Florida Pool HeatingAquaCal and Gulfstream are two of the most common heat pump brands on South Florida pool pads, and we sell, install, and service both. AquaCal is the brand we install most, but the right heat pump depends on your pool, how you use it, and what you want it to do. Here is a straight comparison, using each manufacturer’s own published information.
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A heat pump does not burn fuel to make heat. It uses electricity to pull heat out of the outside air and move it into your pool water. Because it moves heat instead of creating it, a heat pump delivers several units of heat for every unit of electricity it uses. That ratio is called the C.O.P., or coefficient of performance. Warm, humid South Florida air is exactly what heat pumps work best in.
AquaCal heat pumps are made by AquaCal AutoPilot in St. Petersburg, Florida. Their lineup includes the TropiCal heat and cool heat pumps and variable speed models.
Gulfstream heat pumps were made by G&F Manufacturing, a Florida company. Pentair bought G&F Manufacturing in December 2024, so Gulfstream is now a Pentair brand.
Both brands use titanium heat exchangers, which resist corrosion in saltwater pools and coastal air. AquaCal’s is its patented ThermoLink titanium heat exchanger.
Pentair lists a C.O.P. of 6.0 to 6.1 for Gulfstream’s HE models. AquaCal’s variable speed heat pumps can reach a C.O.P. of 10.5 or higher. When you compare any two heat pumps, make sure the numbers were measured under the same test conditions, since C.O.P. changes with air and water temperature.
AquaCal’s TropiCal line heats your pool in the cooler months and can cool it in the summer. Several Gulfstream models are also available in heat and cool versions. If summer water temperature matters to you, ask us which models fit your pool.
Both are solid heat pumps built for Florida. A few questions usually settle it:
The right size depends on your pool’s volume and surface area, whether you have a spa, how warm you like the water, and how exposed the pool is to wind and shade. Sizing is not one-size-fits-all, so we size every heat pump to the pool instead of going by a chart.Â
We have been heating South Florida pools for over 30 years. We install and service AquaCal, Gulfstream, and every other major heat pump brand, and we can often diagnose and repair a heat pump within 48 hours.Â
Not sure which brand or model fits? Call us at 954.341.2002 for a free estimate. We will look at your pool and recommend the heat pump that makes sense for it, not just the one we install most.
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1969 NW 55th Ave, Margate FL 33063