As hurricane season approaches, it's crucial to ensure the safety of your property, including your…
Top Five Swimming Pool Heat Pump Manufacturers (Reviews/Ratings)
If you are considering the purchase of a swimming pool heat pump, you have probably come across many manufacturers. Consumers often have a difficult time deciding on a heat pump because so many choices are available. We at AquaCal want to take the stress out of your decision process. So in this article, we discuss some reputable heat pump manufacturers.
We first show a direct comparison of heat pumps from five well-known and highly regarded heat pump manufacturers.
Breakdown of Swimming Pool Heat Pump Specifications
| Manufacturer | Model | COP* | BTU Output* | Heat Exchanger | Warranty |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AquaCal® | SQ220 | 6.5 | 143,000 | Titanium | Parts 7 Years Labor 2 Years Heat Exchanger Lifetime Compressor 7 Years |
| Hayward | HP21404T | 6.0 | 140,000 | Titanium | Parts 2 Years Labor 1 Years Heat Exchanger 10 Years Compressor 5 Years |
| Jandy | JE3000T3 | 6.1 | 132,000 | Titanium | Parts 1 Year Labor 1 Year Heat Exchanger 5 Years Compressor 5 Years |
| Pentair | 140 | 5.8 | 140,000 | Titanium | Parts 2 Years Labor 2 Years Heat Exchanger 10 Years Compressor 10 Years |
| Rheem | R8450ti | 5.6 | 140,000 | Titanium | Parts 7 Years Labor 2 Years Heat Exchanger 10 Years Compressor 5 Years |
| *BTU and COP ratings are inside the scope of AHRI standard 1160 water temperature/ambient air/relative humidity | |||||
As you can infer from the chart above, all of these manufacturers heat pumps offer great value: they all operate efficiently and utilize advanced technology. You can find a summary of each manufacturer below.
- AquaCal: Founded 1981, AquaCal manufactures a wide variety of heat pumps. AquaCal is part of the HornerXpress family, who, through their international department, distributes its heat pumps nationally and worldwide. AquaCals heat pumps are manufactured in the United States.
- Hayward: Hayward has been serving the swimming pool industry for over 80 years. They consistently offer high-quality swimming pool products and excellent customer support. Hayward products are manufactured in the United States Hayward acquired Summit Heat Pumps in 2008 to complement their heating product line.
- Jandy: Founded in 1958, Jandy is a widely-recognized product brand among professionals in the swimming pool industry. The founder of Jandy, Andrew Pansini, created the first automatic swimming pool cleaner. In 2010, Zodiac Pool Care merged with Jandy Pool Products to become Zodiac Pool Systems. In June of 2003 the company acquired Air Energy and entered the Swimming Pool Heat Pump Market.
- Pentair: Since 1966, Pentair has offered exceptional swimming pool products that range from heat pumps to water features. Pentair is a global company, with over 30,000 employees and approximately 300 locations worldwide. Pentair introduced their UltraTemp Swimming Pool Heat Pump in November of 2008.
- Rheem: Rheem is a nationally-recognized brand that offers residential equipment and started producing Swimming Pool Heat Pumps under the Raypak division in 1997. Manufactured in Mexico, Rheem heat pumps are competitively priced, are reliable, and provide affordable swimming pool heating. They have proven their value to their customers since their foundation in the 1920s.
Hopefully this article helps you in your search for a quality heat pump. Feel free to leave your questions or thoughts in the comments below!
Related Posts
Hi,
I live on the intercostal in Delray Florida – we have sun exposure almost all day. our pool area is 1013sqf – Perimeter is 128lf and is 31,000gallons. I am looking for a heat pump that can also cool the water. Do you have an option that would work for my size pool and needs.
Good Morning Michael,
Hope you are doing well. Due to the size of your pool and the coastal winds, we will need to do a more in-depth sizing for your pool.
Please call us at 727-823-5642 & ask for our Heat Pump Tech Support line & we will be able to assist in this sizing for heat/cool unit(s).
Thanks,
Robert Brown
AquaCal Tech Support
We put in aquacal heater on one of my customers pools in December I have 3 Jandy heaters at various pools on my route I had to shut all three of those down when the weather hit 50 degrees the aquacal kept running and never missed a beat and kept the pool hot I love it I’ll never put anything else in but an aquacal
But dont you make Jandy’s heat pump now?
