Types of Pool Heaters Compared: Which One Suits Your Pool

Most comparisons of pool heaters are written to sell one particular technology, which is why they all reach a confident conclusion and none of them agree.

This one is organised differently. Rather than declaring a winner, it sets out what each type is genuinely best at, then gives you a way to match that against how you actually use your pool. There is no universally correct answer, only a correct answer for a specific backyard.

The four technologies at a glance

| Type | Speed from cold | Running cost | Works at night | Weather dependent | Best suited to |

| Gas | Fastest | Highest per hour | Yes | No | Occasional, on demand use |

| Electric element | Fast | Highest per unit of heat | Yes | No | Very small volumes, spas |

| Solar | Slow | Lowest | No | Completely | Summer extension, suitable roof |

| Heat pump | Slow to moderate | Low | Yes | Partially | Regular use, long season |

The table is a starting point. The detail underneath it is where the decision actually gets made.

Gas heating in detail

How it works. Natural gas or LPG burns in a combustion chamber and transfers heat directly to water flowing past a heat exchanger.

Its genuine strength. Speed, and independence from weather. A gas heater does not care whether it is a clear night or an overcast July afternoon. It produces its rated output on demand, every time.

Its genuine weakness. Every hour of operation consumes fuel, and there is no efficiency multiplier available. Heat delivered is a direct function of gas burnt.

Cost structure. Moderate to buy, moderate to install if you already have gas connected, expensive to run continuously.

Practical notes.

• Requires a gas connection with adequate supply. LPG means bottle management and delivery.

• Combustion means flue and clearance requirements. Placement is more constrained than people expect.

• Nothing beats it for a spa taken from cold to hot in under an hour.

• Gas pricing in Australia has moved unfavourably, which has changed this calculation considerably over the past decade.

The honest scenario where gas wins: a holiday house used six weekends a year, where you arrive Friday evening and want a warm pool Saturday morning, and the total annual run time is low.

Electric resistance heating in detail

How it works. An electric element in the water flow converts electricity to heat, exactly like a kettle element.

Its genuine strength. Simplicity, low purchase price, and no dependence on ambient conditions.

Its genuine weakness. Physics. It converts electricity to heat at one to one, which makes it the most expensive way to deliver a unit of heat in Australia.

Cost structure. Cheapest to buy, most expensive to run.

Practical notes.

• Perfectly sensible for a spa, a plunge pool, or anything small with short run times.

• Occasionally used as a backup or booster alongside solar.

• For a full sized pool it is very rarely the right answer, and anyone recommending one for a family pool should be asked why.

Solar heating in detail

How it works. Pool water is pumped through collectors on a roof. Sun warms the water, which returns to the pool. A controller diverts flow when the collectors are warmer than the pool.

Its genuine strength. Running cost. Once installed you pay for a little extra pump time and nothing else. Nothing comes close.

Its genuine weakness. Control. Solar delivers heat when conditions allow, not when you want it. No sun means no heat.

Cost structure. Moderate to high install, near zero running cost, long payback that is genuinely attractive if you have the roof for it.

Practical notes.

• Needs real roof area with suitable orientation. North facing is ideal in Australia. Shading from trees or neighbouring buildings undermines it.

• Two broad types: unglazed rubber or polymer matting, cheaper and lower output, and glazed panels, dearer and better in cooler conditions.

• Collector area is roughly proportional to pool surface area. Undersized collector area is the most common installation failure.

• Adds pump running hours, which is a small but real cost.

• Effectively zero output overnight or through a wet week.

The honest scenario where solar wins: a household with good roof aspect who want to stretch summer from three months to five or six, and who accept the water being whatever the weather delivers.

Heat pump heating in detail

How it works. A fan draws ambient air across an evaporator containing refrigerant chosen to boil at low temperature. The refrigerant absorbs heat and becomes gas. A compressor concentrates that heat into a small volume of hot gas. A heat exchanger transfers it into the pool water. The refrigerant cools, condenses, and the cycle repeats.

Crucially, it is not generating heat. It is collecting low grade heat that already exists in the air, concentrating it, and delivering it to your pool. That is why output substantially exceeds electrical input.

Its genuine strength. Cost per hour of usable swimming, combined with genuine control. It works overnight, under cloud, and through cooler months.

Its genuine weakness. Slower from cold than gas, and output falls as ambient air temperature drops.

Cost structure. Higher to buy than solar or electric, low to run, and the running cost advantage compounds over a long season.

