Gas or Electric Pool Heater ??? (Knoxville, Kingsport: house, to buy, rooftop)

[VeritasMatters]

We would appreciate hearing opinions re: pro/cons of gas vs electric (pump?) heating of our pool from pool owners. We understand it is very expensive to run gas heater - advantage is that it is fast. Wondering about a dual-function...gas to initially heat, then electric to maintain temp as needed? What is your experience with only using electric (pump or otherwise)?

Also, since our pool is irregular shape, pool blanket not easy to use. Any experience here with "liquid solar blanket" that is applied monthly instead?

What has been the typical length of "pool season" here in East TN for you??

Thanks very much for your help!

[Beretta]

Originally Posted by VeritasMatters

We would appreciate hearing opinions re: pro/cons of gas vs electric (pump?) heating of our pool from pool owners. We understand it is very expensive to run gas heater - advantage is that it is fast. Wondering about a dual-function...gas to initially heat, then electric to maintain temp as needed? What is your experience with only using electric (pump or otherwise)?

Also, since our pool is irregular shape, pool blanket not easy to use. Any experience here with "liquid solar blanket" that is applied monthly instead?

What has been the typical length of "pool season" here in East TN for you??

Thanks very much for your help!

We thought that the gas heater was cheaper than the electric. Also, we opened our pool around Memorial Day and closed it around Labor Day. When's the party?

[TheShadow]

What about Solar? That's all anybody out here uses. Everything else costs way too much.

[VeritasMatters]

Thanks, Ms. Smoky Mtn Gal, for your reply. Did you mean to say that the gas heater was cheaper to purchase or run? We've been told by our (Campbells) pool guy, that gas is very expensive to RUN, but cheaper to buy. Since we've never had a pool, have no clue.

[VeritasMatters]

Thanks, The Shadow, for your reply. Actually, my husband was seriously interested in Solar, but pool guy said he's only known of two owners having it in all the years he's been servicing pools. Also, we're not sure that there are ample sunshine days here (Clinton) to make it efficient enough to be cost effective. Comments?

[Wilkes]

Thought I would chime in here. I owned a pool company in Tampa until June of last year.

I would go solar with a pool cover. The trick with solar is to run your pump continuously on hot and sunny days. On cold days, turn the valve to the solar panels off to keep the water from cooling. The cover will maintain an amazing amount of heat.

After your initial expense on solar, you'll only have to worry about paying for the pump usage...which will suprise you.

As far as gas and electric heaters go, they are expensive to run. The repair costs are incredibly high as well - which I'm sure Campbells would love.

[Beretta]

Originally Posted by VeritasMatters

Thanks, Ms. Smoky Mtn Gal, for your reply. Did you mean to say that the gas heater was cheaper to purchase or run? We've been told by our (Campbells) pool guy, that gas is very expensive to RUN, but cheaper to buy. Since we've never had a pool, have no clue.

When we bought ours the purchase price for the gas and electric models was virtually the same. We were in Kingsport where the cost of the natural gas was cheaper than the electricity rate to run the heater. Your miles may vary.

I've had pools twice now. When I have one I swear the next house won't have one. When I don't have one I swear that the next house will have one.

[TheShadow]

I don't know if they allow links to commercial websites on here, but I would refer you to the website for Heliocol. Just add www. and the dot com to the company name and you got it. They are the largest manufacturer of solar pool heaters in the world and have distributors in virtually every state, including Tennessee. They use basically no energy and if you have a sunny rooftop it should work for you. If your house is too shaded then that would be a problem. There are plenty of other brands out there, but these guys have been at it for a long time and have good warrantee. Check into it.

[gemkeeper]

As another thought to TheShadow's comment, we had a pool in PA where the summer nights are quite cool most nights - 50's and 60's - so pools did cool off very quickly.

Although we had a gas heater (cheaper to run and same to buy), we had a solar pool cover, as well, that was unrolled electrically every night before sundown - if we weren't in the pool at the time, that is.

The solar cover did a fantastic job of keeping heat in the pool overnight and the sun hitting it throughout the morning really brought the temperature right up -much like a closed up car with a black interior sitting in the sun!

Right up in the mts. of PA is about 78 degrees. Still chilly, but much better than 68!! Only on the coolest of evenings did we need the gas heater as a result.

[goodbyehollywood]

I also had solar and it worked great. It was very cost-efficient. But that was in L.A. I don't have a pool here, but everything I use that is gas-powered costs a fortune in Knoxville. I would like to think I'm a moderate user, but my bills disagree.