Good Morning Richard,
Hope you are doing well. We do assemble several models of Jandy systems at our Factory. These are made with their proprietary parts & to their design specifications.
Jandy carries their own warranty on these units & handles all troubleshooting & service while they are under warranty.
Thanks
Robert Brown
I am needing a real good heat pump for my 16X40 6.6′ deep inground that won’t break the bank. What does everyone think of the Hayward heat pro? Thank you,,,,Danny
Hi Danny,
AquaCal has a variety of heat pump models for any size pool. To determine what size unit would work for your pool, please visit our website and use the “Savings and Sizing Estimator”. If you have any questions or need assistance please call us at 727-823-5642.
I have a pooltech heat pump from 2003. Its finally dying so im going to replace it. My pool is salt water, has a jacuzzi waterstyle fall its 36 ft x 15 ft- 3-8 ft deep.negst size heat pump do you recommend? Im thinking 123,000 btu ? Also any companies around my area that can R&R mine, I am in 33412, thanks
Hi Gregg,
Using our sizing program, it looks like, the SuperQuiet SQ145 (119,000 BTU’s) or the Tropical T115 (112,000 BTU’s) would handle your pool, provided you are not right on the water with wind conditions. We have factory technicians throughout Florida to do service work. Please call us at 727-823-5642 if you would like to set up service. To purchase a new unit, you will need to contact a local dealer. Dealers can be found on our website under the “Where To Buy” tab.
Where do Jacuzzi brand fit and how do they compare with these well known brands? I am looking for a heat pump and variable speed pump. Is a sand filter OK with a heat pump?
Hi Bill,
There are no issues using a sand filter with a heat pump.
considering purchase of heat/cooling unit for 13K pool in fort myers, fl. summers are hot and pool water is in 85+ degrees for most of it and down to 40s (occasionally) in winter. have been told that dual units are more unreliable than conventional heat only unit–true or not? thanks
Hello Alvin,
There are a couple of advantages to having a heat/cool unit. First, they can cool your pool if it gets too warm in the summer. Second, they do operate better in lower ambient air temperatures for heating in the winter. If you have any questions please call us at 727-823-5642.
The original blog is now 4 years old. If you were to write the article now, would you change, add to or delete any information from the original?
I am looking for a heat pump that will be used primarily for pool cooling. In the DFW area, my pool temp routinely exceeds exceeds 90 degrees (ugh!) and the ambient air temps do not cool enough at night for any significant cooling by merely running the pool pump and water feature. I’m considering an AquaCal T1000 and a Pentair UltraTemp heat pump of similar size. Do you have any suggestions or other recommendations?
Hi Jerry,
Depending on the size of your pool the TC1000 or TC500 should be able to chill your pool to a comfortable temperature. AquaCal also manufactures units that Heat & Cool; the SQ120R and SQ166R. If you have any questions about these units please call us at 727-823-5642.
I had a SQ 145 heat pump installed for my 9,500 gal. pool recently.
The installer had to use (4 ) 90 degree PVC elbows to line up the inlet connection at rear of heat pump. QUESTION: Will the use of so many elbows restrict the water flow to the HP and degrade the efficiency of the heat pump ? Of course the installer said there was no problem.
Thank You,
George
Hello George,
The 4 – 90 degree PVC elbows will only present a problem if they cause the flow rate to the heat pump to drop below 30 GPM. Our heat pumps operate between 30 – 70 GPM. If the flow rate drops below 30 GPM, the unit will shut off and display “HP”. As long as your heat pump is running normally, the PVC elbows are not causing a flow issue or degrading the efficiency of the heat pump.
I am looking at your heat pump produce. The home I bought has a propane heater that is bad. Is it hard to switch to electric? Also My pool is 32×16 avg 4.5 deep.
Live In Florida but have some days 55/60 what size do I need to heat to 90 in the winter?
Hello Tom,
Where in Florida do you live? What city?
What kind of warranty on the compressor does aquacal have.
Hello Bob,
The compressor warranty depends on the year the unit was manufactured and the unit location (i.e. state & country). Where is the unit located and how long have you had it?
