Propane pool heaters work better than other water heating solutions when heating the pool during cold swimming days, but how much propane does a pool heater use? Many customers have been asking this question, so we decided to write about a pool heater’s propane consumption. It is essential for you to know your unit’s usage limit, regardless of the type of heater you have. Before anything else, it is best that you know and understand what prone heaters are before anything else.
A propane pool heater is a device that uses propane gas to heat the water in the pool. It requires a tank filled with propane gas.
This propane gas will be released in vapor form. That vapor will turn into combustion, which will power your pool heater. It also has a separate or built-in pump where the water will come out passing through the filter. The water will then circulate through the pool heater. My friends, we have researched propane consumption thoroughly; if you want to find out about the things that we have to find out, better scroll down and keep reading until the end of this post!
Propane Usage Of Pool Heaters
If this is your first time using a propane pool heater, you should know its usage limit. A pool heater is among the appliances that use high capacity. It can consume approximately four propane gallons per hour. Every gallon can operate a pool heater of 100,000 BTU every hour. Meaning to says, 4 gallons of propane can run a 400,000 BTU pool heater per hour.
The BTU stands for British Thermal Unit. This is the capacity needed to increase the water temperature to degrees Fahrenheit. About 21,000 water gallons are contained in most pools. Each water gallon amounts to 8.34 pounds. This means that about 175,000 Btu is needed to increase the pool water temperature by one degree. As such, using your pool heater with 400,000 BTU for one hour will increase the water temperature by 1.82 degrees in maximum. In other words, the four propane gallons will be used by the pool heater to raise the temperature by 1.82 degrees.
How Much Propane A Pool Heater Use?
So, how much propane does a pool heater use? For every gallon of your propane gas, you will incur costs of about 2.50 dollars. So using the heater to heat the pool for one month will consume propane costing 100 dollars. But calculating the cost is much more than that. The price will also depend on the size of the tank.
If you select two tanks of 100 gallons of propane or one tank of 250 gallons of propane, the heater should be away from the tank by 10 feet. The cost of the fundamental installation of this tank will range between 350 and 500 dollars. Aside from that, you also need to pay the rental fee every year. The total cost of the propane tank and its installation will cost you at least 2,000 dollars.
You can also consider getting those ground tanks. However, this will cost you a bit more. Nonetheless, it will be worth it once it begins heating the pool. On average, ground tanks costs about 3,500 up to 5,500 dollars. But before you proceed with the installation, know the tank limitations first. Ensure that it is away from your property line by about 10 feet. Follow the same guideline to any objects that might ignite. Since most pools are in the backyard, it can be hard to follow this condition.
Furthermore, the tanks need to be put away from tree roots while ensuring that your propane company can quickly reach their delivery hose. Usually, delivery hoses measure about 130 up to 150 feet. At first, you will think that you are spending more money. But this will let you purchase more gallons of propane.
FAQs
In this section, let us give answers to some of the customers’ commonly asked questions regarding propane pool heaters. Do not skip this part! It is always best to learn more.
#1. How much propane is burned by pool heaters?
A propane pool heater burns one gallon per 100,000 BTU each hour. Pool heaters with 21,000-gallon capacity can produce 400,000 BTU. Meaning says that four gallons are burned by the heater every hour.
#2. How long can your propane heater last?
In general, propane pool heaters can last for nine years. But this may vary depending on how you maintain your heater. Taking care of the unit properly can, of course, help in extending its lifespan.
#3. What costs higher propane or natural gas heater?
Propane gas costs a little more as compared to natural gas. But propane is an excellent option for pool heating. A propane pool heater is effective so that a few more spending will be worth it. You may also want to read about why is my electric pool heater not working.
It’s A Wrap!
In this post, you have understood how much propane does a pool heater use. The things you learn here will be beneficial if you have not used propane heaters before. Experts can attest to all the information we provide above. You may want to read related articles; know how much is a pool heater and why is my electric pool heater not working. Thank you for being with us!