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Solar Pool Heating
Solar thermal heating is the most developed and best understood and harnessed form of solar energy.
Swimming pools can dramatically improve a person's or family’s lifestyle. They are an outlet for families to spend quality time together, they are a safe and fun place for kids to play, and they are a great excuse to have a neighborhood party. If your swimming pool is frequently too cold to swim in, then you are missing out on all of these great experiences. Thanks to solar heating you can have the backyard lifestyle that you’ve always wanted without being burdened with sky high monthly heating bills.
Here are 5 Good Reasons to Heat Your Pool with Solar:
1. Solar Extends Your Swimming Season*
A properly sized solar heating system will get you swimming earlier in the spring and later into the fall. Whether or not you have an existing heater, you can keep your pool warmer and open longer with free energy from the sun.
2. Solar Saves on Pool Heating Costs*
Energy costs continue to rise. In the last two years alone, the price of natural gas has more than doubled. On the other hand, the sun’s energy is free, and more and more pool owners are taking advantage of this opportunity to save money and avoid future price increases.
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Payback for $3500 Solar System
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Payback for $4500 Solar System
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Propane Heater @ $1.75/kWh
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*Table from the Florida Solar Energy Commission (FSEC)
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Over a 15-year period, you could spend five times or more on heating with gas what you would spend on installing a solar heater today. Once your solar heating system is installed, there are no more heating bills to pay.
Many pool owners switch to solar because it meets all of their heating needs. But, even if you continue to use a gas or electric heater as a backup, solar heating is a smart investment that will save you money, year after year.
3. Solar Equipment is Durable*
Solar equipment often lasts longer than gas or electric heaters. With proper yearly maintenance, you can expect fuel heaters to last seven to 10 years. Most gas heaters come with a two-year warranty, and well-made heat pumps carry a two-year warranty with five years on the compressors.
Solar panels have a minimum 10-year warranty and generally last 15 to 20 years or longer.
4. Solar Requires Less Maintenance*
Unlike gas and electric heaters, which should be serviced by a technician every year, a solar heater requires very little servicing. Again, that means less cost and less hassle for the pool owner.
5. Solar Energy is Good For the Environment*
These days we hear a lot about the damaging effect that burning fossil fuels is having on the environment. Burning fuels releases nitrogen oxides that cause the formation of smog in urban areas. Urban smog, which is worse on warm and sunny days, affects people with respiratory problems such as asthma. Using solar energy instead of burning fossil fuels can help reduce this smog.
Burning fuels also produces carbon dioxide, the main cause of climate change. Replacing a natural gas or propane heater with a solar heater could stop three to 10 tons of carbon dioxide from entering the atmosphere each swimming season. That’s about the same amount produced by operating your car for one year!
Pool Heater Comparison
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Solar Pool Heaters
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Heat Pump
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Gas Heater
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Oil Heater
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Will the system maximize your swimming season?
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Yes
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Yes
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Yes
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Yes
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Is the system virtually maintenance free?
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Yes
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No
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No
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No
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Does the system automatically keep the pool warm without additional operating costs?
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Yes
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No
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No
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No
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Is the system free from metal parts that easily corrode or leak within 5 years or less?
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Yes
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No
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No
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No
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Is the system free from any dangerous components that can cause a fire or gas leaks?
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Yes
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No
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No
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No
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Is the heater environmentally friendly?
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Yes
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No
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No
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No
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