Hayward Pool Heaters
Hayward builds a full line of pool equipment, and its two heating families are the ones Florida pool owners meet most often: Universal H-Series gas heaters, which include a cupro-nickel heat exchanger on every model rather than as a paid upgrade, and HeatPro electric heat pumps with a titanium condenser and a 10-year titanium tube warranty. Hayward equipment is stocked and serviced almost everywhere in this state, which matters more on a Saturday in February than any spec sheet does.
Hayward Industries is headquartered in Charlotte, North Carolina, and makes pumps, filters, heaters, sanitization, automation, lighting, water features, cleaners and safety equipment. For a lot of Gulf Coast homes it is already the brand on the pad — which means the heater, the pump, the salt cell and the control system can all come from one manufacturer and be serviced by one technician.
On the gas side, everything runs through the Universal H-Series: a forced-draft, low-NOx family sold from 150,000 up to 500,000 BTU/hr in natural gas and propane. Its distinguishing feature is the heat exchanger. Hayward fits a cupro-nickel exchanger to every model in the line, and its own brochure makes the comparison directly — other manufacturers charge hundreds of dollars to upgrade out of plain copper. On a salt pool, or a pool whose chemistry drifts in August, that is the part of the heater that decides how long it lasts. Hayward has since added OmniX, an embedded smart control that turns the heater itself into a connected device; those SKUs carry an HS prefix (HS250FDN, HS400FDP) alongside the established H-prefixed models.
On the electric side, the HeatPro MCHX Series is the current platform: 110,000, 120,000 and 140,000 BTU classes, each available heat-only (HP2-prefix), Heat+Chill (HP3-prefix) or as a dedicated cold-plunge unit (HCB-prefix). The water-side condenser is titanium and the air-side coil is a microchannel exchanger with a Trivalent Chromium Process coating, which is Hayward's answer to coastal corrosion. Above that sits HeatPro VS, which Hayward describes as the first AHRI-certified inverter-driven variable-speed heat and cool pump in North America.
Two Hayward-specific things are worth knowing before you shop on price. First, Hayward splits its catalog into Expert Line, sold through brick-and-mortar dealers, and Open Line, approved for online sale — Open Line SKUs carry a W3 prefix and a 1-year parts-only warranty with no labor coverage at all. A W3H400FDN and an H400FDN are the same heater with very different warranties. Second, the longer labor terms are tied to buying through a Hayward Rewards dealer, the program formerly branded Totally Hayward. Neither fact is hidden, but neither is obvious on a marketplace listing.
At a glance
- Headquarters
- Charlotte, North Carolina
- Model pages here
- 6
- Lines
- Universal H-Series, Universal H-Series with OmniX, Universal HC Series, HeatPro MCHX Series, HeatPro VS Series
What Hayward builds
Universal H-Series
Gas heaterForced-draft, low-NOx natural gas and propane heaters from 150,000 to 500,000 BTU/hr, with a cupro-nickel heat exchanger standard on every model and 84% thermal efficiency on the 250,000 and 400,000 BTU units. Front-panel-only service access and universal 2 inch by 2-1/2 inch CPVC unions make it a straightforward drop-in replacement.
Universal H-Series with OmniX
Gas heaterThe same heaters with Hayward's OmniX control embedded in the unit, sold under HS-prefixed SKUs (HS135FDN through HS500FDP). OmniX adds app control, scheduling and remote diagnostics without a separate automation panel, and works with Hayward's Universal Display alongside Omni and competitive automation systems.
Universal HC Series
Gas heaterDual-fuel heaters with OmniX, sold as HDFS275 and HDFS400. The smallest family in the gas range and the one to ask about when a site's fuel supply is unusual or expected to change.
HeatPro MCHX Series
Electric heat pumpThe current HeatPro platform, in 110,000, 120,000 and 140,000 BTU classes, each offered heat-only (HP21x05T), Heat+Chill (HP31x05T) or as a cold-plunge unit (HCB1x05T). Titanium condenser on the water side, microchannel evaporator with a TCP corrosion coating on the air side, COP 5.7 at the 80/80/80 rating point and 4.0 at the 50°F low test point.
HeatPro VS Series
Electric heat pumpInverter-driven variable-speed heat and cool heat pumps in 95,000 and 120,000 BTU sizes, with a titanium heat exchanger and a vertical discharge fan. Hayward describes it as the first AHRI-certified inverter-driven variable-speed heat and cool pump in North America.
