How Much Does My Pool Heater Cost to Run? A Complete Guide

How Much Does it Cost to Run a Pool Heater

June 28, 2015

2 Minute Read

Quite often we get the question How much does my pool heater cost to run? Here’s some quick information to help you figure out how much it is costing you to heat your pool.

Propane Pool Heaters

You can figure about 1 gallon per hour per 100,000 BTU’s to operate a propane pool heater. For a typical 400,000 BTU heater, that’s 4 gallons per hour. Currently Propane runs about $2.50 per gallon, propane prices do fluctuate so keep an eye on this website updating the National Average Cost of Propane. In our example, 1 hour on propane will cost $10.00.

Natural Gas Pool Heaters

You can figure about 1 therm per hour per 100,000 BTU’s for Natural Gas. For a typical 400,000 BTU pool heater, that’s 4 therms per hour. Currently Natural Gas runs about $1.00 per therm, natural gas prices do fluctuate so keep an eye on this site showing the Cost of Natural Gas Per State. In our example, 1 hour on Natural Gas will cost $4.00.

Heat Pumps

You can figure about 5,000 watts or 5 kilowatts per hour per 100,000 BTU’s for a heat pump. For a typical 100,000 BTU heat pump, that’s 5 kilowatts per hour. The national average for Electricity runs $.13 cents per kilowatt hour. Electricity costs vary widely throughout the United States so checkout this website updating the Electricity Costs for all 50 States. In our example, 1 hour on a heat pump will cost .60 cents.

Final Thoughts – Pool Heater Cost…

Normally Heat pumps are the least expensive option to heat your pool from operational cost standpoint.
If you live in an area where electricity is extremely expensive then Natural gas may become more enticing as the operational cost savings of a heat pump become less.
A gas heater will heat your pool much quicker than a heat pump but normally costs more to do so.
A heat pump draws in the outside air to heat your water so once the air temperature reaches 50 degrees they are pretty inefficient.
A gas heater is usually a good choice for a spa as a heat pump takes to long to heat a spa, and if you want to get in the spa in lower outside temps. a heat pump is inefficient.
Heat pumps cost about $2,500 and gas heaters are in the $1,500 range.

If you have questions on how much your pool heater is costing your to operate or need help sizing the correct heater for your pool then post your questions in the comments below or give us a call at 1-877-372-6038 and we would be happy to help.

Patrick Paroline

See Full Bio

Troubleshooting Topics

Controls / Automation

Chlorinators

Skimmers / Drains

Need Replacement Parts?

Swimming Pool Products

Related Videos

76 responses to “How Much Does My Pool Heater Cost to Run? A Complete Guide”

Don Dietrich

December 12, 2018

I live in fl and would like to raise my 6000 gal above ground pool temp about 10 degrees to 70. would an eleven kw 50 amp elect heater do this? Also, any idea of the monthly cost, could i use a 30 ft extension cord to hook it up or would it have to be hard wired>thanks

Reply
Paulo Salas

July 27, 2018

Get your body used to low temperatures, it may take you a while but you’ll totally love it. I live in La Paz, Bolivia and swim an avg of 3 miles every other wknd in Lake Titicaca (60 miles from here). Avg water temperature is 51-54F. I got so used to it that when training at the pool i can’t stand the heat for more than 20mins.
Once in a while I also come across a few european tourists doing the same thing, they absolutely love it of course.

Reply
Aaron

January 25, 2018

Is it cheaper, more expensive or the same to keep a pool heated vs heating before use?

Thanks

Reply
1. Matthew Simmons
  
  January 26, 2018
  
  It is cheaper to heat before use. If you keep your pool heated all the time, you’re paying more for no benefit.
  
  Reply
  1. Anonymous
    
    January 27, 2018
    
    Thank you
    
    Reply
    1. Anonymous
      
      January 6, 2019
      
      I had a boss one time that kept their pool heated 24 hours a day during the winter, so his wife could take her morning swim. His assistant showed me his gas bill for the month, it was $2,500. For him, it was not much, but for me, that was more than my mortgage
      
      Reply
Charles

January 13, 2018

I would like to keep my pool water from freezing using a gas heater. But these heaters have a minimum setting of 65 degrees. Does anyone know why the temp settting cannot be set to say 38 degrees so I can keep the pool water from freezing?

