repair or replace heater?

Hi,

Our pool contractor was out to open our pool and found several mouse nests in our heater and said the heating bricks had collapsed. He felt it would be less expensive to replace our heater than repair the 17 year old unit and suggested a Hayward H400. The price including installation is about $3800 and does not include hook up to our propane gas tank. This is a gulp-inducing price for us...

Looking for options/advice on repair vs. replace, less expensive heating options and if $3800 is a fair price for the heater/install. We have a 28,300 gallon ig pool in the ny.

tia,
jd

I would not put good money after bad repairing a 17 year old unit. That said, $3,800 sounds very high for what should be very easy job to replace. If you are going to spend $3800 either put in a heatpump or a solar system - both will yield much lower operating costs.

i agree that sounds like a hefty markup..just did a quick search and first one i found at an online dealer on a google was 1900..same thing on ebay at this link is 1409..

http://cgi.ebay.com/Hayward-H400-Poo...QQcmdZViewItem

watch the shipping prices carefully though..you may find one cheap, with hefty shipping. the shipping on this one on ebay is 175 including lift gate service which in my opinion is the way to go..that price looks great. my jandy i put in last summer, less than half the size cost me about 1100 including shipping. you'll love a millivolt heater if you haven't had one by the way..no mucking with lighting a pilot manually..just turn on the power and she fires up..the way it should be:) my knees are thanking me for that:)

ps- cost me about 600 bucks to get my gas/electrical hookup and test. (i had removed the old one myself and put the new one in place, attached the hood kit myself which was quite simple really. the gas pipe was there already..the electrical had to be converted from 110 to 220 as i was in the process of switching all my pool stuff- pump, swcg, heater to 220 supply)