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Have you ever slid into your pool and wished it were warmer? Ever got out of the water early because you were too chilly to enjoy splashing any more?

Consider installing an efficient, affordable gas heater and enjoy water that is warm and wonderfully inviting all the time. In most areas, depending on the sun to keep your pool warm will accomplish one thing: an empty pool! After your pool heater is installed, your pool will go from empty to full - full of fun, family and friends.

Pool Heaters are no longer considered a luxury. Since many swimming pools are located in parts of the country where the weather is great one day and bad the next. A pool heater will allow you to set desired water temperature that you want, like the thermostat in your home. When the water temperature drops a degree or two below that setting, the heater will start. When the water temperature gets to the desired setting, the heater shuts off. It’s that simple! With a pool heater you can open the pool or spa earlier and swim longer into the season, perhaps even year round. If you use a heater for much of the season, you certainly may wish to consider a Solar Blanket to help keep the heat in and hold down some of the heating costs. Pool heaters are installed AFTER the pump and filter so that only clean water reaches it. Installation is NOT DIFFICULT! If you are somewhat handy and do most of the fix-it chores yourself, you can certainly install the heater.

Why You Should Purchase Your Heater From Us

Free Shipping! Free Lift- Gate Service** (usually $100.00 extra). Large in-stock inventory. One of the few Authorized Internet sellers of Teledyne Laars, Hayward, Pentair, Sta-Rite, Lochinvar, Raypak, Aqua-Cal, Zodiac (Turcotte), to name a few.

** On all heaters 125K BTU's and larger.

At SPP, we have sold over 8,000 gas heaters and heat pumps. That’s a lot of heaters. We know the pool and spa heating business. Our representatives have many years of hands-on experience in which to share with you. We can help you select and install the right heater for your needs. We invite your phone calls for any pool or spa product. You’ll find that many of our Internet competitors cannot help you like we can. This is important! Remember, FREE SHIPPING! Free LIFT GATE SERVICE! No need to help the driver lift the heavy heater pallet off a big trailer truck! Since our heaters are shipped from a warehouse close to you, not cross-country, you can be assured that the heater will arrive without damage. We use oversized pallets with the heater triple strapped and shrink wrapped to assure extra protection. Do you really want to take a chance with someone else? At SPP, our prices are very competitive and the service is tops. Call the heater manufacturers and ask about our company. Contact www.bbbonline.com to see our record. Read our liberal return policy. You’ll find that we want to earn your business!
So, let’s get that water warmed up so you can begin to enjoy your pool or spa sooner than later.

Types of Heaters:

Gas Heaters:

Gas heaters are either Natural Gas or Propane (LP). Both heaters offer the same efficiencies. Natural gas may be somewhat less expensive to heat with since natural gas is already available at your home. Propane gas must be trucked in and pumped into a tank in your yard. Basically, all gas heaters work the same way. There are burner elements where the gas flame heats up a special metal heat exchanger tubes. Water from your filter is pumped into the inlet of the heater. The water flows through the heat exchanger, picking up some heat, and flows back to your pool or spa out the header outlet. Water coming into the pool with feels a little warm, not hot. After repeated cycles, the pool water begins to feel warmer to the touch. The new heaters from most major manufacturers are made to exacting standards and will be much more efficient than the older model gas heaters. Just like the furnace in your home, today’s furnaces do a much better job than the older, larger units of yesteryear. You may wish to replace your old gas heater with a new one and save hundreds of dollars per year on heating costs. Remember: Heater efficiency is a ratio of usable heat the heater produces to the energy it consumes to produce the heat. The typical gas heater is 83% efficient. This means that for every $100.00 you spend on gas, you are getting $83.00 worth of heat. At SPP we offer some heaters with efficiencies up to 95%. These are called High Efficiency heaters and are priced accordingly. Our Lochinvar heaters deliver efficiencies as high as 88%.

