<p>We need a new pool heater. Right now we use oil but need to have the heater replaced as it just stopped working and is quite old as we purchased the house with it 11 years ago. Our options are electric or to use propane (tank) as we do not have gas in our neighborhood.</p>
<p>We understand the propane will heat the water much quicker than electric or the old oil heater. </p>
<p>The brand we are considering for the heater is Haywood. We will have to rent a propane tank and expect to fill it once a year.</p>
<p>Any comments on this would be appreciated before we commit to the expense. Thanks.</p>
<p>Do you have quite a bit of land? I know there are rules about how far from any structures the propane tank must be. (We have a buried propane tank, but only use it to fill our hot tub.)</p>
<p>I understand from the propane co. that the tank has to be 10 feet from the heater and any structure. Our pool is quite a bit away from the house (more than 100 feet).</p>
<p>We had a Haywood brand propane pool heater. We found we used it about 5-10 times per year, but it did use A LOT of propane. We only use propane for a fireplace, dryer and cooking. When we used the heater we had to fill the tank at least once a year. Since we stopped using it last summer we’ve only used about 15% of the propane in our tank. </p>
<p>The Haywood lasted only about 7 summers. We would typically have it on for about 6-10 hours each time and the pool would be sufficiently heated for comfortable usage (about 85 degrees) It was nice to have at the beginning of the season and at the end, but we really didn’t need it during the warmest months. This, of course, will vary depending upon your location. It did heat the water up relatively fast. When we figured out it was costing us about $80 or so per usage, we decided the cost of heating the pool was not something we were willing to do any longer. We have not replaced it with another heater. We did purchase quite a few solar rings that slowly heat the water but more importantly help prevent evaporation which cools the pool.</p>
<p>We have an electric heat pump for our pool. While it is true that a propane heater heats the water more quickly than the heat pump, the heat pump is(supposed to be) more efficient/cheaper to use. We were told that a heat pump is better suited to be left on with the thermostat set at the desired temp, and it will do a better job of keeping the water temp there. (in other words, set it at 80 or whatever, and just forget about it, it only turns on when the temp drops). Agree with rrah - it’s evaporation that is the biggest “heat thief” - we are fanatics about covering the pool at night. The steam coming off the water is pretty, but all I can see are rising $$$$$$'s.</p>
<p>Thanks for the responses and those that PM’d me. </p>
<p>UPDATE-</p>
<p>We can not use propane after all. We understood it to be more efficient than electric as electric can only heat to air temp (although that may not be the case.) Our pool and heat structures are 190 feet from the front of the house (curb). The propane line to refill is 135 feet maximum.</p>
<p>Electric- Haywood appears to be less efficient than the AquaPro. Anyone have this brand? Those with electric pumps, does the water heat higher than air temp?</p>
<p>Our oil company told us that they make oil heaters (which our pool co told us they do not allow/make anymore) so we can look into that although my husband is leaning toward electric at this point (since we can’t do propane due to distance).</p>
<p>Due to distance form house to pool (and our pool is also at a higher tier in the woods) so it would be costly to run the lines from the house to the pool.</p>
<p>We are on Long Island so the heater gets used often and the pool is open into Oct.</p>
<p>Do you mean AquaCal? If so, that’s the brand we have. </p>
<p>It is not true that the electric heat pump can only heat to air temp. That is a myth. As the air temperature drops it becomes slightly less efficient (in other words it will heat water quicker when air temp is higher). Our pool is often heated to greater than air temp. We are in northern CT and have heated to 82 in mid may, through mid October.</p>
<p>I’ll check out AquaCal which I expect to be the same manufacturer at least. Maybe hte AquaPro is a different or newer model. </p>
<p>My husband will be thrilled to hear the electric heater works. The pool is his paradise and he swims laps daily. I like it hotter than he does, so he doesn’t need to heat well into the 80’s anyway.</p>