Do Pool Heaters Use A Lot Of Energy
Water is very resistant to being heated. Therefore, heating a pool takes a lot of energy to accomplish. Add into the equation cold air, wind and cold rain, and heating a pool can become an energy-expensive endeavor. It can cost upwards of $400 per month, or as little as $100 to sufficiently heat a pool. Be sure to invest carefully in one that best fits your needs to keep energy costs reasonable.
Estimating Heat Pump Pool Heater Costs And Savings
For an outdoor pool, use the following tables to help estimate your annual heat pump pool heater costs and savings compared to using an electric resistance or a gas pool heater.
Table 1 estimates annual heat pump pool heating costs by location, by water temperature, and with or without using a pool cover.
Table 1. Costs by Location of Heating Outdoor Pools with a Heat Pump*
| LOCATION |
|---|
| $200 | $800 |
*Based on an electric resistance heated pool, which costs $1,000 per year at an electric cost of $.1301/kwh, and using a gas pool heater with a 55% efficiency at a cost of $1.09/therm. A seasonal average COP of 5.0 was used to determine heat pump savings.
The Best Propane Pool Heater
Providing 400,000 BTUs of heating power, this Hayward pool heater can heat just about any pool of any size. The system is designed for very low emissions and energy-efficient running so while your gas bills may go up, theyll still be lower compared to other heating systems.
This gas heater has a standard cupronickel heat exchanger for superior efficiency. Its patented polymer header and bypass valve are designed for hydraulic reliability. Its environmentally responsible low NOx emissions meet or exceed air quality emission standards in all Low NOx regions.
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Whats The Best Pool Heater For You
Choosing the perfect pool heater will depend on where you live and what type of heat source is available to your home.
- If you live in the north with access to natural gas, choose a gas heater.
- If you live in the north with no natural gas, invest in a heat pump.
- If you live in the south, youll benefit from either a heat pump or solar heater.
If youre concerned about your budget, we recommend a pool heat pump with a solar cover. It may be a heavy investment upfront, but it will pay for itself in the long run.
No matter what type of pool heater you decide to invest in, you need to practice good water chemistry. Pool water with low or high pH can cause eroding or scaling inside your heater. And high chlorine , can also cause damage to your heater.
So make sure you always practice good water chemistry. Heres our complete pool water chemistry guide for more information.
Rheem Digital Propane Heater
With a contemporary design, the Rheem Digital Propane Heater is one of the best propane options on the market today. Its design technology includes a Fire Tile ceramic fiber combustion box that keeps the product running efficiently while ensuring the outside jacket stays cool. This is a great safety feature for families, as it wont retain heat when its turned off. Rheem also recently obtained the highest efficiency ratings out there.
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Smartpool S601p Our Best Solar Heater For Inground Pools
| Warranty | 5 years |
SmartPool offers a remarkable option for owners of inground pools. It will be a good choice if you live in a hot climate and have frequent sunny spells. Solar panels can be used as the sole heating source or additional to your primary heater .
What makes it a winner?
The most eco-friendly heater type. The solar heater doesnt produce any emissions while operating, unlike gas heaters. Furthermore, it doesnt need electricity to operate the circle as with heat pumps. It utilizes sunlight to generate heat.
The most silent operation. With gas heaters you may notice loud noise while they are operating, heat pumps are 4 times quieter, this solar heater will not make any noise while running.
No monthly operating costs. The solar heater utilizes the sunlight to generate electricity, thereby saving on costs, unlike gas or heat pumps.
Benefits:
Note:SmartPool S601P complete doesnt include an installation kit SK21 system kit, it is sold separately.
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Choosing The Best Pool Heater
The process of choosing the right pool heater may seem challenging. But it is not that difficult to pick the perfect pool heater for your needs. You should take into account several factors.
- You have to understand what goals you want to achieve while using a pool heater. For example, if you want to heat the pool water in the shortest time, the best option for you will be a gas heater.
- Decide how much you can spend on the operating costs per month. The most expensive will be gas and electric heaters. While heat pumps will be cheaper, and solar heaters are the cheapest.
- The type of pool you need: inground or above ground. The same size inground and above pools in the same climate conditions will need different heaters. Above ground pools require a more powerful heater since while heating the water, a lot of the heat escapes through the sides and the top of the pool. It will be indicated on the pool heater whether it is for ingroundor above ground pool.
- Climate features. This is extremely important if you would like to heat water with a heat pump or solar heater since both are highly dependent on air temperature and the amount of sunlight.
