One of pool owners’ main concerns when installing a heat pump, along with energy-efficiency and effectiveness at heating the pool, is the noise created when the heat pump is running. After all, you don’t want your heat pump to be an annoying and hulking nuisance when you are trying to enjoy the tranquility of your pool! You also don’t want to bother the neighbors. So the question is, are heat pumps loud?
Decibel Count
The answer varies quite widely depending on the brand of heat pump as well as the condition it’s in. If your heat pump is making grinding, whooshing, or other strange noises, it is probably a sign that it requires some troubleshooting and maintenance. The top brands of heat pumps generally run at about 55-70 decibels, with Aquacal being the lowest at 54 decibels. Don’t be fooled, there is a massive difference between 54 and 70 decibels. We usually don’t think about everyday noises in terms of decibels, so if this is still too abstract, another way to think about it is that a heat pump is just slightly louder than an average a/c compressor.
Troubleshooting Your Heat Pump
Your heat pump has valves that backflow the refrigerant between heating and cooling modes. Many pool owners notice that their heat pump gets louder during the winter. This is because the heat pump’s defrost mode is kicking in and causing the aforementioned valves to shift, causing a whooshing sound, according to Hannabery HVAC. These sounds are normal and are simply a sign of your heat pump working overtime in the cold. The sound should abate as the pressure in the heat pump equalizes.
Abnormal Sounds
If you hear a loud grinding noise as if metal is hitting metal, you should immediately turn off the unit and inspect it. A piece of debris like a stick could be stuck in the fan blades and can end up causing more damage to your heat pump. If the blades are broken or bent, they can rip up the copper coil, causing refrigerant fluid to leak. If you think your heat pump is making abnormal noises, call in the experts at Brothers Pool to diagnose the issue.
Have any additional questions? Our wonderful staff are happy to assist, just give us a call at (203) 265-5980 or stop by the store at 250 Main St in Wallingford!
