We just signed with a pool builder! Myself and the kiddos like the pool closer to 90*, so we are looking to put in some kind of heating to extend our swim season. Our pool equipment will all be Jandy. Our pool will be small ~6000 gallon 3-4.5 feet deep max. We are located in the Houston area. We have asked our next door neighbors with similar lot size/pool size, and none of them complaint about the pool being too hot during the summer. We are initially thinking of a gas heater, but we are also considering a pool pump since the small pool size. Any thoughts and recommendations on a make/capacity? Thank you in advance!
Heat pump vs Gas heater for a small ~6000 Gallon pool in Houston
- Thread starter wenli330
- Start date
People in your State generally complain the pool is too warm. Remember, at 90 degrees your chlorine use will go up very quickly in a pool.
- Jun 24, 2021
- 12,943
- Pool Size
- 29000
- Surface
- Vinyl
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- CircuPool RJ-60 Plus
Assuming a 6K gallon pool. 50K heat pump., 200Kgas heater. Further assume 5dF (degrees F) demand daily (may be high, but just an assumption)
Heat Pump.
6,000 x 8.3 = 50,000 lb of water.
50,000 / 50,000 = 1 hour to raise temp 1dF ( this will be optimistic for a heat pump, heat pump efficiency varies dramatically with the air temperature, only reaching the listed BTU number when the air is quite warm)...but let's roll with it.
1 * 5dF = 5 hours of heating.
Heat pump consumes about 5,000W/hour per 100,000 BTU. So 2,500W per hour for 50K unit.
5 hours, 2,500W, $.18/kWh = ~$2.25/5dF. (You can use your own rate, I just took recent rate in Houston)
Gas heater
200,000 BTU * .8 efficiency =160K BTU
50,000 / 160,000 = .3125 hours to raise 1dF
Gas heater consume 1g/h/100K BTU
Hourly consumption = 2g/h total
.3125 *5dF = 1.5625 hours
1.5625 hours * 2g/H = 3.125g/day
3.125g/day = 4 Therms = 400 cubic feet
Gas is $25/thousand in Houston (average, without delivery $).
.4 x $25 = $10/Day
Heat pump $ may be a bit higher, because efficiency varies. You can/should re-run with your rates.
Heat pumps are better at maintaining a constant temperature. Gas are better at raising temps rapidly.
Heat Pumps
www.aquacal.com
Pentair UltraTemp
builtrightpoolheaters.com
gulfstreamheatpump.com
Gas
Pentair
Hayward
Raypak
Heat Pump.
6,000 x 8.3 = 50,000 lb of water.
50,000 / 50,000 = 1 hour to raise temp 1dF ( this will be optimistic for a heat pump, heat pump efficiency varies dramatically with the air temperature, only reaching the listed BTU number when the air is quite warm)...but let's roll with it.
1 * 5dF = 5 hours of heating.
Heat pump consumes about 5,000W/hour per 100,000 BTU. So 2,500W per hour for 50K unit.
5 hours, 2,500W, $.18/kWh = ~$2.25/5dF. (You can use your own rate, I just took recent rate in Houston)
Gas heater
200,000 BTU * .8 efficiency =160K BTU
50,000 / 160,000 = .3125 hours to raise 1dF
Gas heater consume 1g/h/100K BTU
Hourly consumption = 2g/h total
.3125 *5dF = 1.5625 hours
1.5625 hours * 2g/H = 3.125g/day
3.125g/day = 4 Therms = 400 cubic feet
Gas is $25/thousand in Houston (average, without delivery $).
.4 x $25 = $10/Day
Heat pump $ may be a bit higher, because efficiency varies. You can/should re-run with your rates.
Heat pumps are better at maintaining a constant temperature. Gas are better at raising temps rapidly.
Heat Pumps
AquaCal | Swimming Pool & Spa Heat Pumps | Pool Heater
We provide quality products, services, and maintenance for swimming pool heaters.
www.aquacal.com
Built Right Pool Heaters – Locally Built and Serviced
builtrightpoolheaters.com
Gulfstream Heat Pumps - Superior Pool Heat Pump Technology
Welcome to Gulfstream Heat Pumps, where superior pool heat pump technology meet American craftsmanship. Elevate your pool comfort today!
gulfstreamheatpump.com
Gas
Pentair
Hayward
Raypak
Don't forget to use your actual bill including all fees and delivery surcharges. They add up to 50% of my electric bill and skew the much nicer sounding KW rate.
PoolBrews
Well-known member
- Oct 16, 2019
- 566
- Pool Size
- 6750
- Surface
- Plaster
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Hayward Aqua Rite Pro (T-15)
If you go with a heat pump, don't go with a 50K as listed above. Get the largest you can get. The cost won't be that much more, the larger units are more efficient (so less expensive to run), and heating times will be far less. I have a 7K gallon pool with a 140K heater in Florida. No issues keeping my pool at 88 even in the winter. Longest run times in winter are in the 4-6 hour range per day (when it gets in the high 30's, low 40's at night).
Run the numbers - the heat pump will cost far less than the gas to heat your pool. Currently the AquaCal is the most efficient heat pump built.
Run the numbers - the heat pump will cost far less than the gas to heat your pool. Currently the AquaCal is the most efficient heat pump built.
If you would actually use your pool enough to justify keeping it at 90 all the time, heat pump is probably the way to go.
If you find yourself mainly using the pool on weekends and would be heating it on demand, gas heater might be a better option. A 400k BTU heater could heat up a 6k gallon pool fairly quickly.
Whichever option you go with - get the biggest heater you can as long as you have the gas / electrical capacity for it. A bigger heater doesn't use any more energy in total, it just heats your pool faster.
If you find yourself mainly using the pool on weekends and would be heating it on demand, gas heater might be a better option. A 400k BTU heater could heat up a 6k gallon pool fairly quickly.
Whichever option you go with - get the biggest heater you can as long as you have the gas / electrical capacity for it. A bigger heater doesn't use any more energy in total, it just heats your pool faster.