Our winters are short but real: December through February pool water drops into the 60s. Here is what each heater costs to buy and run here, how fast it works, and which one fits how you actually use the pool.
Every one of these works in Florida. The right one depends on whether you swim every day or only when the grandkids visit.
How it works: pulls heat from the air, like a reverse air conditioner. Speed: slow, a day or two to bring a cold pool up, then holds temperature cheaply. Running cost: lowest of the three for regular use. Catch: loses efficiency below about 50 degrees, which happens a few nights a year here. Best for: year-round residents who swim most days.
How it works: burns fuel to heat water directly. Speed: fast, can raise a pool 15 to 20 degrees overnight. Running cost: highest per hour, but you only pay when it runs. Catch: most of our area has no natural gas line, so it means a propane tank and deliveries. Best for: snowbirds and weekend swimmers who want the pool warm on demand, and spas.
How it works: pumps pool water through roof panels. Speed: slow and depends on sun; adds a few degrees on a clear winter day. Running cost: almost nothing beyond pump time. Catch: needs south-facing roof space, and a week of December clouds means a cold pool. Best for: extending the season in spring and fall, or paired with a heat pump.
Heat pump for everyday, gas for the spa or for a fast warm-up when guests arrive. If you have a spa, plan on gas for it regardless.
We size it to your pool, check your electrical or gas supply, pull the permit, and give you a written price the same visit. Call 941-302-8081. Licensed CPC1456897, veteran-owned.
Daily: heat pump. Weekends and holidays: gas. Mostly October through May: solar or heat pump.
Snowbirds who arrive in January to a 62-degree pool want gas. Running a heat pump for a week before you land wastes money.
A heat pump needs a dedicated 50-amp circuit. Older Venice, Port Charlotte, and Gulf Gate homes sometimes need a panel upgrade first. We check before quoting so it is not a surprise.
Near the Gulf or a canal, insist on a titanium heat exchanger and a corrosion-resistant cabinet. Standard copper exchangers fail early on the coast.
Heat pumps 10 to 15 years, gas heaters 8 to 12, solar panels 15 to 20. Salt exposure and poor water chemistry cut all of those.
Yes, in Sarasota, Charlotte, Manatee, and Lee counties. Electrical and gas connections are inspected. We pull it.
Yes. We plumb it into the equipment pad and run the electrical or gas line. It is a good time to add a pool cover, which cuts heating cost by half or more.
Usually no. Saltwater corrodes the exchanger and controls from inside and failures show up months later. We inspect it and tell you honestly.
See our equipment and repair page, or find your town on service areas.
Licensed CPC1456897. Veteran-owned. Serving Sarasota to Fort Myers.