Whether you swim for exercise or enjoy your pool for summer recreation, installing a pool heater can be an excellent way to make a great thing even better. Pool heaters are very popular in colder climates, but even areas with warm weather year-round can benefit from a heated pool on those days when it's just a bit below the ideal temperature for outdoor swimming.

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Whether you're installing a pool heater for the first time or upgrading an existing system, it's important to know what pool heaters cost so you can plan for the expense.

What Are the Different Types of Pool Heaters?

Just like when heating your home, heating your pool can be done through several sources: gas, electricity or solar power. Before you consider the question of pool heater costs, it's important to know which type will work best for your home.

For example, if your pool area doesn't really get a lot of sunshine, you'll do much better relying on a gas pool heater than a solar-powered one. If you don't have a lot of trees surrounding your pool and have the space for installation, using solar panels might work out well for your needs.

If you live in a colder climate, you'll also want to consider when you're going to be using your swimming pool. Most people won't want to swim in cooler weather, but if you're using your pool for exercise at all times of the year, you’ll need a heater up to the task. You won't want to opt for an electric heater because it won't work properly if the temperature is under 55 degrees Fahrenheit (13 degrees Celsius). On the other hand, gas pool heaters can work in any climate, as they don't have a minimum temperature needed to function, making them a solid option for more homeowners.

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Installation Costs by Pool Heater Type

According to HomeGuide, electric pool heaters can cost anywhere from $1,200 to $6,000 (CAD 1,605 to CAD 8,024), including installation.

Gas-powered pool heaters represent a slightly cheaper up-front option, as you can expect to pay $1,500 to $4,500 (CAD 2,006 to CAD 6,018) for installation. The cost to install a heat pump pool heater is similar, with most homeowners paying $2,000 to $6,000 (CAD 2,675 to CAD 8,024).

Solar pool heaters might be less expensive on a monthly basis because you don’t have to pay to power the unit, but the units themselves and installation are more expensive. You can expect to pay anywhere from $2,500 to $6,500 (CAD 3,343 to CAD 8,692) to install a solar heater, according to HomeGuide.

Monthly Costs

There are also monthly operational costs to consider. Whether your pool is on the cheaper or more expensive side to heat depends on several factors, such as the size of your pool, the cost of utilities in your area and what water temperature you prefer.

Overall pool heater costs will be determined by how often you use your pool's heating system, how you take care of it and what system you use. Solar-powered pool heaters will have the cheapest cost per month, while gas-powered systems bring the highest monthly cost after representing the lowest entry point.

Once you have an idea of how big your pool will be and how often you plan on making use of the heater, you'll have a pretty good handle on what you can expect to pay.

All CAD conversions are based on the exchange rate on the date of publication.