- Jun 14, 2009
- 94
Hello all,
I have been jumping back and forth on whether to purchase a Propane or Electric heating systems, the more a read the harder the choice seems to get. Let me give a little back ground and what I am looking to gain from the purchase of a heating system.
Let me mention that as part of the heating system purchase a solar pool cover will also be purchased, I'm just trying to decide between a automatic or manual cover.
I have a pool that spends most of the day in the shade, the water never seems to heat up pass 75 degrees. This has made the pool season almost none existing for me and my family, the pool has not been opened for the last 3 years because of this situation.
We would be considered weekend and holiday pool users, and am looking to have the pool temperature between 85 and 90 degrees for these times.
I have done most of the calculations between the cost of purchase and operating an electric vs propane system and am still confused on which one would meet my needs but not break the bank. I understand the concept of an electric heat pump being a system that will maintain heat from from day to day and a propane system being heat on demand.
So let me pose the question the way I see it and why I find it confusing:
If I go with the propane system, I would achieve my desired temperature much faster - This method has the potential to be very expensive, I still trying to understand how much heat I would lose Monday thru Friday with the solar cover on and running just the pump and filter during the day to circulate chemicals and clean the pool. If I lose 5 degrees during the overnight but regain it during the day with my solar cover come Saturday morning I would run the heater for a short time to achieve my desired heat. I am not sure of how much heat I would lose during use but I assume I would leave the heater running set on my desired temperature to maintain it, this is were I have heard/read horror stories of burning a lot of propane over a 3/4 day weekend.
My thing about this one is that it could become a money pit but it would definitely do what I want it to do.
If I go with the electric system, it would take me longer to achieve my desired temperature - The confusing thing about this option is if I don't have an issue let's say setting the heater to run the day before use or 2 days depending on outside temperature and weather conditions I don't see why this would not be my option. I could run it for most of the weekend during usage and if I have a solar cover I should not lose to much heat during the overnight.
So this is why I ask for people in or around my area to share they experience, this is a big investment for me and my biggest fears are:
1. Buying the propane and it costing a fortune while the electric would have worked for my needs
2. Buying the electric and ending up disappointed and wishing i had bought the propane.
Sorry for my long winded post .... but my mind has been going in circles over this .....
Thanks for taking the time to read and offer an option
I have been jumping back and forth on whether to purchase a Propane or Electric heating systems, the more a read the harder the choice seems to get. Let me give a little back ground and what I am looking to gain from the purchase of a heating system.
Let me mention that as part of the heating system purchase a solar pool cover will also be purchased, I'm just trying to decide between a automatic or manual cover.
I have a pool that spends most of the day in the shade, the water never seems to heat up pass 75 degrees. This has made the pool season almost none existing for me and my family, the pool has not been opened for the last 3 years because of this situation.
We would be considered weekend and holiday pool users, and am looking to have the pool temperature between 85 and 90 degrees for these times.
I have done most of the calculations between the cost of purchase and operating an electric vs propane system and am still confused on which one would meet my needs but not break the bank. I understand the concept of an electric heat pump being a system that will maintain heat from from day to day and a propane system being heat on demand.
So let me pose the question the way I see it and why I find it confusing:
If I go with the propane system, I would achieve my desired temperature much faster - This method has the potential to be very expensive, I still trying to understand how much heat I would lose Monday thru Friday with the solar cover on and running just the pump and filter during the day to circulate chemicals and clean the pool. If I lose 5 degrees during the overnight but regain it during the day with my solar cover come Saturday morning I would run the heater for a short time to achieve my desired heat. I am not sure of how much heat I would lose during use but I assume I would leave the heater running set on my desired temperature to maintain it, this is were I have heard/read horror stories of burning a lot of propane over a 3/4 day weekend.
My thing about this one is that it could become a money pit but it would definitely do what I want it to do.
If I go with the electric system, it would take me longer to achieve my desired temperature - The confusing thing about this option is if I don't have an issue let's say setting the heater to run the day before use or 2 days depending on outside temperature and weather conditions I don't see why this would not be my option. I could run it for most of the weekend during usage and if I have a solar cover I should not lose to much heat during the overnight.
So this is why I ask for people in or around my area to share they experience, this is a big investment for me and my biggest fears are:
1. Buying the propane and it costing a fortune while the electric would have worked for my needs
2. Buying the electric and ending up disappointed and wishing i had bought the propane.
Sorry for my long winded post .... but my mind has been going in circles over this .....
Thanks for taking the time to read and offer an option