Six Tips To Choosing The Best Pool Heater For Your Pool
Written by Southsidepool / Posted on 10 March 2019
Pool heaters allow pool owners to extend their swimming season and enjoy the water at a comfortable temperature practically year-round. But how does one choose the best heating unit for their pool? Here are six tips that are sure to help.
Understand your options
In order to purchase the best pool heater for your needs, you need to understand the different pool heating options first. Pool heaters are mainly electric pool heat pumps, gas or solar pool heating. Gas pool heaters are quite popular. They heat water quickly and are less energy efficient, but they are easier to operate and offer a reasonable purchase price. In contrast, electric pool heat pumps are a little more expensive, but with a 10-20 year lifespan, greater efficiency, and lower annual operating costs, the expense declines over short period of time. The third option is solar pool heating. These systems can be expensive to buy and have a relatively shorter lifespan; however, the efficiency is great, but only when the sun is out.
Consider the costs
Sure, upfront costs need to be in your list of considerations when choosing a pool heater, but there’s more to the cost of owning a pool heater than just their upfront costs. For example; while a gas pool heater is usually the cheapest to buy, it will end up costing you more every month if natural gas bills. A heat pump, on the other hand, operates on electricity and uses the ambient air temperature to add heat into the water. This makes for high efficiency and cheaper running costs. Lastly, solar pool heating is likely the most expensive of the bunch, but the energy they use is free and thereby, their monthly operational costs are generally the lowest.
Consider the heating capacity
When choosing a pool heater, a key factor to get right is the heating capacity which must match your pool itself and your use of it. The larger your pool/ the quicker you want your pool to heat, the larger your pool heater needs to be. Pretty straight forward, isn’t it? You’re also going to need a heater with a high heating capacity if the pool is going to be in use all the time rather than intermittently.
Know your pool
Above-ground pools lose heat much more quickly than in-ground pools do. Therefore, if you have an above-ground pool, you’ll need a much more powerful pool heater to raise its temperature.
Determine your climate
All pool heaters work a bit differently and your climate plays a part in the best one for your needs. If you live in a place that gets a lot of direct sunlight, for example, solar pool heating or a pool heat pump will be perfect for you. On the other hand, if you live in a place with low humidity and cool nights, a gas pool heater could be the best purchase for you as it will heat water pretty quickly.
Consider the brand
Once you have decided on a particular type of pool heater, you have to make sure that their quality is being backed by a reputable pool brand. Needless to say, well-known pool heater brands are more likely to be reliable, efficient and made to last.
Bottom Line
These were six factors that would determine the best pool heater for your needs. Whatever type of heater you choose, though, it’s always a smart idea to consult an expert who specialises in pool heating in your area before you make a purchase.