Show The Short Answer Part of the difference in the time it takes the pool heat pump to heat the water depends on whether or not you have a pool cover. It also depends on where you live: if you live in Sydney, you’re looking at potentially 24 hours or less; if you live in Melbourne, it could take a day or so longer. The reason for this is because pool heat pumps are capable of warming the water of an average 32 m2 (42,000 litre) backyard pool by around 0.5ᵒ C per hour. The Longer
Answer And it depends on the rate at which your pool is actually losing heat. Even though the pump is pushing in warm water at one end, your pool is still losing heat to the atmosphere. As a result, an uncovered pool will experience a slower heat gain than one that is covered. Additionally, climate and geography play a factor. That’s because the actual amount of heat that the pool heat pump delivers to the water in any given hour is affected by the amount of wind, the ambient air temperature, and humidity. Starting Water Temperature Average Water Temperatures of Unheated Pools –Without Pool Covers (ᵒ C)
Average Water Temperatures of Unheated Pools – With Pool Covers (ᵒ C)
Pool Heat Loss Through evaporation alone, an uncovered 32 m2 pool in summer will lose heat at a rate of around 0.06 C or more per hour. More than that at night, and even more still if your pool is located in a windy area; in fact, even a gentle breeze of around 10km per hour will almost double the rate of heat loss. Additionally, in spring and autumn, the cooler nighttime temperatures increase the heat loss from the pool’s surface water. The net effect is that your pool water temperature isn’t benefiting from the full warming effects that your pool heat pump is delivering. That’s why a pool cover is so important. It’s all very well to heat the pool, but it’s equally important to retain the heat. On a daily basis, a good pool cover will retain at least 75% of you pool’s heat loss. Ambient Air Temperature and Humidity Although most electric heat pumps will operate efficiently even in air temperatures as low as 7°C, below that there is a risk of ice forming on their condensers thereby causing mechanical failure. In Australia, however, humidity is a more significant factor. Most pool heat pumps work at maximum efficiency (i.e. heat your pool quicker) at around 80% relative humidity. At 60% relative humidity their heat producing ability is around 6-8% lower. Additionally, ambient air temperature and humidity directly affects the rate of evaporation, as a consequence, swimming pool heat loss. The lower the humidity and the higher the surface water temperature, the greater the rate of evaporation. Approximate Daily Heating Effect of a pool Heat Pump
How Long a Pool Heat Pump Will Take to Heat You Pool – Region by Region Approximate Number of Days to Heat Pools to 28ᵒ C –Without Pool Covers (ᵒ C)
Approximate Number of Days to Heat Pools to 28ᵒ C – With Pool Covers (ᵒ C)
For more information on swimming pool heat pumps, Click Here. Related Reading: Should I heat my pool at night?You should never leave your pool heater on overnight. Doing so is not efficient and will cost you more than it would if you just turned the pool heater off. While many of us know that heating a pool can take up to several hours, running it overnight defeats the purpose of heating it at all.
How long does it take to heat a pool for the first time?It depends on a few things to determine how long it takes a heat pump to heat a pool. However, overall a heat pump generally heats a pool after 24 to 72 hours by 20-degrees Fahrenheit. For smaller pools like a spa pool, the heat pump can heat a pool between 45 and 60 minutes.
Should I heat my pool at night or during the day?Some heaters may take 24 hours before it gets the desired heat, while others can do it overnight. The best way is to switch it on the night before so you can have a warmer pool the next day. For those who want to keep their pool warm all day and night, lowering the temperature is better than shutting it off.
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