Having a pool in your backyard offers a great opportunity to entertain, relax, and even exercise. If you have a pool installed in your backyard, you might be wondering whether a pool heater is worth the investment. Pool heaters are a great addition as they increase comfort and extend the swimming season, allowing you to get the most out of your pool.
Read on to learn about 3 common types of pool heaters available and what to consider with each.
Solar Pool Heaters
For environment-conscious homeowners, a solar pool heater is a great option. It’s the cleanest form of energy since these type of heaters doesn’t use natural resources like gas or oil and it doesn’t produce harmful emissions. To top it off, solar energy is free and the operational costs to run a solar heater are less expensive compared to other options.
Solar pool heaters are relatively low maintenance as well. In fact, these heaters can typically last between 15-20 years without a problem, which contributes to the lower operational cost.
With that said, if you’re interested in a solar-heated pool, you will need to pay for electricity to power the electric pump, which is designed to circulate the pool’s water through the system. However, homeowners can still reduce the cost of their swimming pool heating costs with solar pool heating.
Things To Note
One thing to consider with pools heated with solar energy is that the initial cost of these types of heaters can be relatively expensive.
Along with this, the size of the solar panels can be an issue depending on the size of your pool. If your pool is smaller, the solar panels might be an interference, which means you’ll need an alternative area to place your solar panels such as the roof or lawn.
Another thing to consider is that pools that are heated with solar energy will take longer to heat the water since these type of heaters can’t actually produce their own heat.
Electric Heat Pump
Another type of pool heater that some homeowners use is electric heat pumps. These heat pumps work by pulling heat from the air and then transferring the heat to the pool. These heat pumps have a lifespan of about 10-20 years and are more environmentally-friendly compared to gas heaters.
Electric heat pumps are a great option for homeowners that live in a warmer climate since the heat is transferred from the outside air. Along with this, the operational costs of a heat pump are relatively low as well since it relies primarily on the ambient air temperature.
Things To Note
Like Solar Pool heaters, electric heat pumps do not generate their own heat. This means that electric heat pumps will also take longer to heat your pool. Another thing to consider is that this type of heater won’t work as efficiently once the climate becomes cooler.
Gas Pool Heater
Gas pool heaters do not rely on sunlight or air temperature to generate heat for the pool. Instead, a gas heater will either burn natural gas or propane in a combustion chamber.
Some homeowners prefer gas heaters since it heats the pool quickly. This is because gas heaters are able to produce their own heat. Additionally, the cost of gas heaters varies so homeowners can potentially purchase a gas heater at a lower cost. The typical lifespan of a gas heater is between 7 and 10 years.
Things To Note
Gas heaters are not environmentally-friendly due to their fuel emission and are less energy efficient. In addition, although you can purchase a gas heater at a low cost, it can be expensive to run and have a shorter lifespan compared to other options.
At McCallum’s Pool Service & Repair, we provide quality service with satisfaction guaranteed. If you’re a homeowner in Scottsdale, AZ, or the surrounding area and are interested in pool installation or repair, contact us to learn how we can help. Or, get a free estimate today.
