How Warm Can Solar Pool Heaters Make Water?

May 2, 2017

As the world becomes more conscious about global warming and the consequent effects of Greenhouse emissions, many people are looking for energy efficient alternatives from using grid electricity in their homes. When it comes to swimming pool heating systems, electric and gas heating systems have been used widely for years and still remains the popular choice for many. However, the energy costs of using these traditional pool heating systems have made many people reconsider their choice and look for other heating techniques, including the solar pool heating system. Solar pool heating systems are not only fuel efficient, they are eco-friendly as well. If you want to contribute in your own little way to preserve our environment, using a solar pool heating system can be a good idea and according to a report, at constant use, you could save around $28,000 in energy costs in 15 years, a considerable amount of savings.

The first thing you might want to ask is whether a solar heater will work as efficiently as your gas or electric swimming pool heating system. The answer is yes. However, the fact that solar pool heating systems rely solely on the sunlight for its energy, at times when it has been cloudy for many days, your electric or gas heating systems can be used as a backup. However, on sunny days, you can easily expect the pool temperatures in the range of 85 degrees Fahrenheit to 100 degrees Fahrenheit.   If you are using glazed solar panels, you can expect warmer pool temperature throughout the year as the glazed solar panels and the evacuated heat tubes are better at extracting solar energy and conserving it.

Using solar pool covers during winters and after heating the pool also helps in maintaining the warmer temperature of your pool for a longer period of time. One important factor that plays a vital role in ensuring that your solar heating system works efficiently round the year is to make sure that the solar panels are installed at the place with maximum exposure to sunlight and are tilted at the right inclination. Whether the solar panels are placed on true south position or southeast or south west can also make a difference of the few degrees in temperature. Solar pool heating systems, if installed correctly, can potentially help you enjoy your pool for the majority of the year if you live in a warmer climate.

Gas and electric heating systems can be used occasionally during cloudy days or days when it has reached lower temperatures for a longer period of time. Solar pool heating systems will allow you to notice the difference in the amount of savings you gather in just a couple of months. One can check out various solar heating systems available in market and make a choice after going through the product reviews.

Converting to a Solar Pool Heater

Solar swimming pool heating systems will have a high upfront cost, but considering that you may never have to pay for its fuel consumption and that a standard solar pool heating system has the lifespan of around 40 years, it will go a long way in saving you a good amount of money. The advanced solar swimming pool system also works efficiently during the winter and cloudy days and therefore, you will not have to worry much during the off seasons either.

One question that many people might ask while considering to install the solar pool heating system is: should they keep their old gas or electric heating system, and whether the solar pool heating system works independently or in conjunction with the gas/electric system. The answer to this is that it is essential that you keep your old gas or electric swimming pool heating system, even when you are planning to buy the solar pool heating system. This is simply because during the times when it has been cloudy for days together, the solar pool heaters might not work as efficiently and the traditional pool heating system can work as a good backup. The answer to the second question is that yes, solar pool heating system can and usually work alongside the traditional pool systems. One simply needs to connect the solar heaters with the pump and install a control valve, which will control the flow of the water at the right temperature. Most of the times, if the distance between the pump and the solar panels or heater tubes is not much, the pump that is already working with the electric or gas pool heating system will work as efficiently. However, if the distance between the pump that is near to the pool and that of the solar heater is a larger, you might need to install a more powerful pump. This is simply because in my experience, I have noticed that the temperature difference can occur if the pump is slow, because the water can lose heat during the transit.

One thing you also need to take into consideration while converting your traditional pool heating system to the solar heating system is the size of the pool, your usual climate, whether the area where you reside experiences sub-zero temperature and so on. These factors play a vital role in deciding the scale of the solar heating system you want to purchase for yourself. A larger pool might require more solar panels and a few extra fittings. Consulting the solar heating professionals or company can give you a good idea on what will work best for you as they will take the climate of your area, dimension of your pool and your budget into consideration before suggesting the right pick.

Author Bio: Katie Smith loves writing about power machines on Hubnames and has published pool heater reviews.