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POOL & SPA HEATING

Talk to us about all your pool and spa heating needs

Enjoy your Gold Coast pool year-round with a high efficiency heating solution.

Pool heating is in hot demand

With a longer than average swimming season, you might imagine there is little demand for pool heating on the Gold Coast.

On the contrary, Queenslanders value their active, outdoor lifestyles. Home-life often revolves around the swimming pool. Many people not only use their pool as a focal point for relaxing and entertaining, but also for exercise.


At the same time, heat pump technology has leaped ahead. Modern heat pumps are both extremely efficient and high-performing, making pool heating an affordable luxury. 

Just want to say thank you. Heating our pool has been a great investment and we haven't noticed a lot difference to our power bills. The heater runs during the day and uses mostly solar power.

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How does a swimming pool heat pump work?

A heat pump works like an air-conditioner in reverse. In fact, you can also use it to cool your pool water!

 

For heating, the heat pump sucks in air from the environment and circulates it through an evaporator coil. Liquid refrigerant inside the coil absorbs the heat and passes it through a compressor that super-heats the gas before passing it through a heat exchange condenser. Here the heat is transferred to the pool water before the process begins again.


Warm water enters your pool via inlets. When the desired water temperature is reached, the system stops heating and only turns on only periodically to test the water temperature. 


The system can be controlled to operate on a timer. If your home has a solar PV system, you may be able to reduce operating costs by running your pool heater when your solar panels are generating maximum power.

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How efficient is heat pump pool heating?

Heat pump technology is particularly efficient in South East Queensland conditions.

 

The Gold Coast’s high median ambient temperature range helps with performance efficiencies. Even in mid-winter, average overnight temperatures rarely dip below 11° to 12° Celsius.


Compared with conventional pool heating, a heat pump is around five times more efficient than electric element heating, and typically less than a quarter the running cost of LPG gas.

 
The latest step
less DC inverters control motor speed to reduce power consumption and noise even further. The result is an efficient, affordable heating system that is well suited to Gold Coast conditions.

What about solar heating?

Solar heating is an efficient and environmentally friendly way to heat your pool. However, it has limitations.

 

For pool owners who would like to significantly extend their swimming season, solar heating takes longer to heat up and requires a large surface area in the right location to ensure direct sunlight on the solar collector.


By comparison, a heat pump will provide faster heating than solar and continue working in air temperatures as low as minus 5°C.

 

Another benefit of heat pumps is that they entail no extensive pipework. As you can see in the image, solar pipework requires significant space, whereas a heat pump system is contained wholly within the pool pump house.

Compare solar vs. heat pump pool heating >

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How much does it cost to heat a swimming pool?

Heat pump technology has advanced, which has significantly reduced the cost of pool heating.

 

Generally speaking, for an average pool (8 m x 4 m) with no pool cover + an eight-month swimming season + the water temperature set to 28°C + standard peak power at 30 cents per kW, the annual operating cost would be approximately $1,432. 


With a pool cover used over night, the cost would be approximately $230 for an eight-month swim season, or $1,100 for twelve months.


If the pool cover was left on 22 hours a day (assuming two hours of actual use per day), it would cost around $70 for an eight-month swim season or $600 for year-round use.

If the system was powered in whole or part by self-generated solar power, your pool heating costs would be reduced further.

This information was current at 22 March 2024.

Cut your heating costs further with a pool cover

A pool cover or pool blanket can reduce your pool heating costs by up to half + reduce evaporation + help to keep your pool clean

Remco Swimroll Pool Cover in operation

Remco Swimroll Pool Cover in operation

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We install and recommend Remco automatic, manual, and thermal pool covers

Talk to us about a traditional pool blanket or motorised integrated pool cover.

What size heat pump will you need for your pool?

When recommending a heat pump for your swimming pool, we take into account physical factors, such as water volume, location, natural heating (direct sun), and whether a thermal pool cover will be in use.


We also make sure that we understand your goals:

  • How do you wish to use your pool? Extend the swimming season by a few months or year-round?

  • What is your desired swimming temperature?

  • Do you have a solar PV system attached to your home? 

What do you get for your investment?

Swimming pool heating benefits

Extended swimming season

Improved comfort and enjoyment

Automated control + inverter technology

May increase your home's value

Should you replace your old pool heater?

Your 'old tech' pool heater could be costing you five or six times more to run than a similar capacity unit that uses the latest heat pump technologies.

If your existing pool heater uses an electric element or gas burner, it is certainly worth investigating its replacement. 


We’d be pleased to take a look at your current setup and prepare a no obligation costing.

We recommend EvoHeat pool and spa heating 

EvoHeat is Australian owned and operated company. They offer a 25-year manufacturer warranty on their heat exchangers and up to five years on compressors. 

Contact us about current promotions.

Get a free pool heating evaluation

No obligation assessment and quote

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