Cost for heating above ground pool

[Shelley N]

This is just another confirmation that the grass is always greener around your neighbors pool!

We have a 30 x 15 AGP that is open, but too cold to swim in due to a long, slow, cool spring. Water temp is 60 in the morning and 64 in the afternoon with a leaky solar panel system hooked up. The next 7-day forecast is for highs in the 70s and lows in the 40s. I may get in the pool around the end of June at this rate.

Does anyone heat their AGP with a heater? It seems to me it should take less energy to warm than an in-ground as during the day the pool is surrounded by the warmer air temp and has the sun hitting the side, and not surrounded by the cold ground. It seems like everyone who has a heater wants solar, and I have solar and want a heater. My goal is to warm the water so I can go in earlier/later in the season and have the water warm in the mornings so I can go in then and not have to wait till it's 94 degrees out and when you can stand the water a little cooler to go in!

I'm thinking if the cost is reasonable to heat the water with a heater, we may get rid of our solar system as the constant leaking just wears on me.

 

[JasonLion]

The cost of heating will be similar to an in ground pool, since most of the heat is lost to evaporation, which will be about the same.

Heating a pool can get fairly expensive. We are paying around $150/month for a 20,000 gallon pool and gas heat in the early spring and late fall. A heat pump costs much more up front, but noticeably less to operate. Solar is the least expensive, but requires sunny days.

 

[2001rotax800]

I pay 1.22 per 100 cubic feet of natural gas, my 330,000 Btu heater uses 360 cubic feet per hour , $4.39 an hour to run my heater, 24,000 gallon pool went from 65 to 74 in 4.5 hours today. Not bad for under $20 and the speed was great, kids were swimming having a great time. :-D