Hayward models we have researched
Every figure below is verified against the manufacturer's own documents, with the sources listed on each model page.
| Model | Type | BTU rating | Heat / cool |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hayward Universal H-Series H250FDN Gas Pool HeaterH250FDN | Gas heater | 250,000 BTU/hr gas input | Heat Only |
| Hayward Universal H-Series H400FDN Gas Pool HeaterH400FDN | Gas heater | 399,900 BTU/hr gas input | Heat Only |
| Hayward Universal H-Series H250FDP Propane Pool HeaterH250FDP | Gas heater | 250,000 BTU/hr gas input | Heat Only |
| Hayward Universal H-Series H400FDP Propane Pool HeaterH400FDP | Gas heater | 399,900 BTU/hr gas input | Heat Only |
| Hayward HeatPro MCHX HP21405T Heat-Only Pool Heat PumpHP21405T | Electric heat pump | 138,000 BTU/hr heat output | Heat Only |
| Hayward HeatPro MCHX HP31405T Heat+Chill Pool Heat PumpHP31405T | Electric heat pump | 135,000 BTU/hr heat output | Heat + Cool |
Scroll the table sideways to see every column.
Hayward · Universal H-Series
Hayward Universal H-Series H250FDN Gas Pool Heater
Model H250FDN
- BTU input
- 250,000 BTU/hr
- Thermal efficiency
- 84%
- Heat exchanger
- Cupro-nickel
- Warranty
- 3-Year Parts / 1-Year Labor
- Wi-Fi / automation
- App Control via AutomationAutomation Compatible (Relay)
An average-sized Florida pool, or a pool with a small spa, where you want gas-speed heat without paying for 400,000 BTU you will never use.
Hayward · Universal H-Series
Hayward Universal H-Series H400FDN Gas Pool Heater
Model H400FDN
- BTU input
- 399,900 BTU/hr
- Thermal efficiency
- 84%
- Heat exchanger
- Cupro-nickel
- Warranty
- 3-Year Parts / 1-Year Labor
- Wi-Fi / automation
- App Control via AutomationAutomation Compatible (Relay)
A large Florida pool, or a pool and spa combination, that needs to reach temperature on demand rather than hold it all season.
Hayward · Universal H-Series
Hayward Universal H-Series H250FDP Propane Pool Heater
Model H250FDP
- BTU input
- 250,000 BTU/hr
- Thermal efficiency
- 84%
- Heat exchanger
- Cupro-nickel
- Warranty
- 3-Year Parts / 1-Year Labor
- Wi-Fi / automation
- App Control via AutomationAutomation Compatible (Relay)
A normal residential pool on a lot with no natural gas at the street, where a propane tank is the practical way to get gas-speed heat.
Hayward · Universal H-Series
Hayward Universal H-Series H400FDP Propane Pool Heater
Model H400FDP
- BTU input
- 399,900 BTU/hr
- Thermal efficiency
- 84%
- Heat exchanger
- Cupro-nickel
- Warranty
- 3-Year Parts / 1-Year Labor
- Wi-Fi / automation
- App Control via AutomationAutomation Compatible (Relay)
A large pool or a pool-and-spa combination on a lot with no gas main, where fast heat matters more than the cost of the propane it burns.
Hayward · HeatPro MCHX Series
Hayward HeatPro MCHX HP21405T Heat-Only Pool Heat Pump
Model HP21405T
- Heating capacity
- 138,000 BTU/hr
- Efficiency (COP)
- COP 5.7
- Heat exchanger
- Titanium
- Warranty
- 5-Year Parts / 2-Year Labor10-Year Heat Exchanger
- Wi-Fi / automation
- Automation Compatible (Relay)
A Gulf Coast pool that gets swum in most of the year and an owner who wants the lowest running cost from a mainstream brand their service company already stocks parts for.
Hayward · HeatPro MCHX Series
Hayward HeatPro MCHX HP31405T Heat+Chill Pool Heat Pump
Model HP31405T
- Heating capacity
- 135,000 BTU/hr
- Efficiency (COP)
- COP 5.7
- Heat exchanger
- Titanium
- Warranty
- 5-Year Parts / 2-Year Labor10-Year Heat Exchanger
- Wi-Fi / automation
- Automation Compatible (Relay)
A Florida pool that is too cold in February and too warm in August, where one unit doing both jobs is worth more than the cheapest way to heat.
