I am in Mississippi, and we are putting a NG heater on our pool (start the build 10/6, cross fingers for no big rains). We love our hot tub, and know we are going to use the pool more if we just hit it a few times with the heater when we want to swim "out of season." Unfortunately, that doesn't help you learn about electric heaters. That sounds really expensive. I hope you get the feedback you need from someone in FL.

Hello from Naples! I finished my build in Dec 2007, and wouldn't be without my heater! I was able to use the pool throughout our admittedly mild winter, and enjoy it. In general your pool will probably be around Gulf water temp, which was too cold for me - I set the heater around 85 degrees, and still felt a little chilly. If you are by nature a cold water swimmer (New England or Michigan) you might not want the heater, but I was going for comfort. Most of the people I know here do not use their unheated pools in the winter season, even this far South. It will jump your electric bills. BTW, I looked at solar, but again, not enough heat ability. Hope this helps.

My inlaws are in North Naples and have a HP on their pool & spa. After the first winter and electric bills, they added solar panels to their rear roof that work really well for the pool and HP is only used for higher temps in spa.

Thanks HARGYLE for your post from Naples. Did you leave your heater on all winter or did you turn it on just when you planned on swimming? If you dont mind me asking how much did your electric bill jump up? Our Family spends so much time outdoors during our beautiful winters here in Florida I would hate to just look at the pool while we were outside!! P.S I am with you. 85 degrees is a good temp! Been here so long by blood is thin!!! Thanks for all your info.

My experience is based one winter, since my install was completed Christmas 2007. From Jan 2008 thru about May, the heater ran as needed when the pump was running. The heater runs to obtain the pre-set temp you designate (say, 85) and shuts off automatically when water temp is there. After about May, the ambient sun/air temp was enough that the heater just doesn't run. You can alter the temp on an as needed basis as well. It's a little hard to separate out pump cost from heater cost on the electric bill overall, but I guess about $40 per month could be attributed to heater alone. bsolutely no regrets about the heater, wouldn't be without it.
I have a 335 sq foot pool, roughly 12,000 gall, 23x25 ft.
Heater is a AquaCal H-100 heat pump. Pool pump is a Pentair WhisperFlo 1 1/2 HP.

Hi I`m on the SE coast (Vero)and I`ve got a Heat Syphon
heat pump.Can keep water near 90 early and late winter.
Sometimes water is very warm,but when you get out you
freeze when the wind hits you!LOL...
The rub is you have to have solar/heat blanket.Take it off
swim then put it back on ...(pain)
If you don`t do this,it`s useless!
HP takes a couple days to warm the water.Blanket keeps it
warm.You can then set thermastat on HP...

Hope this helps...JR

Be kind to the environment and heat with solar in FL.

A FL pool is more comfortable in the winter months with some added heat IMHO...we like 80+ to swim and typically the pool temp without heat will drop to the low 70s during the winter months...now my friends up North are loving swimming in the summer when their pool hits 70...so everyone is different.