Incentives Help Lower Costs
You can shorten the time it takes to see a return on your investment by taking advantage of all available incentives to drop your total costs as much as possible.
Utilities, states, and cities across the US offer a variety of incentives to help drop the cost of renewable energy projects, including solar pool heating systems. While not all utilities and states offer these kinds of incentives , you might get lucky and be eligible for one or several!
Incentives generally fall under three categories: rebates, tax incentives , and loans. Here are a few examples of whats out there and what you can expect:
To see whats available in your area, check out your city, state, and utilitys websites or the DSIRE database, an online repository of renewable energy incentives. Or even better, reach out to a few solar installers, as they almost always know exactly what incentives are available.
Can I Use My Pool Heater All Year Long
Both glazed and unglazed solar panels will keep your pool warm all year round. When using unglazed solar panels, the temperatures will not heat up as well once once ambient temperatures drop below 70° F, but will still be warmer than an unheated pool. It is recommended to keep your pool covered overnight and when not in use between November through March to reduce how much heat is lost.
A solar pool heater is an efficient and cost-effective way to keep your pool heated year-round while reducing your environmental impact. Even though how quickly and how much your pool will warm up depend on a number of factors, your solar heated pool will always be significantly warmer than an unheated pool and will save you thousands of dollars in operating costs throughout the life of your pool.
Check Your Outdoor Temperature Settings
With some pool heat pumps, if it is not warm enough, the heater will not run and keep up the water. There are different types of pool heaters, including gas and electric heaters, that will work just fine during cold weather, though some operate better than others.
Some heat pumps can operate under low-temperature environments, with some running smoothly as low as 30 degrees. But with many units, once you dip below 50 degrees, the pool heater will not be as effective at doing its job. Typically, it needs to be at least 60 degrees out in order for your pool heater to function the best way possible.
One neat DIY trick to use when regulating the temperature is setting a solar cover on your pool heater. This solar cover helps keep your heater from losing any heat that it generates during its run time. Along with that, it allows the pool heater to pump a lot more efficiently as well because its operating in a warmer environment.
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Diy Solar Pool Panels And Heating Installation
Why pay money for your gas heater bill, when you can use natural resources to heat up your pool? Install this fantastic low-priced solar heater in your courtyard and enjoy sunbathing and showering at the same time. Use supplies like 4x4plywood, variable-sized lumber, and insulation foam. mindchallenger
Solar Pool Heating Reviews
It’s unfortunate however there are no solar pool heater reviews of specific systems or collector systems available to the Australian public today. This is most probably due to the complexity of the science required to evaluate the performance of any particular system. Prospective buyers need to look at reviews for individual solar pool heating companies and suppliers, as well as think critically about systems, their constructions and evaluate them against all the issues given above in section 6 of this article.
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More On System Plumbing Options
We always recommend Independent Systems, see definitions below. These systems run a small independent pump, typically for 8 hours per day and are actually more energy efficient than systems running through the main filter pump which have to run the large filter pump for 8 hours per day just to pump the solar side. Of course independent systems require separate solar suction and return lines, whereas for older pool these might not have been installed. If that’s the case you’ll need to go with a plumbing configuration that taps into your existing filter return line to divert water to your roof. There are a few configurations that can be chosen, see below or one of our pool heating manuals. Most people that do not have independent solar suction and return ports will choose a Manual/Timer Systemand place the main filter pump on a timer to run during the warmest part of the day. These manual systems can be automated down the track. We have three class of listings:
- “Automatic Kit” – can be used to set up an Independent System or Integrated-Independent System – includes a solar controller
- “Manual Kit” – runs through the filter lines, can be used to set up a Manual/Timer System with a 3-way and non-return PVC ball valve
- or just collector “Replacement Kit” – for people that just need to replace their old PVC tube collectors on the roof
If you need to set up a specialized system like for a Booster/Retro Fit System or the Motorized Ball Valve System , please contact us at EcoOnline.
Is Adding Or Converting Your Pool Heating System To Solar Power Worth It
It very well may be. Evaluate your particular situation in the context of the variables outlined here, and of course, get price estimates for solar systems in your local area.
Remember, heat from the sun is free, clean, and renewable! The initial cost and installation of a solar pool heating system can be upwards of several thousand dollars. However, depending on what you currently pay to heat your pool , this outlay may be recouped within just a few years.
Consider also: If heating your pool becomes free with your new solar system, you and your family may be likely to dive in more often. Extending swim seasonand enjoyment of your backyard resortmay be reason enough to invest in solar!
