solar pool

solar pool

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1) Gas Heater. I went online and checked prices on 125K BTU heaters and the range is from $1250 to $1400. A gas heater will heat the pool up in a day or two.

The estimate in Central Florida keeping your pool 80 degrees will cost you $210/month. So if you heat your pool for 5 months it will cost you $1050 + $1250 =$2300 the first year. $1050 x 5 = $5250 + $1250 =$6500. This is based on you installing the heater yourself.

2) Heat Pump. Again online prices are $4000 to $4500. You can install it yourself but because it requires a separate circuit breaker with disconnect I would not suggest trying it unless you are an electrician. The installation will cost between $500 and $1000. Let's use the low end. $4000 + $500 = $4500 installed. Once again in Central Florida the cost per month will be $120. So $120 x 5 = $600. $600 x 5 = $3000 + $4500 =$7500.

3) Solar Pool Heater. It will cost between $5000 and $6000 installed. It will take about 3 days to heat your pool to 80 degrees. Once installed it will cost you $0 to heat your pool. The cost after 5 years is still $5000 or on the high end $6000. If you buy your own system and install it yourself you can save even more. Comparing it to both Gas and the Heat Pump the payoff is anywhere from 4 years to 4.6 years. What is the payback on a Gas Heater or a Heat Pump? Answer: There is no payback!

4) Solar Pool Blanket. The ones with the bubbles will cost you about $100 if you cut it yourself to fit your pool. You want it floating inside your pool or you will be picking it up from the corner of your yard every time the wind blows. This method is the cheapest and probably works best in northern climates where you only swim 3 to 4 months per year. You can get your pool up to 80 degrees but with no guarantees. It will pay for itself in one season and will last 3 or 4.

5) Last on my list is to do nothing and let the sun heat your pool. If you have built yours with full exposure you should get to 80 degrees eventually. This is what many people do.

Question: If you plan to heat your pool, no matter where you are, why would you use anything but solar?

Dave has a background in Solar Installation. Since 1981 he has installed over 2,500 Solar pool heating,Solar thermal, and a few photovoltaic systems. His installations span 5 states with one in Mexico, City.

You can visit his site here: http://www.ecofoamandmore.com

Tile Roof Installation - Powerstrip solar pool heating system