In Phoenix, Arizona, we’re known for very hot temperatures during our summers. Let’s face it, it gets extremely hot, so hot that you could probably cook some eggs on your driveway in the morning. What most people outside the state of Arizona don’t realize is our temperatures drop at least 40 degrees once we get into late fall and into winter. When you’re used to 112 degree summer days for 4 months, once we get to October the temperatures drop to the 90s and then in November temps can fluctuate between the 70s and 60s. We really don’t have a gradual decrease that gets us used to colder weather. As a matter of fact, technically speaking, we have two seasons, hot and cold. There is no in between.
How Does A Swimming Pool Heat Pump Work?
As you can imagine, people use their pools everyday in the warm months. It’s almost insane not having a pool in Phoenix during the summer. As much as people use their pools during the summers here, there are a lot of homeowners that also use their pools during the winter months too. Yes, I said they use their pools during winter. We don’t have the winters that most states have where temps are in the 20s or 30s and where snow is the norm. While we’re so used to hot temperatures, when our winter months dip to the 60s, to most Phoenicians, that’s really cold. But that doesn’t stop people from using their pools. Many people here in the valley of the sun have pool heat pumps to keep their pool water warm and allow them to keep active with their swimming activities.
Winter Swimming In Glendale & Phoenix
To most the thought of swimming in the winter seems crazy, but not here! Even though temperatures get cold by our standards we still have a lot of sunny days. When your pool water is kept warm by a pool heat pump you’re able to stay active with swimming exercise and stay consistent with pool lounging activities. While most people see a pool heat pump as something that allows them to swim all year long, most don’t stop to think about how this unique piece of pool equipment works. Let’s break this down.
Pool heat pumps are circulatory systems typically powered by gas or electricity. There are even some new pool heaters that are powered entirely by solar energy, which can be quite useful here in sunny Arizona.
ELECTRIC POOL HEAT PUMP
A heat pump uses electricity to operate but they also use the sun-warmed air which contributes to the efficiency of the unit. Heat pump pool heaters do not generate heat. Your existing pool pump circulates the water through the heater and warms the pool. The FAN circulates air through the outer EVAPORATOR AIR COIL that acts as a heat collector. The liquid refrigerant in the air coil absorbs the available heat in the ambient air transforming it into a gas. The refrigerant gas is then pumped into the COMPRESSOR. When this warmed gas is compressed, it intensifies or concentrates the heat like a magnifying glass in the sun. This intensely hot gas is then pumped into the HEAT EXCHANGER CONDENSER where the actual heat transfer takes place. As the pool water passes through the heat exchanger, the hot gas gives up its heat to the cooler pool water. The refrigerant returns to a liquid state and is pumped through the EXPANSION VALVE then into the evaporator air coil to start the process all over again.
SOLAR POOL HEAT PUMP
Solar heating systems harness free energy coming from the sun. The way they work is by pumping water from the pool and conducting it through a series of flexible tubes or else through a series of panels – otherwise known as, in either case, a solar collector. On its passage through the solar collector which is usually mounted on the roof of the house, the water is heated by the sun before being allowed to flow back into the pool. Since the size of the solar collector area depends entirely on the size of your pool, the purchase price of the solar heating system will vary.
Pool Heater Maintenance & Repairs In Glendale & Phoenix
If you live here in Phoenix or Glendale and own a pool, a heat pump can make the difference between swimming for 4-5 months a year and swimming all year. If you enjoy your pool and love lounging or exercising in the water, you may want to consider a brand new heat pump for your pool. For those who currently do not own a pool heat pump and have questions please feel free to contact our offices at 623-825-7004 or visit us online.
