ashby
03-11-2012, 06:49 PM
Has anyone had experience of these to heat an in-ground pool?
PoolDoc
03-11-2012, 07:55 PM
NOTE: Original poster is in the UK -- do not give USA-specific advice!
Air source heat pumps are not uncommon in the USA, but they don't work well in cold climates. For many units, that means 45ºF (~10ºC) is their working limit. When air temps get below that, they are not so very practical.
For this reason, they are more popular in southern, and southern coastal areas of the USA, than in inland or northern areas.
I'm not familiar enough with your area, to know your climate. (Looks very picturesque on Google Maps!) My guess would be that a heat pump water heater would work well enough for you to keep your pool warm in summer, and maybe extend the season a month or two on the edges.
BUT . . . you can't buy US units, and we're going to have zero experience with units made for the UK. So you really might want to go the manufacturer of the unit you're looking at, and see if you can find some local sales references, preferably for units that have been installed for 3 or more years.