Compared with a gas heater, how long does it usually take for a solar pool heater to pay for itself with savings?
After subtracting the installed cost of a gas heater and propane storage tank, you will usually recoup the additional cost of a solar pool heater within about one year for propane and less than two years in the case of natural gas.
This assumes keeping a pool at least 80°F or so during the spring and fall and at least 76°F or so during the winter, at current fuel costs. An additional financial benefit of solar is that the leading solar pool heating collector panels have useful lives of 15 years or more. Even the highest quality gas heaters have to be replaced every 5 to 7 years.
How automatic is a solar pool heater?
Completely. All you do is set your pool pump’s time clock or automation system to run during the daylight hours, then set the solar pool heater’s automatic control temperature indicator to your preferred temperature. The control system takes care of the rest. Sensors compare the temperature at the solar collectors with you pool water temperature. Whenever the solar collector temperature is at least four degrees warmer than your pool water, the control system adjusts a motorized valve to divert pool water through the solar collector panels if your pool is not at the desired temperature.
And even if your pool cannot reach your preferred temperature setting during the coldest winter weather, your pool will always be warmer than a neighbor’s similarly situated unheated pool, without you spending a penny on expensive fuel.
How well do solar collectors work during cloudy weather?
A solar pool heating system will typically collect about half the solar energy of a clear, sunny day on an overcast day. If you have ever had the experience of going to the beach on an overcast day and still getting a sunburn, you understand this phenomenon. Clouds block many of the visible wavelengths of sunlight, but much of the heat energy still gets through.
How well will my solar pool heater work during cold weather?
Solar pool heating collectors typically deliver excellent performance in Florida during cold weather because the sky is very clear during winter high pressure waves. On the other hand, increased evaporation from your swimming pool surface can significantly reduce your pool temperature during cold fronts. A pool blanket can help keep the heat from escaping.
How long will it take for my pool to heat up after my installation is completed?
This depends upon what time of year your system is installed and will be greatly accelerated if you use a pool blanket to keep the added heat in the pool. For most solar pool heaters and with a pool blanket in place, an unheated pool will usually come up to temperature within two days or so during the spring and fall.
Should my solar collector panels be removed from the roof if a hurricane is approaching?
No. The mounting systems for all solar collectors approved for installation within Florida are engineered to withstand hurricane windloads. It is not unusual to see completely intact banks of roof-mounted solar panels on a heavily damaged house following a hurricane.
Will expansion and contraction of the solar panels damage my roof?
No. Solar panel expansion and contraction occurs so slowly that it is not apparent to the naked eye. And such a slow rate of movement has no effect on your roof surface.
Will the heat generated by the black solar panels damage my roof?
No. Quite the opposite. Solar pool heating collectors actually protect the portion of roof they cover because the sun’s energy is being absorbed and carried away by the pool water circulating through the panels. Also, because a bank of solar pool heating collector panels typically covers a fairly large area of roof, it can keep your attic a bit cooler whenever the system is operating.
Why Heat Your Pool
Your Pool Heating Choices
Pool Heating Questions
Where do we get our temperature information?
An unheated swimming pool’s water temperature will usually match the average air temperature for the preceding week. If the pool is warmer than the air after a cold front passes through, the pool will give up heat energy through evaporation until the air and water temperatures are the same.
Think of it this way: You run your air conditioner during the summer to cool your home. If you were to open all the doors and windows on a hot summer day, the indoor air temperature would rise to match the outdoor air temperature within a fairly short time. At some point, the indoor and outdoor air temperatures would be the same.
Your pool goes through the same balancing act, only in reverse.
So the unheated pool temperatures you see on the this page are the same as the 10-year average air temperatures for each three-month season at the latitude and longitude of the reference city.
Our data comes from 10 years of NASA weather data. Unlike measurements taken at an airport, the NASA data represent an average for an area measuring one degree of latitude by one degree of longitude. Naturally, actual temperatures within this area will vary: a bit warmer in urban surroundings and a bit cooler in rural surroundings