Although heaters have a lower upfront cost they require the cost of propane or natural gas which can exceed the run costs than that of a heat pump.
Difference between pool heater and heat pump.
Costs about 3 to 9 per hour to run.
Depending on whether propane or natural gas is used and the location of your pool cost can range from about 3 00 to 9 00 per hour to heat your pool.
In short the unit transfers the heat from the outside air to heat the water.
What is the difference between a heat pump and pool heater.
Heat pumps typically cost 63 per hour to run which is only a small fraction of the costs for running natural gas or propane.
Pool heat pumps actually work in reverse of your home air conditioning unit.
Cons of a pool heater.
Works slower than a pool heater.
Since the heat pump is using warm air from outside instead of generating its own heat the cost of operating a heat pump is much lower than a pool heater as much as 4 to 5 times less.
For this reason it s not quite as efficient when heating a jacuzzi or a hot tub.
Works in any temperature.
Heats the water up quickly.
No problems for a gas heater.
A heat pump is a little different because it uses the air around the system to heat up the water.
Gas and propane pool heaters will use more energy than pool heat pumps because they are required to create heat rather than transfer it.
Pros of a pool heater.
Electric pool heaters and pool heat pumps both run with electricity.
The difference is that a pool heat pump will not generate heat from a heating element like an electric heater but will harvest the heat from the air and transfer this heat to your pool water.
A small amount of electricity is used to run the compressor and other components.
Unlike heaters pool heat pumps use the ambient air surrounding the unit to heat your pool s water.
Costs more to run.
They have a lower upfront cost and heat water temperatures quickly.
Heat pumps tend to be more expensive than pool heaters but ultimately you use less utility resources and get a lower bill.
This creates a problem for pools in colder areas.
Not as efficient in colder areas.
What is a heat pump.
Have to by fuel.
Heat pumps operate differently from pool heaters by using electricity to capture heat and move it from one place to another and do not generate heat like a gas or propane heater.
Natural gas heaters are typically a few dollars cheaper to run per hour vs propane heaters.
The upfront cost of a heat pump is significantly more than a pool heater but the overall cost over time is lower due to the savings you will see year after year in operating expenses.