Pool Heating Cost Calculator: Gas, Heat Pump & Solar
Compare an installation allowance and a seasonal operating budget for natural gas, a heat pump or solar thermal heating. Change the state, pool area, heating months and cover setting. This is a planning estimate, not a promise of year-round swimming or a specific water temperature.
Electricity 15.8¢/kWh · natural gas $2.16/therm — U.S. EIA, 12-month average through April 2026.
Site data & assumptions: U.S. EIA · OpenEI URDB · Google Solar · NREL PVWatts · DSIRE · IRS · ENERGY STAR · Ballpark Lab model assumptions — see all sources
Compare the same modeled pool
| Heater | Installation allowance | Reference month |
|---|---|---|
| Natural gas | $3k – $4k | $350 |
| Heat pump | $4k – $6k | $98 |
| Solar thermal / circulation | $3k – $7k | $22 |
What the cover percentage means
This calculator applies a fixed 45% reduction to its modeled operating allowance when a cover is selected. That is a planning assumption, not a guaranteed saving for your pool or every heater. Actual savings depend on cover use, weather, water temperature and equipment; the solar circulation allowance is simplified too.
ENERGY STAR pool efficiency guidance describes potential heating savings of 50–70% when a pool is covered while unused. That conditional guidance is not a guarantee and is not the percentage used by this calculator. It also should not be treated as a reduction in the entire pool maintenance bill.
This is an area, energy-price and season-based budget model, not a heat-loss simulation or equipment-sizing calculation. It does not calculate target water temperature, hourly weather, wind, humidity, heater output or heat-pump COP. Installation ranges are fixed model allowances, not live local bids.
See data provenance and methodology. External guidance reviewed September 18, 2026; model price data is not represented as newly surveyed.
Compare equipment for your actual use
Rapid occasional heating and maintaining warmth across a season are different jobs. Check the equipment's output and operating conditions with your installer, not only its purchase price. ENERGY STAR's guidance linked above discusses gas for rapid occasional heating and the climate sensitivity of heat pumps and solar thermal systems.
Read our heat pump versus gas comparison and pool heater cost guide. For the rest of your ownership budget, use the pool maintenance calculator; avoid counting its heating allowance twice.
Solar thermal is not home solar electricity
Solar pool collectors heat water; photovoltaic panels generate electricity. They are separate projects with different assumptions. Compare the solar pool heating guide and home solar cost calculator without assuming the same system or incentives apply.
Frequently asked questions
- How much does a pool heater cost to install?
- The calculator uses installation allowances of $2,500–$4,000 for gas, $3,500–$6,000 for a heat pump, and $3,000–$7,000 for solar. Confirm equipment, connections and site-specific work in a written local quote.
- Which pool heater is cheapest to run?
- Compare the same pool size, operating months, local gas and electricity prices and cover use. The reference model gives different allowances for natural gas, a heat pump and solar circulation, but that ordering is not a guarantee for every site or equipment choice. Gas here means natural gas, not a separate propane estimate.
- How much does a pool cover save?
- This calculator applies a fixed 45% reduction to its modeled operating allowance when a cover is selected. That is a planning assumption, not a guaranteed saving for your pool or every heater. Actual savings depend on cover use, weather, water temperature and equipment; the solar circulation allowance is simplified too.
- Will this calculator tell me the heater size or water temperature?
- This is an area, energy-price and season-based budget model, not a heat-loss simulation or equipment-sizing calculation. It does not calculate target water temperature, hourly weather, wind, humidity, heater output or heat-pump COP. Installation ranges are fixed model allowances, not live local bids.