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U.S. Department of Energy Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy

Estimating Heat Pump Swimming Pool Heater Costs and Savings

For an outdoor swimming pool, use the following tables to help estimate your annual heat pump pool heater costs and savings compared to using an electric resistance or a gas pool heater.

Table 1 estimates annual swimming heat pump pool heating costs by location, by water temperature, and with or without using a pool cover.

Table 1. Costs by Location of Heating Outdoor Pools with a Heat Pump*
Location Season Temperature
78° 80° 82°
Miami 1/1–12/31 $1100 $1460 $1845
w/ cover 1/1–12/31 $215 $300 $410
Phoenix 3/1–10/31 $680 $875 $1090
w/ cover 3/1–10/31 $45 $85 $125
Dallas 4/1–10/31 $760 $970 $1240
w/ cover 4/1–10/31 $90 $140 $205
Atlanta 4/1–10/31 $840 $1110 $1425
w/ cover 4/1–10/31 $155 $205 $290
Los Angeles 5/1–10/31 $950 $1210 $1485
w/ cover 5/1–10/31 $85 $155 $240
Kansas City 5/1–10/31 $715 $935 $1185
w/ cover 5/1–10/31 $145 $205 $270
New York 5/1–9/30 $740 $975 $1220
w/ cover 5/1–9/30 $105 $150 $200
Chicago 5/1–9/30 $810 $1035 $1270
w/ cover 5/1–9/30 $105 $150 $195
Denver 5/1–8/31 $875 $1055 $1245
w/ cover 5/1–8/31 $70 $100 $150
Boston 5/1–8/31 $875 $1075 $1280
w/ cover 5/1–8/31 $120 $165 $235
Minneapolis 6/1–9/30 $660 $850 $1040
w/ cover 6/1–9/30 $100 $125 $190
San Fran 6/1–8/31 $800 $950 $1110
w/ cover 6/1–8/31 $95 $165 $240
Seattle 6/1–8/31 $770 $900 $1035
w/ cover 6/1–8/31 $150 $215 $280

*Figures based on a 1,000 square foot, outdoor pool heated with an air to water heat pump with an average COP of 5.0 at $.085/kwh.

Table 2 estimates the annual savings of using a heat pump pool heater compared to using an electric resistance or gas pool heater.

Table 2. Annual Savings Comparisons of
Gas and Electric Pool Heaters*
Efficiency Annual Cost Cost w/ 5.0 COP Heat Pump Savings
Gas Pool Heater
55% $584 $200 $384
60% 535 $200 $335
65% 494 $200 $294
70% $459 $200 $259
75% $428 $200 $228
80% $402 $200 $202
85% $378 $200 $178
90% $357 $200 $157
95% $338 $200 $138
Electric Resistance
100% $1000 $200 $800

Based on an electric resistance heated pool, which costs $1,000 per year at an electric cost of $.085/kwh, and using a natural gas cost 0f $.80/therm. A seasonal average COP of 5.0 was used to determine heat pump savings.

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