Owning your own swimming pool might be an excellent way to beat the punishing heat of high summer, but taking a dip in a pool full of freezing cold water is hardly more comfortable than standing out in the sun, and you will need pool heating even during the hottest months of the year. Many pool owners use simple, electric-powered heat pumps to heat their pool water, but while these heaters have their merits, more and more pool owners are turning to powerful pool heaters powered by natural or liquid petroleum gas.
These formidable gas heaters have a number of advantages over heat pumps and other pool heating options, but they also have one or two drawbacks. If you are considering installing a gas heater to heat your swimming pool, make sure you are familiar with these pros and cons before laying down your hard-earned cash.
What are the advantages of choosing a gas pool heater?
Rapid heating
The chief advantage of gas-powered pool heaters is how rapidly they can heat your pool water to a comfortable temperature, and even a modest-sized gas heater can heat the water in an average-sized pool to an optimum temperature within an hour or two. This speedy heating can be advantageous in a number of ways.
It is ideal for people and families who often host unexpected guests, as your guests will not have to wait long for the pool to come up to temperature. Gas heaters are also excellent during the winter months, as you can heat your pool during a brief snatch of pleasant weather and take an enjoyable swim before the weather inevitably turns. If you work long hours during the day, using a gas heater means you don't have to turn on your heater in the morning and leave it on all day to enjoy a calming swim in the evening.
Fuel efficient
LPG and natural gas are fundamentally efficient fuels, and since gas heaters only need to be operated for short periods to warm your pool a gas-heated pool can be have very low fuel requirements. This makes them excellent for environmentally conscious homeowners.
Reliable
Because gas heaters only need to operate for short periods, they also tend to be very reliable, as they do not suffer wear and tear associated with long periods of continuous use. If they do require repairs down the line, most gas heaters are relatively simple devices that can be repaired quickly and relatively cheaply by a reputable gas heater repair service.
What are the disadvantages of choosing a gas pool heater?
Expensive to buy
High performance and fuel efficiency unfortunately come at a cost, and gas pool heaters are significantly more expensive to purchase than electric heat pumps (although they are often cheaper than solar-powered heaters). They can also be more expensive to install, especially in below-ground pools.
Expensive fuel
Whether you choose natural gas or LPG to fire your pool heater, you can expect it to cost a lot more than the electricity required to run an electric heat pump for an equivalent amount of time. Since gas heaters require less time to bring pools up to temperature, they generally cost about the same to run as heat pumps, but you will have to spend more upfront to ensure you have a ready supply of gas available.
