000 Btu, 5 hp/100,000 Btu, and 6 hp/125,000 Btu. To calculate an approximate heater size for an outdoor swimming pool, follow these steps:
This formula is based on 1º to 1-1/4ºF temperature rise per hour and a 3-1/2 mile per hour average wind at the pool surface. For a 1-1/2ºF rise multiply by 1.5. For a 2ºF rise multiply by 2.0. Determining Heat Pump Pool Heater EfficiencyThe energy efficiency of heat pump pool heaters is measured by coefficient of performance (COP). The higher the COP number, the more efficient. The federal test procedure for heat pump pool heaters sets the test conditions at 80ºF ambient dry bulb, 63% relative humidity, and 80ºF pool water. COPs usually range from 3.0 to 7.0, which converts to an efficiency of 300%–700%. This means that for every unit of electricity it takes to runs the compressor, you get 3–7 units of heat out of the heat pump. Estimating Heat Pump Pool Heater Costs and SavingsFor an outdoor pool, use the following tables to help estimate your annual heat pump pool heater costs and savings compared to using an electric resistance or a gas pool heater. Table 1 estimates annual heat pump pool heating costs by location, by water temperature, and with or without using a pool cover. Table 1. Costs by Location of Heating Outdoor Pools with a Heat Pump* LOCATION SEASON TEMPERATURE 78° 80° 82° Miami 1/1–12/31 $1499 $1989 $2514 w/ cover 1/1–12/31 $293 $409 $559 Phoenix 3/1–10/31 $927 $1192 $1485 w/ cover 3/1–10/31 $49 $116 $158 Dallas 4/1–10/31 $491 $1321 $1690 w/ cover 4/1–10/31 $123 $191 $279 Atlanta 4/1–10/31 $1145 $1512 $1942 w/ cover 4/1–10/31 $211 $279 $395 Los Angeles 5/1–10/31 $1294 $1649 $2023 w/ cover 5/1–10/31 $116 $211 $327 Kansas City 5/1–10/31 $974 $1274 $1615 w/ cover 5/1–10/31 $198 $279 $368 New York 5/1–9/30 $1008 $1328 $1662 w/ cover 5/1–9/30 $143 $204 $273 Chicago 5/1–9/30 $1104 $1410 $1730 w/ cover 5/1–9/30 $143 $204 $266 Denver 5/1–8/31 $1192 $1437 $1696 w/ cover 5/1–8/31 $95 $136 $204 Boston 5/1–8/31 $1192 $1465 $1744 w/ cover 5/1–8/31 $164 $225 $320 Minneapolis 6/1–9/30 $899 $1158 $1417 w/ cover 6/1–9/30 $136 $170 $259 San Fran 6/1–8/31 $1090 $1294 $1512 w/ cover 6/1–8/31 $129 $225 $327 Seattle 6/1–8/31 $1049 $1226 $1410 w/ cover 6/1–8/31 $204 $293 $382 *Figures based on a 1,000 square foot, outdoor pool heated with an air to water heat pump with an average COP of 5.0 at $.1301/kwh. Table 2 estimates the savings for every $1000 in annual pool heating costs using a heat pump pool heater compared to using an electric resistance or gas pool heater with an efficiency of 55% (baseline). Table 2. Annual Savings Comparisons of Gas and Electric Pool Heaters* EFFICIENCY ANNUAL COST COST W/ 5.0 COP HEAT PUMP SAVINGS Gas Pool Heater 55% $1000 $700 $300 60% $915 $700 $215 65% $845 $700 $145 70% $785 $700 $85 75% $732 $700 $32 Electric Resistance 100% $1000 $200 $800 *Based on an electric resistance heated pool, which costs $1,000 per year at an electric cost of $.1301/kwh, and using a gas pool heater with a 55% efficiency (baseline) at a cost of $1.09/therm. A seasonal average COP of 5.0 was used to determine heat pump savings. Installation and MaintenanceProper installation and maintenance of your heat pump pool heater can optimize its efficiency. It's best to have a qualified pool professional install the heater, especially the electric hookup, and perform complicated maintenance or repair tasks. Read your owner's manual for a maintenance schedule and/or recommendations. You'll probably need to tune up your pool heater annually. Because of a heat pump pool heater's many moving and electrical parts, it will probably require periodic service by an air conditioning technician. With proper installation and maintenance, heat pump pool heaters can last 10 or more years. Subscribe to Energy Saver Updates Subscribe to receive updates from Energy Saver, including new blogs, updated content, and seasonal energy saving tips for consumers and homeowners. What brand of heat pump is the most reliable?Best Heat Pumps. Goodman.. Carrier.. Trane.. Rheem.. Lennox.. Bryant.. American Standard.. Should I wait until 2023 to buy a heat pump?We also recommend installing your heat pump before year end to start benefiting sooner and take advantage of tax credits for 2023 for the quickest savings. Keep reading to see why you should upgrade to a heat pump before the end of the year. What is the major disadvantage of a heat pump system?It's expensive to install a heat pump They cost considerably more than a gas installation. Nevertheless, grants are available to reduce the purchasing cost, which is not the case with gas installations. However, even with such grants, the heat pump is still at least 20% more expensive. Who should not get a heat pump?Heat pumps might struggle in drafty, poorly insulated homes. You might need to upgrade your electrical service to support whole-house electric heating. And it's possible that you'll want to keep (or add) a backup heating system just in case the weather gets so unusually cold that your heat pump can't keep up. |
