Thinking about a new Pool Heater for 20 x 40 inground

[dozier12]

Good day All,
I am looking for some guidance on a natural gas pool heater and I Jandy makes a good one but they are pricey, can anyone recommend a good one that will do a pretty good job for my size pool.

Thanks ahead,
Dozier12

[aylad]

Hi Dozier, and welcome to the forum!!

I can't answer your question, but I know there are forum members here who can offer you good information. I just wanted to remind you that forum traffic is just now beginning to pick up, so it may take a few days before you get useful responses. Don't give up!

[PoolDoc]

Hi Dozer;

Jandy is not my favorite product line -- I'd trust Hayward or Pentair a lot more.

BUT, you're not at the point of needing that info, just yet.

FIRST, you need to figure out what you want the heater to do. Obviously, it takes a lot bigger heater if you want to swim in January (and raise the water temp 50 degrees) than if you want to swim in early May (when you need to raise the temp 10 degrees). I have a 450K BTUH heater (large residential size) I selected for a 240,000 gallon country club customer pool (6x larger than a LARGE residential pool), and it does very well warming the pool 10 - 12 degrees. This allows them to open in mid-May with 83 degree water instead of 72 degree water, and it fires off and on in June, and cold rainy spells in July.

SECOND: you need to look at gas costs. In many parts of the country, you can buy a 3 year old used heater for the cost of removing it. Many, many pool owners spend $2,000 installing a gas pool heater, and then decide -- after the 2nd $500 gas bill in November -- that they really don't want a warm pool in December (or November or October) again. Pool heaters are incredible energy hogs. A cover will help, but short of enclosing the pool, there's nothing you can do to prevent that. Buying a high efficiency heater (95% instead of 80%) will, at best, change that $500/month gas bill into a $400/month gas bill)

Currently, in my area, gas rates are $0.62/100K BTU. (2012 Chattanooga Gas tariffs (http://chattanoogagas.com/Universal/RatesandTariff.aspx)). This means a 300,000 BTUH heater costs $1.86/hour to fire. That heater would fire at least 50% of the time in January on a 20x40, costing around $670/month. In May, it might run 15% of the time, still costing $200/month. Some parts of Virgina are a LOT colder than Chattanooga.

Using a pool heater on rainy days, and to extend the season on the edges, is much more practical for most people than actually heating the pool.

THIRD: You need to recognize that pool chemistry becomes more difficult with a pool heater. Without one, most people can pay a lot less attention to their calcium and alkalinity levels than the pool stores say. But, add a heater into the mix, and you need to pay close attention to pH, alkalinity, and calcium AND you need to get it right. A little calcium scale will turn the most efficient heater into an energy pig.

So . . . let us know, and we can help you pick.

[BigDave]

Have you considered Solar? The initial installed cost will be higher and it won't take you as far into the winter but you won't get a huge energy bill and it can help cool your pool if it's too hot.

[CarlD]

In Virginia you should have excellent sunshine. I use solar in NJ and it has been VERY effective for 9 years now. Plus, it's free heat and can cool the pool by running it at night. I extend my pool season to include May and most of September, when in this part of the country pool season is Memorial Day to Labor Day.

[PoolDoc]

dozier hasn't logged in, since he made the post. There's a fair chance he's moved on.