Solarponics, a Heliocol solar pool heating dealer in California, is working to educate San Luis Obispo County residents about solar pool heating and how it can benefit the environment, pool usage and pocketbooks.
Solarponics is the longest continuously-owned and operated solar company in California. The company wants residents to understand that solar pool heating is the most cost-effective use of solar and has the fastest return on investment.
“If you are heating your pool with gas the payback is usually around three years and if you are heating it with electricity then the payback is likely one year. After the payback period then its free heat for years and years. Its very similar to conventional heating methods except you are utilizing free energy,” said Kristian Emrich, Vice President of Solarponics.
collectors are installed on the pergola roofs for maximum efficiency and aesthetics.
The initial cost of solar pool heating is comparable with other popular pool heating methods, electric and gas, without the operating costs. Furthermore, solar pool heating systems keep your pool warm for months longer than typical heating methods. Solarponics clients reported being able to utilize their pool up to four months longer than before.
Solar pool heating panels heat the water by capturing heat from the sun and transferring it to the pool using solar collectors, or tubes, which are different from Photovoltaic (PV) solar panels. A pump circulates the water from the pool through a filter, then through the collectors to heat the water before returning it to the pool.
“Solar pool heating is a very simple concept. If the temperature of the panels is greater than the temperature of the pool water, the system turns on and starts pumping water through the collectors. Typically the system runs with your filtration schedule so that your energy bills do not increase, rather your pool pump multi-tasks,” said Emrich.
Solar pool heating systems are operated automatically, ensuring the pool stays the perfect temperature. Solarponics only uses Heliocol collectors, the same collectors utilized by the summer Olympic games.