Practical notes, and the one that matters most.

Not every unit sold as an inverter is a full inverter. There are three control types:

• On off (fixed speed). One speed, maximum. Overshoots, switches off, drifts down, fires up again.

• Stepped inverter. A handful of fixed speeds. Better, but still cycling between fixed points.

• Full inverter. Continuously variable compressor speed across the whole range.

This matters because heat pumps are most efficient running slowly, and holding a pool at temperature is a low demand job most of the time. A unit that can throttle down and sit there gently spends most of the season in its efficient band. One that cannot, does not.

Ask directly whether compressor speed is continuously variable or stepped. See the Evo Force-i Pro for a genuine full inverter.

The honest scenario where a heat pump wins: the great majority of Australian family pools, used regularly across an extended season, where the owner wants the water reliably at a set temperature without dreading the bill.

Matching technology to how you actually swim

"We swim most days from September to May."

Heat pump. This is exactly what the technology is designed for.

"We use the pool maybe eight times a year, unpredictably."

Gas. You are paying for readiness rather than efficiency, and your total run hours are low.

"We want to stretch summer and we have a big north facing roof."

Solar, possibly with a heat pump later for the shoulders.

"We want to swim through winter in Melbourne."

Heat pump, sized against genuinely cool ambient conditions, with a cover. Do not let anyone size this off summer.

"It is a small plunge pool."

Heat pump for regular use, electric element if it is occasional and small.

"It is a spa."

Different problem entirely. See spa heating.

"It is a commercial or public pool."

Different sizing discipline and different duty expectations. See commercial pool heaters.

The factor that beats all four

Whichever technology you install, a pool cover will do more for your running cost than the choice between them.

Evaporation is the dominant heat loss mechanism in any outdoor pool. It happens hardest overnight, when the air cools and the water does not. An uncovered pool loses a large share of the heat you paid for, every single night, regardless of what produced it.

A cover reduces that loss dramatically, cuts water and chemical consumption, and can allow a smaller heater to achieve the same result. It is the cheapest efficiency upgrade in pool ownership and the most commonly deferred.

Frequently asked questions

Can I combine two types?

Yes, and it is common. Solar plus heat pump is the most sensible pairing, with solar carrying the warmer months and the heat pump covering shoulders and winter. It needs proper control integration so the two do not fight each other.

Which type has the lowest total cost of ownership?

For regular use over a long season, a correctly sized heat pump generally wins, because the running cost advantage compounds. For genuinely occasional use, gas can win despite the higher hourly cost, simply because you run it so few hours.

Does gas heat a pool faster than a heat pump?

Yes, from cold. That is gas's principal advantage. Whether it matters depends entirely on whether you heat from cold or maintain a temperature.

Is solar enough on its own?

For summer extension with suitable roof aspect, often yes. For control over temperature, or for winter, no.

How do I compare quotes across different technologies?

Ask each supplier for output at the ambient conditions during the months you intend to swim, not headline output. Then ask what the running cost assumption is and what it is based on. Quotes that do not state their assumptions cannot be compared.

What size do I need?

Volume alone will not answer it. Target temperature, climate, cover use and exposure all matter. See specifying a pool heat pump, or request a free personalised pool heat report.

Next steps

Work out how you swim before you compare products. The technology follows from the habit.

Read the complete pool heater guide, browse the full range, or request a free personalised pool heat report.

What Actually Makes a Pool Heat Pump "The Best"?

Search for the best pool heat pump and you will find a dozen lists, most of them written by people who have never installed one, and most of them ranking units in an order that has more to do with affiliate arrangements than performance.

The honest position is that there is no single best unit, because "best" depends on your climate, your pool and how you swim. What there is, though, is a set of criteria that reliably separate a good machine from a mediocre one.

Here is how to judge the best pool heat pumps for yourself, rather than trusting a list.

Criterion one: efficiency where you actually live

Every brochure leads with a coefficient of performance figure. Almost none of them lead with the conditions it was measured at.

COP is a ratio of heat output to electrical input, and it is enormously sensitive to ambient air temperature. A peak COP measured at a warm ambient temperature is a real number and a nearly useless one, because it describes the machine's single most favourable operating point.

What to ask for instead: performance across a range of ambient temperatures, particularly at the cool end of the conditions you will operate in. A unit with a slightly lower headline figure that holds its performance as the air cools will cost you less across a season than one with a spectacular peak number that falls away.