Millivolt vs. Electronic Ignition:

Heaters with a standing pilot are called millivolt. This is similar to a pilot on a gas stove. Millivolt heaters do NOT need electricity to operate. Most heaters manufactured today us what is called Electronic Ignition. There is NO pilot light in these models. Electricity is needed to operate these types. When you wish to start the heater, or the unit calls for heat, electricity heats up an ignition module that fires the burners. Seriously, you should consider getting the Electronic Ignition over the Millivolt. They use less gas and are a requirement in some locations. At SPP, we highly recommend the electronic Ignition heaters.

Oil Fired Heaters:

Oil fired heaters are gaining in popularity in certain regions of the country. Many pool owners like the idea of using oil instead of other types. At SPP, we offer one model oil fired heater. It is a Jandy XL-3® DP3000. This is a very dependable unit from the industry’s recognized leader. The XL-3 is an UL-listed oil burner that is equipped with safety controls that automatically guard against flame failure and excessive variations in water temperature and water flow. The heat exchanger is stainless steel. This oil-fired heater uses the same No. 2 heating oil or No. 2 diesel fuel that your home furnace uses. The XL-3 requires a 115-volt hook-up. One size fits all residential size pools or spas. Thermostatically controlled unit provides 315,000 BTU/hr Input and 262,500 BTU/hr output. The heater uses 2.25 US gallons/hr. The shipping weight is 315 pounds.

Electric Heaters:

Electric Resistance heaters are primarily used to heat spas or swim spas. In this heater, an electric current creates heat that warms the water inside a heat exchanger or thermal jacket as the water passes through. Electric resistance heaters are not popular for swimming pools because of the volume of water and the cost of electricity make them expensive to operate in comparison to other type water heaters. At SPP, we offer one model electric resistance heater, Raypak. Raypak has been in the water heating business for many years and truly make one of the better heaters for the money. We sell two models, a 5.5KW and an 11.0 KW model. Both units require a 240-volt hook-up. A great unit to replace your current spa or swim spa heater where the water volume is less than 1,000 gallons.

Heat pumps are really gaining in popularity. Heat pumps were long used to heat and cool homes. Heat pumps don’t produce heat like a gas heater; rather they take heat from one place and move it to another. Outside air heats a refrigerant within the heat pump that is further heated and compressed by a compressor. The compressor super heats this gas and transfers it to the heat exchanger, which gives up the heat to the pool water. The cycle is than repeated. Because SPP sells only top-rated heat pumps, our units produce much more heat than the energy it consumes. Heat pumps are rated by what is called, COP, or coefficient of performance. Energy efficient heat pumps operate in a range of about 4 to 7, with the higher the number indicating more efficiency. Let’s say that you purchase our AquaCal Heatwave 155 model, which has a COP of 6.3. This means that for every dollar you spend on electricity, you get $6.30 of heat. Now you can see why pool owners are beginning to convert to this method. It saves you BIG money! Plus! Using a heat pump can keep your pool water at the desired temperature, let’s say 84 degrees, ALL the time, day or night, 7 days a week for much less than a typical pool heater. Some of our units can even remove heat from the pool water and cool it down. I know this sounds crazy to most of you, but in some climates the pool water gets too warm. We call this model the Icebreaker by AquaCal. Please read the information provided for each of the heat pumps you see on our website. One thing is for sure, if you are looking for a heat pump, SPP can help you get the right one for your application.

Solar blankets are just that. They minimize heating costs by “trapping” the heat from the sun’s rays in the pool water. In some areas you may only need a good quality solar blanket to make the pool more enjoyable most of the year. Solar blankets have thousands of “sealed air pouches” that allow the sun to heat up the air inside the bubble. When the solar blanket is placed on the top of the pool with the bubbles facing down, heat transfer takes place. Many people use the solar blanket to keep the heat that they get and pay for with a fossil fuel heater or heat pump, in the pool. Like a pot of hot water on a stovetop. Lift the top off and watch the heat rise into the air. Solar blankets are a great investment for every pool owner. Solar blankets from SPP are primarily "extruded polymers”. This means that they are 1 piece and not the typical 2-piece sandwich model. Our extruded solar blankets will not delaminate like the others. Also, when you use our HPI extruded blankets, you don’t have to keep them covered from the sun when they are not in use on your pool. This is a big time saver! If you live in a climate where the sun is very intense, solar blankets can be used to minimize evaporation rates. This saves you big money on pool chemicals and water costs.

