Quote:
Originally Posted by l2ridehd
There are many factors that impact the cost of heating a pool. Outside temperature, how warm you want the pool, size of pool, solar panels, solar cover, and how long you run the heater and circulating pump. I have a 12 X 28 pool that I heat with a gas heater and solar panels assist. Before the solar heater, keeping the pool at 86 degrees during Jan to Mar ran as high as $800 a month depending on outside temperature. Since adding the solar panels, adding a solar cover, it runs a maximum of $250 a month, usually less. And I used to need the pool heater in April and May and Oct and Nov. Now since adding solar panels only Dec through March is the gas heater required. I set the gas heater at 82 degrees and the solar at 90 degrees. Keeps the pool at about 85 to 86 degrees even on the coldest days. Annual cost of gas used to be about $3500, now about $1500. This also includes home heat, hot water, cooking, grill and gas fireplace
It is very important to use the solar cover. The solar panels and gas heater will raise the temperature about 1.5 to 2 degrees an hour. So you can raise the temperature about 10 to 15 degrees a day. Its all about how cold it is outside and how much sun is shinning. However without the cover you lose 10 degrees at night. With the cover only about 3 to 4 degrees at night. So using the solar cover makes a huge difference in recovery time and cost.
|
I have a gas heater and solar panels. Because of the optimal southwest exposure and panels which are 50% larger than what would be standard, I can keep my pool at 85 and heat my spa to 95 whenever I want to use it, with a gas bill of less than $200 a month from December to March. Before installing the solar panels I had some $600+ gas bills. If you are starting from scratch I'd study all the options, including the possibility of an electric heat pump system which ties your home AC system to pool heating. Options like these are more expensive, but may qualify you for utility co. rebates and/or tax credits. Between that and utility cost savings, you may be able to recover your investment cost in a reasonable period of time.