To learn more about solar pool heating, or to find an installation company in your area, visit .
Have you converted your pools old heater to a solar system? What do you like most about it? Tell us on or !
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Build A 44 Passive Solar Pool Heater
Next time when youre having a pool party at your home, make sure your friends have immense fun without catching a cold. Arrange supplies to install a pool heater! The items youd need are PVC pipes and tubing, wooden dowel, tie wrap, bolts and nuts, and plywood sheet.
Whats better than taking a sound and peaceful bath in winters? The DIY solar pool heaters are cost-effective and can bring luxury to your life. You can make them yourself and enjoy the winters as never before. Get hold of the material and start working on this DIY project this season. Your life is going to be so much better.
Introducing The Solar Pool Heater A Low
Installing a solar-powered swimming pool heater is a great way to not only warm up your pool, making it comfortable to swim in well past swimming season it helps pool owners save money on heating costs, as well.
The systems are relatively affordable to install, cost less to operate, and often last longer than traditional gas or electric pool heating systems. Theyre also versatile and work with different pool sizes and types – solar pool heaters can be used for both above ground pools and in-ground pools.
In this blog, well explain how pool solar heaters work, how much they cost, and whether or not investing in one is right for you.
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Solar Pool Heater Pump Sizing
If you’re considering installing an independent or retro/booster type system you’ll need to consider solar pump sizing. If you’re purchasing a new pump make sure it’s specifically suited for solar pool heating systems, as pool filter pumps are geared differently. In terms of sizing, a grossly oversized pump could not only limit collector lifetimes, but will cost you more in electricity usage . An undersized pump conversely will limit collector efficiencies and not turn the water over sufficiently, resulting in poor system performance. To help you size a pump, we’ve written quick table guides in our manuals, but if you really want to optimize your pump power saving you can use our panel system pump sizing calculator or our – PVC strip system pump calculator – these simulate various pump sizing choices and their respective effects on collector efficiencies and energy savings.
Leaving Your Solar Pool Heater For Summer: What To Do
Its May, and that means our beloved snowbirds are heading north for the summer, leaving behind their solar pool heating systems at their Southwest Florida homes. Whether you stay here year-round or follow the flock to a milder climate, it is important to understand what to do when leaving your solar pool heater for the summer.
A typical solar pool heater bypass valve manifold
While every system is different, our standard recommendation is to isolate your solar pool heater and not allow any water to flow through it. The main reasons you should isolate your system are:
- Avoid issues if a leak were to develop during your absence. Physical damage from storms, animals, or other causes may result in leaks that are hard on your roof and gutters, and may allow your pool level to drop to levels harmful to the pump.
- Eliminate stagnating water that may overheat and cause plumbing to swell, warp, or crack. This is especially problematic with black pipe and with systems that do not fully drain naturally.
- Reduce water use. Warmer pools evaporate quicker .
- Reduce chemical use. Warmer pools go through more chemicals.
- Reduce general wear and tear on the system.
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How Do Solar Heaters Work
If you already have a pump and filter set up for your pool, then all you need to set up solar heating is a kit with solar panels and a few other installation necessities. However, even if you are a pretty handy person, it is usually best to let a professional install your solar heating kit. Typically, the solar panels are mounted in an area that will get the most southwestern sunshine in a day, usually on a roof or a rack of some sort. Five to six hours of sun per day is ideal. If you do not have access to that type of sun exposure, you can still use solar heating by increasing the square footage of the solar heating panels for greater temperature rise in the water. Solar pool heaters work well in most parts of the United States and are incredibly low maintenance.
Once installed, solar heaters heat your pool by pulling the water from the pump to the black panels. The water travels through the panels, absorbing any heat picked up by the sun before flowing back through the pump and filter and into the pool.
Solar Pool Heater Vs Whole
An astute reader might wonder if simply installing photovoltaic solar panels instead of solar collectors might make more financial sense. After all, you could power your entire home as well as your pool pump and other electrical equipment with clean, no-cost electricity.
Most pool heaters are powered by natural gas, so installing PV solar panels isnt going to decrease your gas use. If you have an electric heat pump pool heater, then adding PV panels will certainly help cut down your pools energy use as well as inside your home.
You could of course install both a PV solar system as well as a solar pool heating system, but thats a high cost and youd likely not have enough roof space to house all the PV panels as well as the collectors youd need to really make a dent in your energy use.
If youre really interested in both PV solar and solar pool heating, there are a couple of different manufactures like CoolPV and DualSun that have created dual thermal and photovoltaic solar panels. These panels produce both electricity and hot water, which can be used in your home or pool.
