If you like to swim in your pool year-round, then you may want to install a pool heater. There are several different types of pool heaters, including gas, oil, electric and solar. Heating your pool can add to the value of your home and increase how often you use your pool. This can be especially true if you live in an area that has cold or cool winters or does not receive a great deal of heat over the summer months.
If you are going to install a pool heater, then you should consider also investing in a good pool cover. This will prevent loss of heat during nighttime hours when the temperature drops or when the pool is not in use.
You will need to decide how much power your pool heater requires. This depends on a few factors including the size of the pool, how much you need to heat it (i.e. what is the outside temperature?) and also how you use the pool. if you use the pool all day and can heat it gradually then you may need a less powerful heater but if the pool needs heating at short notice then you may need one with more power. Aqua Supercenter have a wide range of pool heaters to choose from so check out their ad on the bottom right of the page.
Electric and gas pool heaters range in price from under $1000 to over $2000 depending on the power level whereas the solar pool heaters are much less expensive but are not quite as effective as the powered heaters.
Gas Pool Heaters
Gas pool heaters are usually operated from liquid propane or LP gas. This type of heater can be extremely convenient to use if you already have LP gas supplying heat and other services to your home. LP gas pool heaters are less expensive than other types of pool heaters. They are also less expensive to operate.
Oil Pool Heaters
Another type of pool heater is the oil heater. This type of pool heater is common in areas where oil is used for winter heating fuel. Oil heaters are more expensive to operate than the LP gas pool heater and more expensive to install. They also require more maintenance.
Electric Pool Heaters
Electric pool heaters are probably the most common type of pool heater, since the highest percentage of homeowners have access to electricity for their heating needs. Electric heaters are expensive to operate and to install. If you are going to install an electric heater, then it should be put on a timer and you should consider using a pool cover to hold in the heat when you are not using the pool.
Solar Pool Heaters
Solar pool heaters are becoming more popular among pool owners, particularly as there is more interest in using non-fossil fuels for heating and electricity needs. Solar panels are installed in close proximity to the pool and a fuel cell charges when the solar panels are exposed to the sun. The solar fuel cell then converts the solar energy into electricity to fuel the pool heater. While this sounds complicated, it is really a simple process. However, you need to make sure that your pool is located in an area where you get adequate sun to power the solar panels.
Another type of solar pool heater is the solar blanket pool cover. This type of heavy plastic pool cover has small solar collector bubbles constructed into it. These bubbles become warm and heat the pool water over the course of the day and keep in heat during the night. When you want to use the pool, simply pull the pool cover off and you have a heated pool. This type of pool heater is probably the lowest technology type of pool heater, but it works extremely well and is the least expensive type of pool heater in the short term. Solar blanket pool covers need to be replaced every three to five years.
