By Bruce Aubrey
A warm, inviting pool to start the day off with some exercise—or a hot tub to relax in after a stressful day—require the reliable performance of a gas pool heater. Properly installed and maintained, a gas-fired pool heater will provide many years of pool owner satisfaction, while increasing the usage and enjoyment of the pool and hot tub.
A popular choice
Gas pool heaters burn either natural gas or propane fuel in the heater’s combustion chamber. This generates the heat that is transferred to the pool water as it is circulated by the pump through the filter and the heater, and then returned back to the pool.
The rapid heating ability of gas-fired heaters is what maintains their position as the most popular heating method for swimming pools and spas. Today’s electronic ignition systems, combined with fan-assisted combustion, have much higher efficiencies when compared to the milli-volt ignition and atmospheric combustion systems of years’ past. The result is an easing in the cost of operation, which in turn encourages more use of the pool and hot tub.
Many existing heaters on equipment pads have thermal efficiency ratings of 75 per cent, while most new heaters are rated at 82 to 84 per cent. This means saving energy; being environmentally responsible with low NOx emissions and having lower annual maintenance costs. It should be noted, depending on climate and pool use, a heat pump may be the most energy efficient pool heating option for a pool owner. But for the purpose of this article we will focus on gas-fuelled heaters.
There are many gas heaters on the market, but choosing a fan-assisted combustion heater provides the most energy-efficient heater and the most environmentally responsible choice available.
Fan-assisted heaters provide the best fuel/air combustion to ensure fuel is not wasted. They also provide high performance in windy areas where atmospheric heaters could experience down drafting. This can cause damage and shorten the life of the heater.
It is also important to ensure the heater is hydraulically efficient and has the lowest possible resistance to flow. Eliminating resistance within the equipment pad plumbing allows smaller pumps or lower speeds to be used to circulate the pool water for increased energy savings.
