If you want to enjoy comfortable swimming at your own convenience, then yes. One of the reasons for owning a pool is being able to swim at your leisure. This means avoiding the hassle of not having to pack up the car and go to the beach. As for the cost, that is your decision.

What guidelines should be followed in heating our pool?

The need to conserve energy and to minimize fuel consumption the best you can. You are the best judge with respect to the kind of enjoyment you derive from your pool. Use of your pool for recreation, exercise, therapy or just general enjoyment will require heating it. Your pool won’t contribute to your health or pleasure unless it’s warm enough to swim in comfortably. So, it is a give and take situation.

Here are some pointers on saving energy and cutting fuel costs.

How warm should I keep my pool?

That depends entirely on you, of course. As a general rule, a temperature of 78 degrees F is comfortable enough and coincides with good fuel conservation practice, too.

Obviously, a heated pool means more swimming. How much more?

You can stretch your pool season by twice in most areas and even longer in other areas by having a heated pool.

If we don't heat our pool, how much swimming season can we expect?

That depends mostly on your climate, and partially on whether you use a pool cover. Without a pool cover you’ll probably have a season of only one or two months in most areas and perhaps three months or a little more with a cover. Pools that are not covered can lose 4 degrees F to 5 degrees F overnight in most parts of the country. With a cover, you can reduce that heat loss by 50% or more. So without a heater you should be able to use your pool in the afternoons and early evenings in the warmest part of the season.

What are the health benefits of heating my pool?

Doctors and physical therapists regard swimming as one of the most beneficial of cardiovascular exercises. It is an exercise that nearly everyone can do safely. Even those who suffer from arthritis, joint, and muscular diseases often find swimming an easy and fun form of exercise. Obviously, by heating your pool, you make it possible to engage more often in swimming exercise because you extend the hours and the season your pool may be used.

What are the costs involved in heating a pool?

There is the initial cost of the heater and its hook-up or installation charge. Second, there is the monthly fuel cost. The cost varies depending on the type of heating system you purchase for your pool. Lastly, there is the matter of annual or semi-annual maintenance and service of the unit.

Remember, costs can be kept to a minimum doing a few simple things. Install an efficient, properly sized heater. Use a good quality pool cover. Finally, keep your filter clean and your heating and filtering system well maintained.

What types of heaters are available to us?

There are several on the market today. They range from gas-fired, oil-fired, electric, and even elaborate solar heating systems.

The most widely used type is the direct fired natural gas heater because of its low cost, reliability, ease of operation and the wide availability of natural gas. Oil-fired pool heaters are a good choice in areas where natural gas is unavailable but home heating oil is. Electric heaters are generally much less efficient and more costly to operate than natural gas heaters, unless the electricity is hydroelectrically generated.

Solar heating can be defined in two ways. First, there is "passive" solar heating. By that I mean, the familiar pool cover that absorbs and transmits some of the sun’s energy to pool water. Used alone, the passive heating technique merely serves to help keep pool temperatures at existing levels by retaining natural solar heat and preventing its loss. It cannot add heat to build up water temperature beyond what the sun supplies.

Active solar uses traditional pool motors to move water from the pool through a system of solar collector panels for heating by the sun. This increases the amount of solar heat added to the pool.

What is the initial cost of a gas-fired heater?

Natural and propane gas-fired heaters cost the same. Prices depend on heater size, which in turn depends on the size of your pool. A good rule of thumb is approximately 10% of the total pool cost. For this small added cost, you get considerably more use from your pool.

What is the initial cost of an oil-fired heater?

It runs somewhat more than the cost of a natural or propane gas-fired heater. An oil-fired heater is ideal in areas where home heating oils are commonly used and natural gas is not available.

What about installation charges?

With natural gas-fired heaters, installation consists of gas and water connections. For models with electronic control, an electrical connection to the filter pump circuit is required. Using propane gas requires a storage tank. An oil-fired heaters, needs the services of a trained oil appliance technician and a storage tank. If your home already is heated by either oil or propane, the installation probably can be tied into your regular fuel supply.

