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Geothermal Pool Heating

Geothermal Pool Heating

 

Geothermal Heated PoolImagine that the spring is here and the cooling season is quickly approaching. Your pool that has been out of commission after the very cold winter is likely to stay that way unless you turn the pool heater on. That can get VERY expensive if you are using traditional pool heating methods.  Like geothermal sourced heating and cooling systems, geothermal pool heat pumps provide a high level of energy efficiency. They do that by working with the constant earth temperatures to provide heating for your pool throughout your desired swimming season (even year round if properly designed).

There are a few different ways that a pool is normally heated; Fossil fuel, electric resistance, solar, or heat pump (either “air sourced” or “geothermal sourced”).

Solar-thermal is often considered the most energy efficient and renewable source for potable water and pool heating, but solar is dependent upon the cooperation of the weather. Cloudy and cool days can mean a cold pool necessitating the need for backup heating sources during those times.  That backup can be expensive to install and operate.                                                                                    

Fossil fuel (natural gas or propane) heating of potable water, pools and spas is an old favorite. Up front cost is relatively low, but the use of the system can be very high monetarily as you move forward.  People often end up not utilizing the pool heating system as often as they would prefer because of the monthly cost to run the system.  In addition to high costs for propane and other fuels, there are safety issues when fossil fuels are used.

Electric resistance heating uses raw electricity to warm heating elements over which the water passes, providing a clean and safe water heating alternative, but it can be extremely expensive to oporate. Using the Coefficient of Performance (COP) rating system (used internationally) for heating equipment, electric heating has a COP of 1.0, meaning that 1 unit of heat is provided for each unit of electricity, a one-to-one ratio, or 100% efficient in the COP rating system.

Air source heat pumps designed for pool and potable water heating use outside air, pumping heat out of the ambient air into your pool or hot water tank.  However, they too rely somewhat on cooperative weather conditions, that is; air temperatures being warm enough to facilitate extraction of heat to transfer to potable water and/or pool heating needs.  Air source heat pump efficiencies are in the 3.0 COP ranges (300% efficient).

For swimming pool and spa heating, the best scenario is attained with a geothermal sourced water to water heat pump, pulling heat from a dependable, steady and renewable energy source; the earth.  Geothermal heat pumps can be about 5.0 COP (500% efficient) and do not rely whatsoever on outside air temperatures.

Outside, temperatures fluctuate with the changing seasons, but underground temperatures don’t change nearly as dramatically, thanks to the mass of the earth. Just 4 to 6 feet below the ground, the temperature remains relatively constant year round (about 50F-54F degrees in East-Tennessee). A geothermal sourced water to water heat pump, which can work in tandem with your geothermal HVAC system, typically consists of a water sourced heat pump and a buried system of pipes called an earth/water loop. This geothermal source can be shared between the building’s HVAC and pool heating systems.  Thus, no additional pipes in the ground are required if you also utilize geothermal HVAC for your home.

There are tens of thousands of geothermal heated pools around in the US.  There is a good chance that the local YMCA, hotel, health club or community pool near you already has geothermal sourced pool heating.  They know geothermal is dependable and ultra-efficient.

Stop paying two and three times to move energy, and share the loads in your home; enjoy true thermal load sharing with a geothermal HVAC system.

We install Geothermal pool systems all over East-Tennessee including in Knoxville, Alcoa, Maryville, Oak Ridge, Farragut, Lenoir City, Tellico Village and Sevierville areas. Please give us a call today for a free quote!

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