What size replacement Hayward Heat Pump do I need for a 10,000 gal. pool with a 500 gallon overflow spa? I want to be able to heat the spa or pool separately.
l live on Long Island…20 ft ropund above ground pool…moderate shade…solar cover…10,200 gals…what model of heat pump would I need? (Told Hayward Heat Pumps are subject to break downs)…compare aquacomfort vs aquacal?
Good afternoon Bob,
We will be happy to help you figure out the best heat pump for your above ground pool. Besides the size there are other factors that come into play when choosing the correct model. You can start with our heat pump operating cost estimator or you can contact us at 727.823.5642 to go over your specific pool. You can also send your contact information to customersupport@aquacal.com and we can have someone contact you as well.
I am installing a pool in SWF and want to know if the AquaCal Heat/Cool pump really allows the pool to be comfortable in 95 degree weather. Always lived up North and cold weather. But in SWF I don't see many people in their pools on a 95 degree day. What is the cost for something like this?
Good morning,
An Aquacal heat/cool heat pump will certainly be able to keep your pool at your desired temperature. There are different factors that have a direct impact on the correct unit for you. You can email customersupport@aquacal.com and provide us with your contact information, we can have someone contact you and guide you through the selection process.
Thank you for your question!
Salesman trying to sell me a Nirvana pool heater . Anyone ever hear of this company ?
Just bought one, lasted 4 months, NIRVANA is dragging its feet on replacement, DO NOT BUY!
Good morning Ron-
We would be happy to go over the different options available to you based on your location, pool size, etc. You can send your contact information to customersupport@aquacal.com and we can direct you to someone in your area or you can contact us directly at 727-823-5642 to discuss.
Thank you!
I am looking at buying a Leisure Temp heat pump from a dealer here and was told the Leisure Temp is the same as an Aqua Cal. Is that a true statement or out there some variations?
I have an AquaCal heat pump that is approximately seven years old. I know it's out of warranty but the display unit has been a problem since the beginning. It has been replaced a couple of times and is currently not functioning. I cannot read the display well enough to distinguish the numbers/temp. Also, it continues to run when the main pump is off. AquaCal 'central' has already written me off (they keep telling me the unit is now out of warranty; i know that, I just want to fix it and get one-two years' of uninterrupted service out of it). I called a local service tech who has to order a new control board. A $3,500 piece of equipment should work for more than a few years. I have washer/dryers that are 40 years old and still working; our refrigerator is almost that old. Any thoughts or suggestions would be appreciated.
R. Ross
Baton Rouge
Thank you for your comment Mr. Ross and we are sorry to hear about your issues with your unit. We encourage you to contact our customer support team (727.823.5642) or if you would like to email me your contact information (customersupport@aquacal.com) I will make sure that someone in the team contacts you to arrange a prompt solution to your issue.
Thank you!
What do you think of a Sunrunner heat pump for the pool?
Good afternoon Diane-
Sunrunner heat pumps are ok. They were being manufactured at our AquaCal facility until the end of the year but they are now manufacturing the units themselves, which makes them a new manufacturer and thus we do not have enough history for reliability or longevity. One thing you should keep in mind though, is that the heat exchanger utilized in their units adds 9 PSI at 45 GPM, this is equivalent to 9 feet of head, making them not compatible with variable speed pumps.
We hope this helps you with your decision, please feel free to leave any comments or any additional questions you may have, we will be happy to help!
I have a hybrid pool/spa that totals maybe 6000 gallons. I am located in southwest Louisiana and am considering a heat/cool pump. being only 41/2' deep the pool will be bath water warm july-sept. too hot to enjoy when it is 95 degrees outside. also in winter months I would like the water temp to be around 85-90. that's why I would like a heat/cool unit, mainly to maintain a constant temp year round. being such a small pool what unit do you recommend. thank you
Hello Tom,
The current model used for heating and cooling is the SQ166 and would be able to heat and cool 6000 gallons.