Compare like with like, at the same conditions, or you are not comparing anything.

Criterion two: genuine variable speed

The word "inverter" is on nearly every premium unit sold in Australia and it describes at least three different technologies.

On off units run at one speed: maximum. They overshoot, switch off, drift down, and fire back up.

Stepped inverters have a handful of fixed speeds. Better, but still cycling between fixed points rather than matching demand.

Full inverters vary compressor speed continuously across the range.

This matters because heat pumps are most efficient running slowly, and most of a heat pump's working life is spent holding a temperature rather than heating from cold. A unit that can sit at low output indefinitely spends most of the season in its efficient band. One that cannot, does not.

Ask the direct question: is compressor speed continuously variable or stepped? Any supplier who cannot answer plainly has answered you anyway.

Criterion three: it holds temperature, not just reaches it

Reaching a set temperature is easy. Holding it steadily is where the difference shows.

On off units produce a sawtooth: overshoot, drift, overshoot. The water is rarely at the temperature on the display. A variable speed unit holds a much flatter line, which you feel every time you get in.

Temperature stability is rarely advertised and it is one of the most noticeable differences in daily use.

Criterion four: build quality where it counts

Two components determine whether a unit lasts.

The heat exchanger. Pool water is chemically aggressive, particularly when chemistry is not perfectly maintained. Ask what it is made from and what the warranty says about water balance.

The compressor. Thermal cycling wears mechanical components. A unit that runs steadily at part load cycles far less than one slamming between full power and off, which is a durability argument as well as an efficiency one.

Also worth asking: what is the casing made from, and how does it handle a coastal environment? Salt air is unforgiving on equipment sitting outside year round.

Criterion five: support that exists in Australia

This is the criterion nobody weighs at purchase and everybody weighs in year five.

Is there local parts availability? Is there a service network? Is there a phone number answered by someone who knows the product?

A cheaper unit from a brand with no local presence is a gamble on nothing going wrong for a decade. Heat pumps are long term equipment and they do occasionally need attention.

Criterion six: correct sizing beats a better badge

Worth saying plainly, because it undercuts the entire premise of ranked lists.

A correctly sized mid range unit will outperform an incorrectly sized premium one, every time. Undersize and it never reaches temperature. Oversize and you have overpaid, and with on off technology you have introduced short cycling.

The best heat pump is the one that fits your pool volume, your target temperature, your climate and your cover habits. That is not a product you can pick off a list.

Request a free personalised pool heat report and the sizing question gets answered properly.

What to be sceptical of

A single headline COP with no conditions stated. Meaningless without context.

"Up to" figures. Up to is doing all the work in that sentence.

Ranked lists with no methodology. If the article does not say how it judged, it did not judge.

Guaranteed running costs. Nobody can guarantee that. It depends on your climate, your target temperature, your cover use and your electricity tariff.

Comparisons between units at different test conditions. Extremely common and completely invalid.

Frequently asked questions

Is a more expensive unit always better?

No. It is often better built and better supported, but the wrong size in a premium badge still underperforms the right size in a mid range one.

How do I compare two units fairly?

Get performance figures at identical ambient conditions, confirm whether each is a full or stepped inverter, check minimum operating temperature, and compare warranty terms including what voids them.

Does brand matter?

Mostly through support and parts availability rather than the badge itself.

Should I buy on COP alone?

No. COP at your operating conditions is one criterion among several, and sizing matters more than any of them.

What about running costs?

They depend on your climate, target temperature, cover use, running hours and tariff. Any figure quoted without those inputs is a guess.

Judge it yourself

Ask the six questions above of any supplier and the field narrows quickly.

Have a look at the Evo Force-i Pro, browse the full pool heater range, or request a free personalised pool heat report.

Heat Pump Hot Water Explained, Without the Sales Pitch

Water heating is one of the largest energy users in the average Australian home, and it is the one almost nobody thinks about until the tank dies on a Sunday.

That is a shame, because it is also one of the few household decisions where the technology has genuinely improved. A heat pump hot water system does the same job as the tank it replaces while using a fraction of the energy, and there is a federal scheme that takes a chunk off the installed price.

Here is how it works and who it actually suits.

The fridge comparison, and why it is accurate

Your fridge does not make cold. It removes heat from inside the cabinet and dumps it out the back, which is why the coils behind your fridge are warm.

