A pool heater can be a game-changer for anyone who loves to swim, no matter the temperature. It extends your pool’s usability by maintaining perfect water conditions, turning chilly mornings or cooler evenings into comfortable swimming sessions. Whether you’re seeking energy efficiency, rapid heating, or user-friendly features, the right pool heater can make all the difference. In this review, we’ll dive into the heater’s various model options, key features, cost, and overall experience of the Hayward Universal H-Series pool heater, helping you decide if it’s the perfect solution for heating your pool.
What is a Hayward Universal H-Series Pool Heater
The Hayward Universal H-Series heater is a residential pool heater and one of Hayward’s newest and best heaters. The Universal H-Series is best known for its long lasting durability, low cost of operation, and its fast and efficient performance. The heater is available in 150K, 200K, 250K, 400K, and 500K BTU models for both natural gas and propane. The heat exchanger is made of a cupronickel (CuNi) alloy for all BTU models. This heater requires natural gas/propane and a 120/240V hookup.
From: Product Page
Features
- Energy Efficiency: 83% thermal efficiency rating and low NOx (exhaust) emissions.
- Cost Savings: Claims of 18% savings from less run time.
- Cupronickel Heat Exchanger: Better salt water and corrosion resistance.
- Small and Compact Design: The Hayward Universal H-Series heaters are one of the smaller heater options, especially the lower BTU models. (Dimensions: 19 to 40 x 24 x 29.5 inches, Weight: 110 to 223 lbs)
- Enclosed Design: Helps prevent rodents from damaging parts of the heater.
- Automation-Ready: This heater is compatible with automation systems.
- Parts Warranty: 3 years
Pros & Cons
Pros
- Fast and Efficient
- Lower Operation Cost
- Durable Heat Exchanger
- Both high and low BTU options
- Enclosed Design
- 3 Year Parts Warranty
Cons
- Tight and Compact Design: Harder to work on.
- No Variable Install Options: Tops not reversible, and no extra in/outlet ports
- More Complex: More components and harder to troubleshoot issues.
- Smaller Heat Exchanger Warranty
Experience
The Hayward Universal H-Series is a great option to heat your pool with. The heater is very powerful and efficient, allowing it to quickly heat up your pool water, especially with the higher BTU models. With its good efficiency, it makes this heater one of the cheapest to operate, saving you money compared to other heaters. For installing this heater, you don’t have many options, the top isn’t reversible, so the inlet and outlet ports can only be on the right side of the heater. Additionally, there is no extra in/outlet port, giving you fewer options on how you can plumb the heater. Hayward does offer a good parts/manufacturers warranty of 3 years, which you shouldn’t need as the heater is very reliable. If parts do fail, the heater is complex but is still quite easy to troubleshoot and repair.
Pricing
Hayward sells its products through dealers, so the price can vary depending on location, availability, and model. In general, the cost can range from 3000 to 4750 USD. In addition to the heater’s cost, you’ll also need to pay for installation. Installation usually costs around 500 USD. This cost may be higher if new gas or electric lines need to be run to your pool equipment.
- Heater Cost: 3000 – 4750 USD (500K BTU Model can be more)
- Installation Cost: 500 USD
Alternatives
Other than Hayward, two other brands offer comparable heater options. Them being the Jandy JXi heaters, and the Raypak/Rheem’s Digital and AVIA models.
The Jandy JXi heaters are a comparable option, the JXi heaters are slightly smaller than most of the Hayward heater models, they have a similar thermal efficiency, and the JXi has a 1-year parts/manufacturer’s warranty but a 5-year warranty on the heat exchanger. However, the JXi heaters don’t have a 150K or a 500K BTU option for smaller and larger pools and not all models of the JXi come with a cupronickel heat exchanger. One thing that sets the JXi apart from the Universal H-Series and other heaters, is its Versa Plumb System. This system allows water to bypass the heater when it’s not running. This greatly increases the life of the heat exchanger.
Read More: Jandy JXi Heater Review
Raypak/Rheem has two heater options, the Digital heaters and the AVIA heaters. The Digital heaters are much larger than the Hayward heaters, being almost double the volume. Additionally, these heaters have some major issues with leaking at the header. This leaking causes the heater’s burner tray to rust and fall apart, and can damage the pilot. The AVIA heaters are a newer model and I have yet to see this leaking problem on these models. The AVIA is still larger than the Hayward, but not as big as the Digital heaters. This heater offers various options for the material of the heat exchanger, which can help protect against corrosion similar to Hayward’s heat exchanger.
Conclusion
In conclusion, the Hayward Universal H-Series Pool Heater stands out as an efficient, reliable, and high-performing option for residential pool heating. Its variety of models, cupronickel heat exchanger, and energy efficiency make it a strong contender in the market. While there are limitations in its installation options and complexity, these are outweighed by its durability, cost savings, and overall performance. Whether you’re looking to extend your swimming season or create a more comfortable pool experience, the Hayward Universal H-Series is a worthy investment that balances quality, efficiency, and affordability.
