What Kind Of Pool Heater Do I Need

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.

Pool Covers For Above Ground Pools

When heating your above ground pool, it is essential that you cover the pool water with a pool cover

We recommend using a solar cover for an above ground pool

A solar pool cover will heat the pool water when the sun shines. It will also help to retain the pool heat at night and when the pool is not in use

We sell a range of pre-made solar covers for above ground pools

These suit oval and round pools

to see our range of solar covers

Pool Heater Sizing Guide

How to Choose the Correct Size Heat Pump or Heater for Pool and SpaPoolheater sizing is measured in BTUs The higherthe number of BTUs, the quicker you can heat your pool water. To findout how many BTUs are required for your specific application, you mustcalculate the surface area of your pool your geographic location ambient temperature and the environmental conditions such as shade orwind. Whether you retain heat with a solar cover, also determinessizing requirements.Many factors depend on how you heat yourswimming pool installation costs, how often you use your pool, size,location and climate. This guide will show you how to calculate theminimum heating capacity for your pool based on your specificapplication and provide you with the information you need to make aninformed decision on the best and most economical way to heat your pool.

Also Check: Pool Heater Btu Load

Selecting A Heat Pump Pool Heater

Heat pump pool heaters cost more than gas pool heaters, but they typically have much lower annual operating costs because of their higher efficiencies. With proper maintenance, heat pump pool heaters typically last longer than gas pool heaters. Therefore, you’ll save more money in the long run.

When selecting a heat pump pool heater, you should consider its:

• Size
• Costs.

Were Here To Helpwere Here To Help

A trained pool heating professional will use a sizing calculator toprovide a proper pool analysis for your swimming pool to determine thecorrect size heater that youll need. Get a free analysis by simplycompleting the form below.

Input details about your pool, including pool size and environmentalconditions and well provide you with a detailed analysis of the BTUsize required to heat your pool. Well include a list of features anddetails on our complete line of pool heaters and calculate costs andsavings. Well even share our leading brands that are backed bywatertight warranties.

With a proper pool heat pump analysis, you will have all theinformation you need to make an informed decision on the best and mosteconomical way to heat your pool.

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What Is A Solar Pool Heater & How Does It Work

Solar pool heaters use the suns energy to pump water through your pool filter and a series of solar collectors devices where the water is warmed in tubular panels by the sun. Once warmed, the water is circulated back into the pool. Solar collectors are often installed on roofs, though they can be placed anywhere with sufficient sunlight. In hotter climates or warm summer months, they can also serve a double purpose by cooling down the pool by routing water through the collectors during the night.

The collectors within a solar swimming pool heater come in two forms: unglazed and glazed.

• Unglazed solar collectors are often cheaper because they use less expensive material and labor to produce. They are made coated with plastic or durable rubber. The technology is similar to how a garden hose in the sun will eventually heat up and pass that thermal energy onto the water inside.
• Glazed solar collectors typically use copper tubing with a glass covering. These upgrades make the process more efficient, but it comes at a higher cost. In addition to heating your pool, glazed solar collectors can also be used to heat the water you use indoors all year.

In addition to the solar collectors, many solar pool heating systems also include manual or automated sensors and flow control valves. If the pool is sufficiently heated, water from the solar collectors can be diverted and water from the pool will still be filtered but wont enter the collectors.

Extend The Swimming Season

Want to swim later in the year? Theres a pool heater for that. In some climate areas, keeping a pool up and running all year is normal. For cooler places, there are a limited number of months each year that operating a pool is recommended, or even possible. To make the swimming season as long as it can be in those areas, effectively heating your pool will maximize the time that you can enjoy it.

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Pool Heaters Work Similarly To A Water Filter

Whether youre regularly using your pool, or have decided to close it until next summer, regular maintenance is important. One way to clean a pool is by utilizing the filter. The filter takes water from the pool, funnels it through a filter, removes debris then filters the clean water back into your pool. Pool heaters work the same way. No matter which sort of pool heater you use, water is taken from the pool, heated, then filtered back into the pool.

Pool heaters work by transferring heat to your pool water through something called a heat exchanger. There are different types of heating technologies, it just depends on your budget and personal preference.

Do I Need A Pool Chiller

If you find you arent enjoying your pool in the summer months because your pool is too warm, a pool chiller may make sense for you. After all, your pool is a significant investment. If you arent enjoying your swims, the pool could seem like an awful waste of space — and money!

