Think about how much sunlight covers the Earth at any given time. The sun’s rays are so incredibly strong that they can tan the skin, help plants grow, and even cause cancer. Given this power, it doesn’t make sense to let it go to waste. Pool experts supplied a solution to that waste by developing solar pool heaters. Especially in southern states, where the sun is incredibly strong through nearly every season, solar pool heaters can make all the difference in running a pool sustainably and affordably.
How do Solar Pool Heaters Work?
The largest and most important part of the solar pool heater is the solar collector, which captures heat energy from the sun and applies that heat to the pool water as it circulates through. The filter, pump, and flow control valve all work in the same capacity as they normally would to remove debris, circulate the water, and divert water through the solar collector.
The solar collector itself is usually mounted on the roof or any other place near the swimming pool that receives the right exposure to the sun and offers the appropriate orientation and tilt toward the sun.
What Are the Benefits?
There are a host of benefits to installing a solar pool heater rather than relying upon a source like natural gas to heat the water. First and foremost, the cost savings are unbelievable. Compared to heating a pool with natural gas, a solar heater will pay for itself in two to three years and cost nothing after that. No electricity or gas bills to contend with, and no heater replacements, since solar heaters are built to last at least 25 years. Better yet, there are very little maintenance costs required since you can essentially “set it and forget it.”
In addition, solar units warm water so efficiently that the experience of swimming will be much more enjoyable for everybody! Just one pass through the solar collector can raise water temperature as much as two to five degrees, and water can be warmed as much as 15 degrees in just a few days when the weather is cooperative.
If you need your pool water to be heated, this is definitely the way to do it!
