What better way to enjoy the beautiful Florida day than in your pool? But have you really thought how much your swimming pool heater may be costing you? Pool solar panels are becoming more and more popular for their energy efficiency and ease of use. Advance Solar can install a solar pool heater for your residence, saving you hundreds each year while still enjoying the warm waters.
How Does It Work?
You may have heard of solar panels for your roof, and swimming pool panels aren’t much different, except for some varying supplies. A solar heater for your pool ultimately uses a solar thermal collector, a check valve, a flow control valve, a sensor, a pump, solar panels and a filter. The water is first pumped out, where the water flows through the filter to the solar thermal collector. While in the collector, the water will warm up from the use of the solar panel heat, and then is returned back to the pool with the use of the flow control valve, passing through the filter one more time. The various sensors maintain the temperature in the pool automatically and know when to start heating again. Pool solar panels can be used in tandem with other gas or electric heaters if need be, but the solar panels can do all the work for you, saving you time and money.
There are two types of solar collectors used to heat your swimming pool, which are glazed and unglazed. The glazed collectors, also referred to as flat-plate solar collectors, are built from metal and enclosed in an iron-tempered glass covering. They are able to heat more efficiently and typically require less space, making them ideal for year-round pool use. They are more expensive than the unglazed, but may be worth the cost in the long run, depending on how often you utilize your pool. The unglazed collectors are most often made of black plastic or heavy duty rubber and are ultraviolet treated to extend their durability and life. While they are cheaper than the glazed, they don’t function in colder climates, limiting them to warmer regions where the average temperatures don’t drop below freezing.
Solar Pool Heater
To get the most out of your pool solar panels, you’ll want to get a solar collector that’s between 50% and 100% of your pool’s square footage surface. So for example, a swimming pool that has 300 square feet of surface area should then have a solar collector that’s roughly 150 to 300 square feet in size. If you plan on using your pool year round it’s best to get a solar collector that’s the same size as the square footage of your pool for maximum efficiency and heating.
Solar pool heating systems last much longer than traditional electric or gas heating methods. Using solar for your pool’s heat is a more passive way of heating the swimming pool as opposed to a more active heating system, which uses more power and force and inevitably lowers production. Solar panels for your pool use much less energy, only having to pump water through the system, which saves on your utility bills year after year. They can be used for both above and in-ground pools, and are versatile in providing heat to a variety of pool types and sizes.
You can also operate your pool pump with only the solar heater system as opposed to electric, saving you upwards of $3,000. There are even solar specific pool covers you can utilize to help build more energy while essentially doing nothing. By using these solar pool covers, they absorb thermal energy from the sun while covering your pool, and can transfer this to the pool’s surface to help shave off a little more energy usage on your end. There are also solar sun rings that can help heat small patches of the pool as they float around on the surface.
The Choice Is Clear
What better way to help your home become more green than with solar panels for your pool heat system? It’s a great, cost and energy efficient way to stay cool during the summer without losing your cool when the bill arrives. A swimming pool solar system is relatively easy to install, easy to maintain, and lasts longer than traditional gas and electric heating systems. On top of already saving money, there are small things you can utilize such as a solar pool cover to help you stash your cash even more. Why wait?
Contact Us
Ready to get a solar pool heater for your swimming pool before summer hits? Advance Solar installs a variety of solar panels, including for your home and pool. Serving Florida for over thirty years, we provide excellence and professionalism in all of our work. Call us today!