POOL BUTLER BLOG

Tags: gas heater, heat pump, pool heater

Winter is in full swing in Palm Beacon County as evidenced by the increase in calls to our service department for heater repairs along with calls for new heater installations. Our goal is to locate the best gas and electric (heat pump) heaters available and offer them to our customers. This includes the most reliable heaters offering the best warranties. Our clients get the benefit of the knowledge we garner by servicing hundreds of pools weekly which have all manner and type of products installed with different manufacturers. We learn which products are problematic and which are trouble-free and strive to pass this important information on to our clients.

A heated pool is a wonderful luxury to have. Nothing sells a Florida holiday party like saying “bring your bathing suits!” on the invitation. In addition to enjoying your pool with family and friends year-round, a pool heater also allows winter use of the pool for therapeutic purposes.

Pool heaters allow for maximum enjoyment of your investment. Choices for the type of pool heater you can install depend first on if Natural or Propane gas is available at your property. If gas is not available, a heat pump or solar heating system are your next options. The next step is to evaluate your existing electrical panel and determine the electrical requirement needed for the appropriate size heater for your pool. If your electric panel needs to be increased, we will include this in our proposal for the heater, so the project is turn-key.

Heat pumps operate by taking free heat from ambient air temperature and transfer it to the pool water. A heat pump doesn’t burn energy to create heat, it only uses a small amount of energy to transfer Free heat from the air to the pool. This process results in as much as 680% efficiency (C.O.P). Heat pumps are becoming increasingly popular for pool owners. The air passes over an evaporator coil using heated refrigerant to heat water returning into your pool. The cost to run a heat pump is approximately $ .63/hr; a fraction of propane or natural gas. The life expectancy is approximately 12-15 years.

Gas heaters operate using a pilot light and ignition system which ignites the Propane or Natural gas supply. Much care must be taken to place the heater properly and up to code so as not to cause harm or death. It is imperative that a licensed pool professional be hire to perform a gas heater installation.

Your pool technician will be able to set your pool water temperature for maximum pleasure and in accordance with the National Swimming Pool Foundation and American Red Cross guidelines. The American Red Cross recommends pool water temperature for competition to be set at 78 degrees Fahrenheit and recreational pool water at 82.5 degrees Fahrenheit.

In order to reduce the cost of heating your poo during the season we recommend the installation of a pool cover. Pool covers save up to 70 percent on your bill. They do this by reducing evaporation which accounts for 50% of all energy losses in a pool. We have dry and windy winters in Boca Raton and Delray and, like blowing on a hot beverage to cool it, the wind accelerates evaporation from your pool.

Please call The Pool Butler, Co. to schedule an appointment with one of our professionals to evaluate your pool for the correct heater for your needs.