What's the difference between a gas heater and a heat pump for my pool?

Gas heaters burn fuel to warm pool water, providing rapid heating but at higher running costs. Heat pumps draw heat from the air or ground to warm the pool. They are energy-efficient with a longer lifespan and steeper initial costs.

Both gas heaters and heat pumps are popular choices for pool heating, but they operate differently and have distinct advantages and disadvantages.

1. Gas Heaters:
   • Functionality: They burn natural gas or propane to produce heat, directly warming the pool water.
   • Advantages: Rapid heating, effective in any climate or weather.
   • Disadvantages: Higher operational costs due to the price of gas, and they might have a shorter lifespan compared to heat pumps. They also emit CO2.
2. Heat Pumps:
   • Functionality: They extract heat from the surrounding air, intensify it, and transfer it to the pool water. There are also geothermal heat pumps that derive heat from the ground.
   • Advantages: Energy-efficient, lower operational costs over time, longer lifespan, and environmentally friendly as they don't produce CO2 emissions.
   • Disadvantages: Higher upfront costs and might not be as effective in extremely cold conditions.