And with the hot water running under the solar panels acting as a heat sink, the PV solar cells actually perform more efficiently, since PV panel performance actually decreases as ambient temperature increases. Pretty cool!
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Pool Heaters: Why Converting To Solar May Be Worth The Investment
Understanding solar power and why its particularly smart for some pool owners to adopt the technologyPool solar systems use collectors that absorb the suns heat, and then boost pool temperature by circulating water through the collectors where it gets warm. The heated water then routes back into your pool.
Would you like to reduce monthly utility bills for heating your swimming pool? Particularly if you have an older installation with a less-efficient heater and/or if you face other specific factorsdescribed belowthat boost pool heating needs, an energy-wise solar system may be the perfect solution for you.
Converting your pools current gas heater or electric heat pump to technology that harnesses the suns power will slash pool heating costs. In some cases, the better approach is to add a solar system to an existing equipment lineup. An example here is when a pool includes a spa that you want to be hot pairing solar with a traditional heater will reduce total reliance on the heater to fire up the spa.
Over time, solar pool heating is a proven money saver. Better yet, along with keeping more money in your wallet, using renewable energy sources like solar energy is a healthier alternative for the environment.
Solar Vs Heat Pump Swimming Pool Heaters
The heat pump for swimming pools is another cheap option that ends up being more expensive in the long run. This pool heater uses electricity to function, capturing the outside heat and warming water that circulates back to the pool. Using this pump pool heater costs on average $1,040 $1,845 annually in electricity and requires that outside temperatures remain above 45ºF 50ºF, making it less efficient than the best solar pool heaters.
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Sunquest Solar Pool Heater
- Heating cost savings
- Ideal for above-ground and inground pools
- Take some time to heat the pool up
The SunQuest heater that comes with a racking/roof mounting kit and couplers is another to consider for a DIY solar pool heater installation. It is a breeze to set up, allowing you and your loved ones to enjoy the pool faster than not having it.
Also, this model is versatile that you can use it for above-ground or in-ground swimming pools. With this functionality, you are sure to get more out of your spending. These SunQuest Solar panels are made of premium materials that let you use it for a longer time than choosing another on the market.
Another thing is that the heating device comes with superior technology, which ensures top innovation and performance. And if you would like to get more out of your spending for a swiming pool solar heater, you must consider this item that offers reliable performance. This item works effectively so that you and your loved ones can enjoy even swimming in the evening from the spring through the fall. Plus, this model is compatible with an old pool pump. There is no need to buy a new one.
Are Solar Pool Panels Right For You
While there are many benefits to installing these an efficient and advanced solar system, truthfully, only you can decide if solar pool heating panels are right for your needs. In addition to saving money, solar panel heating for your pool allows you to reduce your carbon footprint, and enjoy warm water all year round.
Now, ready to get your solar panel project financed by Ygrene? Simply click below to get pre-approved within less than 30 minutes
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How Swimming Pool Valves Work
With so many people moving to Florida and owning their first pool, its not surprising that a majority of pool owners are baffled by their swimming pool plumbing system. When we endeavor to add solar pool heating, the plumbing at the pool equipment pad becomes a bit more complex, but its not too hard to understand your plumbing and valves once you understand which way the water flows through each pipe. In this article we attempt to explain the basics of how pool valves work with solar pool heating, and what all of the plumbing does.
When you have a solar pool heater, valves can be broken down into three groups.
- Pool Suction Valves these valves control pipes that suck water out of your pool.
- Solar Valve Manifold these valves divert water to solar panels, or stop water from entering solar panels.
- Pool Return Valves these valves control through which jets and features water is returned to the pool.
Disadvantages Of A Solar Heater
While there are several advantages to choosing a solar heater, there are a few disadvantages as well. Solar heaters do cost less in the long run when it comes to their operational costs, but the initial installment can be expensive. Depending on the size of your pool, they can also take up a considerable amount of room, so it is important to consider whether you are okay with solar panels taking up room on your roof, lawn, or anywhere else you may need to set them up.
The other thing to consider when it comes to choosing a solar heater is the wait time a common complaint is that solar heaters do not heat as well as gas or electric heaters. Solar heaters can take longer to heat the pool water, since they use energy and heat pulled from the sun rather than a separate heating element. Also, since a solar pool heater does pull its power from the sun, it is subject to weather conditions. On windy or cloudy days, you will not get the same results as you would on a bright and sunny day. A pool cover will allow the heating system to retain heat during those cooler, overcast days.
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