Other benefits to a chiller include:

• reducing the chance of algae blooms
• reducing the amount of chemicals you use
• reducing the amount of water you use

If you want to try some other methods of chilling your pool before investing in a chiller, consider:

• installing a water feature
• adding shade
• removing any blockages to air flow across the pools surface

Pool chillers and heaters may not be for everyone, but for those of who want to get full use of our backyard oasis, these two pieces of equipment are surely on the must-have list.

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What Is An Above Ground Pool Heater

Above ground, pool heaters are the swimming pool heaters that are exclusively used for heating the pool water. They are available in various types and they use different heating principles to ensure the pool is warm. This allows people to have incredible swimming experience irrespective of weather conditions.

The Good The Bad And The Versatile

Electric heat pumps are the new kids on the block. As consumers become gradually more environmentally-conscious, there are more and more options in appliances that leave a smaller carbon footprint. Electric heat pumps use a lot less electricity than their counterparts and do a pretty good job at heating too.

They do have some issues, however.

Remember when I told you that they take heat from their surrounding area? So then what happens when its really cold outside and theres no heat to take?

The simple answer is: theres no heat to take.

Although environmentally-friendly and much cheaper to operate, if you find yourself needing to heat a pool in temperatures around 50 degrees Fahrenheit, you may have some trouble heating the pool quickly.

Another point worth mentioning about heat pumps is the initial cost. If youre simply doing a price point comparison between a heat pump and a traditional electric pool heater, the electric heater is always going to be the cheaper option, based on actual cost-to-buy.

That doesnt mean theyre cheaper in the long run, however. If you plan on using your heater a lot, the money saved by a heat pump outweighs the initial cost. The cost to run a heat pump based on electricity alone is under $1 an hour. Thats pretty reasonable in the scheme of things.

Pros:

• Best for pool owners in warmer year-round climates
• Lower utility costs over time

Cons:

• More expensive initial cost than electric pool heaters
• Less efficient in cold or extreme temperatures

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Best For Saltwater Pools: Raypak Pr266aenx51 240000 Btu Heater Electronic Ignition

Pool Type: Inground

Pool Size: 25,000

Saltwater pools are known to take a toll on mechanical equipment and components, including a pool heater. However, you can minimize the potential for problems by choosing a pool heater specifically designed for saltwater pools. Most models have a copper fin tube heat exchanger, which can be negatively impacted when exposed to water from a saltwater pool. The best choice for these pools is a heater with a cupronickel heat exchanger. While the upfront cost is usually higher than a model with a copper heat exchanger, the payoff in terms of durability and service life makes sense for most pool owners.

The Raypak PR236AENX51 is equipped with a cupronickel heat exchanger, along with Raypaks ProTek shield that acts as a buffer against corrosion of your heat exchanger. The digital thermostat makes it easy to adjust the pool temperature to your preferences, and it can be tied into a remote system for convenient and automated control of your pool.

Pool Type: Not Listed

Pool Size: Up to 25,000 gallons

The AquaCal SQ120R stands out as a heater chiller combo for pools with smart features, like the ability to control the unit with the PoolSync app. Switch between heating and cooling modes or set the unit to keep your pool at a constant temperature with the Autotemp mode. You will need to buy a separate PoolSync WiFi Controller if you want to take advantage of this feature.

Best Above Ground Pool Heater Reviews Of 2021

Above ground pools are not one of the latest innovations, but their functionality and usability has been enhanced with the ability to add pool heaters. Heaters are used to regulate the temperature of the pool. Therefore, you will gain more use and enjoyment out of your pool.

3. Our Gas Pool Heater Pick Hayward W3H200FDN Pool and Spa Heater

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How To Find The Right Size Gas Pool Heater

Just like any pool heater, you need to first know the surface area of your pool in square feet. Youll also need to figure out the average air temperature in your area.

For example, the average temperature in New Jersey during the month of October is 65°F. If you own a 16×32 inground pool in New Jersey, and you want the temperature of your pool to be 80°F all the time, the temperature rise calculation is:

80 65 = 15 degrees in temperature rise.

Using the BTU formula, the calculation would be:

512 × 15 × 12 = 92,160 BTUs of heat needed to be generated by your new pool heater.

What To Remember When Selecting A Heater

Remember a pool heater can never be too big, but buy a pool heater that isn’t big enough and you’ll never be satisfied.