A heat pump hot water system runs that same process pointed the other way. It pulls warmth out of the surrounding air and moves it into your water tank. The air it exhausts is cooler than the air it drew in, because the heat has gone into your shower.

This is the whole trick, and it is why the efficiency numbers look strange next to a conventional system. You are not paying to create heat. You are paying to run a compressor and a fan that relocate heat that was already sitting in your laundry or on the side of your house doing nothing.

How it compares to what you have probably got

Electric storage. A resistive element sits in the tank and glows, converting electricity to heat at a strict one to one ratio. Simple, cheap to buy, and the most expensive common option to run. A heat pump does the same job for a fraction of the input energy.

Gas storage or instantaneous. Burns fuel to heat water either in a tank or as it flows. Generally cheaper to run than electric resistive, but you are buying fuel continuously and gas pricing has moved in the wrong direction. It also requires a gas connection, which not every property has or wants.

Solar hot water. Genuinely efficient when the sun cooperates, but almost every solar system needs a booster for cloudy stretches and winter. A heat pump does not depend on sunlight at all, so its output is far more predictable.

The bit that makes the maths work: STCs

Every eligible heat pump hot water installation in Australia attracts Small scale Technology Certificates under the federal scheme.

Here is the part people find surprising: you do not apply for anything. There is no form, no waiting, no cheque in the post. Your accredited installer creates the certificates at the point of installation, assigns them to a registered agent, and the value comes straight off your quoted price as a point of sale discount.

The amount varies based on your postcode and climate zone, the specific model and its rated capacity, and the certificate spot price at the time.

Two things worth knowing:

The deeming period steps down annually. The scheme is legislated to wind down over time, and the number of certificates a system earns reduces each year. Waiting does not improve your position.

Some states add their own scheme on top. Victoria in particular runs an active state level program alongside the federal one. Eligibility rules and values differ by state and change periodically, so confirm current details for your address before you commit.

Ask your installer for the current value at the time of quoting rather than relying on a figure you read in an article, including this one.

Where to put it, and why placement matters

This is the practical detail most articles skip, and it is the one that determines whether you are happy with the system.

A heat pump needs airflow. It is pulling heat out of the air, so it needs a steady supply of air to pull from. Boxing a unit into a tight, sealed alcove starves it, and a starved heat pump works harder for less.

It also makes noise. There is a fan and a compressor, so it is not silent. Positioning one directly outside a bedroom window, or hard against a neighbour's boundary next to their bedroom window, is a decision you will revisit.

The exhaust air is cooler than ambient, which is mildly useful in some spots and mildly annoying in others.

Get placement discussed properly at quoting stage rather than discovering it on installation day.

Who it genuinely suits

Good fit: households replacing electric storage, anyone on a property without gas, homeowners planning to stay put long enough to bank the running cost savings, and anyone with solar PV who can run the system during the day on their own generation.

Think harder: apartments with no viable outdoor placement, properties where noise and airflow constraints cannot be resolved, and anyone who needs a same day replacement for a failed tank and cannot wait for a proper install.

Frequently asked questions

Does it work in cold weather?

Yes, though efficiency drops as ambient air cools. Most systems include a backup element for the coldest conditions or unusually high demand. Cold climate installations need this factored into the specification rather than assumed.

How long does it take to recover after a big hot water demand?

Longer than a gas instantaneous system, which never runs out, and comparable to or better than electric storage. Correct tank sizing for your household is what prevents this becoming an issue.

Can I run it on my solar?

Yes, and it is an excellent pairing. Timing the heating cycle for the middle of the day means running it largely on your own generation.

What maintenance does it need?

Keep the air intake and surrounds clear, and follow the manufacturer's servicing schedule. The tank itself has the same anode and valve requirements as any storage system.

Next steps

If your existing tank is on borrowed time, it is worth making the decision before it fails rather than in a panic on a weekend.

Have a look at the EvoHeat hot water heat pump range. For larger installations, there is a separate commercial hot water system range.

Heat Pump Hot Water Explained, Without the Sales Pitch

Water heating is one of the largest energy users in the average Australian home, and it's the one almost nobody thinks about until the tank dies on a Sunday.

That's a shame, because it's also one of the few household decisions where the technology has genuinely improved. A heat pump hot water system does the same job as the tank it replaces while using a fraction of the energy, and there's a federal scheme that takes a chunk off the installed price.

Here's how it works and who it actually suits.

The fridge comparison, and why it's accurate

Your fridge doesn't make cold. It removes heat from inside the cabinet and dumps it out the back, which is why the coils behind your fridge are warm.

