Heat Pump vs Gas Pool Heater: The Florida Decision Guide
You have two real options for heating a Cape Coral, Fort Myers, or Naples backyard pool: a heat pump or a gas heater (natural gas or propane). Solar is a third option but only works for a portion of the year and adds another system to the equation.
The right call depends on three things: how often you swim, what fuel you already have hooked up, and whether you want fast heat-up or low monthly cost.
The 5-second answer
- Use the pool more than once a week, year-round? Heat pump.
- Use the pool only for occasional weekend get-togethers? Gas heater (if you already have gas service).
- Use the pool weekly + want the option to chill it in August? Heat pump with H/C (heat + cool).
Operating cost comparison
For a typical 13,000-gallon SW Florida pool maintained at 84 degrees, October through April:
| System | Monthly fuel cost | 6-month cost |
|---|---|---|
| Heat pump (electric, 12¢/kWh) | $45 - $80 | $270 - $480 |
| Natural gas heater (Florida City Gas) | $80 - $180 | $480 - $1,080 |
| Propane heater (LP delivered) | $200 - $400 | $1,200 - $2,400 |
Heat pumps win on operating cost by 2-5x. The reason: a heat pump moves heat (from outside air into your pool water), while a gas heater creates heat by burning fuel. Moving heat is way more efficient than creating it.
Heat-up speed comparison
| System | Time to heat 13k gal pool from 70 to 84°F |
|---|---|
| Heat pump (BR135) | 16 - 20 hours |
| Heat pump (BR115) | 20 - 26 hours |
| 400k BTU gas heater | 4 - 6 hours |
| 266k BTU gas heater | 6 - 9 hours |
Gas heaters win on raw heat-up speed. If you only swim every other weekend and want to bring the pool from cold to swim-ready in an afternoon, gas does it. A heat pump needs to run overnight.
For year-round Florida use where you maintain the pool at temperature all season, heat-up time matters less — the heater just maintains heat against overnight loss, which both systems handle equally well.
Install cost comparison
| System | Realistic install cost (SW Florida) |
|---|---|
| Heat pump (BR115/BR135) | $4,200 - $5,000 |
| Natural gas heater (existing gas line) | $3,800 - $5,200 |
| Natural gas heater (new gas line) | $5,500 - $8,500 |
| Propane heater (with tank) | $5,000 - $7,500 |
If you already have a natural gas line at the pool equipment pad, gas install is the cheapest. Without an existing gas line, the trenching and meter work add $1,500-$3,500 to the total. Heat pumps only need a 60A electrical circuit which most pool pads already have.
Long-term cost (5 year total ownership)
For a year-round Cape Coral pool owner running the heater October through April:
| System | 5-yr install + operating |
|---|---|
| Heat pump (BR115) | $5,800 - $7,400 |
| Heat pump (BR135) | $6,000 - $7,600 |
| Natural gas heater (existing line) | $6,200 - $10,600 |
| Propane heater | $11,000 - $19,500 |
Heat pumps win on 5-year total cost for any year-round Florida pool. The longer you own the system, the bigger the gap.
When gas still wins
Three real cases where a gas heater is the better call:
- Vacation rental. The cleaning crew turns the heat on Friday morning before guests arrive. Gas brings the pool from 70 to 84 in 5 hours. A heat pump cannot keep up with that schedule.
- Snowbird home with limited use. 4-6 weekend swims a year, the rest of the time the pool sits unheated. Gas heater turns on, swims, off. Operating cost stays low because runtime is low.
- Pool above 30,000 gallons. Above 30k gallons, you need a 400k+ BTU gas heater or two heat pumps in parallel. Single gas heater is simpler.
One more thing: the H/C upgrade
If you have ever skipped a swim in August because the water was too warm (90+ degrees), the Built Right BR135-XW H/C model can cool the pool. This is a heat pump option only — gas heaters cannot reverse cycle. It costs about $400-$500 more than the heat-only BR135 and lets you chill the pool to 78-82 in 12-18 hours.
Most pool owners do not realize this is even an option. If you swim through August, this is the model for you.
Bottom line
For a year-round Cape Coral, Fort Myers, or Naples pool, a Built Right heat pump is the right call. Lower operating cost, simpler install, and the option to add cooling. Pick the BR115 for pools under 15k gallons, BR135 for 15-22k gallons, BR135 H/C if you want to swim in August.
Stick with gas only if you have an existing gas line, you only swim 4-6 times a year, or you run a vacation rental that needs fast heat-up.
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