Which Solar Pool Heating System is the Best?
Do you have a swimming pool on your property? If so, you must know all about how expensive swimming pool heating costs get. Thankfully, there’s a great alternative that you can turn to – solar pool heaters. Because of the high demand of these heaters in the Florida market, there are many brands and models made available to consumers. So the important question now is which solar pool heating system is the best?
Water heating takes up a large percentage of your home energy bill. If heating the water you use for baths or washing dishes gets very expensive, just imagine how much it would cost to heat and keep warm an entire swimming pool especially on chilly mornings and nights? This is why many now consider installing solar pool heaters. By using free energy coming from the sun, you can enjoy hours of relaxation in a warm pool without worrying about power costs at all.
Using the heat coming from the sun that’s transformed into thermal energy, solar pool heaters can effectively make your swimming pool warm. They work pretty much the same as the usual solar PV installation except that solar panels used in solar pool heaters come with very tough and durable tubes that collect pool water, warm it up, and release it back to the pool. Because it uses free energy coming from the sun, then you won’t have to pay for large electric bills or expensive fuel to heat your pool.
The Best Solar Pool Heating System
There used to be just very few kinds of solar pool heating systems especially when solar energy first became available to the public. However, since many pool owners realized how eco-friendly and affordable it is to heat their swimming pool using solar power, the demand for this product has increased over time. Just like your usual solar PV system, solar pool heaters may be installed on the ground or the roof. When you want to save ground space on your property, then roof-mounted solar pool heaters would be your best option.
A lot of different designs for solar pool heating systems came out and each comes with its own pros and cons. Learn more about them below.
Tube and Web Solar Pool Heater
This solar pool heating system uses separate round tubes adjoined in the center. It may also feature a bottom-web design or a design that uses expansion joints to keep the tubes together.
At Wayne’s Solar, we highly recommend this type of solar pool heating system. We work hand in hand with a trusted company, Aquatherm, that offers several different tubes and web solar pool products.
Considered the best-performing design of all solar pool heating systems, a tube and web system allows contraction and thermal expansion, which helps extend its service life. Its web design may also be vented to prevent moisture and wind-load that may end up damaging your roof.
It is a great relief that Aquatherm offers residential and commercial pool heating so no matter how large or small your swimming pool is, there’s an Aquatherm solar pool heating system for you. They offer industrial process heat systems as well. Furthermore, Aquatherm solar pool products are proudly made in the USA, has passed the ISO 9001:2008 Quality Standards, Commercial Grade NSF-50 listed, and IAPMO performance certified. When investing in a solar pool heating system, it is important to keep these in mind to ensure that you’re getting the value of every dollar you spend.
Wayne’s Solar also works with other top solar pool heating brands – all made in the USA and are tried and tested for powerful performance. Depending on your requirements and preference, our team will help you choose the best type of solar pool heater for your home or place of business.
Tube on Tube Solar Pool Heater
You will recognize a tube on tube solar pool heating system as usually round or sometimes square tubes that are connected without any spaces in between. Because there’s no space for it to vent, it does not permit thermal expansion, contraction, moisture relief, and wind-load prevention, which are features that you can easily get from a tube and web solar pool heater as mentioned above. Because of its design disadvantages, a tube on tube solar pool heater can become weak and low-performing over time. However, since it still does the job of heating swimming pools, it uses clean solar energy, and it is relatively cheaper compared to tube and web solar pool heater, some homeowners opt for this design.
Separated Tube Solar Pool Heater
A separated tube solar pool heater is exactly what its name indicates. Round tubes are separated, surrounded by space and are not adjoined by any web at all. Though it can be effective in heating smaller swimming pools, it is not highly recommended because of its low-performance design. Because its tubes are separated and exposed, ambient air causes it to lose heat quickly. Dirt and debris may also build up over time underneath its heat collectors.
During your free consultation with Wayne’s Solar, you may schedule a free inspection of your property with our team. At this point, we will be able to recommend the best type of solar pool heating system for you. Furthermore, we will check on the best location to install the pool heater to maximize the energy it can absorb from the sun. Feel free to ask questions from our staff so you are well-informed about everything you need to know about solar pool heating products.
