A heater is the extra that most changes how many weeks you swim in Central New York. Without one, many pools here are only comfortable from late June to late August. With heat, May and September become swim months too. The two common choices are an electric heat pump and a gas heater.
Heat pump
A heat pump works like an air conditioner in reverse: it pulls heat from the outside air and moves it into the water. It's very efficient when the air is mild, which makes it cheap to run for keeping the pool warm through the season. It heats slowly, so it works best when you keep the pool at a steady temperature, and it loses efficiency when the air gets cold.
Gas heater
A gas heater (natural gas or propane) heats fast and works no matter how cold it is outside. That makes it great for a spa, or if you only heat the pool for weekends or parties. It costs more to run if you keep it on all the time, and it needs a gas line.
Which one fits you
- You want warm water all season with low running cost: heat pump
- You have an attached spa you want hot in 20–30 minutes: gas heater
- You swim mostly on weekends and want heat on demand: gas heater
- You want to stretch the season into May and September: heat pump, often with a solar or automatic cover to keep the heat in
Keep the heat in
Whatever heater you choose, a cover makes the biggest difference. Most heat leaves a pool through the surface, especially overnight. An automatic cover or even a simple solar cover can cut heating costs a lot.
Not sure which heater fits your pool? We'll size it with you.
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