What’s the Fastest Way to Heat Up Your Swimming Pool?
Want to get more use out of your pool? While cool pool water is always appreciated during the hot temperatures of summer, an unheated pool is an unpleasant experience on chillier days. Investing in swimming pool heaters is a wise decision, allowing you to enjoy your pool during cooler temperatures.
How can you heat up your pool as quickly as possible? Some pool heating solutions are more efficient than others. Get to know your options below.
Gas heaters
When it comes to swimming pool heaters, a gas heater is the best option in terms of performance. Think about the volume of water in your pool—there’s a lot of water that needs to be heated in order to raise the temperature even a single degree. Most pool heaters take an entire day to increase the water temperature by around 3 degrees, on average. In contrast, gas heaters only take an hour to raise the temperature of the entire pool by the same amount.
Overall, gas heaters get the job done quickly, but not necessarily efficiently. As you might expect, gas heaters burn through a lot of gas to heat a pool. In terms of coefficient of performance (COP), gas heaters have a low ranking, which means they’re not the most efficient of heaters. The bottom line is that gas heaters are expensive to operate, and you’ll be spending more for the convenience of faster heating.
Electric heaters
Electric resistance pool heaters also provide quick on-demand heating for a pool. They work like a typical electric stove, relying on a heating element instead of gas power to heat your pool water. While electric heaters heat up a pool very fast, they’re the least cost-effective option, and you’ll need to prepare for higher utility bills if you want the convenience these models offer.
Floor return lines
A pool’s return lines carry water from a pool heater into the pool. While most return lines are located near the surface of the water, it’s more efficient to place return lines near the bottom of the pool, since heat naturally rises. The coldest part of a pool is always near the bottom, and installing floor return lines in this area can eliminate cold spots in the pool water and allow you to maintain a comfortable, consistent temperature throughout the pool.
A word about solar covers
Solar covers are an incredibly effective way to lock in heat and make your pool more energy efficient. They create a barrier that not only locks in heat, but also reduces water evaporation. By investing in a quality solar cover, you’ll be able to keep the water in your pool at a consistent warm temperature without needing to run your heater ragged.
There are many types of swimming pool heaters on the market that can make swimming an enjoyable experience every time. Need help determining which heating solution is right for your pool? Reach out to Avanti Pools, Inc. today and discover the best choice for your needs, your budget and your pool care habits.