Heating Source for Pool: Propane or Natural Gas

I'm going to install a small pool and a firepit in the back yard, and I am thinking of using a natural gas / propane heater. I can fuel this in one of three ways, and I would appreciate hearing from others who have experience with these options. My options are:

1) Install a standalone propane tank and use propane to fuel both the pool and the fire pit.

2) Install a standalone natural gas tank, and then install some kind of natural gas refilling station off our natural gas heating line to the home, moving over natural gas tanks to the pool area as needed.

3) Extend the natural gas line for the home through the backyard to the pool heater.

Option 1) seems to be hassle free, but I gather the downside will be the cost? How much more is propane through a propane reseller like Suburban Propane going to cost me than natural gas through a typical West Coast utility?

Option 2) has the cost of installing a natural gas resupply station and the hassle of manually needing to move tanks over from time to time. I do get lower usage costs on the gas, so I make back the fixed up front costs eventually.

Option 3) is low cost and low hassle to use, but I have a feeling that the cost to install a natural gas line extension is going to be large, and probably the permitting process for that is a huge hassle.

How would costs of electrical through a utility compare against propane?

I simply want to pursue the most cost effective strategy for the application.

Reply to
W
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Reply to
jloomis

Reply to
fftt
"

Works great for water, but I don't want a solar firepit....real fire is the way to go.

Reply to
Rick Samuel

My second post was lost, but here's the "short answer"

It sounds like you could use a mechanical engineer or knowledgeable pool contractor to pencil out your options for your specific location & conditons.

My "blink" is piped natural gas is your cheapest option.

cheers Bob

Reply to
fftt

You're in CA and want to heat the pool all year round using fossil fuels? I guess you haven't heard of global warming? Why on earth not use solar in the summer and a heat pump in winter?

Reply to
Cwatters

I agree, a heat pump is the way to go. They are fairly common for pools these days and in your location I would expect them to be pretty efficient.

If you really want to go fossil fuel then you need to run the gas line out there. Propane is way more expensive that piped in natural gas.

Reply to
jamesgangnc

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