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Frequently Asked Questions

How will I choose the right heater?

We recommend that you read what we say about the different heater options. Determine what options you have for your area, natural gas, propane, oil, good solar location etc.
Ask yourself, what do I really expect from a heater. Do you want to heat the water fast and use it for weekends or do you want to swim every day in warm water. Really, the best way to determine the type of heater(s) you should have would be to call us toll free and speak with one of our many heating experts.

How Much Will It Cost To Heat With A Gas Heater?

There are numerous variables that must be taken into account to determine what you will spend on heating your pool. First, what size pool is it? What is the total surface square footage? Obviously, the larger the pool, the higher the cost. What degree temperature rise are you trying to obtain? This is what is referred to as Delta T. Do you need just a 5-degree rise over the normal temperature or do you need 15 to 20 degree rise? How much wind you have in your area also contributes to heating costs. More wind means higher cost! The following formula is based on a 3.5 mph wind. You must also calculate the “heat loss” per hour per square foot in BTU’s. The typical average is 10.5 BTU’s. This is what we will use for our demonstration. At SPP we have a formula for you to go by to predict accurately what you can expect to spend. Here it is! Remember, Heat Pumps are different from gas heaters. You can go to our information on Heat Pumps and get the calculations to determine heat up time and operating costs.

How Do I Tell What Size Heater To Purchase?

Sizing= Surface area X 10.5 X Delta T divided by the heater thermal efficiency. So, a 512 square foot pool that needs a maximum of 20 degree rise (Delta T) would need a heater with approximately 130,000 BTU’s basing the heater output efficiency at 83%.
At SPP, we recommend that you go up one size to make sure you have enough BTU’s to get the job done quickly. In this case we would recommend a 150,000 to 175,000 BTU heater. Bigger is usually better with gas heaters. One cautionary note however is to make sure you do not need a larger diameter gas line than the one you currently have if you are replacing an existing heater. If you are replacing an existing heater and you were satisfied with it’s performance, it is best to stick with that size heater. Click here to view sizing tables.

Basic Facts:

*BTU- quantity of heat required to raise the temperature of 1 lb. of water 1 degree F.
*1 Therm of Natural Gas=100,000 BTU’s
*1 Gallon of Propane=91,000 BTU’s
*1 Gallon of Water Weighs 8.33 lbs
*To convert 1 gallon of LP (propane gas) to therms multiply cost per gallon X 1.0989

Before we calculate how much you can expect to spend for heating costs we have to figure the time your heater will have to operate to get the job done. We will calculate this for the initial heat up and for maintenance heating. Here is that formula: Time=Gallons X 8.33 X Delta T divided by Heater Output. Remember output= thermal efficiency X BTU input. So, lets use the same pool scenario we used previously to figure the sizing. Now we have to figure out how the pool capacity in gallons. The best way to figure this is to determine the pool surface area of the pool in square feet. In this case the pool is a rectangle 16x32. In rectangular pools you multiply the length x width x average depth (shallow end depth + deep end depth divided by 2) x 7.5 (the # of gallons of water in one cubic foot). So, lets figure it out! 16x32+=512. Lets say the average depth is 5.75 ft. The pool capacity is 22,080 US Gallons. Round, oval, and free form pools use a different calculation. If you need our help with figuring your pool capacity, give us a call; we’ll be happy to assist you.

In this case, lets assume we have a 200,000 BTU heater that is 83% efficient. This means that the heater output is 166,000 BTU’s. Do you follow this? Lets calculate the time needed for initial 20-degree heat up using these figures. Time=Gallons X 8.33 X Delta T divided by heater output. Our answer is 17.55 hours, almost 18 hours of continuous run time. When you get the temperature up to where you like it, put that SPP solar blanket on and keep the heat in. This will also mean that the heater will only run occasionally to keep the desired temperature where you like it.

