Heat Your Pool Efficiently

Q: We are looking for an efficient pool heater that can help lower the operating costs of our facility. Are there any high-efficiency heaters available that will suit our purposes?

A: If you want to heat your pool water with the most efficient system available, look for a high-efficiency heater designed specifically for commercial pools.

The job of a heat exchanger is to capture the heat from burning gas and transfer it to the pool's water. The more efficiently it does this, the better. But the combination of operating heat and pool chemicals can be very tough on heat exchangers, potentially leading to corrosion and failure.

To prevent these potential problems, look for a high-efficiency heater with a direct-fire heat exchanger made from pure titanium. This type of heater will provide a long life, even under extreme conditions, and titanium is the most corrosion-resistant material available in the industry.

You can find a 400,000 BTU high-efficiency heater with a direct-fire heat exchanger made from pure titanium that features a 96 percent thermal efficiency rating—the highest in its class. Look for heaters built with ASME-certified construction. Units should offer ultra-quiet operation and be easy to install, whether indoors or outside.

Talk to your manufacturer about flexibility for installation, as well, including ability to vent with PVC for air intake and venting.

Q: We want to do as much as we can to reduce the cost of heating our pool. What else should we consider?

A: In addition to looking for the most efficient heaters available, you should consider using a pool cover to prevent heat from escaping your pool when temperatures drop overnight. A pool cover will serve the added benefit of preventing evaporation when your pool is not in use. The less water you lose to evaporation, the less energy—and cost—it will take to heat the pool's water.

Q: What else can we do to improve efficiency?

A: Pool equipment manufacturers offer a wide variety of technologies to help improve efficiency in pool operations. Talk to your manufacturer about the options available to you.

For example, one of the fastest and simplest ways to reduce energy consumption is to replace incandescent lights with LED lighting.

You also should consider adding a variable frequency drive to your pump room. Variable frequency drives, or VFDs, are designed specifically to help aquatic facilities save energy and operating costs. The units increase pump performance, resulting in energy savings of up to 98 percent, and providing quick payback on the investment.

Automated chemical controllers are another option for improving efficiency at your pool. These systems will interface to protect, monitor and manage water chemical balance in aquatic facilities. They react on a continual basis to keep water quality consistent. When water quality is consistent, you will be less likely to have to replace your pool's water, a costly endeavor, in terms of resources.