The Benefits Of Converting A Pool To Solar Power

The benefits of converting you pool to solar power are manyBy Grant Weaver

A pool can add tremendous value and create joy for your family, but the costs of an indoor or outdoor pool may be equally tremendous. Neil Anderson Associates calculates the cost of heating a 5 feet deep, 525-square foot pool between one hundred dollars in the summer time and one thousand dollars in the winter. If you want to cut down on the costs of your pool heating bills, solar panels may be the ideal solution for hefty utility fees.

Solar Vs Gas

A gas pool heater may be less expensive than filter and chemicals, but this does not make it cheap. The Department of Energy suggests that most heaters may run about two thousand dollars if the pool is not adequately covered. Solar Swim calculates that it takes around half a million BTUs of energy to heat a pool, which is about the energy requirements of an entire house. By installing a solar grid, you can cut down on the energy output by a huge amount.

Buying Solar

According to Solar Heating For Dummies, a single 4×20 foot solar panel costs a little over two hundred dollars, a steep discount from a decade ago. What’s more, most pool supply stores sell solar panels and grids, so that you need not deal with a contractor to buy and install a grid for your own pool. If you install solar grids in and around your pool, you need only worry about larger objects that block the path of the sun.

Heating Efficiency

The amount of power that a solar grid creates will depend on the amount of sun that it can soak up. When you start to think of installing solar grids, plan to uproot any and all trees or shrubs around a pool that can interfere with solar collection. You can check out which areas of the country have the most sunny days in order to determine cost efficiency. The National Renewable Energy Laboratories created a graphic that shows which areas of the country get the highest yields; the southwest and Great Plains states rank highest, while the Pacific northwest and Alaska rank lowest.

Energy Efficiency For A Pool

In addition to installing a solar grid, pool owners can take other steps to cut down on the amount of energy their pool requires. The pool covering as well as its liners will minimize the heat lost and ensure better efficiency. PoolProducts.com inground liners cut down on the heat loss of a pool by insulating the water from the cold cement. What’s more, you can install these liners yourself and save money in the process.

Thomas Schueneman
Thomas Schuenemanhttps://tdsenvironmentalmedia.com
Tom is the founder and managing editor of GlobalWarmingisReal.com and the PlanetWatch Group. His work appears in Triple Pundit, Slate, Cleantechnia, Planetsave, Earth911, and several other sustainability-focused publications. Tom is a member of the Society of Environmental Journalists.

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  1. I agree with this post 100%! We have an eternal resource above our heads and a system to harness its power with almost no maintenance involved. Installing solar panels involves cost at first, yes, but the owner wouldn’t have to buy fuel or spend electricity to operate it, and there would be almost no mechanical parts to maintain. Since you mentioned pool covers and liners, I believe those used in conjunction with solar panels, especially in places with lower yields, sounds like a winning combination for maximum efficiency. I’m in northern California. I’d love to see a fully solar Sacramento some day.

  2. I think Gas Pool Heater is better than Solar Pool Heater because gas pool heater saves energy and it is cost effective. I agree with this post because I read somewhere that solar pool heaters include solar panel which is costly and requires more energy for swimming pool heating so i m in favor of gas pool heaters.

  3. Like many others I was skeptical about solar pool heating but after some reading and a bit of convincing from a friend, i decided to take the pluge. I would not look back. Yes, as Jamie said, there is cost at first, but when you can enjoy a warm pool and know you have no on going cost, there is no better feeling.

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