When selecting your pool heater, always to select a heater rated somewhat higher than your actual pool surface area and desired temperature rise required. There is no such thing as âoversizingâ a pool heater. The larger the BTU output of the pool heater you buy, the quicker it will heat your pool water. This means less run time on the heater and a longer overall heater life span. You will always be glad you opted for the larger pool heater.

A pool will gradually lose heat due to evaporation and may cause your pool to take longer to achieve desired temperature. Investing in a pool cover will reduce heat loss by up to 80 percent.

We hope you found this information helpful. If you have any questions, please feel free to call us at 1-800-741-9956. Our team of friendly pool experts will answer any questions you may have and offer technical advice in selecting the model that is right for your pool.

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Choosing The Right Pool Heat Pump For Your Pool Size

The performance data is based on the following calculation basis

C x VX P = ————————-

P Performance of swimming pool heat pump

C heat storage coefficient of water = 4.186

V Pool volume

T1 Start temperature

H Heat up time

The maximum heating time should be 4 hours per 1 ° C water temperature. This is calculated by the heat loss during the night being up to 2°C meaning it would take 8 hours to heat up to full temperature maintaining a constant temp throughout the season.

Example:

Say you have a swimming pool with 40m³ of water and an initial temperature of 18 ° C.

You want to heat the water to 28 ° C. The maximum heating time should be 4 hours per 1 ° C water temperature. Consequently, it takes 40 hours to heat up your 40m³ pool by 10 ° C.

This results in the following formula:

4.186 x 40 x P = ———————— = 52.33kW

Gas Pool Heater Sizing: How To Size A Pool Heater

• |January 30, 2021

So youre tired of swimming in cold water and have decided you want a heater for your pool. But how do you know which is the right one?

Correct pool heater sizing isnt an overly complicated process, and well walk you through how to determine what size heater will work best for your pool.

Important: This article is about sizing gas pool heaters, not electric heat pumps. If youre looking for the latter, please read our article on sizing a pool heat pump.

Skip to:

• Size Really Does Matter

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Change The Temperature Of Your Pool Without The Hassle

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The Spruce / Chloe Jeong

A pool heater means you can start swimming sooner and extend your season longer. These units work in tandem with your pool pump to warm pool water to a pre-set temperature and are compatible with both inground and above-ground pools.

The type of pool heater you choose will depend on several factors, including the type and size of pool you have. More powerful pool heaters are typically required for large, inground pools. The gallons of water in your pool, along with how much you want the temperature to rise, will determine the BTU rating you should look for residential pool heaters usually range from 100,000 to 400,000 BTU. The power source is also important, since youll need to decide between natural gas, propane, or electric powered pool heaters.

Here, the best pool heaters to keep your water temperature constant for the whole swimming season.

Pool Type: Inground

Pool Size: 400 square feet

Do I Need A Pool Heater In Southwest Florida

The Sunshine State was given its nickname for a reasonits almost always sunny and hot. So, why would anyone need a pool heater then? Well, its not always as sunny and hot as youd think. While winter for us may not include snow or ice, it does include a high of around 75° and a low of around 55° spanning from November to April. While these temperatures are extremely desirable for enjoying the outdoors, theyre not so pleasant when you want to take a dip.

For most people 82° is considered a comfortable swimming temperature, which means comfortable swimming exists in Southwest Florida from May to October. If you think about it, thats six months of discomfort while swimming, and most people who have a pool want to enjoy the luxury all year-round. Ultimately, its up to you to decide if youd rather swim all year long, or if youre okay with passing up the pool for half of the year. The experts at Home-Tech are here to give all the facts regarding investing in a pool heater, as well as the types of pool heaters available.

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The Customers Ideal Water Temperature

You need to identify what temperature your customers prefer to swim at .

This establishes what performance you expect your heater to maintain under different environmental conditions. For example, if a pool has an attached hot tub, the maximum water temperature for calculating Btu requirements would be as high as 104 degrees Fahrenheit.

Do You Have Natural Gas

Were not trying to be too personal. Were talking about gas lines running to your home.

Before you buy a gas heater, its good to know the distance from the gas meter to where the heater will be installed. Even if youve sized the heater correctly, depending on the distance from the meter, the gas line size may not support the heater.

Important factors to consider:

• How far is the run from the gas meter to the heater?
• What is the gas line size?
• New installdo you have power at the heater location?

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