The Best Pool Heating Options - Pool Heaters vs. Heat Pumps
Pool heaters and heat pumps make it possible to extend your swimming season and enjoy warmer water in the pool but how do you decide which choice is best for you?
Let's start talking about the difference between a pool heater and a heat pump. Heat pumps use electricity to capture heat and transfer it from one place to another and they do not generate heat like a gas or propane heater. Gas and propane heaters generally use more energy than heat pumps because they need to create heat, instead of transfer it. Here is what you will need to consider to choose the best option for you.
Consider Where You Live
In order to work properly, heat pumps need to be in an area where the air temperature is about 7 degree Celsius or higher year around. That is because they operate by collecting in outside air and converting it to heat. The higher the air temperature, the more they can extract and convert in warmer water. Pool heaters, on the other hand, can be used anywhere, regardless of climate.
Purchase Price and Operational Cost
While looking to buy heat pump online, you may have noticed that this option has a much higher upfront cost than a pool heater. Although you can find nice deals when you buy heat pump online, even if cost you more than a pool heater, the extra money you invest on the front will pay off over time. That is because a heat pump uses half of the amount of gas to obtain the same BTUs than a pool heater and about a quarter of the amount of electricity as an electric heater. If you are planning to operate your pool's heat constantly, a heat pump will more than pay for itself over time when compared to a pool heater's capabilities.
Installation Requirements
How to install a pool heater will depend on if it is a gas or propane heater. Make sure you consider the cost factor of running a gas line to the unit when purchasing a pool heater, so you don't get caught of guard when you receive the quote for installation service by a professional. Both electric pool heaters and pool heat pumps will require electrical wiring to be run to the unit. With that said, make sure to include the cost of the installation service.
All in all, if you have the right weather conditions, a heat pump is the most efficient way to heat your swimming pool.
