Pool Heating: Months More Swimming Every Year
An unheated pool in the Algarve is genuinely pleasant for perhaps three months of the year. In May and October the air is warm, the sun is out, and the water is still too cold to enjoy — which is the single most common frustration pool owners here describe. A pool heat pump changes that equation entirely, typically adding four to six months of comfortable swimming for a running cost far lower than people assume.
Visky installs pool heat pumps, spas and jacuzzis across the Algarve, for private villas, holiday rentals and small hotels. We represent Poolex, and we size the equipment to the actual pool — volume, surface area, whether it is sheltered or exposed, and whether it has a cover.
How a Pool Heat Pump Works
A pool heat pump does not generate heat by burning anything or by resistance heating. It extracts warmth from the outside air and transfers it into the water, which is why it delivers several times more heat energy than the electricity it consumes. In the Algarve climate, where air temperatures stay mild well into autumn, that efficiency stays high across exactly the months you want to extend into.
The Cover Is Half the Job
Most of a heated pool's energy loss is evaporation from the surface overnight. A thermal cover or rolling blind can cut heat loss dramatically, and it is not an optional accessory if you care about running costs — it is the difference between a heat pump that is cheap to run and one that is not. We will always raise this when quoting, even though it is not the part that makes us the most money.
Spas and Jacuzzis
A spa or jacuzzi is a smaller, year-round proposition, and works particularly well on a covered terrace or beside a pool. We supply, install and connect them, handling the electrical supply and water connections. Combined with a sauna, it turns a corner of the property into a proper wellness area.
Solar-Powered Pool Heating
Pool heat pumps run during the day, which is exactly when solar panels produce. This is one of the neatest matches in a domestic energy setup: the pump consumes when the panels generate, so a large part of the heating cost simply disappears. If you are considering both, it is worth planning them together rather than separately — and we can do exactly that, since both come from the same team.
Why Choose Visky
- Correct sizing — an undersized pool heat pump never reaches temperature; an oversized one wastes money.
- Poolex equipment with manufacturer warranty.
- 33 years in the Algarve, 3 shops and our own technical team.
- Joined-up advice on pool, solar and spa, rather than three separate trades.
Frequently Asked Questions
Far less than most people expect, because a heat pump moves heat rather than generating it — it delivers several times more heat than the electricity it uses. Running cost depends heavily on whether you use a thermal cover, which is the single biggest factor.
Typically four to six extra months. Instead of roughly three comfortable months, most owners get comfortable swimming from spring through to autumn.
You should have one. Most heat loss is evaporation from the surface overnight, so a thermal cover makes the difference between a heat pump that is cheap to run and one that is not. We will always mention it when quoting.
Yes, and it is one of the best matches there is. The pump runs during the day, which is exactly when panels produce, so much of the heating cost disappears. It is worth planning both together.
See also Heat Pumps and Solar Panels.