Hayward models side by side
| Specification | Hayward Universal H-Series H250FDN Gas Pool HeaterH250FDN | Hayward Universal H-Series H400FDN Gas Pool HeaterH400FDN | Hayward Universal H-Series H250FDP Propane Pool HeaterH250FDP | Hayward Universal H-Series H400FDP Propane Pool HeaterH400FDP |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| BTU input | 250,000 BTU/hr | 399,900 BTU/hr | 250,000 BTU/hr | 399,900 BTU/hr |
| Fuel / power | Natural gas | Natural gas | Propane | Propane |
| Heat or heat + cool | Heat Only | Heat Only | Heat Only | Heat Only |
| Heat exchanger | Cupro-nickel — Standard on every Universal H-Series model, not a paid upgrade | Cupro-nickel — Standard on every Universal H-Series model, not a paid upgrade | Cupro-nickel — Standard on every Universal H-Series model, not a paid upgrade | Cupro-nickel — Standard on every Universal H-Series model, not a paid upgrade |
| Thermal efficiency | 84% thermal efficiency | 84% thermal efficiency | 84% thermal efficiency | 84% thermal efficiency |
| Warranty | Parts: 3 years · Labor: 1 year field labor (3 years when sold by a Hayward Rewards dealer) | Parts: 3 years · Labor: 1 year field labor (3 years when sold by a Hayward Rewards dealer) | Parts: 3 years · Labor: 1 year field labor (3 years when sold by a Hayward Rewards dealer) | Parts: 3 years · Labor: 1 year field labor (3 years when sold by a Hayward Rewards dealer) |
| Controls & automation | Onboard control pad with a two-digit temperature display and separate pool and spa setpoints; app control when connected to a Hayward Omni control system. | Onboard control pad with a two-digit temperature display and separate pool and spa setpoints; app control when connected to a Hayward Omni control system. | Onboard control pad with a two-digit temperature display and separate pool and spa setpoints; app control when connected to a Hayward Omni control system. | Onboard control pad with a two-digit temperature display and separate pool and spa setpoints; app control when connected to a Hayward Omni control system. |
| Relative price | $$ — Mid-range | $$$ — Upper mid-range | $$ — Mid-range | $$$ — Upper mid-range |
| MPH Equipment ScoreHow we rate heaters | 4.6 / 5 | 4.6 / 5 | 4.6 / 5 | 4.6 / 5 |
Scroll the table sideways to see every column. Every row is derived from the same fields on each product, so the comparison is like for like. Showing the first 4 of 6 models — a side-by-side table stops being readable past that. Every other model has its own page in the list above.
What we like
- Cupro-nickel is standard across the entire Universal H-Series gas line rather than a paid upgrade. That is the single most useful thing about Hayward gas heaters on the Gulf Coast, where salt pools and drifting chemistry are the norm.
- Heat pump warranty is genuinely long: Hayward's 2026 Expert Line terms give in-ground heat pumps 5 years parts and 2 years field labor, extended to 3 years labor through a Hayward Rewards dealer, with the titanium tube covered for 10 years.
- Parts availability in Florida is as good as it gets. Control boards, igniters, thermistors, water pressure switches and blowers for the Universal H-Series are stocked regionally, which is the difference between a one-visit repair and two weeks of a cold pool.
- Hayward publishes real service documentation — a quick reference guide with the full diagnostic code list, a consumer troubleshooting guide and a technician troubleshooting guide with part numbers — so a homeowner can understand what a code means before anyone opens a panel.
- Gas heaters are built for retrofit: front-panel-only service access, universal 2 inch by 2-1/2 inch CPVC unions and junction boxes on both sides, which keeps a swap on a crowded equipment pad from turning into a re-plumb.
- One manufacturer can cover the whole pad. When the pump, filter, salt cell, automation and heater are all Hayward, diagnosis is simpler and there is only one warranty department to deal with.
What to know before buying
- The Expert Line / Open Line split catches people out. The same heater sold online with a W3 prefix is an Open Line SKU with 1 year parts only and no labor coverage, against 3 years parts and up to 3 years labor on the Expert Line version. Always confirm which one you are being quoted.
- The longer labor terms depend on buying from a Hayward Rewards dealer, and Hayward states its warranties apply only to product bought from Hayward or an authorized seller. Get the channel confirmed in writing.
- Gas heater warranty has no separate long heat-exchanger term. The cupro-nickel exchanger is covered under the 3-year parts warranty as original equipment; bought later as a replacement part it carries 1 year parts and no labor.
- App control is not built into most of the range. The H-prefixed Universal H-Series heaters and the HeatPro MCHX heat pumps join an automation system through a two-wire relay, so phone control means owning a Hayward Omni system or specifying an OmniX SKU.
