How Much Solar Heating Do I need?

We’ve received many e-mails and calls about incorporating solar heating systems with your swimming pool. Solar heating is environmentally friendly (Green as it were), and we are more that happy to try and help you incorporate solar heating systems to keep your swimming pool more environmentally friendly. In considering a solar heating system for your pool there are a few basic questions you should take into consideration to make an educated decision about heating your swimming pool with solar power:

1. What is the square footage of my pool? (The solar energy commission recommends the following: South facing panels 80% of your footage, West facing panels 100% of your square footage and East facing panels 115% of your square footage.)

2. How much sun do I get in my area of the country? The southern United States obviously gets more sunshine than the north. Your geographical location can help determine the capacity of your solar panels, and how effective they will be.

3. What kind of temperature gain am I looking for? Some people are looking for 80 degree water and some are looking for 90 degree water. Again, your needs will help determine the effectiveness of the system you want for your swimming pool.

4. What is the average temperature gain for a properly sized solar system? Average heat gain is 6-10 degrees. However, remember this is a solar system, and one of the risks of this solar dependent system is if the sun does not shine, the system cannot produce heat.

5. Where do I have room for the proper number of panels? Some people put then on their roof and some people mount them on a rack on the ground. Solar energy has made steady progress throughout the years. As this technology progresses, the panels will become more effective, and the average home owner will be able to camouflage the solar panels to they can reap the benefits of environmentally friendly systems, without compromising their curb appeal.

6. Will my existing pool pump be enough to run both my pool and the solar system? This can have many variables, such as the distance the panels are mounted from your pool equipment. Generally, a 1 horse power pump is enough for the average size pool with a solar heating system. If your panels are mounted on a second story roof or are an extreme distance from the actual pool equipment you should have at least a 1 ½ horse power pump. A general rule of thumb is the farther away the solar panels are, the harder your pump will have to work.

This provides you with the basics of designing a solar system for your pool. The experts at Aqua Superstore have been designing solar systems for many years, and will be glad to assist you with any of the more complicated issues you might encounter, so feel free to contact us, or post your issue on the blog. Remember, solar powered heating is the most energy efficient way to heat your pool, and now is the best time to incorporate soar into your swimming pool.