- Law regulations in your area. In California and Texas, there is a law that establishes some emission limits. If you live in these states and want to heat your pool with natural gas or propane, you should take the regulations into account.
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Choose The Best Time Of Day For Heating To Run:
Setting the timer to run HPPH around noon helps to lower energy costs. On systems with a Heat Pump Pool Heater for 100% of their heating requirement, the time of day that you run your HPPH is an important consideration as heat pumps get their heat from the air. Logically then the best time to run a HPPH is when the air temperature is at its warmest during the day. This is most easily accommodated by setting the controls for your filtration system to operate during the warmest time of the day as well – as a Heat Pump Pool Heater will only operate when it has water flow. As long as your filtration is running at the warmest time of the day, your HPPH will operate at its optimum Coefficient of Performance or efficiency which is calculated by dividing the measure of energy output divided by energy input. Pool Heat Pump heaters generally have a COP between 3.0 to 7.0. It’s probably possible to find smart control systems for swimming pools, and if not, we’re sure it will be shortly.
What Are Pool Heater Thermal Units
As with other household and outdoor products that generate heat, such as gas ranges, for example, all pool heaters are sized by British Thermal Unit . As a rough calculation, it takes one BTU to increase the temperature of 1lb of water by one degree Fahrenheit.
The best pool heaters vary from 75,000 BTU up to a whopping, commercial grade 450,000 BTU for really big pools, and obviously the higher the BTU, the more expensive the pool heater.
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Natural Gas & Propane Heaters
A gas heater is the most popular type since it can be used in any climate, its performance isnt dependent on the air temperature. Unlike heat pumps or solar collectors, gas heaters dont take the energy from the surroundings, they produce it. Gas heaters produce energy by burning gas in the heating chamber and then this energy is transferred to the water.
Gas heaters were extremely popular in the past, but with the increase in gas prices and a high number of emissions in the environment, people are looking for more efficient and eco-friendly alternatives.
The Best type for:
Use The Cheapest Source Of Heat:
Solar should always be the primary heat source for a pool which will be a combination of good location in the yard to maximize sun exposure on the pool itself, combined with the pool color and by installing some hydronic solar panels. Solar heating is essentially free The downside of solar, especially in more northern areas, is that it rarely meets the needs for a full season of heating demand or it fails, due to poor design, to provide heat fast enough or when the sun isnt shining due to time of day or cloud cover for successive days. But when solar is a possibility and you have the initial budget to purchase a decent solar system with a Heat Pump Pool Heater backup, the combination of the two systems will be the best, most economical system available.
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Heater Performance In The Saltwater Pool
Owners of a saltwater pool may have some concerns about the heater performance. This is because saltwater along with poorly balanced water can cause corrosion of metal parts in the heater.
Of course, manufacturers take these factors into account and use stainless steel in their construction, titanium, or cupro-nickel for heat exchangers which are durable and can resist rust. Remember, no one is safe from damages, so its better to prevent problems than deal with consequences. Better to be safe than sorry.
To extend the service of your pool heater and eliminate the impact of saltwater, we recommend using the zink node. It can be installed anywhere in the plumbing system of the pool as long as it has contact with the water and the bonding grid wire is connected to it.
How Do Pool Heaters Work
Electric pool/spa heaters use a resistor element and electrical current to generate heat to warm your pool water. After it is heated, the water is pumped out of the unit and circulated back into your pool. Electric pool heaters are quite effective, but they require a large amount of electricity, which could become costly. Your electrical panel may also need to be modified to accommodate the additional load.
Electric heat pumps transfer heated water to cooler areas of the pool so the overall heated temp is maintained. The system takes warm outside air into the compressor and compresses the heated refrigerant inside. The hot compressed refrigerant heats the water while cold air is expelled.
Gas pool/spa heaters can heat quickly and maintain your desired pool temperature regardless of weather, temperature, or climate. They operate on natural gas or LP and use your existing pump and heat coils to circulate the water and heat your pool, hot tub, or spa. Your pump circulates pool/spa water through the filter to the heater where gas fuel is burned in the combustion chamber heating copper coils the water passes through and is heated before it is returned to the pool.
