Now is a Great Time to Have a Pool Heater

With ambient temperatures now starting to get into at least the 80’s consistently and occasionally the 90’s, pool water temperatures are increasing as well. As of this writing (March 20th), average pool water temperatures in the Denton area are in the mid 60’s—of course this depends on if the pool is shaded, if it has a dark surface, etc. For most of us, the pool water is still too cold to enjoy a swim.

According to the National Oceanographic Data Center, 70-78 degrees is where most people feel comfortable swimming. I am not sure who “most people” are, but from what I have observed, 70-78 degrees is still a bit too cold for most of us north Texans. Although I have already seen some children in their swimming pool, most of us seem to prefer between 80-84 degrees, but it really depends on the individual and what type of swimming is being done:

Competitive swimming – Most competitive swimmers like the water to be fairly cold, somewhere in the low to mid 70’s, depending on the intensity of the training. At these temperatures, the water will feel cold initially but once training begins, the body will heat up.

Lap swimming for exercise – Most lap swimmers like the water temperature to be somewhere between 75-80 degrees. Being active by swimming laps will cause the body to heat up fairly quickly.

Casual swimming – Most casual swimming pool users like the water in the 84-86 degree range. Most hotels and resorts typically try to maintain their pool water temperature in this range.

Warm water swimming – There are some people that like the water to be in the low 90’s before they are really comfortable in the water. Many pools in the north Texas area, especially pools with shade, do not reach the low 90’s until July and August. Occasionally we will have a summer where the water temperature of unshaded swimming pools reaches the mid 90’s—which is very warm.

For those who heat their pools this time of year, comfortable swimming is already taking place. Pool owners who have heaters use them to take the chill out of the water on those warm days when the water is still too cold—like right now.

Pool heaters, in the north Texas area, can stretch the swim season from 5-6 months per year to 9-10 months per year. Due to this fact, now would be an excellent time to consider having a swimming pool heater installed. Having a heater on your pool can assure that you are able to swim from February/March thru November/December.

Pool heaters use one of two fuels—natural gas or propane, depending on what is available at your residence. Electric heaters are fine for stand-alone hot tubs, but are not cost-effective enough to heat an entire swimming pool.

The basic principle of the pool heater is simple. A gas burner tray creates heat. The heat rises through the cabinet of the heater, raising the temperature of the water that is passing through the coils.

Vast improvements have been made to swimming pool heaters over the past several years, which allow them to be more efficient, cost-effective, and reliable. Another reason that contributes to an increase in pool heater sales is the fact that homeowners do not want to spend a significant amount of money on a swimming pool and only be able to use it for six months out of the year.

Following are the approximate costs for adding a gas heater to your swimming pool:

• $4,500-$5,500 cost is the approximate cost to replace an existing heater.
• $6,500-$8,000 cost is the approximate cost to install a heater on a pool that doesn’t currently have one—the increased cost is for the gas line, equipment pad, plumbing, etc.

If you would like a free estimate on a pool heater, give us a call at (940) 384-7665.