The Benefits of Solar Pool Heating
As earlier mentioned, water heating, especially swimming pool heating, can have a huge effect on your energy bill. It’s great that the solar industry has created solar pool heating systems that can help make this process more affordable. Yes, installation, equipment, and materials may cost some money in the beginning, but the benefits you can get from solar pool heating make every dollar spent worth it. The cost of installation and the actual solar pool heater will pay for itself through all the energy savings you can get.
Among the many benefits of solar pool heating are the following:
Reduced Energy Costs: Since you’re using thermal energy, which is essentially free because it comes from the sun, then you can expect significantly lower energy bills when you use a solar pool heater. It doesn’t even matter how large your swimming pool is – you don’t need to worry about heating costs when you use solar.
More Hours of Relaxation: An entire swimming pool can stay heated for only a few hours at a time especially if you want to save energy costs. While swimming, you might have thoughts about how much gas or energy has been used already to heat the pool. However, when you’re using solar power to heat your swimming pool, then you don’t have to worry about energy costs at all. You can swim from morning ‘til sundown without worries that you’re using up too much power by heating the pool.
Decreased Carbon Footprint: When you have a solar pool heating system, you don’t need to use electricity, gas and other fuels. This means that you are effectively decreasing your carbon footprint. This is a great way to save the planet and protect Mother Earth.
Increased Real Estate Value: Solar pool heaters and other solar products are great investments for homes and other areas of business because you can save energy costs and enjoy many other benefits. Since this is an investment, its value goes towards the value of your property. This means that in the event you’re selling your property in the future, you can expect or ask for a higher price compared to homes without solar power installations.
Other Ways to Heat Your Swimming Pool
A solar pool heating system is the best choice when it comes to heating swimming pools because of a variety of reasons and numerous benefits as mentioned above. We’re not saying this because we are a solar contractor, but it is a fact that solar pool heaters are the most energy-efficient and eco-friendly way to heat a swimming pool no matter where you are in the country or the world. All other pool heating methods do not compare to the cost-effectiveness of solar pool heating considering how efficient and friendly it is to the environment too.
However, it would also be great to discuss your other swimming pool heating options. This way, you are well-informed and you can make the best choice when you’re finally deciding on which kind of pool heater to purchase.
Electric Heat Pumps for Swimming Pools
Undoubtedly the most popular when it comes to swimming pool heaters, electric heat pumps are some of the most commonly used heating systems in the country. First and foremost, they’re affordable and honestly, they can be efficient too. In fact, depending on the type of electric heat pump you use and the power it offers, you can heat your swimming pool within a shorter period compared to other systems.
Another great benefit of electric swimming pool heaters is that they are not connected to a fuel source. It is much easier to install compared to gas pool heaters or even solar pool heating systems that require the expertise of a solar contractor. Of course, it uses electricity, so while this type of pool heater is efficient and cheaper to purchase and install, it isn’t exactly cheap when you need to pay for electricity to make it work. Though many models are environmentally-friendly, if you’re using too much electricity to operate this kind of heater, then you are not decreasing your carbon footprint after all.
However, if you use a clean energy source to power up your home including the electric heat pumps for your swimming pool, then you can make these systems friendly to the environment too. Some electric heat pump models also have built-in eco-friendly features such as those that do not require as much power as soon as the pool is heated to your desired temperature. The costs to keep this type of heater running for hours at a time get lower when you use your pool every day. Ask our team about our electric heat pump products that are powerful and high-performing yet eco-friendly and efficient at the same time!
Gas-Powered Swimming Pool Heater
Another type of swimming pool heating system is the gas pool heater. Powered by fuel, this works the same way a typical home water heater operates. It usually uses synthetic gas or natural gas for it to work. The installation costs of a gas-powered swimming pool heater are lower compared to others; however, the procedure on how to install it is very complex. Since it uses gas, which is generally unsafe and must never be handled by non-experts, you must definitely call a licensed and skilled installer to get the job done for you.
The cost of ownership of a gas pool heater is low, but this also means that it wouldn’t add to the value of your real estate at all. What’s great about this pool heating option is how it can quickly heat an entire swimming pool so you don’t have to wait long before you can take a dip in your warm pool.
