Solar pool heating is a great way to maximize the use of your pool and to save money.  Both seasonal and year-long pools can benefit from adding a solar pool heater.  The components and system design are tailored to meet the specific challenges of each type of pool.

Seasonal Pools

With pool use limited to seasons when there is no danger of freezing, the pool water is directly heated by pumping it through the solar collector.  When there is sufficient heat from the sun, a controller directs the pool water through the heat exchanger and then back to the pool or if equipped, to the conventional pool heater.  The conventional pool heater is only used when there is not enough sunshine to maintain the pool at the desired temperature. The solar pool heater uses an unglazed, un-insulated polymer collector which is relatively low cost.  And the existing pool pump is used so no additional pumps are required.

What can you expect from the solar pool heater?  A solar pool heating system can provide a temperature increase up to 10 or 15 degrees. Typically the desired pool temperature is in the mid-80 degree range.  So if the pool water and the outside morning temperature are 70 degrees, with sunshine through-out the day, a pool solar heater can increase the temperature of the pool water to a desirable 85 degrees.  Owners of a solar pool heater find that they get more use of their pool because it is comfortably warm more often and their pool season is extended by 2 weeks in the spring and the fall.  Imagine a warmer pool and a longer pool season all by harnessing the power of the sun!  And if you already have a boiler for heating your pool, you can significantly reduce your energy bills at the same time.

Like all solar energy systems, the seasonal pool heater requires collectors to be located in the sunshine.  The rule of thumb for sizing of pool heaters is 1 square foot of collector to 1 square foot of pool surface area.  But windage, shading, location and direction of the collectors are all factors that could affect this rule of thumb. A Solar Site Assessment is required to have an accurate measurement.

Year Round Pool

Solar heating systems for year round pools need to be able to heat the pool even during freezing winter months. These systems use insulated, glazed collectors similar to those used for solar domestic water heating. Unlike seasonal pools, the pool water is indirectly heated by solar fluid through a heat exchanger. A dedicated solar pump pumps solar fluid through solar collectors to capture heat from the sun. The solar fluid flows through one side of the heat exchanger and gives up its heat to the pool water flowing through the other side of the heat exchanger. The existing pool pump is used to pump the pool water through the system. When there is sufficient heat from the sun, a controller directs the pool water through the heat exchanger and then to the conventional pool heater. The conventional pool heater is only used when there is not enough sunshine to maintain the pool at the desired temperature. But the system will provide heat even on partly sunny days and the boiler uses less energy to get to temperature. A solar pool heater can reduce energy bills for the conventional pool heater by up to 60%!  And yes, these systems will shed snow and operate normally during the winter months.