Pool Solar Panels

The cost of heating your swimming pool can be drastically reduced if you install a pool solar panel. Compared to the traditional means of heating a pool like gas and heat pump pool heaters, a pool solar panel is very cost competitive. However, it varies depending on the climate in which you live.

Pool Solar Panels are Good for the Earth

Enjoy poolside drinks knowing you are using renewable technology that’s good for the earth. You’re also saving money, but how much? On average, a pool solar panel costs between $3000 and $4000. That includes installation price. Cost depends on which of two types of pool solar panels you get: glazed or unglazed.

There Are Two Types of Pool Solar Panels

You will need a glazed pool solar panel if you live in a cold climate and intend to heat your pool when it’s below freezing outside. Glazed solar collectors are made of copper tubing (as opposed to rubber or plastic in the unglazed versions) and have a strong glass coating. The glass coating, which has to be extra durable, is what increases the cost of a pool solar panel. The good news about the glazed pool solar panel is that you can also use it to heat your hot water year round.

Will it Pay for Itself?

How long will it take for a pool solar panel to pay for itself? That depends on how much your fuel costs, which varies from location to location. In some climates, the pool solar panel will pay for itself in just a year and half. Some areas it will take more like seven years to pay for itself.

How Does a Pool Solar Panel Work?

There are a few parts to the pool solar panel. The most recognizable part is the solar collector. That’s the part you see on peoples’ roofs. In a pool solar panel, the pool water is circulated throughout the collector where it’s heated. If you live in a really hot climate, you can use your pool solar panel to cool your pool water by circulating the pool water through the collector at night, when it’s cooler out. Now that’s a fascinating idea.

There’s also a filter so the solar collector doesn’t fill up with debris from the pool. So now you need a pump to get the pool water through the filter before it reaches the pool solar panel collector.

Last component of the pool solar panel system is the flow control valve. This controls how much water flows through your collector. Consumers can choose between automatic and manual valve controls.

What Options Do I Have When Buying A Pool Solar Panel?

Some pool solar panels have options like getting a sensor with the flow control valve. The sensor basically lets the system know when the temperature in the solar collector is hot enough to do any good. When it’s significantly hotter than the actual pool water, water is allowed to flow into the collector. If the temperature of the solar collector is close to the temperature of the pool water, the pool solar panel system is bypassed and water goes back into the swimming pool, untouched.

You can also choose between glazed and unglazed pool solar panels. The unglazed are significantly cheaper, but cannot be used in freezing weather to heat your pool or domestic hot water. They do not have the glass covering which is what makes the pool solar panel able to be used in freezing weather. They’re made of rubber or plastic and then treated with UV inhibitor so they don’t crack or decay in the sun. It’s a very simple pool solar panel system and therefore much cheaper than the glazed verstion.

Sometimes you can use the unglazed version in cold weather if you’re heating in indoor pool. Otherwise you have to shut off an unglazed solar pool heater during winter when it freezes outside.

Glazed pool solar panels are much more efficient but much more expensive. They are more complex than the unglazed pool solar panel systems, too. But, if you live in a cold state and have expensive utility bills, using the glazed variety to heat your domestic hot water can add to the savings and the glazed pool solar panel will pay for itself faster.

Who Can Help Me Get a Pool Solar Panel?

It’s highly recommended that you hire a solar contractor to install your pool solar panel. He or she will know about proper installation, local bulding codes, and safety procedures. A solar contractor can also help you down the road, later when you need maintenance on you pool solar panels. Look for a qualified solar thermal systems contractor for installation and maitenance.

How Long Will My Pool Solar Panels Last?

If taken care of properly, pool solar panels will last ten to twenty years. Nobody likes to do it, but read the owner’s manual that came with your pool solar panel. The manual will tell you how to check the chemicals and filtering system regularly, and how often to check for certain things. Glazed pool solar panels will take a little more maintenance.

What do I Look For in a Pool Solar Panel Contractor?

Look for experience with installing pool solar panels. Ask how many years of experience they have with installing and maintaining solar pool heating systems. Ask for references. Ask whether they are licensed or certified. A valid solar contractor’s license is best, but a valid plumber’s license helps, too. You can confirm licenses with your state’s contractor licensing board, and they can tell you if there have been any complaints as well.

Pool Solar Panels