What did it cost you to heat that 22,080 gallons up to lets say 85 degrees, when the water temperature was 65 degrees. Here is how we calculate it. Initial cost=Heater BTU Input X Cost Per Therm X Time divided by 100,000; the answer for a Natural Gas heater. If Natural Gas costs $.75 per therm in this case the cost would be $26.33. The maintenance cost to operate the same heater on this pool would be figured like this. Heater Input X Cost per Therm divided by 100,000 or $1.50 per hour of heating. Remember, if you use Propane Gas the formula is calculated by using the information provided in this website article. In high wind areas or where water features such as waterfalls are used, the heat loss figure of 10.5 BTU’s per square foot should be increased by as much as 25%, making the new figures 13.125. Still need help, give us a call. Our toll-free # is 800-983-7665 Monday-Saturday.

Indoor Or Outdoor Gas Heater Installation:

Most gas heaters are installed outside around the pump and filter. Heaters are made to be exposed to the elements and do not affect their efficiencies. If you are installing your heater outside it is best to place it on a concrete, brick, or stone pad to assure proper footing. The heater can be installed close or far away from the filter. Most heaters are installed where the pool water is lower than the heater. Remember, your pump pushes the water through the heater. Heaters for outdoor use have a built-in hood already on top. The only exception to this would be the Raypak Versa models where you must order the hood separately. Be sure to locate the heater away from anything combustible like a house, fence or a tree. Remember that the top of the heater will have lots of heat coming from it when the heater is running.

If you are installing your pool heater indoors, like a pool house or a garage, you must vent the heater properly. You cannot let the heater run in any enclosed area without using a vent pipe to direct the hot air and emissions outside. Different size and model heaters use different vent sizing. Make sure you know what you presently have if you are planning to replace your existing indoor heater with a new SPP model. When installing a Propane (LP) gas heater indoors you MUST get a heater that is ‘fan assisted”. SPP offers many fan-assisted heaters. A small listing of our fan-assisted heaters would be the Teledyne LX, Sta-Rite MaxiTherm, Lochinvar Energy Rite, and the Hayward ID models. Most major manufacturers offer a power vent hood that will do the same thing as a built-in fan assisted model. A fan-assisted heater is safer because it will not allow the heavier LP gas to settle or pocket, creating a hazard. Please call SPP at 800-983-7665 if you are unsure of what you need for indoor LP gas heater installation. Venting an indoor heater should not be taken lightly. There is one way to do it, this is the RIGHT way.

What Can You Do To Control Fuel Costs?

Using our SPP Extruded Solar Blanket will be the single biggest money saver you can get. Place the blanket on the pool whenever you are not using it. Never swim in the pool with the solar blanket on or partially on. This can get dangerous for children and pets.
Turn the heater way down when you are planning on going away or not using the pool for extended periods of time. Common sense heater usage is the best way to maintain lower heating costs.

MANY COUNTIES IN CALIFORNIA AND ALL TEXAS REQUIRE LOW NOx

If you are purchasing a Natural Gas heater and live in California or Texas, you have to purchase what is called a Low NOx unit. Low NOx heaters are environmentally friendly heaters that use a blower or induced draft system that constantly moves air through the combustion chamber. These special type heaters are specifically engineered to produce lower amounts of nitrogen oxide (NOx) emissions. Every single heater manufacturer offers a Low NOx unit. You can expect to invest a little more for these units since the manufacturing costs are greater. Low NOx heaters are all Electric Ignition (no pilot light). These emission standards are set by the California South Coast Quality Air Management Commission for 2001, (SCAQMD), and the Texas Natural Resource Conservation Commission Code. These laws apply to Natural Gas only, Not Propane (LP); however, you may still purchase a Low NOx propane heater if you wish. The following counties in California require Low NOx Natural Gas Heaters: Los Angeles, Ventura, Orange, Riverside, and San Bernardino counties. . Texas mandates the use of Low NOx.