If you heat the pool very much the lower operating cost of NG will make a huge difference.
Natural Gas or Heat Pump
- Thread starter DOMO
- Start date
Odd so many posts against the heat pump. We live in Hampstead, NH (about 40 miles N of Boston) and we've been reading that more and more installers are moving to heat pumps around here. Our neighbors have a heat pump ~140k BTU on their pool (identical size to ours -- 18x36 inground) and they swear by theirs over the standard swim season (mid-May to mid-Sept.) They like to keep their pool around 85, and they don't use a solar cover. We're actually selling our propane heater (400k BTU) because we intend to use the pool regularly (not just events) and the costs of regular usage with a heater are simply ridiculous (thus our research into heat pumps.) To give you an idea cost-wise, the neighbors tell us that the prior owners (who admittedly liked to keep their pool hot at upwards of 90) were chewing through $900 dollars (basically the full 500 gallon tank) per MONTH.
Update -- I just noticed the April and October mention in the original post. I gather (mostly from what I've learned around here) that a heat pump in this area of the country could definitely struggle in those temps, where more days than not are likely pushing beyond the 15 degree temp rise. Curse New England's frosty weather!
Update -- I just noticed the April and October mention in the original post. I gather (mostly from what I've learned around here) that a heat pump in this area of the country could definitely struggle in those temps, where more days than not are likely pushing beyond the 15 degree temp rise. Curse New England's frosty weather!
Heat pumps are the most economical way to heat,however most models don't perform well or at all below 49 degrees or so. So keep that in mind. The units that cool have a reversing valve so you can get a bit lower outside temps and still operate and defrost as need be.
I swear by mine as a few people here in my neighborhood (middle Georgia) were going through $400 the month of April to heat their pool to 86 degrees. I have mine set to 87 and my monthly bill increase was $92.
I swear by mine as a few people here in my neighborhood (middle Georgia) were going through $400 the month of April to heat their pool to 86 degrees. I have mine set to 87 and my monthly bill increase was $92.
It all depends on what your local costs of electricity is. For me in FL, electric is higher then NG.
If you have a spa, heat pumps don't buy you anything.
If you have a spa, heat pumps don't buy you anything.
I find it interesting that heat pumps are "useless" in Mass. I live in NH and have a heat pump (no natural gas anywhere in my town so propane was my only other option) and I open my pool at the end of April (3 days ago). I run the heat pump during the day and can add about 10 degrees per day on most May days (highs around 70 degrees). So I give it a good week to get up to swimming temp. (80 or so for me, much less for the kids) but then have no trouble maintaining the temp. I do use a solar blanket and lose about 2 degrees on average overnight as it gets pretty chilly out.
But then again, I am not a "heat for occasional use" guy. With the kids I like to keep it at swimming temp. so they can jump in whenever they like (of course, I have to take the solar cover off first as I keep it on most all the time otherwise). I figure I would be running through a ton of propane if I were to try to keep a constant temp. with that, but have never run any numbers on it or anything like that.
But then again, I am not a "heat for occasional use" guy. With the kids I like to keep it at swimming temp. so they can jump in whenever they like (of course, I have to take the solar cover off first as I keep it on most all the time otherwise). I figure I would be running through a ton of propane if I were to try to keep a constant temp. with that, but have never run any numbers on it or anything like that.
Hi all. I submitted the original post, good to see it still getting traffic and sparking discussion! We decided on an NG heater (Hayward) and had it installed 2 weeks ago. Everything went very well. The meter upgrade on the house was quick and easy and FREE by National Grid. The electrician was small change (250.) and the gas work was 1,400. (we had to have a new line of black steel run from outside back inside and across the garage and entire basement out to where the equipment is. Heater and install was 2k, so all in, was ~$3,700. Heat pumps were looking to be roughly 1k more all in. Given that we will most likely only need to heat in early Spring and Fall, we're ok with the operating cost diffential in order to have faster heat times and not be dependent on ambient temperatures in unpredictable New England! We had made several referral calls to people in the area who had heat pumps and the feedback was very mixed. We actually just fired it up for real use last weekend, went from 60 to 78 in just over 4 hours (and we did not have the solar cover on yet). Small pool, so it must heat quickly. So far, very happy with everything. Greatly appreciate everyone's posts and assistance on this topic.
Since this post is about Natural Gas vs Heat Pumps for NE - there is no choice there. Natural Gas for sure.
However, I am moving from a house that has a pool with Natural Gas to a pool that has Propane and oil for the home, and I am terrified.
Currently (5/2014 and with power at 0.16 cents per kWh) fuel oil is about $31.43 per million BTUs. Natural Gas is $16.09. Propane is $56.04!!!!!!!!!!! Air source HP is $20. Coal is $10.67. Wood is $12.63. Pellets are $19.43.
As you can see, NG beats a heat pump. That means that if you have Natural Gas, solar is stupid, geothermal is stupid. Air source HP is stupid. Wood pellets are stupid. Even cordwood is dumb unless you get it for free.
So this new pool has Propane, and I am near Boston, and I think I should get a HP but keep the Propane inline with in. I even considered an outdoor wood or coal furnace, but that is a lot of work.
The pool is about 50x25 and not deep enough to dive. We like to heat to 88 degrees. We swim almost every day. In the past I have not used a solar cover even though we own one because it is a pain to put on and off, but now that I know more about them, we will start to.
Which HP works best in the colder temps of NE? We like to use the pool from May through October. Knowing my situation and the current $4 per gallon cost of Propane, should I add a HP inline to my Propane? Won't it pay for the $4000 cost in like 1-2 years?
Hi. Thanks for the helpful info about the heaters. I would like to put a heater in and am debating between pump or gas. I would like to swim daily, year round. I have a solar blanket and live in sunny central valley of CA. Coldest temps get to freezing for 1 to maybe two weeks a year. Would it be better for me to get a heat pump or gas heater?