Electric Pool Heater

Inground & Above Ground Pool Heater

Now your family and friends can swim earlier and later during the swimming season, even on those not-so-warm days. You may not need a swimming pool heater, but a good electric swimming pool heater may be helpful in getting the most out of your pool.

Our neighbors in the North can enjoy their pools a little earlier and swim a little later just from buying and using a good electric swimming pool heater. For those who live in a warmer areas, with the help of a good electric pool heater, can swim year-round.

Top Quality

Today, swimming pool heaters are very well made and should last a long time. They have quality components, are very functional, and have wonderful safety functions. A very popular kind is the Raypak swimming pool heater.

A pool heater is similar to a hot water tank for your home. The water is warmed by emitting an electrical current to the heater coils. As the water passes over the coils it becomes warm, and that warm water goes into the pool. As compared to a propane or natural gas heater, using an electric swimming pool heater is a slow process. Some may say that because of the cost of electricity in parts of the country, an electric heater may be a poor choice.

I’ve seen some swimming pool heaters connected to swimming pool heat pumps. The cool thing about this is although the heat pump runs on electricity, it actually produces more heat than running an electric heater using the same amount of electricity.

The one downside is the heat pump works better in hot areas of the country and may not be as efficient in the north or colder climates during the Spring and Fall. Some say this is also true about swimming pool solar heaters.

Looking for a Quality Electric Swimming Pool Heater?

When looking at electric swimming pool heaters, you may want to keep the following in the back of your thinker. This may reduce a costly swimming pool heater repair. This is for both an inground and above ground swimming pool heater:

1. Long Life. Try to get an electric pool heater that is corrosion free, copper and bronze-not aluminum
2. Reliability
3. Trouble-Free. Quality and safety should be there. Some electric pool heaters have a pressure switch to stop heating without water flow, a temperature control to prevent overheating, and a good thermostat. How about automatic shut-off if it accidently tips over? Hey, it could happen.
4. Easy Installation. Should plug in to standard inlet, be compact, and have convenient outlets
5. Warranty. Should last for at least 2-5 years with full replacement
6. Digital Control Panel makes everything much easier to see
7. Titanium Heat Exchanger
8. Extra-Large Evaporator Coil to gather more outside air to heat. This feature make an electric heater a little more efficient.
9. A Safety-Internal Flow Switch. This is just in case if the water stops flowing, you're electric swimming pool heater will stop heating
10. A good cabinet that won’t rust or corrode

What Size Electric Pool Heater Do I Need?

This one is pretty easy. For a normal rectangle pool, about 14X30 or less, you’ll probably need an 80,000 BTU electric swimming pool heater or larger. For a larger pool, about 18X36 or over, you’ll need a 100,000 BTU unit or larger. It’s better to go just a hair bigger because you’ll want a slight “buffer” if the temperature suddenly dips down a few degrees.

If you have a solar cover, which I recommend, you can use the same size heater up to 30 ft. around. Any pools larger than 30 ft. and you may want to consider a 100,000 BTU electric pool heater unit, or larger.

Some people may not like a solar cover because they think it’s inconvenient, but boy it saves on chemicals, help keep down water evaporation, heats the pool even faster, and saves on swimming pool maintenance.

The Right Stuff

When you’re serious about looking around at the many electric swimming pool heaters available, you may want to ask these questions:

1. What's the price? Is that the best you can do? There are others out there I like, you know?
2. Installation cost?
3. Does it have an automatic control? Automatic shut-off?
4. Any special plumbing required?
5. Is it rust and corrosion resistant? Show me why.
6. Will it install easily into my existing pipes and/or plumbing?
7. Are there any vents?
8. How large are the panels and how much room will they take up? Is it a compact design that would should fit my pool?
9. No condensation or corrosion, right?
10. Is it UL recognized?
11. Does it have a good thermostat? Is the thermostat automated?
12. Is there maintenance? If so, what and why? Will you take care of that or do I?
13. Digital control panel?
14. What's the warranty? I need to see specifics.
15. What if I install my electric pool heater? Will that void the warranty? I want that in writing.
16. Do you have a contractor? Is he licensed and insured? Is he experienced in electric swimming pool heaters? I need to see proof.
17. What are the safety features? What would happen if one of the safety features fail? If it does fail, who is responsible?
18. If it does fail, who will fix it? Will you fix it, or do you contract that out to someone else? Who is it? Why do you use them? How long have they worked with you?
19. How about free delivery? I want that in writing.

Ask these questions to anyone selling inground electric swimming pool heaters or above ground swimming pool heaters. If they can answer these questions and any others you may have to your satisfaction, you'll probably have a good electric pool heater on your hands.

Sizes and Prices for Swimming Pool Heaters

Although this is not a complete list, it will give you a look at what is out there for swimming pool heaters.

Remember to never sign anything until you're sure that THIS is the one you want and it's right for your pool.

Happy Swimming

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