Weekly tip … (Pool heating systems)
by John - November 16th, 2010.Filed under: Baptisteries, Equipment, Spas, Swimming pools, Weekly tip. Tagged as: baptistery, boiler, electric, electricity, fuel, gas, heat, heating, lpg, oil, pool, spa, swimming, thermal.
Your location will often narrow your choice of heating options for your swimming pool. If you live in a very rural area, chances are there may be no natural gas supply and your electricity suppliers may prohibit the use of high kilowatt electric element type heaters. This would leave you with oil, LPG and a cheaper type of electric heating in the form of a heat pump. Solar heating is a further option, but as yet we have not found anyone that can enjoy a full swimming season using just this option in the UK.
Nearer to larger villages, towns and cities all options are probably available, do some thorough research before making your final choice.
Electric heaters
Good for Spa Pools but the bigger the swimming pool the higher the number of kilowatts required to maintain a comfortable swimming temperature. Where economy seven is available, these type of heaters start to become an option.Gas boilers – LPG or natural gas
Gas boilers are a clean alternative to other options and if regularly checked can give years and years of service. There are several specialist gas boilers with in built heat exchangers. The alternative is to consider a free standing boiler house model linked to a stainless steel heat exchanger or if your house boiler is big enough and with in reasonable distance of your pool plant room can be connected to feed the swimming pool heat exchanger in the summer and the house radiators in the winter.Heat Pumps
Air to water models are available in three levels.
- May to September use. Basic model sized correctly for your swimming pool by surface area and ground conditions. Will find heat down to seven degrees C.
- April to October use. Keep the kids happy right up to half term. Finds heat down to zero degrees C.
- An all year model. Will find heat down to minus fifteen degrees. Heat pumps offer a good return of heat for your money they’re becoming very popular now, are ground to water heat pumps. Collector pipes are run across your land or a bore hole is drilled down to around seventy metres. Ground holds a constant temperature at a given depth and is used for home and pool heating.
Oil boilers
These are similar in function to gas boilers having either an in built heat exchanger or plumbed in to heat the swimming pool via a stainless steel heat exchanger.Heat Exchangers
Heat exchangers come in many sizes and separate the flow of pool water from boiler water in a bundle of tubes. The boiler heat exchanged through the wall of the tubes into the pool water.Solar Heating Panels.
Mounted on a south facing roof or frame(s), a series of panels are joined together to collect heat from the sun, this is transferred into the pool water. An automatic valve controlled by a sensor bypasses the system if the water in the panels starts to cool the pool instead of heating it. Some models are integrated in to the system via a heat exchanger.
All of the above systems can easily be fitted to pools, spas and baptisteries.
