www.swimmingpoolnews.co.uk
HeatPumps OCT 2011 SPN
53
How to heat their pool is probably the biggest decision pool owners face. Heat pumps provide a quick fix solution that not only saves energy but reduces costs for a minimal outlay that will see payback in a few years. These days it isn’t a case of whether or not to buy a heat pump – it’s a case of which one to choose and why
By Alan Lewis
WHAT TO LOOK FOR WHEN MAKING A BUYING DECISION
• There’s no industry standard on rating the output of heat pumps. Don’t try to undersize when it comes to a heat pump in a bid to save money.
• When it comes to performance and efficiency, check that data given out by the distributor applies to tests carried out in the UK and that they are genuine and accurate.
• Heat pump models are available in different kW duties and the correct output capacity must be mated to a particular size of swimming pool.
• The laws of commerce dictate that as with most purchses, you will probably get what you pay for and that remains a fair and reliable guide.
• There are many claims made about noise levels. Ask for a pump to be connected so it can be checked and confirmed.
he past few years have seen an increasing number of heat pumps trickle on to the market. In terms of the future it seems the trickle might turn into a downpour. It isn’t a decision now for pool owners about whether or not to buy a heat pump. They are superbly successful and are the only humidity control system which recovers more energy than it uses.
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An efficient heat pump can give a power ratio up to 5:1, for every kW of electricity used the equivalent of five kW‘s are returned to the pool water. On a typical municipal leisure centre with a 25 metre learner pool, a heat pump based system can
save over 250 tonnes of CO2 emissions per annum compared to a recuperator based air handling unit. So they also pass the environmental test. The decision facing pool owners is more to do with how to make a choice of which product is suitable and at what cost. The number of brands on the market is growing and the chances are they will increase significantly in the next two years – mainly with imports from China and the Far East. Heat pumps themselves will continue to develop individual styles, different looks and names and features to attract prospective clients. All of them, along with those already fighting
for UK market share in an increasingly competitive market, will all be marketed on the basis of a lower price and improved technical performance. The good news is that competition is normally a good thing for the consumer – offering greater choice and often a resultant cheaper product. The bad news and one concerning many is that the consumer is going to find it increasingly difficult to sort out the tested and genuine performance levels of a heat pump brand.
Paul Scott, Technical Director of Heatstar, says: “Products with good, genuine specifications could find themselves lost in a fog of unjustifiable and over-inflated performance claims.
“Whilst pricing is straight forward, any importer would be well advised to performance bench test a selection of models themselves in the UK to validate the ‘claimed’ performance ability and to know where they genuinely stand with such issues. Whilst this may be common sense, it is surprising how many importers new to this market have still not done this.
“Brands will come and go, but which brands and importers will stand the test of time? That’s easy – it will be the ones who offer an effective, reliable product and provide good after sales support – it’s that simple.
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