Your Swimming Pool Heater Options Explained

November 18, 2008 by admin 

Even in this day of high utility bills, it’s great to have a swimming pool heater. In most climates, there are only a few months out of the year at most where swimming would be comfortable without one. If you can’t use your pool, it’s just a maintenance headache with little upside.

Fortunately, there are swimming pool heaters that will allow you to heat your pool at relatively low cost, thanks to contemporary technology.

♦ Gas Pool Heaters

One of the simplest designs is the gas pool heater. Fueled by either natural gas or propane, their operation is ultra-simple. A gas-fired burner heats tubing through which your pool water passes. The water absorbs heat from the pipe as it passes through and then mixes with the pool water, resulting in a comfortable overall temperature.

Installation of gas pool heaters is simple enough that do-it-yourselfers can do the job themselves. But, with the rising price of propane and to an extent natural gas, the initial low cost of investment is offset somewhat by a rising cost of operation.

♦ Solar Pool Heaters

Clean, free energy. Wouldn’t we all like that? That’s the promise of solar heating and to a large extent it is actually fulfilled. It’s true that solar heating can be a great way to heat your pool.

One of the most common methods is passive heating. Large, flexible panels that contain hundreds of feet of tubing are laid near the pool. Water moves through the tubes, which then passes into the pool, similar to the way a gas heater works. Here, though, there’s no cost for heating the water, since solar energy does the job.

However, solar panels – like their cousins used for electricity generation – are not cheap. They have the other drawbacks of those systems, too. When the clouds come, the solar energy tapers off, sometimes to nearly nothing. For those climates that enjoy a lot of sunshine, though, solar pool heaters a great option. A combination system is best.

♦ Heat Pump Pool Heaters

Heat pump pool heaters are the latest and greatest swimming pool heating technology. Unlike gas heaters, they require no fuel. Unlike solar heaters, they can operate without relying on the sunshine. They work by temperature differences between the air and the pool water. They can move heat out of the air and into the pool.

They are electric, though, and depending on the temperature difference can be inexpensive or costly to run. They are also more expensive than either system to install. But their running costs tend to be lower than gas. A propane heater that is run from May to September in New York can cost $1,000-$2,000 for the season. The electricity needed to run the heat pump costs about $400 by comparison.

All systems have an initial cost and running costs. Be sure to estimate the numbers for your circumstances before you decide. Then, go for it and enjoy your swimming pool longer and at more comfortable temperatures with the right swimming pool heater.

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