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Blue Wave 12mil Solar Blanket
The Blue Wave 12mil solar blanket is a durable that is UV-resistant for longer-lasting performance, even in direct sunlight! Innovative technology uses thermal air bubbles that naturally trap heat from the sun and retain it. It is available in sizes from 12 x 20 x 0.5 to 30 x 50 x 0.5-in. This Blue Wave polymer solar blanket can raise your pools swimming temperature as much as 15 F. deg. and heats to the waters depth. It will help extend your seasonal pool use through cool nights and cloudy days.
Recommendations:
The Blue Wave rectangular UV-resistant pool/spa solar blanket is advertised to perform better than Intex pool covers. It is intended for in-ground pools. Install with the bubble side down and clean with soap and water. A 5-yr. manufacturers warranty is included.
Pentair 460736 Mastertemp High Performance Eco
You can get this Pentair in a range of BTUs, depending on the size of your pool. There are 8 different models of the same unit, ranging from 175,000 BTUs to 400,000 BTUs. Some of the models feature extra protection and features, giving you more options for a longer-lasting heater. This includes the heavy duty and ASME models. The exterior is made of rust-proof materials, so you wont have to worry about it getting ruined near the pool. It is also certified for low Nitrogen Oxide emissions, making it a good option for those who want less of a carbon footprint.
Pros:
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Which Type Of Inground Pool Heater Do You Need
Before selecting a pool heater, you should keep in mind that whichever type you choose, you should consider the availability and price of fuels in your neck of the woods. There are five types of pool heaters:
Solar Pool Heater | Smartpool WES601P
This is probably the cheapest type of pool heater to use. It does not have operating costs and its not noisy. It uses a free energy source and has no emissions so its considered to be eco-friendly. Unfortunately, this might not be the right choice for you if you live in a cool climate area. The heater requires direct sunlight in order to work but if you decide to install it, make sure you also install a backup heater.
Gas Heater Vs Electric Heater: Which Is Right For You
Living in Florida means you can get time out of your pool for most of the year. However, there are times when the water temperature may not be quite as warm as youd like. And if youd like it to be comfortable all year, one thing is a necessity. However, deciding if a gas heater vs electric heater is right for you depends on a few things. Well take a look at both to help you decide which is best for your backyard pool.
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Pool Insulation To Reduce Heat Loss:
When planning a pool, think insulation. All pool designs, including a Natural pool or swimming pond, can benefit by incorporating some rigid panel insulation under and around the structure of a pool to save energy and costs in the long run. Regardless of where you are in the USA or Canada the ambient temperature of the ground is pretty constant, and its usually colder than the ideal temperature for enjoying a swim in the pool, so putting some insulation outside the thermal mass of the water retaining structure is a great first step in reducing the costs associated with heating a pool over the long term.
What Are Btus: Pool Heater Thermal Units
BTU, which stands for British thermal unit, is how pool heaters are sized. One BTU is the amount of heat required to raise the temperature of one pound of water by one degree Fahrenheit.
Pool heater outputs range from 75,000 BTU to 450,000 BTU. The amount of heat generated often depends on the type of pool heater you have.
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A Guide To Energy Efficient Pool Heaters
Having a pool is a great, but if youre relying on the sun alone to heat the water, then youre losing time you could spend swimming. Purchasing a pool heater lets you enjoy your pool during the shoulder seasons when the sun just isnt enough. However, heating water uses a lot of energy. If you want your pool heater to be affordable, youll have to buy an efficient one.
Finding an energy efficient pool heater isnt always easy, but you can simplify the process with a little research. Weve put together some information to help you learn what makes a pool heater energy efficient, and provided a few recommendations of our own to help you get started.
Gas Or Heat Pump Pool Heaters
If solar pool heating isnt viable for your situation, other pool heaters commonly come in gas, and heat pump varieties to help heat your pool . Both a heat pump pool heater and a gas-reliant pool heater are without a doubt effective ways to raise the temperature in your swimming pool noticeably in a short time.
Gas heaters can even maintain your desired pool temperature, regardless if its raining . However, gas and heat pump systems both come with a high price tag and more negative environmental consequences, when compared to newer solar options on the market.
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Smartpool Wws601p Sunheater Solar Pool Heater For In
These solar heating panels are a good value for your money, as they are lower priced than many of the permanent solar panel installations. Heat from the sun is absorbed by the panels and transferred to the water through piping that surrounds the panels.
The Smartpool panels are great for roof installations or installation on a flat space near to your pool. To use this system, you need to hook up your pump to the panels to pass water through the piping and back into your pool. It will usually heat up the water well during hot days, depending somewhat on the area you live in.
Pros:
