Electric Heater Versus Gas, Boston area

[Lippy42]

Hello,

I need help deciding between an electric or gas heater for the pool. Open pool in May, close in late September. Natural gas to the house. All professional installers in the area, that I've spoken with, push electric for it's efficiency and claim they themselves started with gas years ago, but have switched to electric themselves. It sounds like they set the heater at one temp and forget it until they close their pool. On the other hand I understand that gas can more rapidly heat the pool. Any advice is welcome.

-Xavier

 

[PoolGate]

In MA I would go with gas.

 

[1poolman1]

Hello,

I need help deciding between an electric or gas heater for the pool. Open pool in May, close in late September. Natural gas to the house. All professional installers in the area, that I've spoken with, push electric for it's efficiency and claim they themselves started with gas years ago, but have switched to electric themselves. It sounds like they set the heater at one temp and forget it until they close their pool. On the other hand I understand that gas can more rapidly heat the pool. Any advice is welcome.

-Xavier

How quickly do you need to heat the body of water? You can get an average of 320,000 BTU into the water per hour with a 400,000 BTU gas heater. You do need a properly sized gas line to the heater.
A heat pump can, if the conditions are right, get less than half that. They are very dependent on the air and humidity to get the heat, they don't supply heat like gas. You would need a properly sized electrical supply to the equipment pad, which is not what most pools have initially.
What are the energy costs? Heat pumps make more efficient use of the energy, but are slow.

 

[Newdude]

Gas heaters excel at extending the season. (Especially up north). HPs excel at warming an already warm pool mid season. Unless you get one if each, you need to pick one and understand it's drawbacks.