Want to save money on spa running costs? A heat pump could be just what you need to keep your spa warm for less, all year round.
Spa pools and swim spas are great for relaxation and fitness but unless they’re set up right – they can cost a bit to run. That’s where a spa heat pump comes in.
It’s an energy efficient, cost effective way to heat water without draining your wallet.
A spa pool heat pump is similar to a heat pump you would use in your home but instead of heating or cooling the air in a room – it works to heat (or cool) the water in your spa.
Heat pumps can be used with spas, swim spas, plunge pools and even swimming pools.
These heaters take about the same amount of time to warm the water as standard built in electric elements but they do it way more efficiently.
Also, while other spa heating methods can only heat the water – a spa heat pump is able to actively cool the water down. This is ideal if you want to use your spa or swim spa to cool off on hot summer days.
Spa heat pumps work like reverse cycle air conditioners. A spa heat pump takes the heat from the ambient air and transfers it to your spa through a heat exchanger.
A spa heat pump can also reverse the cycle and cool your spa in the summer months by taking heat from your spa and putting it out into the ambient air.
By using refrigeration technology, a heat pump can output up to five times more energy in heat compared to what it consumes in electricity. That’s a fraction of the energy gas or electric heaters require to generate the same amount of heat output.
Heat pumps are by far the most energy efficient and cost effective way to heat your spa.
Using refrigeration technology, they heat your spa water much faster and use less energy than the spa’s inbuilt electric heaters.
In fact, heat pumps are up to 75 percent more efficient than electricity and up to 55 percent more than gas.
Given that a spa should last you up to 20 years, that’s thousands of dollars in savings over the lifetime of your spa.
How much it will cost you to heat your spa with a heat pump depends on a range of factors including:
As an example, a conventional spa heater turns 1 kilowatt of electricity into 1 kilowatt of heat.
In comparison, the Vortex™ hybrid heat pump turns 1 kilowatt of electricity into 5 kilowatts of heat – effectively giving you up to 4 kilowatts of heat for free.
Over a short amount of time, the electricity savings repay the investment outlay resulting in a $0 net cost. In fact, the return on investment can be as short as 12 months for a swim spa and 2 to 3 years for a spa.
For every 1 kilowatt of electricity a standard electric heater consumes it only outputs 1 kilowatt of heat.
In comparison, for every 1 kilowatt of electricity the SV Series heat pumps consume they output up to 5.5 kilowatts of heat.
The higher output 8.8kW and 12kW models generate even larger amounts of ‘free’ energy.
Spa heat pumps range in price from $1500 to around $4,500 depending on the brand, model and size of the unit.
Even within the same brand, you will find quite a price difference depending on the kilowatt rating, unit size and quality.
As an example, we’ve compared four models of SpaNet® heat pumps (one of the world’s most popular heat pump brands). Please note: Prices were accurate at the time of writing. For latest pricing please visit Spa World.
SpaNet® heat pump prices:
Most spas are heated using the existing spa element.
This is fine for small spas or a spa that doesn’t have much use, but if you own or are buying a swim spa, 5+ seater spa, or using your spa more than three times a week – a heat pump is a great option for reducing running costs.
You might say – “I dont’ want to pay $3k for a heat pump”, but you will be paying for it anyway in electricity. After just a few years of spa use with a heat pump it will have paid for itself through power savings.
For example, if you have a 6kw heater element built into a spa using 6kw of energy that’s chewing a lot of power in winter. Whereas a heat pump is using 3kw of power.
Put another way, a standard inline heater element is 100 percent efficient. So that’s one unit of power in one unit of energy out. With a heat pump it’s 1.3 units of energy in and 8.8 units of power out. Quite a return on your investment.
Another benefit of heat pumps over inbuilt spa heaters, is that In summer, you can reverse the cycle to cool your spa pool water and provide respite from high temperatures.
Yes, in the right circumstances – we think a spa heat pump is definitely worth it.
Don’t be put off by the price of a heat pump. The power savings on a mid-range spa can pay your heat pump off in as little as three years or less – making it an incredibly worthwhile investment.
As mentioned above, it does depend on your circumstances. For example, we would not recommend a spa heat pump for spas that cost under $7k as the heat pump would be almost half the total cost of your investment.
In this situation – you might be better off opting for a heavy duty ‘insulation upgrade’ which will still help reduce heating costs but the upfront cost is a lot less.
It is well worth considering a heat pump for your spa if you want an energy efficient, cost-effective way to heat your spa or swim spa.
While a spa heat pump can be an excellent long term investment that can pay for itself in the long run through reduced heating bills – they are suited to some situations more than others, as we explain below.
A spa heat pump is a good option if:
If you answered yes to either of the above options, then you should definitely consider purchasing a spa heat pump with your new spa or adding one to your existing spa or swim spa.
A spa heat pump may not be a good option if:
Please note: If a Purezone™ filter is included in your spa, it should not be used in conjunction with a heat pump as it may cause a water flow error. We recommend using only appropriate pleated filters with heat pumps.
As a general rule, spas up to 2,500L in volume will need a heat pump of around 5.5kW to 6kW.
A bigger spa or swim spa with a volume of up to 5,000L will need a heat pump with power output of 9kW.
The bigger the heating unit, the faster it will heat up. (But bigger heat pumps will use more power too!)
Heat pump size guide:
Spa heat pump pros:
Spa heat pump cons:
Certainly! Spa pool heat pumps are primarily designed to heat water to your desired temperature, ensuring a warm and relaxing spa experience. However, many models are equipped with a reversible feature that allows them to also cool the spa water. This functionality is particularly handy during hot summer days when the water may become uncomfortably warm.
The way heat pumps work is by transferring heat from one place to another. To heat your spa pool, they extract warmth from the surrounding air and transfer it into the water. When set to cooling mode, the process is reversed – the pump draws heat out of the water, releasing it into the outside air, thereby lowering the water temperature.
It's important to note that not all spa pool heat pumps have the cooling feature, so if this is something you think you'll use, be sure to check the specifications of the model you're interested in. Those that do offer cooling tend to be more versatile, giving you the flexibility to maintain the perfect water temperature regardless of the season or ambient conditions. With a spa pool heat pump that both heats and cools, you can enjoy your spa year-round, exactly the way you like it.
Depending on your spa or swim spa installation, you can easily switch the heating on your existing spa or swim spa over to a heat pump. Once installed, you should notice a big reduction in your heating bill.
The heat pump is an external unit that can be located anywhere from right next to your spa to a few metres away (depending on the situation).
Keep in mind that as an external unit it will need to be installed by a spa technician.
You will also need to find somewhere nearby to place it – the closer to the spa, the better. We recommend no further than 5 metres from the spa for optimal performance.
The heat pump is connected to your spa or swim spa via plumbing and electricity cables.
The power for your heat pump comes directly from the spa itself. The heat pump will override the spa’s built in conventional electric element to heat the water.
Heat pumps are ideally integrated with the spa’s operating system so it detects the heat pump on startup and the temperature control is synced.
Important: Be aware that not all spas are compatible with heat pumps. Check with the salesperson if the spa you are interested in or already own will work with a heat pump.
We hope this article has helped you decide if a spa heat pump is worth it or not.
For more information about heat pumps and anything spa-related – we are here to help.
Visit your local Spa World showroom or schedule a virtual consultation with one of our spa experts. We are here to help you make the best decision for you.
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