My buddy sent a photo to me today of a rusted out pool heater that was near the ocean and needed some deferred maintenance. When I started out in 1999 on the web, people sought my advice about gas, oil, electric & heat pump pool heaters. I felt like an educator. The first couple of years most of my customers were “do it yourself” engineers & pilots. Now people who need a heater can be anyone that you might run into at Target. Twenty years ago most of the manufacturers thought swimming pool heat pumps couldn’t be distributed on the web because they were too specialized. I disagreed, and sent them out as the heaters were factory run tested & ready to heat. You just needed a licensed electrician & someone to glue the two pipes. Pool contractors are usually the best at installing them.
As swimming pool heat pumps became more common, I spent less time educating and more time selling. I am spending more time this year educating for some reason. Maybe with more people staying home this is the first time they though about heating their pool? Educating is fine with me as it is more fun. If you reach out to me & I tell you to use a heat pump with non corrosive parts in a salt or wet environment, then it might be a good idea to consider that. I have seen how different brands hold up in harsh environments. It doesn’t have to be near the ocean to be a hostile environment. I have seen heatpumps in backyards that were installed at the favorite place where the German Shepard to marks his territory, and also then get hit with a sprinkler 4 times a week and rain the other 3 days. Some were placed next to drier vents, and then after a year or so the coil is clogged with lint and needed a service call from a mechanic. For the best hostile environment results, use heat pumps that are made with an all polymer / PVC cabinet with stainless steel fittings and UV protection. Some are also dipped to protect the air coils too. Most heat exchangers are titanium and there is not much you can do to hurt one of those. Just don’t let water freeze in it in a cold weather state. Then the manufacturers won’t be your best friend anymore. 🙁 Please let me know if you need some suggestions. I have my favorites and I want you to have your heater for a long time. The pool heater in the photo is about 6 yrs old. Tough environments need tough heat pumps. The same goes for Aquaculture & Hydroponics heaters. They need to made for your unique application. Most of my customers have other obligations other than to worry about their heaters failing. These are supposed to make your life easier and less stressful. Warm tropical water to swim, socialize and exercise in is my goal for everyone with a pool. I also like my fish farming Aquaculture and Mariculture people to have happy fish and clams, that grow big and strong like their daddy. We are here for you.
Marcus Cell for text 360 348 7574
