Extending the swimming season with in-ground pool heaters will allow you to enjoy more days of fun and fitness each year. Gas, electric and solar swimming pool heaters will all effectively raise and maintain the temperature of pool water so that you and your friends and family can start swimming sooner and continue to swim later in the year.
While the size of heater that you will require will depend on the size of your in-ground swimming pool, the type of heater that will work best for you will depend on your pool usage and your personal preferences. Below you will find information on gas pool heaters, electric pool heaters and solar pool heaters so that you will be able to make a confident choice when it comes to purchasing a heater for your swimming pool.
Gas in-ground pool heaters are powered either by natural gas or propane and are capable of maintaining any temperature no matter what the weather may be. Gas-powered models also work very quickly and can raise the temperature of a swimming pool by five to seven degrees Fahrenheit in just two hours. However, gas in-ground swimming pool heaters have the highest operating cost of all three types of swimming pool heaters . That being said, in-ground gas pool heaters are ideal for pools that often need to be heated quickly, such as when guests are arriving.
The fast heating action of these pool heaters also makes them a great option for swimming pools located at vacation homes or pools that are only used on weekends.
Despite the relatively high cost of operation associated with in-ground gas pool heaters, these units can generally be purchased for anywhere from $875 to $5500, with many high-quality options available at the lower end of that range. This makes gas pool heaters for in-ground swimming pools the most affordable option initially. However, it’s important to take the cost of operation into account when determining whether a gas heater will fit your budget. When choosing in-ground gas pool heaters, look for a model with an efficiency rating close to 80% as such a unit will provide you with more effective heating. While the efficiency of gas heaters for in-ground pools may decrease over time, the units themselves should last for at least five years.
Electric heaters provide one alternative to gas in-ground pool heaters and are also known as heat pump swimming pool heaters. Although heat pumps require electricity to operate, they are actually a form of solar heating, using heat from the sun-warmed air to raise the water temperature. Once the heat has been removed from the air, it is upgraded with the heater’s compressor and then transferred to the water.
The good part about these pool heaters is that they extract heat from the surrounding air and are capable of keeping the water warm even after sun down. The surrounding air’s jut got to be around 45 degrees. Even if the air around is below 45, the water temperature wouldn’t drop and that’s because water has a high specific heat capacity – eight grade physics 
Electric pool heaters for in-ground swimming pools are a great choice for people who enjoy swimming even during cloudy weather. These swimming pool heaters are also popular with pool owners who want to use solar energy to heat their pool but who cannot accommodate a solar heater on their property. Although the unit cost of heat pump heaters for in-ground pools tends to be higher than that of gas pool heaters, falling somewhere in the range of $1600 to $4600, their cost of operation is very low. Also, heat pumps will generally have a lifespan of between five and 10 years, although they may require periodic service to maintain the internal electrical parts.
Solar swimming pool heaters make up the third main category of in-ground pool heaters available on today’s market. These in-ground swimming pool heaters are powered by the sun, using its heat to raise the temperature of the pool water as it circulates through the unit. Accordingly, although solar pool heaters for in-ground swimming pools can have a system kit cost in the range of $300 to $4800, they have no cost of operation. Also, as solar energy is a green and renewable energy source, these pool heaters provide an environmentally friendly heating option.
While these heaters should only operate during daylight hours for the best results, they usually come with a timer that makes this very convenient. Although having a heater of the proper size for your particular swimming pool is important for any type of heater, it’s particularly critical with respect to getting good performance out of a solar heater. However, when you have a solar heating system that is a good match for your in-ground pool, you will be able to enjoy a very effective yet very low maintenance form of pool heating. Moreover, solar heaters for in-ground pools are an excellent investment as they will generally last for 10 to 20 years.