Generally speaking, which method of pool heating is the least expensive?

Overall, a combination of a good pool cover and a fuel-fired heater is less expensive than an active solar system alone, or active solar system and fuel-fired heater combination. The only real exception would be where you live in an area where your electricity is generated by water power (hydroelectrically).

What size pool heater will we need?

Heaters are sized mainly on the basis of the pool surface area and the difference between the pool and air temperatures. Another factor which may determine the size of the heater you will need is the way you intend to use your pool. There are two common pool heating practices. Either "constant" temperature maintenance or "intermittent" heating.

To heat a pool quickly after periods of intermittent shutdown, a larger gas-fired heater is needed. In colder climates, a larger than standard size heater is recommended for "constant" heating. Maintaining pool temperature requires the same amount of fuel regardless of the heater size. For intermittent heating, a larger heater actually saves fuel because it brings the pool to temperature more quickly.

What are the differences between constant and intermittent heating ?

Constant heating your pool temperature means it is ready for use at all times. You set your thermostat at the temperature you want and forget it. This is very convenient, but more costly as more fuel is used to maintain temperature in the pool at all times.

With intermittent heating, you heat your pool only for those periods when you expect to be using it. For example, if you only use your pool on weekends, you would heat up the water for weekend use only and shut off your heater during the week.

How do we conserve energy yet still fully enjoy our pool?

There are several things you can do to aid in conserving energy for your pool. First, keep your thermostat at the lowest comfortable setting and mark it on your thermostat dial. Second, if you swim only on weekends, and you don't use a cover, keep your heater on a standby setting of 70 degrees. With a cover, you can leave the thermostat at your normal setting. Third, if you’re vacationing for a couple of weeks, turn the heater off completely, including any pilot light. Finally, shelter your pool from prevailing winds. Use hedges, other means of landscaping, cabanas, or decorative fencing as windbreaks even though the pool is covered.

Is a pool heater safe?

It is as safe as any major heating appliance in your home. For example, Teledyne Laars heaters are equipped with automatic safety pilots or ignition safeguards, pressure regulators, water pressure relief valves and other safety features. Shut-off controls are automatic. Electric shock hazard is avoided by construction and installation of the heater in accordance with strict electrical standards and codes.

Are all gas-fired heaters built alike?

Absolutely not !! Some are built like an ordinary tank-type hot water heater, or with heating coils inside the water tank. Teledyne Laars gas-fired heaters were the first ever built specifically for pools. They utilize the direct-fire method for greater efficiency. Patented stainless steel burners heat finned copper tubes from which the pool water absorbs heat as it flows through them.

Are all oil-fired heaters the same?

No. Teledyne Laars oil-fired heaters are trim and compact. About half the size of many other oil-fired heaters. The most important difference is the heat exchanger uses stainless steel finned tubes to resist sulfur corrosion. The result is efficient heat transfer with only minimal annual cleaning.

What features should we look for in a pool heater?

You should be concerned with economy of operation, reliability and durability. Conservation of energy and fuel economy should be extremely important. By eliminating wasteful heating, a heater can pay for itself in very little time.

Any special problems if we own a salt-water pool?

Yes. Salt water is highly corrosive, and a heater must be equipped with a special heat exchanger and other features to handle it.

Will my pool heater require much maintenance?

Usually, one maintenance inspection a year is sufficient to keep your heater working efficiently. Maintenance is largely a preventative measure used to safeguard your heater’s working condition.

How long should a heater last?

A productive life of 10 to 12 years is not uncommon. Heater failure usually results from some outside cause, provided it has been properly maintained.

Could we add a heater after our pool is built?

Yes. Although a heater can be added at any time, it is more beneficial for it to be included from the beginning. This means greater convenience for you and less installation cost. When you include a heater in the beginning, it costs approximately 10% of your pool investment. If the heater is not installed when the pool is built, provisions should be made for a heater stub-out in the return water line, and space or a concrete pad should be provided for future installation.