Are you counting the days until pool season arrives? If you’re relying on the sun alone to heat the water to a comfortable temperature, then you’re losing time you could be swimming.
Installing a natural gas pool heater lets you dive in, even when
the sun just isn’t enough to warm the water.
Installing a natural gas pool heater lets you dive in, even when the sun just isn’t enough to warm the water. A heater can make your Georgia pool comfortable for swimming from late March to well into the fall season, pool builders say.
Gas-fired heaters are the most popular system for warming pool water in the Peach State, as well as across the nation. Here’s why:
- Fast warm-up. Natural gas burns quickly, so it raises your pool temperature twice as fast as non-gas heating systems. Because the water heats quickly, you don’t have to plan pool parties around warm temperatures or postpone swimming until the water heats up. A gas heater is also ideal for those who only use their pool on weekends and want the option to heat on demand.
- Weather conditions aren’t a factor. Unlike other heater systems, a gas heater doesn’t require warm air or sunny days to heat water. Gas pool heaters work much like a boiler. As the pump circulates the pool’s water, the water drawn from the pool passes through a filter and then to the heater. The gas burns in the heater’s combustion chamber, generating heat that transfers to the water that’s returned to the pool.
- New models are energy-efficient. The more efficient the heater, the lower your gas bill will be. Heater efficiency is the ratio of usable output to energy input. For example, an 80 percent-efficient heater generates $80 worth of useful heat for every $100 worth of fuel it uses. The U.S. Department of Energy recommends purchasing a gas pool heater that promises 89 to 95 percent efficiency.
- They’re less expensive. Natural gas heaters are available in a wide range of qualities and sizes. They are generally less expensive to buy and install than other types of heating systems. It’s also worth noting that a majority of well-known consumer reviewers selected a gas model as the overall most recommended for 2022. Read a review of the Hayward Universal H-Series Pool and Spa Heater.
What size heater do I need?
The speed and efficiency of your pool heating largely depends on selecting the right size heater for your needs. A small or weak heater will take much longer to heat a large pool than a high-capacity heater.
A general rule of thumb is that you should increase your pool heater size by 50,000 British thermal units (BTU) for every 5,000 to 10,000 gallons of water your pool holds.
Be smart
While you’re shopping for a pool heater, think about adding some smart pool hardware that allows you to control your heater and pump remotely. You can save time and energy by monitoring, controlling and managing your home pool equipment with just a tap on your smartphone.
Having remote control also provides the convenience of turning on your pool heater before you arrive home and then checking to see when it’s warm enough for swimming. The same automation can help you easily turn off the pool heating system when it’s no longer needed.
Don’t miss out on months of pool fun every year. Contact a local pool contractor to learn more about how a natural gas heater can help you make the most of swim season.