Feel free to contact us with any other questions at 727-823-5642 EXT 191
I bought a vacation/rental property in Orlando FL that was empty for 2yrs. The builders grade heater was shot. The Heater was ripped out because it was affecting the pool so i have no idea what size it was. It is about a 10,000gal pool w/ spa. I can not rent the home w/o a pool heater but I am concerned with how much my electric bill will sky rocket. I have had multple pool techs tell me pool heaters cost a fortune to run and that i may want to think twice. I am an hvac service tech by trade so I know heat pumps but not much about pool heaters. Can the heater only be run when wanted or does it have to maintain a constant pool temp? There is a dial timer in the pool enclosure but I'm not sure if that was for the spa or pool. My only concern is my energy bill and the best way to keep this down. What are your thoughts and breakdown. Thanks!
Good morning-
Thank you for your comment and we will be happy to help you research the different options. One of our representatives can contact you (via email only if you'd like) and go over the different factors that would affect the operating costs or you can start by utilizing our Heat Pump Operating Cost Estimator: Heat Pump Cost Estimator.
If you would like someone to contact you directly please feel free to email your contact information to: customersupport@aquacal.com
Thank you!
Good morning Andy-
Thank you for reaching out to us. Our warranty is NOT voided if self-installed…only if installed incorrectly which results in a failure of product. We recommend professional installation but don’t make it a condition of warranty coverage.
The sizing based on the limited data supplied should be adequate. Please let us know if there is anything else we can do to help you.
I have a 16,000 gallon pool with 500 gallon spill over.
I use the spa 10 to 20 times a year, when I do I want to run it at 104f.
I'm really not interested in heating the pool just the 95% of the time.
It would be nice to be able to heat the pool once or twice a year.
I'm looking at the AquaCal 1300 .
I do not like the fact that if I install it my self as I plain to do I loss my warranty
125,000 BTU'S should do the job.
What do you think…
I had a Rheem heat pump and just over the 5 1/2 year mark it went out spilling the oily lubricant into the pool. It was a disaster to clean, and after 3 bottles of the enzyme remover and taking apart and cleaning the filter system I finally got it all out. Now the warranty has past and my heat pump is dead. I am looking for a different heat pump now and the pool company that originally installed the Rheem said they now install T115 AquaCal. My pool is just under 10,000 gallons and I am in the Tampa Florida area. I have a Rheem air conditioner that has been sort of a lemon and the pool heat pump probably has run less than 50 hours since it was put in, so I'm afraid of getting another lemon. What do you think of the T115 AquaCal? Does it have a good record? Another problem we had was that the pool company that installed our pool didn't put a shut off valve for the heat pump, so we had to wait for someone to come and look at it and they still didn't put one on and my husband ended up having to disconnect from the heat pump move it over and put one on, because we couldn't get ride of the oily substance. Now the water is cold and I can't use the pool and can't warm it up to use it. Please help I have been dealing with this for almost a month now and I am frustrated.
Good afternoon and thank you for contacting us. AquaCal has been manufacturing heat pumps since 1981 and we have installed our units in over 200,000 residential and commercial locations worldwide. We would be happy to arrange someone to contact you to go over the specs for your pool and make sure that the correct size heat pump for you. You can fill out this form to have someone contact you: http://aquacal.com/ready-to-purchase/?cta-sidebar or you can provide us with your email address and we will have someone contact you that way.
I have completed the form. In advance of receiving a contact, which of the Aquacal heat pumps is ideal for a 750sf (30,000 gallon) pool?
Good afternoon- Were you contacted by one of your representatives? Do you need further help with this? Please let us know!
We need to replace an existing heat pump. Location is in the DC metro area (Maryland). Can you help and whom should I contact?
Good morning!
We will be happy to help you find someone close to your location, please follow this link to the form, this allows us to put you in contact with a professional closer to you : http://aquacal.com/ready-to-purchase/?cta-sidebar
Thank you!
I don't see AquaComfort in your list of reputable heat pumps/manufacturers. Do you have any information on them as we are looking to replace for a 800sf pool in MD.
Good afternoon-
Unfortunately we have no reputable or reliable information on AquaComfort as they are a relatively new manufacturer and have not joined AHRI. Which most major and reputable manufacturers have joined.
AHRI certification is needed in many states to legally install a heat pump. It is also the agency that monitors the heat pumps performance nationally and the reference used for this article.
