Above Ground Pool Heating Guide
This above ground pool heating guide outlines the different methods to heat above ground pools. These suggestions apply to all types of above ground pools eg wooden, plastic and metal framed pools
At The Wooden Pool Store, we can use our sister company HeatPumps4Pools, to offer a wide range of pool heaters, heat pumps, filters and covers for above ground pools.
Adding heat to your above ground pool makes it much more enjoyable and usable.
We supply pool heaters for all makes of above ground pools including Intex and Bestway etc
There are several options for heating above ground pools
1. Heat Pumps
Using a heat pump to heat your above ground pool is our recommended method.
Using a heat pump to heat your pool will give you the lowest running cost.
For every 1kw of electricity that a heat pump uses, it will output around 5kw of heat to your pool
The heat pump collects FREE heat from the air and transfers it to your pool water
At The Wooden Pool Store, we sell several models of heat pump which are suitable for above ground pools

Our most popular models are:-
1. Hot Splash – The World’s Smallest Pool Heat Pump
The Hot Splash is the World’s smallest pool heat pump.
It is designed for small above ground pools with a water volume of up to 10m3
The Hot Splash heat pump outputs 3.3kw of pool heat for only 0.6kw of electricity used
The Hot Splash is incredibly easy to install and is a “plug and play” heat pump
Please click Here to see more details on the Hot Splash pool heat pumps
2. Sunspring Pool Heat Pumps for Above Ground Pools
Our Range of Sunspring pool heat pumps are increadible compact and easy to install
They are “plug and play” and come complete with a cable and pre-fitted plug/RCD.
They are available in four sizes – 5kw, 7kw, 10kw and 14kw
the sizing guide for Sunspring pool heat pumps is
Please use the chart below to select the best SunSpring heat pump model for your pool
Model | Output Kw | Max Pool Volume |
---|---|---|
SunSpring05 | 4.85kw | 12m3 |
SunSpring07 | 6.7kw | 20m3 |
SunSpring10 | 10.10kw | 30m3 |
SunSpring14 | 14.10kw | 45m3 |
However please note that these are the maximum sizes.
Please click Here to see more details of our Sunspring range of pool heat pumps for above ground pools
See below for how to calculate the volume of your pool
2. Electric Pool Heaters
Electric pool heaters for above ground pools have a lower initial purchase cost, but a considerably higher running cost.
A 6kw electric pool heater will consume 6kw of electricity to produce 6kw of pool heat.
A heat pump on the other hand would only consume around 1kw to produce 6kw of pool heat
At The Wooden Pool Store, we supply a wide range of electric pool heaters
Nano 3kw Plug and Play Electric Pool Heater – click Here for more details
Intex 2kw Electric Pool Heater – click Here for more information
Elecro Electric Pool Heaters – these come in a range of sizes from 3kw to 24kw
Click Here to see prices and details for the Elecro Electric pool heaters
Pump and Filter Sets
If your existing pump and filter set does not have sufficient flow rate for your pool heater, then we sell a range of four sizes of pump/filter sets for above ground pools
Please click Here for more information on our pump and filter sets
Pool Covers for Above Ground Pools
When heating your above ground pool, it is essential that you cover the pool water with a pool cover
We recommend using a solar cover for an above ground pool
A solar pool cover will heat the pool water when the sun shines. It will also help to retain the pool heat at night and when the pool is not in use
We sell a range of pre-made solar covers for above ground pools
These suit oval and round pools
Click Here to see our range of solar covers
Heat Pumps and Pool Heaters
We have an excellent range of wooden above ground pools available on our sister site HeatPumps4Pools
Click Here to visit HeatPumps4Pools
How to Calculate Your pool Water Volume
You can easily calculate the water volume in your pool as follows:-
Round Pools
To calculate the volume of a round pool, you can use the formula
Pool Volume = 3.14 x radius x radius x depth
- Measure the diameter of the pool in metres
- Half the diameter to give the radius of the pool
- Multiply 3.14 x radius x radius x pool depth
Example
A 12′ (3.66 m) diameter round above ground pool with a depth of 0.8m
Diameter = 12′ x 0.305 = 3.66m
Radius = 3.66 / 2 = 1.83m
Volume = 3.14 x 1.83 x 1.83 x 0.8m = 8.4 m3
The Hot Splash supports pools up to 10m3 so would be ok for this pool
Rectangular Pools
Pool volume = length x width x depth
Example
6m x 4m pool, 0.8 m deep = 6 x 4 x 0.8 = 19.2 m3
Maximum for Hot Splash = 10m3 so this would be too large – look at our Eco+ heat pumps
Typical Pool Sizes and Volumes
8′ x 30″ Intex above Ground pool = 3.6 m3 – Hot Splash OK !
10′ x 30″ Intex above Ground pool = 5.5m3 – Hot Splash OK !
12′ x 36″ Intex above Ground pool = 9.6 m3 – Hot Splash OK !
12′ round pool = 8.4 m3
Confused? – Need Help?
We are more than happy to calculate your pool volume for you
We can also advise on the best choice of heater for your above ground pool to suit your pool size and budget
We hope that you have found this above ground pool heating guide useful
Please Contact Us to speak to our friendly team