Reply
1. Matthew Simmons
  
  January 15, 2018
  
  You will need a Freeze Protect not a heater for this job. A freeze protects turns on your pump when the temperature hits a set point. The churning of the water helps prevent it for freezing.
  
  At the very least, gas heaters are meant to take the cold nip out of the water so swimmers can comfortably get in. It is not meant to keep your water from freezing, hence why freeze protectors are installed.
  
  Reply
Mark

December 19, 2017

So a heat pump is about $0.60 per 100k BTUs, and natural gas is about $1.00 per 100k BTUs? It’s a nice savings, but the example in your article is a bit confusing, as it compares 400k BTUs for propane/gas with 100k BTUs for electricity.

Reply
michele

November 16, 2017

i live in upstate ny and made an 8×14 swimspa. how big of gad heater do i need to heat and how much will it cost me ? or is electric heater the way to go ?

Reply
1. Matthew Simmons
  
  November 28, 2017
  
  First, you would need to answer, what temps do you plan on maintaining? What months of the year do you plan on operating it? And what is the cost of electricity and gas in your area?
  
  Reply
Marlene

September 20, 2017

Once I have my pool at the temperature I want, how much propane to keep it there.

Reply
1. Matthew Simmons
  
  September 21, 2017
  
  That depends on the size of the heater, the desired temp you are attempting to hold, the outside temperature, whether you are using a solar blanket and maybe some other stuff.
  
  The short answer is, I can’t answer that for you. But manufacturers have pool heater calculators that might be able to.
  
  Reply
Anonymous

August 17, 2017

I am looking to heat my pool on Saturday’s and Sunday’s only, when maybe we’ve had a “cool” snap. It’s a 15′ round above ground in St. Louis area. Would typically not need it June, July and Aug, but I could have used it a couple of weeks back. How much would it cost to heat with a Propane Tank like the 100,000 BTU Hayward? Have NO idea. Would probably only need to run it for 3 hours or so. And then use it a few weekends in May and September. That’s it. It would cost the price of the heater or more to run the electric and/or gas line to the heater if I were to go that route. Which is why I haven’t yet.

Reply
1. Matthew Simmons
  
  August 21, 2017
  
  Here is the propane heaters section from the article above:
  
  You can figure about 1 gallon per hour per 100,000 BTU’s to operate a propane pool heater. For a typical 400,000 BTU heater, that’s 4 gallons per hour. Currently Propane runs about $2.50 per gallon, propane prices do fluctuate so keep an eye on this website updating the National Average Cost of Propane. In our example, 1 hour on propane will cost $10.00.
  
  Reply
  1. Amanda
    
    June 6, 2018
    
    So for a 100,000 btu propane heater and an 8,000 gallon pool (18″ above ground) might it heat as fast as 1 degree per hour?
    
    Reply
    1. Matthew Simmons
      
      June 21, 2018
      
      It would take about 35-40 minutes to raise the temperature by 1-degree Fahrenheit. How Long Does It Take to Heat a Pool?
      
      FORMULA: Determine time required to increase water temperature by 1 degree F
      
      # of gallons in pool X 8.34 = ___________ lbs. of water
      
      ______ pounds of water / BTU Size = The hours it takes to raise the water temperature by 1 degree
      
      Reply
Miguel

August 11, 2017

If you have natural gas available then go that route! My Hayward 200kBTU unit can heat my 22,500 gallon pool about 1-2 degress per hour. It costs me around $1.50 per hour to operate.

Reply
1. Anonymous
  
  September 9, 2017
  
  I have a 20,000 gallon inground pool . I’d like to utilize the entire month of May and September , so heating it would be a must . I only want the pool water @72 degrees in those two months . Approximate cost for natural gas for two months ? ( 72 degrees ) .
  
  Reply
Bill

June 20, 2017

Im
Thinking of getting a 100,000 btu heater will that heat a 18′ round above ground what will it cost on propane to run it

Reply