Please let us know if we can help or answer any other questions you may have!
Has anybody asked this question: When the heat pump is running, putting heat into the water, it unloads the cool via the air exchanger on the unit. Is it possible, that I install a 3 way valve and divert this cool to my heat exchanger into my exchanger in my house? I would suspect that at different times of the year, I would like to capture both sides living in AZ
Thank you for your question.
Without getting too technical, the heat pump accomplishes it water heating by removing heat from the air. So, to take advantage of that cool air one would need to direct that cool air into the space you desire to condition. That becomes a very challenging engineering task involving ductwork to carry the air where you want it and controllers to know when to do that and when not to.
The other challenging aspect to the concept is that most often, when we desire heating for our pools, we typically don’t need air conditioning for our living spaces. So, the energy sharing just doesn’t typically align.
We appreciate the desire to get the most out of your energy footprint and congratulate you on your decision to use a very energy efficient pool heating system. It would be a great marriage, the union you are exploring. It just most often is a bad match economically and seasonally.
In AZ this idea would work March April, May, Oct. and Nov. Those 5 months the pool is cool, and the house is hot.
2 options> 1. would involve alot of Duct work to have it routed to system, Or just blow it into my attic.
Those 2 ideas I had not put to much thought too.
My main idea with the 3 way valves. Was to by pass the exchanger outside, and run it directly to my 4 ton exchanger in my house. This way I take the heat out of my house using my existing system and transport that heat into my pool, or hot tub.
In my current job, I work on machines that are a hundred times more complex.
I was just curious why it had not been done.
Maybe the market is to small for people who would like to heat a pool, and chil the house.
AZ, Palm Springs, Desert areas, maybe Down Under
Thanks,
Bill
Good morning Bill-
The refrigerant management concept has been applied in the past. Key difference for HPPH’s as currently configured and marketed is that the refrigerant management concept is a “hybrid” system involving a pool heat pump and the home air conditioning system. As such, it dictates that each application is a specific site engineered system. This is something that we simply don’t do. We’re not aware of any of the mainstream HVAC manufacturers that address this market either. The field configured hybrid issue also threatens the warranty coverage of both the package pool heat pump as well as the home air conditioning system since both units would require modifications to the refrigerant system that are not designed or specified by the manufacturer.
Again, this is not a bad idea….just one that you would have to engage a local contractor to make happen.
Thank you for your comment!
thought about this myself cant see a problem as long as the cool air gets away duct work is cheap,send it to the roof,two birds with one stone. simple lodgic really
contrata@castelec.com
quisiera saber si manejan Jandy Heat pumps en monterrey, mexico.
Gracias
Buenos dias Patricia,
Nosotros vendemos todas clases de calentadores, por favor visite mire en la pagina y encuentre el contacto mas cerca a usted.
Gracias,
As a pool tech in Key West one thing I have learned from servicing the above heat pumps is this, as long as it is not refrigerant related these units are very simple to repair.
Thank you very much for your comment Vic.
My only concern with AquaCal is there response on service calls. Since a AquaCal person can only service your pool it has been reported that the down time can be several days or longer at certain times of the year in Florida. Since I am in the market for a HeatPump now this factor has we wondering .
Is the any SOP in place for a minimum / Maximum time frame?
Good morning George and thank you for your question! We have a goal of 2 business for service. In our efforts to meet that goal we utilize our in house technicians as well as a Team of independent Service Centers (the same as our competition uses exclusively). We certainly try to answer the call with our own Team of technicians as they are the most competent to work on our product and have a full complement of Factory parts on their trucks to address any needs in that area and all are Certified Pool Operators which gives them a complete understanding of the entire pool system, not just the heat pump. This is important as sometimes issues with the heater are based in the pool system and not the heater itself. Our dispatch department will notify the owner/operator of the pool of the response time when the call is received. If we are outside the 2 business day window due to volume of calls or other issues that may slow response, we can utilize the independent network of SC’s should the owner/operator of the pool express concern with the reported response time. We hope this answers your concern, please feel free to let us know if we can help you in any other way.
Thank you for your comment dgbuilder, we are glad you enjoyed it!
Nice Blog, great information you shared related to heat pump.