A heat pump hot water system runs that same process pointed the other way. It pulls warmth out of the surrounding air and moves it into your water tank. The air it exhausts is cooler than the air it drew in, because the heat has gone into your shower.

This is the whole trick, and it's why the efficiency numbers look strange next to a conventional system. You aren't paying to create heat. You're paying to run a compressor and a fan that relocate heat that was already sitting in your laundry or on the side of your house doing nothing.

How it compares to what you've probably got

Electric storage. A resistive element sits in the tank and glows, converting electricity to heat at a strict one-to-one ratio. Simple, cheap to buy, and the most expensive common option to run. A heat pump does the same job for a fraction of the input energy.

Gas storage or instantaneous. Burns fuel to heat water either in a tank or as it flows. Generally cheaper to run than electric resistive, but you're buying fuel continuously and gas pricing has moved in the wrong direction. It also requires a gas connection, which not every property has or wants.

Solar hot water. Genuinely efficient when the sun cooperates, but almost every solar system needs a booster for cloudy stretches and winter. A heat pump doesn't depend on sunlight at all, so its output is far more predictable.

The bit that makes the maths work: STCs

Every eligible heat pump hot water installation in Australia attracts Small-scale Technology Certificates under the federal scheme.

Here's the part people find surprising: you don't apply for anything. There's no form, no waiting, no cheque in the post. Your accredited installer creates the certificates at the point of installation, assigns them to a registered agent, and the value comes straight off your quoted price as a point-of-sale discount.

The amount varies based on your postcode and climate zone, the specific model and its rated capacity, and the certificate spot price at the time.

Two things worth knowing:

The deeming period steps down annually. The scheme is legislated to wind down over time, and the number of certificates a system earns reduces each year. Waiting doesn't improve your position.

Some states add their own scheme on top. Victoria in particular runs an active state-level program alongside the federal one. Eligibility rules and values differ by state and change periodically, so confirm current details for your address before you commit.

Ask your installer for the current value at the time of quoting rather than relying on a figure you read in an article, including this one.

Where to put it, and why placement matters

This is the practical detail most articles skip, and it's the one that determines whether you're happy with the system.

A heat pump needs airflow. It's pulling heat out of the air, so it needs a steady supply of air to pull from. Boxing a unit into a tight, sealed alcove starves it, and a starved heat pump works harder for less.

It also makes noise. There's a fan and a compressor, so it's not silent. Positioning one directly outside a bedroom window, or hard against a neighbour's boundary next to their bedroom window, is a decision you'll revisit.

The exhaust air is cooler than ambient, which is mildly useful in some spots and mildly annoying in others.

Get placement discussed properly at quoting stage rather than discovering it on installation day.

Who it genuinely suits

Good fit: households replacing electric storage, anyone on a property without gas, homeowners planning to stay put long enough to bank the running-cost savings, and anyone with solar PV who can run the system during the day on their own generation.

Think harder: apartments with no viable outdoor placement, properties where noise and airflow constraints can't be resolved, and anyone who needs a same-day replacement for a failed tank and can't wait for a proper install.

Frequently asked questions

Does it work in cold weather?

Yes, though efficiency drops as ambient air cools. Most systems include a backup element for the coldest conditions or unusually high demand. Cold-climate installations need this factored into the specification rather than assumed.

How long does it take to recover after a big hot water demand?

Longer than a gas instantaneous system, which never runs out, and comparable to or better than electric storage. Correct tank sizing for your household is what prevents this becoming an issue.

Can I run it on my solar?

Yes, and it's an excellent pairing. Timing the heating cycle for the middle of the day means running it largely on your own generation.

What maintenance does it need?

Keep the air intake and surrounds clear, and follow the manufacturer's servicing schedule. The tank itself has the same anode and valve requirements as any storage system.

Next steps

If your existing tank is on borrowed time, it's worth making the decision before it fails rather than in a panic on a weekend.

Have a look at the EvoHeat hot water heat pump range. For larger installations, there's a separate commercial hot water system range.

How a Pool Heat Pump Works, Explained Properly

Most people buy pool heating twice. The first time they buy on price, and the second time they buy on understanding. This article is an attempt to save you the first purchase.

A pool heat pump is the most misunderstood piece of equipment in the average Aussie backyard. People assume it works like a kettle, or like the gas heater their neighbour has, and then they're baffled when it behaves nothing like either. The confusion is understandable, because a heat pump does something genuinely counterintuitive. It doesn't create heat at all.

