Pool heaters, help with costs?

[spima3]

We live in NE PA and have an above ground pool. We have solar cover and passive solar heater, but due to neighbor's trees, we just don't get enough sun to warm the water all that much, except when we get really hot, stinkin' weather for days!

I think we should invest and get a pool heater and get more use out of it. Most of the time the kids don't want to use it or if they do, not for long because it's too cold. DH is not in favor of the idea and says it will be too expensive. I am thinking we wouldn't have to run it all the time, a combination of all three should work.

Anyone let me know the costs? and was it worth it?
TIA, lori

 

[The Iron Giant]

My in-laws got a heater for their pool and they opened the pool at the end of April here in NJ. We were swimming outside the last weekend in April and it was great.

I can't comment on the cost, but I think you will love it once you get it.

 

[spima3]

double post

 

[spima3]

I can't comment on the cost, but I think you will love it once you get it.

Yes, I think it would be wonderful, especially since I'm the one home with 3 kids all day long!

I plan on using money we had set aside for a future WDW trip to buy one, but it's the costs of running it that I really wonder about. Sure hope someone can give me an idea on what they would be?

 

[Bren's Mom]

I'd be curious about operating costs as well. We're in CT and at this point we don't expect to be able to swim at all this summer! LOL We have a solar cover but it only works when the weather is good, which it's not been. We thought about a solar heater, and have the location for it, but, again, it's only going to work if we get sun!

 

[JoiseyMom]

We have a large inground pool and put in a gas heater at the end of the season 2007. We used it last summer (not on all day) just when we swam..which was mostly weekends since the kids were at camp all day. They would swim after camp too, but didn't always need the heater then. I am on a budget plan for gas, plus with all the gas prices going nuts this past I don't even have an accurate amount of how much it cost me. I know it was worth it! We used our pool more last year then we ever did before. We also opened it before Memorial Day this year (earliest ever). Too bad the weather in June has been so sucky...we haven't had much chance of using it.

 

[msmayor]

I have two neighbors with in-ground pools that are heated, and I can say that after the first year of just 'using' the heater whenever they wanted they cut WAY back after seeing the bills.

One month, my friends' gas bill was over $800.

Now granted, an in-ground is generally a bigger pool but you'd expect an in-ground to hold the heat better because of the insulating properties of the actual ground.

Often, pool heaters are metered and charged separately, generally at a higher rate than regular household use because of the 'luxury' nature of the item.

 

[kellia]

Last year, we got a heater with the solar panels that go on the roof. Works great, we live in Mich. It's black, you just run the water through the panels and back into the pool and the sun warms it up. You can put them on the ground, side of house, roof, etc. We put on the lower part of roof since we have a black roof and a ranch it was easy. We got it for about $150 on Ebay last year (obviously check feedback!). I am a wimp when it comes to cold water, don't think I'd use it much without it. And it was almost free, probably just costs a little extra to get the pump to push it up to the roof, I didn't notice much difference in our elec. bill.

 

[jerseygirl81]

We have a heater but did'nt use it last summer because it broke. Well we only went in the pool (above ground) a couple of times. This summer we needed to put in a new liner and since we've been having so much rain we just put it in and hav'nt filled the pool yet. I was just talking to DH about finding out how much it is to repair the heater. We did'nt run the heater all the time because the propane is expensive and the larger the pool the longer you need to run it. Make sure you keep on the solar cover when your not in the pool to keep the heat in. Find out how much it would cost to have a tank installed for the pool and what it would cost per gallon. We actually paid less a gallon then our household propane. We also had to dig a trench about 18" to 2 ft deep for the gas line and have it inspected by the town. I would look into all of this before purchasing a heater to find out the initial costs. DH and I felt like we were wasting money by not using the pool much with out the heater. Linda