MMOIA

By Danny Mitchell Ashton

The three categories of pool heaters are gas, electric, and solar. Pools are comfortable with the water at a temperature of about 78 degrees, but some people believe 80 degrees to be the most comfortable water temperature for a pool. The sun will heat an outdoor pool, but without a pool heater, the swimming season will be over while the weather is still relatively warm. A pool heater can add to your swimming season, helping you get the most out of your investment.

Regardless of what type of pool heater you choose, you should use it in conjunction with a pool cover. Just like a lid on a stock pot, the pool cover helps hold in heat, making the heating process more efficient. In fact, an insulating pool cover can drastically reduce heat loss, keeping your energy bills within reason.

Gas pool heaters are quite popular. They use LP gas, and are less expensive than electric systems and less expensive to operate. Where LP is not available, there are oil fired pool heaters.

Electric pool heat pumps are more expensive, but they have their advantages, too. The general consensus is that electric pumps are more expensive to buy, but less expensive to run than gas.

Solar pool heaters can be an excellent choice in some climates. There are drawbacks, such as the initial investment. For ideal heating, the solar collector should be the same square footage as the pool’s surface area. A lot of houses don’t have that kind of space. Another disadvantage is that an electric pool pump is needed to pump the pool water to the solar panels, then pump the warmed water back into the pool.

The key to efficient solar heating is running it continuously on hot, bright days. Then, on cooler days, turn the valve off that goes to the solar panels, or else it will cool instead of heat. The use of a pool cover maximized efficiency of this method.

http://www.thetoyzone.com
Swimming Pool Heaters