Probably one of the toughest decisions to make when it comes to purchasing a pool heater is what size to go for. What many believe in is – bigger the pool heater, the better performance it would deliver. One of the most critical parameters to consider while investing in a pool heater is that of BTU. Most of the people are aware of the fact that higher the BTU output of the heater, faster will the pool be heated. Since, nobody would want to wait for long hours for the pool to heat up, people usually buy those heaters with higher BTU. However, choosing the right pool heater should be based on the size of the pool. Here is everything you need to know about the same.
In order to make the best decision as far as a pool heater is concerned, there is some critical pool information, being well aware of which, can never go in vain. Needless to say, the size of the pool is the most important of all. In addition to this, factors like environmental considerations, your heating requirements, use of techniques to retain the heat of the pool, and so on. Yet another important parameter that cannot go unnoticed is that of the BTU requirements. Let us have a better understanding of how these factors help in deciding as to which pool heater should you buy.
Size of the pool – Quite evidently, larger the pool size, the more powerful your heater has to be. Thus, the first task involves finding the volume of water your pool will hold. Now, to calculate the volume of the pool – the easiest way to do so is to find the surface area of the pool and then multiply it with the dep This is quite easy when the pool is either square or rectangle shaped. Calculation of surface area in case of round and oval shaped pools is a little different as would involve diameter. No matter what the pool size is, after finding out the surface area of the pool, multiply it by the average depth to arrive at the volume of the pool. After this, multiplying the result so obtained by 8 will give you the approximate gallons of water required for your pool. Using this, it becomes easy to pick the right pool heater as the models usually come with the details as to for how much volume of pool water do they work best for.
BTU – BTU stands for British Thermal Units. The power of the pool heaters is measured in BTUs. Higher the BTU, faster is the heating of the p Usually, one BTU raises the temperature of one pound of water by one degree Fahrenheit. After you have calculated the volume of your pool and derived the gallons of water required, it is very easy to find out the ideal BTUs required. On that basis, you can choose the pool heater which fits into the criteria of desired BTUs.
Requirements – Making a firm decision as to which pool heater would be the right for you is just not possible unless there are certain requirements that are to be met. Depending on the requirements and demands of the user, the right choice of the heater could be made. If the pool is extensively used – round the clock, a powerful heater is the only way out to keep the pool warm for most of the time. On the contrary, if the usage isn’t much, a pool heater that is good on the performance aspect and is powerful enough to keep your pool warm as and when you require (not throughout the day should be good enough). What everything boils down to is – analysing what your requirements are and then choosing the heater that best fits into your wish list.
Conclusion
When the decision is regarding the right pool heater for your pool, you shouldn’t take a blind call solely on the basis of how it looks, its reviews or how economically it is priced. Though these factors are important, there are other factors as well that are way more important. Having a fair idea with regards to the size of your pool, how much volume of water does your pool hold, the BTU desired as well as your requirements should be taken into account before you purchase the heater.
Frequently asked questions
- Can a pool heater be run overnight?
Running the pool heater at night is not advised because of the time and energy consumed in the whole process. Running the pool heater at night results in better efficiency and quicker pool heating as well. - What is an ideal BTU range for the pools?
One cannot classify a particular BTU rating to be ideal as this entirely varies from pool to pool. The size of your pool as well as the usage plays a pivotal role in arriving at the right pool heater with just the right BTU. Considering the fact that there are medium to large pool sizes in the houses these days, a pool heater with a BTU in the range of 200K to 350K respectively would be good enough. - How can one reduce the number of BTU required to heat up the pool?
There are a couple of techniques that one can employ to reduce the number of BTU required to heat up the pool. One of the easiest methods and also one among the most widely used ones is by using a solar cover. Doing so will not just reduce the amount of time and energy consumed in getting the pool heated to the desired temperature but will also help in keeping the pool warmer for longer durations. All this ultimately results in the requirement of a pool heater with a lesser BTU.
Watch the Video till End