The bit everyone gets wrong

A gas heater burns fuel. An electric element glows. Both of them manufacture heat out of energy, and both are limited by simple physics: you can never get more heat out than the energy you put in.

A heat pump sidesteps that limit entirely, because it isn't in the manufacturing business. It's in the removals business. There's already an enormous amount of low-grade heat sitting in the air around your pool, even on a cool morning. The heat pump's only job is to collect that heat, concentrate it, and carry it into your water.

That's why the efficiency figures look implausible when you first see them. You're not paying to create warmth. You're paying to run a fan and a compressor that relocate warmth that was already there and free.

The cycle, step by step

Strip away the marketing and there are four things happening in a loop.

Step one: the fan draws air across the evaporator. Inside the evaporator sits refrigerant, a fluid chosen specifically because it boils at a very low temperature. Ambient air that feels cold to you is more than warm enough to make it boil.

Step two: the refrigerant absorbs that heat and turns to gas. This is the collection stage. The air leaving the unit is now noticeably cooler than the air that went in, because some of its heat has been taken.

Step three: the compressor squeezes the gas. Compressing a gas raises its temperature dramatically. The diffuse, low-grade warmth pulled from the air is now concentrated into a small volume of very hot gas. This is the only stage doing serious work, and it's where most of your electricity goes.

Step four: the heat exchanger hands the heat to your water. Pool water is pumped past the hot refrigerant, picks up the heat, and returns to the pool a fraction of a degree warmer. The refrigerant cools, returns to liquid, and the loop starts again.

Your pool doesn't warm up in one dramatic burst. It warms up because that loop runs thousands of times.

Why it takes longer than you expect, and why that's fine

New owners often panic in the first week. They switch the unit on, check the pool three hours later, and find it's barely moved.

A pool holds an enormous mass of water, and water is stubborn. Raising the temperature of tens of thousands of litres by a single degree takes real energy no matter what's supplying it. A pool heat pump does this gradually and cheaply, which is exactly the trade-off it's built around.

The practical upshot: heat pumps reward people who leave them running. Set your temperature, let the unit hold it, and it will sip power maintaining what it's already achieved. Switching it on the morning of a party is the one scenario a heat pump handles poorly.

What actually changes performance

Four things move the needle, and only one of them is the unit itself.

Air temperature. Colder air holds less available heat, so output drops as the mercury falls. Every unit has a minimum operating temperature.

Whether you use a cover. Evaporation is the single biggest source of heat loss from any pool, by a wide margin. An uncovered pool is a machine for throwing warmth at the sky overnight.

Your target temperature. The gap between your water and the surrounding air is what drives heat loss. Holding a pool at a comfortable swimming temperature costs far less than pushing it several degrees higher.

Correct sizing. An undersized unit runs constantly and never quite arrives. An oversized one is capital you've spent for nothing.

Heat pump or gas?

The honest answer is that they solve different problems.

Gas is for people who use their pool unpredictably and want it hot within hours, and who accept a high cost per session for that privilege. Holiday homes and rarely-used entertainers' pools genuinely suit gas.

A heat pump is for people who want to swim regularly and want the running cost to stay sensible. It's slower to arrive and far cheaper to stay. For most Australian households swimming through the shoulder seasons, that's the better maths.

Frequently asked questions

Can a pool heat pump cool my pool?

Reversible models can. In parts of Australia where pools become uncomfortably warm through summer, running the cycle in reverse to pull heat out of the water is a genuine feature rather than a novelty.

Do heat pumps work in winter?

They work in cooler air, down to each model's rated minimum. Output drops as the air cools, so a unit sized only for summer will struggle in July. If year-round swimming is the goal, that has to be built into the sizing from day one.

How noisy are they?

There's a fan and a compressor, so there's some sound. Inverter models generally run quieter at part load because they aren't constantly slamming between full power and off.

How long do they last?

A well-installed, well-maintained unit is a long-term piece of equipment rather than a consumable. Water chemistry matters enormously here, as does giving the unit clear airflow on all sides.

Where to from here

If you've read this far, you already understand pool heating better than most people who own it. The next step is matching a unit to your actual pool, your actual climate and how you actually swim.

Have a look through the full EvoHeat pool heater range, or if you'd rather skip straight to a sizing answer, request a free personalised pool heat report.