Top 6 Pool Heating Options in the UK

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In the UK some form of heating system is almost always required to reliably raise and control pool temperature.
A heating system should operate up to and until the water reaches that desired temperature. Specifying a heating system during the design phase of the swimming pool is created in close consultation with the client, and takes into account a number of factors:

Air/water heat pump

Heat pumps are gaining in popularity for heating pools, especially as the costs of fossil fuels continue to rise. A heat pump works by absorbing heat from the surrounding air and transferring it to the pool water. The ambient air doesn’t itself have to be warm though, clearly, the warmer the air, the more heat is available to extract, and the more efficiently the heat pump will operate.

High performance fuel oil heater

The same working principle as with an oil heater, but using natural gas, LPG or butane as the fuel. NB: Propane (LPG) and butane solutions offer the same advantages as natural gas, but the running costs are often considerably higher.

Electric Heating

Directly heats pool water via an array of stainless steel or titanium electric heating elements. With escalating electricity prices it is seen as the least viable of the direct heating systems and tends only to be installed in situations where there really is no other alternative.

Renewables – biomass, pellet, and log burners

Many consumers are looking to reduce their carbon footprint and their heating bills in the face of ever increasing fossil fuel costs, and solid-fuel renewable heating systems are gaining in popularity in that respect. The real value to consumers is to those looking to run a carbon-neutral system, as long as the fuel comes from a sustainable and replenished source, of course.

Solar – Evacuated tube

Evacuated tube solar systems are relatively efficient collectors of heat, converting the sun’s energy. Whilst they will collect much greater quantities of heat on sunny days, the point to note is that as long as sunlight reaches them, they still work to a degree, and are not reliant on ambient temperature either. However, as the sun is unreliable in the UK, it should only be considered as a secondary (i.e. back-up) system.

Hybrid

Using a combination of renewable and conventional heating systems the ultimate flexibility can be achieved to maintain all year round heat, cutting heating costs to a minimum.