To determine what size Heat Pump is right for you the questions to ask are:
Surprisingly, Fibreglass Pools are the warmest of all. Concrete Pools are tricky, as they conduct heat/cold through the concrete to the soil, so effectively you are heating the water, the concrete & the soil surround. Vinyl in-ground pools are not too bad, but any portion of a Vinyl Pool that is out of the ground really drains the heat from the water quite quickly.
If you choose not to use a cover on your pool at all, please expect to be recommended a larger size Heat Pump as a cover slows down heat loss dramatically. A simple Solar Blanket (one of the bubble wrap covers) works really well at retaining heat on an outdoor pool. On an indoor pool a Thermal Blanket is the recommendation. If a cover is not possible, please consider the use of Liquid Blanket. This is the fallback option as it does retain some heat in the water as well as slowing down water evaporation.
This plays a huge role in determining the size and model of Heat Pump required. The warmer the ambient air, the smaller the Heat Pump. The colder the ambient air, the larger the Heat Pump. This includes night time as well as day time. Therefore, where you live & the typical weather temperatures for your location play a huge role in choosing a size. Wind is often an over-looked factor. Wind can rip the heat our of pool water. Choosing a larger size can combat these issues.
Sun on the water of the pool helps a lot as well as access to sun-warmed ambient air. Indoor Pools are notoriously difficult to heat as they usually have neither. Again, a larger size can overcome this problem.
The position of the Heat Pump may determine the type of Heat Pump you purchase; a front venting or top venting model. Heat Pumps must be able to ‘breathe’; have enough ambient air to draw in for the heat exchange process and then enough open air space to vent out the cold air.
Front venting models draw in warm ambient air pre-dominantly from the back, requiring 300-500mm clearance from any obstruction. They vent the cold air out in front (horizontally) and require up to 3m (dependent on the obstruction; solid or partial) open air clearance out in front.
Top venting models draw in the warm ambient air from the back, left & right sides, requiring 200-500mm clearance from any obstruction. The cold air is is vented up (vertically) requiring up to 2m (dependent on the obstruction; solid or partial) open air clearance above.
Failure to provide the right ventilation may result in reduced efficiency and increased noise. Summerwave have Installers & Technicians who are happy to assist with choosing the right position for your preferred Heat Pump model to maximize efficiency.
Once you have a type of Heat Pump in mind (front or top venting) you need to choose a model. Most people choose a model based on one of three things:
Front Venting