Aside from those already mentioned, another disadvantage of gas pool heaters is the actual availability of gas. The type of gas used for your heater depends on the model you have for your pool. The price of gas fluctuates too. There may be times when your gas heating costs are low but there are also seasons when it can get incredibly high. If you have a large swimming pool, then plenty of gas will be used. This means that you need space for storage or the gas tank too.
When purchasing a gas heater for your swimming pool, a salesman might tell you that it is environmentally friendly simply because it uses natural gas. Truth be told, it is friendlier to the environment compared to oil heaters that use gasoline or diesel used in vehicles, but that doesn’t mean you’re not producing any air pollution at all. Natural gas can emit about 50 or 60 percent less CO2 or carbon dioxide compared to a coal plant. It is about 20 percent less harmful compared to gasoline used in cars. Let’s not get you started on the actual extraction procedure of natural gas that also emits CO2. Sure, it is much better compared to gasoline or diesel, but it isn’t entirely environment-friendly at all. When you use a gas heater, there will be no decrease in your carbon footprint.
Oil Heaters
Probably the least popular among all swimming pool heaters, but surprisingly some people still opt for them, are oil heaters. These use heating oils like diesel to power up the machine that can heat the water in your swimming pool. We need not explain anymore how harmful this is to the environment. And as you probably know already, the oil used for burning is very dangerous and prone to accidents like explosions.
Solar Blanket or Swimming Pool Cover
Though its heating process is entirely different when compared to the other heating options mentioned above, some people would swear by the effectiveness of solar blankets for swimming pools. Whether or not this will work for you heavily depends on the size of your pool and how often you use it. You may also need to install reels around your swimming pool so that you can easily roll the blanket before and after using your pool.
The first and foremost benefit of this is that it is also a swimming pool cover at the same time. This means you can prevent debris and other dirt from getting into your pool. Even better, when you have young children in your household, you won’t have to worry about them falling into the pool. Furthermore, it is said that a solar blanket can help keep the chemicals of your pool effective for a longer time.
They look pretty much like giant bubble wraps that help absorb the heat of the sun and directly transfer it to your pool. These do not use any kind of power at all, which means that there are no energy costs when using a solar blanket. After you purchase and install one, you will never have to pay another cent to heat your pool for as long as the solar blanket is not damaged. When you heat your pool for the entire day, you can expect it to remain warm even at night.
However, this natural way of heating your pool is not always effective. There are some days when it’s cooler than usual so heating through the sun’s rays wouldn’t be as effective. It also takes a long time before the swimming pool gets warm enough. If you usually spend hours swimming, you may notice that the water’s temperature may go down and become cooler after a while.
Solar Swimming Pool Heating Experts in Florida
Now that you have learned a lot about the benefits of solar pool heating and you probably agree with us that solar is the best way to go when heating a swimming pool, then it’s time to schedule your consultation for installation! Wayne’s Solar has been in this industry for over 30 years now and throughout the decades, we’ve installed countless solar pool heating systems for our customers – both residential and commercial. You can trust us when we say that we will only use the best quality materials and solar pool products for your home or place of business.
Our solar pool heating products are all made in the USA and come with generous and long warranty periods. We have a close relationship with the most respected suppliers of top solar pool heating brands in the country. So you can be sure that you’re getting the best products at a good price. You can ask us about financing options too! We also have a fully-equipped and knowledgeable team of technicians who will install your solar pool heater. You can also get in touch with us anytime you need help with maintenance or solar repairs.
For the best solar pool heating system in Jacksonville, Ormond Beach, Deltona, Palm Coast, New Smyrna Beach, St. Augustine, and many other areas across Florida, Wayne’s Solar is the contractor to call. Get a free quote by calling 386-673-9720 today!
FREE SOLAR CONSULTATIONS
Wayne’s Solar offers free solar consultations to determine the very best solar investments for your unique situation. This will help you to determine the cost savings that you can realize from a solar investment for your home or business. We can also show you how you can monitor the performance of your solar product in real-time! Schedule your consultation today, and take the first step to a green energy future today!