- The heat pump line is mid-transition. HeatPro MCHX, the older square-platform HeatPro and HeatPro VS are all in the market at once, and model numbers between them look alike. Match the exact SKU when you compare quotes.
Hayward installations
Real jobs from our installation library. A model number appears only where it was readable on the unit.
Hayward questions
Is a Hayward pool heater a good choice in Florida?
For most Gulf Coast pools, yes. The gas line's standard cupro-nickel exchanger is well suited to salt pools and coastal air, the HeatPro heat pumps use a titanium condenser with a 10-year tube warranty, and parts and technicians are available in every town on this coast. Whether Hayward is the right choice for your pool depends more on fuel availability, your electrical service and how you use the pool than on the badge.
What is the difference between a Hayward H400FDN and a W3H400FDN?
Warranty and sales channel, not hardware. H-prefixed SKUs are Expert Line, sold through brick-and-mortar dealers, with 3 years parts and 1 to 3 years field labor. W3-prefixed SKUs are Open Line, approved for online sale, and carry 1 year parts only with no labor coverage. If an online price looks unusually good, check the prefix.
What does OmniX add to a Hayward gas heater?
OmniX puts the smart control inside the heater rather than in a separate automation panel: app control of temperature and schedules, remote diagnostics, and wireless coordination with other OmniX equipment, with an optional gateway for control from outside the home. Those heaters carry an HS prefix — HS250FDN, HS400FDP and so on — and are otherwise the same Universal H-Series cabinet and cupro-nickel exchanger.
Do Hayward heaters work with non-Hayward pool automation?
The Universal H-Series has two-wire and three-wire remote terminals and Hayward states its Universal Display works with Omni, OmniX and competitive automation systems. HeatPro heat pumps take a dry two-wire relay for heating and, on Heat+Chill models, a second relay for cooling. That is enough for most automation systems to switch the heater on and off, but full integration and app control are a Hayward-to-Hayward story, so confirm the specifics before you assume.
How long should a Hayward pool heater last on the Gulf Coast?
Longer than the warranty if the water chemistry is kept in range and the flow is right, and much shorter if it is not. Hayward's own documentation is blunt about it: exchanger damage from low flow, unbalanced water or sanitizer dosed upstream of the heater is not covered. The two things that actually decide the lifespan of a heater here are keeping the salt cell downstream of it and keeping the pump speed high enough to satisfy the flow switch.
Hayward on the Gulf Coast
Hayward is the brand we photograph most often on our own jobs — our gallery includes a Hayward gas heater plumbed into an equipment pad in Sarasota and Hayward heat pumps set alongside re-plumbed filter and pump manifolds. We install and service Hayward gas heaters and heat pumps throughout Sarasota, Manatee, Charlotte & Pinellas County, Florida, and we are happy to say when a different brand fits your pool better. We do not claim authorized-dealer status for any manufacturer on this site. The comparison content here is written for pool owners anywhere; the installation offer is local.
Thinking about Hayward? Ask us first.
We install and service pool heating in Sarasota, Manatee, Charlotte & Pinellas County, Florida. If you are outside that area, the comparison above is still yours to use — ask your local contractor the same questions.
Licensed & insured · Florida Certified Pool/Spa Contractor #CPC1460367 · Mon-Sat, 8am-6pm
Last verified September 17, 2026
Specifications and warranty terms are taken from the manufacturer documents below. Manufacturers revise these without notice, so confirm the current terms before you buy. If you spot something out of date, email us and we will fix it.
Sources
- Hayward — pool heaters product line
- Hayward — Universal H-Series brochure (line range, cupro-nickel standard, efficiency table)
- Hayward — Gas Heaters with OmniX (OmniX SKUs, Universal HC Series, Universal Display)
- Hayward — HeatPro heat pump Installation and Operation Manual 51300122601 Rev C (models, titanium condenser, capacity and COP)
- Hayward — HeatPro VS Series HP51202T product page (inverter variable speed, AHRI claim)
- Hayward — HeatPro VS Series HP50952T product page (95,000 BTU/hr size)
- Hayward — Universal HC Series HDFS400 dual-fuel heater with OmniX (Universal Display across Omni, OmniX and competitive automation systems)
- Hayward Holdings, Inc. — SEC filing cover page (principal executive offices, Charlotte, North Carolina)
- Hayward — 2026 Expert Line residential warranty terms
- Hayward — warranty resource page (Expert Line vs Open Line, Hayward Rewards)
Ratings on this site are the editorial opinion of Affordable Solar & Pool Heating, LLC, trading as Modern Pool Heating. How we rate heaters. Corrections: modernpoolheating@icloud.com.
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