How to Heat a Swimming Pool with an Air Conditioner
Last updated September 7, 2023
Year-round or even early spring swimming may not be possible in many places without creating some kind of heat pump or installing a water heater for the pool. While installing a dedicated system with a pool heat pump can be costly, there are other options to keep your pool comfortable, even when it's a little chilly outside.
With a bit of know-how and some professional help, you can use your existing air conditioner as a reliable source of heat for your pool water. Use this guide to learn more about turning your air conditioning unit into a working pool heater.
Difficulty:
Advanced
Duration:
2-4 hours
Table of Contents
Purchase Essentials and Plan Installation
Cut and Assemble Your New Fittings
Connect the Fittings
Recharge the Refrigerant Lines
Purchase Essentials and Plan Installation
Heating a swimming pool requires a heat exchanger and sensor to keep the pool at a steady temperature. You’ll need to purchase those items before you begin your installation. Home Depot Associates can help you find the right products for your installation needs.
Hiring professionals to connect refrigerant lines and to evaluate the system is also required. Keep this in mind when creating a budget for your project.
Cut and Assemble Your New Fittings
When using an air conditioner as a source of pool heat, begin by making alterations to the pool equipment, starting with parts of the piping around the swimming pool filter. Here's how the process works:
- Turn off the power to the pool filter. Don't skip this step - it is essential for safety purposes and to avoid damaging any system components.
- Use a PVC saw to cut out a section of plastic pipe leading from the pool filter. Choose a section that allows you to comfortably place the heat exchanger without using an extremely long length of piping.
- Thread an adapter into a T-fitting. Insert the temperature sensor well into the adapter. This will allow the unit to perfectly sense water temperature to get the correct pool water readings.
- Cut and dry-assemble the PVC pipe and correct fittings to connect the pool filter to the heat exchanger. You'll also cut and dry-assemble the pipe and fittings to connect the heat exchanger to the water pipe leading back to the pool.
Connect the Fittings
With the PVC pipe fitting dry-assembled correctly, it's time to make these new connections permanent. To connect the fittings properly:
- Inspect the fittings. Make sure the assembly is secure and correct.
- Glue the pipe and fittings together with PVC primer and cement.
- Connect the pipe ends to the heat exchanger using threaded unions. Do not use PVC cement.
- Hire a licensed refrigeration technician to connect the air conditioner refrigerant lines to the refrigerant lines on the heat exchanger.
Safety Tip: Refrigerant is dangerous to work with. If you are not a licensed technician, you should hire one to handle all aspects of a pool heating job.
Recharge the Refrigerant Lines
Once the fittings are securely connected, you'll need to recharge the refrigerant lines to make pool heating possible. To do this:
- Connect the refrigerant lines and pressure test them. Again, only licensed professionals can work with refrigerant.
- Hire a licensed electrician to install a master controller on an exterior wall. Typically, this will be placed somewhere accessible near the air conditioning unit and pool equipment. This controller acts as an interface between the pool pump, heat exchanger and air conditioner.
- Turn the power to the pool filter back on and test the unit. You may want to have a professional evaluate the system at this stage to make sure it is working efficiently. Basic pool water testing is generally recommended a few days after installation as well.
With a new heating system, you can get your pool ready for swimming earlier than ever before. Learn all about essential maintenance tasks, including how to vacuum a pool properly, to keep it clean throughout the year. With a new heating system and the right swimming pool maintenance routine, you'll have your pool open nearly all year long.
Start your project today with the right supplies for heating your pool. Use The Home Depot Mobile App to locate products and check inventory. We'll take you to the exact aisle and bay.
