View Post

The Flow Imbalance Myth Debunked

In Education 4 Comments

When you can’t compete, confuse. That seems to be the tactic used by some of our competitors at times. The latest myth is that our solar pool heating panels have big tube openings, and therefore the flow rate is imbalanced across the panels. Of course, they leave out the science behind their claims, but why rely on facts?! The full flow tubes …

View Post

Dealing with Roof Obstructions and Vents for Solar Pool Heating Panels

In Education, Installation Photos 4 Comments

When installing solar pool heating panels, it is very often the case that roof vents and other obstructions come into play. Placing panels in a way that takes advantage of the available roof space becomes a challenge. There are a several strategies that we use to deal with vents and other obstructions, which may include plumbing vents, attic vents, satellite …

View Post

Choosing Solar Panels for Home

In Education 3 Comments

When choosing solar panels for your Southwest Florida home, there are three major type of solar panel you can select from. The type of solar panel you pick depends on your goals, as no single type can do everything. Different solar energy technologies excel at different tasks. Solar Electric (Photovoltaic) Panels Solar electric panels generate electricity for use in your …

View Post

Solar Swimming Pool Heater Season is Now!

In Education, Opinion 1 Comment

March marks the time when swimming pool heating becomes most desirable in Southwest Florida, and what better way to heat your pool than with a solar swimming pool heater? Pool temperatures tend to lag the daily outdoor air temperature. We are experiencing days in the upper 70’s and lower 80’s, but swimming pools are still in the lower 70’s if …

View Post

How Variable Speed Pumps Affect Solar Pool Heaters

In Education 26 Comments

Solar pool heating systems use the existing pool filtration pump to circulate water, so the selection of a pump can have a profound impact on solar pool heating performance. The concept of a variable speed pump is pretty simple — when a centrifugal pool pump runs at a slower speed, the resulting energy use reduction is the cube of the speed …

View Post

Cover Your Pool With a Solar Blanket

In Education Leave a Comment

Regardless of your pool heat source, you should use a solar blanket to keep heat in your pool, and this video shows you why! When pools are warm and night (or day) temperatures drop, heat escapes at a very fast rate from swimming pools. Lost heat makes doesn’t mean solar pool heaters won’t work without a cover — it just …

View Post

Solar Pool Heating – Get a Permit!

In Education, Opinion Leave a Comment

Can you believe that there are still contractors out there that don’t pull a permit for solar panels? For solar electric systems, this has been virtually eliminated because utility companies can detect electric meters operating in reverse, and to obtain the most benefit from solar electric systems you have to cooperate with the utility company by entering into an agreement (and get …

View Post

Solar Battery Backup Does Not Save Money

In Education, Opinion Leave a Comment

The initial hype surrounding the Tesla Powerwall battery is over, but we are still fielding a lot of questions about this new product (which is not really available). The interest in battery backup in Southwest Florida is clear, as we live in a hurricane prone region. We steer people toward generators for backup/emergency power (yes, those gas guzzling, noisy, dirty, …

View Post

Solar Energy Investment Tax Credit Extended

In Education, Opinion Leave a Comment

At the end of 2015, the solar energy industry was given a big gift that came as somewhat of a surprise to many. The Federal tax credit that makes solar electricity and water heating projects more lucrative investments for many was extended, providing certainty to an industry that has been in limbo regarding its future. There is no question that …

View Post

Day 12: Meet the Owners: Dominick & Jason

In Education Leave a Comment

This article is part of a series: The 12 Days of Solar Pool Heating.  Regardless of how long a company has been around, isn’t it nice to meet the owner(s) to see for yourself with whom you are doing business? Wouldn’t it be nice if you had the personal cell phone number of the people responsible for your major purchase, so …

View Post

Day 11: Best Solar Pool Heating System Performance

In Education Leave a Comment

This article is part of a series: The 12 Days of Solar Pool Heating.  Solar pool heating performance is about so much more than just the panel. While panel performance is important, and iSwim Solar Pool Heating Panels are among the top rated panels in terms of BTU heating output, the system performance is what’s key to a warm pool. On Day …

View Post

Day 10: Standard Building Dimensions

In Education Leave a Comment

This article is part of a series: The 12 Days of Solar Pool Heating.  iSwim Solar Pool Heating Panels are 48 inches wide. Other brands claim to be 4′ wide panels, but their header is actually longer, measuring 50-52 inches. That’s important because most residential wood truss roof construction is done with 24 inch spacing between structural roof trusses. Having …

View Post

Day 9: Made in Florida

In Education Leave a Comment

This article is part of a series: The 12 Days of Solar Pool Heating.  iSwim Solar Pool Heating Panels are not only Made in the USA, but are Made in Florida! Why ship or truck panels across the country, wasting fuel and increasing cost when we have the capability of making a world-class solar pool heating panel just up the …

View Post

Day 8: Flexible Expansion Joints

In Education Leave a Comment

This article is part of a series: The 12 Days of Solar Pool Heating.  iSwim Solar Pool Heating Panels feature industry-exclusive Flexible Expansion Joints at six inch intervals on each panel. These “zip joints” allow lateral and shear movement as panel expand, contract, and bend over roof surfaces. The result is a more reliable panel with drastically reduced occurrence of panel …

View Post

Day 7: Factory Trained Installers

In Education Leave a Comment

This article is part of a series: The 12 Days of Solar Pool Heating.  We have factory trained technicians to install iSwim Solar Pool Heating Systems. Florida Solar Design Group has the distinct advantage of being a short car ride away from the factory located in Florida, so we can send all full-time installers to the factory for training and education that includes classroom …

View Post

Day 6: Premium Valves & Components

In Education Leave a Comment

This article is part of a series: The 12 Days of Solar Pool Heating.  When installing an iSwim Solar Pool Heating Systems, Florida Solar Design Group installs Premium Valves & Components. It doesn’t make sense to install a premium solar pool panel and then install cheap ball valves and other plumbing components that are likely to fail during the life of the system. …