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 …
Dealing with Roof Obstructions and Vents for Solar Pool Heating Panels
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 …
How Many Solar Panels Do I Need To Heat My Pool?
To calculate the number of solar panels you need to heat your pool, the most important factors are your pool size in square feet of surface area and on which roof you plan to install your solar panels. After selecting a few other factors, we can easily calculate the number of solar panels you will need depending on the solar …
Choosing Solar Panels for Home
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 …
Solar Swimming Pool Heater Season is Now!
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 …
How Variable Speed Pumps Affect Solar Pool Heaters
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 …
Shady Solar Contractors – Literally and Figuratively
I have sounded the warning bells about shady solar contractors before, but a recent call from a prospective client highlighted the lengths some will go to make a buck. Just about the first thing we do when a call comes in from a prospective client is to look at the roof using aerial imagery. We don’t want to waste your …
Cover Your Pool With a Solar Blanket
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 …
Solar Pool Heater With Hurricane Straps in Cape Coral
One of the most frequent questions we are asked about solar pool heaters is about wind and hurricanes. All of our systems are engineered to meet the current building code, which specifies an ultimate design wind speed of up to 172 mph in Southwest Florida. Most areas require a 160 mph figure. Regardless, the way we achieve amazing resistance to …
Solar Pool Heating – Get a Permit!
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 …
Cape Coral Solar Pool Heater Installation Completed
We just finished an iSwim solar pool heating system in Cape Coral. The owner had been using a pool cover, but while that keeps the heat in a pool, it does little to actually heat the pool. Using solar pool heating panels, pools are heated throughout the day and the pool cover retains the heat at night. The cumulative effect …
Solar Battery Backup Does Not Save Money
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, …
Solar Energy Investment Tax Credit Extended
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 …
Day 12: Meet the Owners: Dominick & Jason
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 …
Day 11: Best Solar Pool Heating System Performance
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 …
Day 10: Standard Building Dimensions
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 …
Day 9: Made in Florida
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 …
Day 8: Flexible Expansion Joints
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 …
Day 7: Factory Trained Installers
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 …
Day 6: Premium Valves & Components
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. …