Heat pump vs gas heater in NJ

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Qadirf

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Sep 10, 2018
8
Basking ridge
I live in northern NJ. I bought my home a couple of years ago and the previous owners had some solar panels to heat the pool. I would like additional heating. I use bubble wrap type cover on the pool at night and generally keep it covered when I'm not using it. I want to be able to use the pool from memorial day through end of September and have water temp be about 88F.

Every pool guy I talk to gives me different advice on heat pump vs gas heater. I have been told heat pumps are more energy efficient and cheaper to run and last much much longer. I really like that I don't have the extra complexity of having to install a gas line which can cost $2000 to $2500 for the permit plus installation. However i have been told heat pumps are more complicated to repair. They heat more slowly, they only heat water a couple of degrees and don't work if it isn't hot outside. Is this accurate?
Most contractors in NJ say that in the northeast everyone uses gas heaters and heat pumps are used more in the south. Something to do with dew point and humidity.
My preference is a heat pump to avoid the complexity of gas line. Anyone here live in the north east US and have experience with heat pumps? What do you recommend?
 
A heat pump heats slowly you run it 24/7 to keep temp. With a gas heater you can heat just for the day or weekend swim. How many gallons is the pool amd how many panels? You should have no issue with keeping upper 80s with solar panels all swim season you need help early and late season. Do you have enough electric supply nearby or close enough?
 
jimmythegreek said:
A heat pump heats slowly you run it 24/7 to keep temp. With a gas heater you can heat just for the day or weekend swim. How many gallons is the pool amd how many panels? You should have no issue with keeping upper 80s with solar panels all swim season you need help early and late season. Do you have enough electric supply nearby or close enough?
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29k gallons. 1 set of 3 panels are connected. I disconnected another set of three last year as one of these had a leak. The first three panels are facing south and are on top of my pool house. They work in the morning and early afternoon. By about 2 pm, they do not get direct sunlight, due to trees. The second three are facing west on the ground. Last year they were never getting direct sunlight due to lots of trees. I had many trees removed for other reasons, so if i could fix the leak and get these connected again, they would heat much more than they did last year. I probably need to rotate them to face south right? I would need to run a 220v line out to the pool. Only have 120v right now.
 
On my personal pool I have a gas heater and solar panels. My wife amd kids want 90 water. Early season I run the heater for point of use heating. The solar is on 24/7 and runs during the daytime while the pump is normally a scheduled. The gas heater is run for a weekend swim or a day swim. Costs me less than 2 dollars am hour to heat and I get almost 2 degrees an hour in temp rise. I only have half the pool surface I'm panels i wish i had the space for more I'd cover the whole roof in them. They work great when done right and provide almost free heat ad long as theres sun out. The gas heater is cheaper if gas is nearby. Heat pump is more up front cost but electric is usually nearby. You said you only have 120v. Your pool pump isnt 220v?
 
jimmythegreek said:
On my personal pool I have a gas heater and solar panels. My wife amd kids want 90 water. Early season I run the heater for point of use heating. The solar is on 24/7 and runs during the daytime while the pump is normally a scheduled. The gas heater is run for a weekend swim or a day swim. Costs me less than 2 dollars am hour to heat and I get almost 2 degrees an hour in temp rise. I only have half the pool surface I'm panels i wish i had the space for more I'd cover the whole roof in them. They work great when done right and provide almost free heat ad long as theres sun out. The gas heater is cheaper if gas is nearby. Heat pump is more up front cost but electric is usually nearby. You said you only have 120v. Your pool pump isnt 220v?
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In will cost me $5100 to get a gas line out to my pool. I read my quote wrong last time. That's absurd. Honestly I don't know enough about electrical to know if I have 220v or not. I know I have 120v as I have outlets to plug into. Not sure how to tell if pump is 220V. Actually I imagine the label on the pump should say what it requires. I'll check when I'm back at home on Friday. What I'm thinking is to wait one more year. This year I can fix the Burst pipe on the 1 panel, move the set of panels to face south away from trees, and see with the 2 sets of panels functioning how warm the pool stays June through September. You mention that solar panels work great when done right....what does done right entail?
 
Qadirf said:
You mention that solar panels work great when done right....what does done right entail?
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Like anything else, a quality product with a good install is key, (too many gabage DIY sysytems on amazon which is most likely what he was referting to) but your house and its location, specifically its orientation play a key role too. The pitch/direction of the roof may not be ideal, or too much shade from the nearby trees. So basically, there is alot that can work against you.
 
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