Gas vs electric pool heaters, side by side
We install both, so we'll help you pick. Gas heats fast. A heat pump costs less to run and holds a temperature.
The Brevard January line
- 80°F DOE rating air for heat-pump output
- 51.7°F NOAA January mean low, Melbourne airport
- 50°F DOE: below this air temperature, heat pumps start losing efficiency
Gas or heat pump: which is better for a Florida pool?
For a Brevard County pool, choose an electric heat pump to hold a temperature all season at lower running cost, or a gas heater to heat quickly for planned swims and spa sessions.
| Factor | Gas heater | Electric heat pump |
|---|---|---|
| How it heats | Burns gas or propane | Moves heat from the air |
| Warm-up | Fast | Gradual, then holds |
| Energy per unit of heat | Up to 95% | 300–700% |
| Cold nights | Unaffected | Less efficient below 50°F |
| Price to buy | Lower | Higher |
| Typical life | 5+ years | 10+ years |
| Site needs | Gas supply, venting | Sized circuit, open air |
| Spa | Quick spa heat | When you can wait |
| Upkeep | Combustion parts | Refrigerant circuit |
Still weighing the two? Call (321) 536-9122 or schedule service. Schedule Service or call (321) 536-9122.
Sources: U.S. Department of Energy, Energy Saver, "Heat Pump Swimming Pool Heaters" and "Gas Swimming Pool Heaters" (archived copies).
Choose by how you swim
Start at the top. The first yes is your answer.
-
Do you want the pool warm this afternoon?
Yes
Gas
Gas heats fast for planned swims. You pay for heat on the days you swim, not to hold a temperature nobody is in.
-
Is the spa the point?
Yes
Gas, usually
Gas matches quick spa demand. A heat pump fits when slower warm-up is fine.
-
Do you swim most days or all season, and can your electrical service carry a heat pump?
Yes
Heat pump
Holding a temperature is the job a heat pump is built for.
-
Here for the winter months?
Yes
Either — pick by how long you’ll wait
January is our coolest month. Your target temperature settles the rest.
-
Is one utility already at the pad?
Yes
Start there
An existing gas line or enough electrical service makes the install simpler. Adding the missing one is site work.
Still split? That usually means both would work.
Tell us your pool size, screen, target temperature and how you swim. Call (321) 536-9122.
Is a heat pump enough in a Brevard January?
Usually yes: Brevard County's coldest month, January, averages a 51.7°F low at Melbourne's airport, just above the 50°F line below which heat pumps start losing efficiency, per the U.S. Department of Energy.
Cold snaps dip below it, and each degree costs more. Pick gas if one of these fits:
- You want the pool warm this afternoon.
- Quick spa heat is the point.
- Your electrical service can't carry the unit, and upgrading it is off the table.
Climate: NOAA NCEI 1991–2020 normals, Melbourne International Airport. Efficiency: U.S. Department of Energy, "Heat Pump Swimming Pool Heaters" (archived).
How long does it take to heat a pool?
About 12½ hours per 10°F for a 15,000-gallon pool with a 100,000 BTU/hr heat pump, or about 4 hours with a 400,000 BTU/hr gas heater, before the heat the pool loses along the way.
| Pool volume | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| 10,000 gal | 2.6 | 8.3 | 6.7 |
| 15,000 gal | 3.9 | 12.5 | 10.0 |
| 20,000 gal | 5.2 | 16.6 | 13.3 |
| 25,000 gal | 6.5 | 20.8 | 16.6 |
Cover the pool between swims. It keeps the heat you already paid for.
Why real warm-up runs longer
- Wind, evaporation and cool nights pull heat out while the heater puts it in.
- Heat-pump output is rated at 80°F air, so a January night stretches its hours.
- Newer gas heaters reach 89% to 95% efficiency, which shortens the gas column.
The arithmetic: gallons × 8.3 pounds × degrees, divided by the heater's output per hour. One BTU raises one pound of water 1°F.
Sources: EIA, British thermal units (the BTU); USGS, "Water Density" at 80°F; U.S. Department of Energy, heat-pump sizes and test conditions and gas efficiency (archived).
Still deciding? Ask us
"Service was very prompt, I appreciated them answering all my questions and helping me understand the difference between the various products. I will continue to use Nat/Pro because of their excellent work."
Which costs less to run, gas or a heat pump?
A heat pump usually costs less to run than a gas heater: the U.S. Department of Energy says heat pumps typically have much lower annual operating costs, because each unit of electricity moves 3 to 7 units of heat.
| Heater | Energy used | At your rate |
|---|---|---|
| Natural gas heater, 80% efficient | 1.25 therms | — |
| Natural gas heater, 95% efficient | 1.05 therms | — |
| Propane heater, 80% efficient | 1.37 gallons | — |
| Propane heater, 95% efficient | 1.15 gallons | — |
| Heat pump, COP 3 | 9.8 kWh | — |
| Heat pump, COP 5 | 5.9 kWh | — |
| Heat pump, COP 7 | 4.2 kWh | — |
Multiply each line by the rate on your own bill to compare in dollars.
Buying, installing and running costs are in the pool heater cost guide.
Sources
EIA, conversion factors (1 therm = 100,000 BTU; 1 gallon of propane = 91,452 BTU; 1 kWh = 3,412 BTU); U.S. Department of Energy, COP range and operating costs and gas efficiency (archived).
How does a pool heat pump work?
A pool heat pump moves heat rather than making it: a fan pulls outdoor air across a refrigerant coil, a compressor concentrates that heat, and a condenser hands it to the pool water.
How does a gas pool heater work?
A gas pool heater burns natural gas or propane, and that heat passes into the pool water flowing through it.
That's why a heat pump's output follows the air and a gas heater's doesn't. A heat pump burns nothing, so it makes no carbon monoxide.
Own a Rheem heat pump? Its model notes are on the Rheem heat pump page.
Want one sized for your pool? Call (321) 536-9122 or schedule service. Schedule Service or call (321) 536-9122.
Four more answers before you choose
Which heater fits a Brevard pool with an existing gas connection?
Either can fit, but an existing gas line makes gas the simpler install and the faster heat. A heat pump still fits if you hold the pool warm all season and the electrical service can carry it.
Will an electric heat pump handle my pool, and is it worth it?
Yes, when it is sized to the pool's surface area and the warmth you want. It costs more to buy than a gas heater, typically costs much less a year to run, and can last 10 or more years.
Standard sizes run 75,000, 100,000 and 125,000 BTU per hour. We cover sizing on pool heater installation.
Can a heat pump replace gas for a 20,000-gallon pool and spa?
Yes for the pool, if you can wait: about 13½ hours per 10°F from a 125,000 BTU/hr heat pump, before heat losses, then it holds the temperature. For a spa you want hot tonight, gas stays quicker.
Can a cover do the job instead of a heater?
Not on its own: a cover keeps heat in rather than adding it. The U.S. Department of Energy calls covering an unused pool the most effective way to cut heating costs, with savings of 50% to 70% possible.
Sources
U.S. Department of Energy, Energy Saver, heat pumps, gas heaters and pool covers (archived); EIA, British thermal units.
Ready to install?
We install gas heaters and heat pumps across Brevard County.
Decided? Start with pool heater installation. Still costing it? Read the pool heater cost guide. Heater installed but not heating? See pool heater repair.
Tell us about your pool
Can't call right now? Send the details and we'll call you back.
Talk it through with us
Unsure? Call and we'll work through it with you.