How to find a heater for an above ground pool and a look at the available options.

1. Heaters For Above Ground Pools
Pools which are located above ground differ from in ground pools in a number of
ways in addition to the obvious fact that they are elevated. Above ground pools are
also usually smaller than their in-ground counterparts since very large ones are not
very practical. If people want a large pool they are better off getting the in-ground
type. So if you want to extend the swimming season of an above ground pool the
requirements for a pool heater are different.
When looking for a heater for an above ground pool there are a number of options.
One type of pool heater that is preferred for above ground pools is the electric pool
heater. Electric pool heaters are not as expensive to purchase as gas heaters and are
easier to install. They are however costly to operate due to the increased usage of
electricity needed to heat your pool.
There are gas heaters designed for above ground pools (like the Hayward H100 -
click here for info) and these have a lower heating capability than those designed for
in ground pools (like the Raypak 2100 click here for more info). This is fine because
with a smaller above ground pool they have less work to do, given the smaller volume
of water, and this has the benefit of making them cheaper.
Another option to consider for an above ground pool is a solar heating system. It is
generally agreed that the solar panels need to cover the same area as the surface of the
pool to be heated. With an above ground pool, where the surface area is relatively
small, this is not as big an issue as it is with an in ground pool. Solar pool heater
systems are expensive, hard to setup, do have running costs and of course depend on
the weather - that’s why most people opt for gas or electric heaters.
Today a good energy efficient way to heat a pool is to use an electric heat pump (like
the Hayward Heat Pump click here for more info). Heat Pumps are cheap to run
because they do not actually generate heat they transfer it from the surrounding air to
the water.
In addition to these suggested above ground pool heaters, you should also utilize a
pool cover when the pool is not in use as this can greatly enhance the efficiency of
your heater. Evaporation is the major cause a heat loss and a pool cover minimizes
this, reducing heat loss by over 50%. As a result the pool heater will not use as much
energy to keep the pool temperature steady.
If you are planning on buying a heater for your above ground pool keep the above
points in mind so that you can maximise your enjoyment of the pool whilst
minimizing the cost.