Swimming pools are incredible, but maintaining their temperature may require a substantial amount of money depending on the equipment used for heating purposes.In this article, I will walk you through the operating costs of installing a pool heat pump using Walnut, California, as a case study and compare them against other heating options, while also recommending several specific products.
Pool Heat Pump Running Cost
A normal Pool heat pumps are known for their efficiency, but how much will they actually cost you to run? Let’s do the math.
Assumptions:
Heat pump: 48k BTU (≈ 4.5 kW input power)
Location: Walnut, CA
Average residential electricity price: $0.27/kWh
Daily operation: 8 hours (typical usage)
Calculation:
Daily cost=4.5 kW×8 hours×0.27=$9.72 /day
Monthly cost=$9.72×30 ≈ $291.60 /month
Note: Heat pumps are superior to resistive heating systems. Their COP is approximately 5, meaning that the thermal energy output is five times the electrical energy consumed. Consequently, your electricity costs will be significantly reduced.
BluePlenum Pool Heater Running Cost
Here, we’ll use the BluePlenum Flow Pro 48 as the example and calculate the running cost using the same assumptions above.
Calculation:
Daily cost = 1.1 kW × 8 hours × $0.27 = $2.38/day
Monthly cost = $2.38 × 30 ≈ $71.28/month
The maximum COP for BluePlenum pool heat pumps may reach as high as 16.2. Nevertheless, in our calculations, the average COP figure of 8 has been chosen to represent a realistic daily performance of pool heating.
This also means that real-life operational costs may be considerably lower due to weather and other environmental conditions. In ideal situations, energy efficiency would be greater still, making it possible to decrease electrical usage.
Here is the list of estimated operational costs for all BluePlenum pool heat pumps under normal conditions of use.
Heater Type |
Daily Cost ($) |
Monthly Cost ($) |
Power (kW) |
BTU |
COP/ Efficiency |
2.38 |
71.28 |
1.1 |
48000 |
8-16.2 |
|
2.81 |
84.24 |
1.3 |
58000 |
8-16.2 |
|
3.89 |
116.64 |
1.8 |
80000 |
8-16.2 |
|
5.18 |
155.52 |
2.4 |
107000 |
8-16.2 |
Comparing with Gas and Electric Heaters
Let’s see how a heat pump stacks up against other common pool heating options.
Heater Type |
Daily Cost ($) |
Monthly Cost ($) |
Power (kW) |
BTU |
COP/ Efficiency |
BluePlenum Inverter Heater |
2.38 |
71.28 |
1.1 |
48000 |
8-16.2 |
Regular Inverter Heater |
9.72 |
291.60 |
4.5 |
48000 |
5.0 |
Electric Heater |
30.24 |
907.20 |
14 |
48000 |
1.0 |
Gas Heater |
21.00 |
630.00 |
- |
48000 |
0.85 |
Summary
Heat pumps are one of the most effective means for heating a swimming pool. Instead of relying on costly and environmentally unfriendly gas or resistive electric heaters, the efficiency of heat pumps allows them to generate significantly more energy compared to the amount of energy consumed by them.
The future of swimming pool heating belongs to inverter heat pumps, as they provide substantial cost reductions while maintaining minimal environmental damage.
For maximum savings and efficiency:
- Install solar pool covers: This helps retain warmth during night time and lowers the operating time for your pool pump.
Set timers and thermostats: This will prevent unnecessary operation and keep your pool at a constant temperature.
Make seasonal adjustments: During summer, limit the operating hours even more to save money.
Keep maintenance in check: This helps increase energy efficiency and extends equipment life span.
When using the heat pump efficiently, one will not only be saving money but enjoying a pleasant swim throughout the entire year.