Swimming Pool Gas Heater vs Heat Pump vs Solar

At Red Baron Pool Supplies I am often asked whether it is best to choose a heat pump, a gas heater or solar for swimming pool heating.

Each has their own benefits and the choice will be determined by a few things:

How much use is the pool/spa going to receive?

Gas heaters will heat pool and spa water rapidly and can then be switched off when the desired temperature is achieved. This is ideal for the occasional swimmer.

Heat pumps are slow to heat pool and spa water so swimming in warm water is no spare of the moment idea. For those who intend to swim in a heated pool daily then heat pumps are a better option as long term energy use is much cheaper than long term gas use.

How much of the year would you like to swim?

If you want a heated pool all year round then either choose a gas heater or a very powerful heat pump. Heat pumps have no heating element and are basically a giant air conditioner; they generate their heat by stealing it from the atmosphere. If you intend to use a heat pump during the winter then make sure you size a suitably large one! If you want a heat pump to heat a spa at 38 degrees Celsius during the winter then make sure you buy a very powerful heat pump or else it will need to be running 24/7 to maintain the heat.

Solar works well in summer but of course it needs the sun to operate, so winter time is not very effective.

What energy sources are available?

If you want a gas heater and you have town gas plumbed to your house, fine. If you only have bottled LPG gas, you will wish you got a heat pump when you get your first gas bill.

If you want a heat pump, you will always get more power and cost efficiency out of using 3-Phase power than normal 240V power.

What is your budget?

Gas heaters are cheaper than heat pumps, but as mentioned previously, are more expensive to run for long periods of time. Heat pumps are a more expensive initial outlay, but depending on how you intend to use your pool, will cost you less long term. Solar is the cheapest of them all however its heating ability is also the least.

BEWARE of people trying to sell you a pool heater to suit your budget that is not sufficient to heat the job you require. Every day I speak to people who want to heat their spa at 38 degrees all year round with a heat pump, and have been quoted for a 17kW heat pump thats price will be appealing but will not be anywhere near powerful enough to do what they want. I often lose sales to this but I will never sell a heat pump or gas heater when I know it won't do the job.  Avoid the salesman wanting a quick and easy sale.

There are a few energy efficient swimming pool heaters on the market now.

I like to recommend the Hurlcon Viron gas heater (pictured above) and the Pentair Master Temp gas heater. Compact heaters compared to others and for the amount of gas you put in, more heat is generated than a standard swimming pool gas heater. More information of these gas heaters can be seen on the Red Baron Pool Supplies web site at http://www.redbaronpoolsupplies.com.au/

Being an online swimming pool supplies store we can sell anywhere in Australia, I realise though most HubPages viewers are overseas so I have added my recommendations to this hub as Amazon products. Compare the Amazon prices to your local pool shop.

I encourage any questions in the comment box below, and check out my other hubs for more swimming pool related topics.

Thanks for reading!

You may also be interested in my hub about The best type of automatic pool cleaner.

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