| Deciding which type of swimming pool heater to | | | | - The required bathing temperature. |
| buy is no easy matter as there are many | | | | - The level (or regularity of use). |
| alternatives from which to choose. To complicate | | | | - The intended swimming season. |
| matters further, different heaters suit different | | | | - The budget. |
| sizes of pool and different levels of use and even | | | | Making the choice |
| seasons of use. | | | | As a general guide, solar energy and heat |
| All commercially available swimming pool heaters | | | | exchangers are ideal for raising swimming pool |
| for domestic (indoor or outdoor use) fall into one | | | | water temperatures by a few degrees. They are |
| of the following categories: | | | | comparatively cheap to buy and require a simple |
| - Gas and propane burning heaters | | | | installation. For this reason they are ideal for mild |
| - Condensing heaters and heat pumps | | | | climates or for use in summer. |
| - Oil fired stoves | | | | The big limitations on solar and heat exchanger |
| - Heat exchangers | | | | heaters relate to their inability to heat water |
| - Electric heaters | | | | across a large temperature margin, or to heat |
| - Solar systems | | | | large volumes of water. For this reason they are |
| All of the above offer different heating and | | | | limited in certain applications. |
| economy advantages that will vary depending on | | | | Heaters based around boilers and condensers |
| pool size, average usage, regional climate and | | | | generally have gas, propane, oil, or solid fuel as |
| whether the pool is situated outdoors or indoors. | | | | their energy source. For this reason they can be |
| Cost efficiency | | | | expensive to run, but the fact that they burn |
| Pool heaters powered by solar energy, heat | | | | energy also makes them very powerful and |
| exchangers or a heat pump can be highly cost | | | | equally versatile. |
| effective when used in conjunction with small to | | | | Boilers and condensers can heat a cold pool to a |
| medium sized swimming pools. However, these | | | | comfortable bathing temperature very quickly and |
| heater types cannot deal with large volumes (or | | | | they can be purchased and fitted with a heating |
| flows) of water and they are further limited by | | | | capacity that matches the pool size. They also |
| the level of heat increase that they can provide. | | | | have precise temperature controls enabling their |
| They are ideal when the water is maintained at a | | | | water temperature to be set or varied with great |
| constant temperature for regular use and in | | | | accuracy and ease of use. |
| environments where the ambient temperature is | | | | On the down side this "easy access power" does |
| always moderate (rather than cold). | | | | come at a cost and boiler based heaters can be |
| Heating power | | | | expensive to run. But equally they offer complete |
| When it comes to raw energy and heating power, | | | | usability at any time of the year and in any |
| a boiler, stove or condensing boiler will offer the | | | | ambient temperature. |
| most versatile methods of raising the | | | | With this kind of heater it is possible to swim in |
| temperature of a pool's water. | | | | warm water in an outdoor swimming pool in the |
| These heaters can deal with high flow rates (i.e. | | | | middle of a freezing winter. This makes this kind |
| large volumes of cool water) and they can also | | | | of heater ideal for the daily or regular swimmer. |
| raise water temperatures from very cold to very | | | | Combined heating systems |
| warm in comparatively short periods of time This | | | | For pools with significant water volumes that |
| means that they are ideal for situations where a | | | | experience regular use it can sometimes be |
| pool may need to be used at relatively short | | | | advantageous to have a dual heating system. |
| notice or where the ambient water temperature | | | | This is because the most expensive use of a |
| is low and requires a rapid and powerful injection | | | | pool's heater is in the initial raising of the water's |
| of heat. | | | | temperature from a "cold start". However, this |
| Heaters of this type offer more power and a high | | | | "warming of a pool's water can be done at zero |
| flow-through rate, but this is balanced by high | | | | running costs by using solar energy. |
| running costs and rapid energy consumption. | | | | Solar matting or panels can act to bring the water |
| Which is the best heating system | | | | up to a tepid to luke-warm temperature, thereby |
| Selecting the right heating system for any | | | | freeing the boiler or condenser to provide the |
| swimming pool environment necessitates careful | | | | heat required to make the bathing temperature |
| consideration of several factors. These include: | | | | comfortable. This can reduce pool heating fuel bills, |
| - The pool's size - in other words the volume (and | | | | dangerous emissions and make the swimming pool |
| flow rate) of water to be heated. | | | | less dependent on fossil fuel for its heat. |