In case you didn’t notice, tens of thousands of homes have solar pool heaters in Southwest Florida. It’s is rare to find a community that does not have a home with a solar pool heater, and some are absolutely chock full of warm pools year-round. I came across the golf neighborhood of Long Meadow in Rotonda, FL, just north of …
How Long Does a Solar Pool Heating Panel System Last?
With warranties exceeding a decade in most cases, manufacturers are obviously very confident in their solar pool heating panels. Once the warranty enters the discussion, usually that is the end of the conversation. But the question still remains: “How Long Does a Solar Pool Heating Panel System Last?” Solar pool heating systems are generally trouble-free, especially with proper care and …
Power Factor Correction to Save Energy
There have been a variety of products over the years pitched to correct power factor in homes to save energy. The pitch goes something like this: Your homes has all kinds of motors (inductive loads) like pool pumps, air conditioners, refrigerators, washers, dryers, and even vacuum cleaners. Those electricity using appliances all have a power factor that is less than …
Should I Buy A Solar Pool Pump
Your pool pump runs for several hours each day of the year. It is often the second biggest energy hog in a Southwest Florida pool home (after air conditioning). Your pool pump is important because circulating water in your pool both filters it and disburses sanitation chemicals evenly throughout it. You might wonder about the possibility of using a solar …
Getting Comfortable With The Looks of White Plumbing for Solar Pool Heaters
One common barrier to people installing a solar pool heater can be getting over the plumbing that must necessarily run along the roof, sometimes for long distances. Some people think it will be ugly. As they say, beauty is in the eye of the beholder, but that’s usually not an acceptable answer to prospective clients or new system owners. Most …
Do Solar Panels Meet Miami-Dade Hurricane Wind Requirements?
Hurricanes and wind are frequent concerns among those seeking to install solar panels in Southwest Florida, and many people have heard about Miami-Dade hurricane wind code requirements. It stands to reason that people want solar panels installed that meet the most stringent hurricane wind building codes in the country. The concerns usually involve roof leaks and integrity of the roof …
Should I Put Solar Panels on the Front of My House?
Aesthetic concerns are understandable when deciding to install solar panels on your home, and especially on the front of your home. Good planning and layout, properly selected materials, and excellent workmanship can result in great looking systems anywhere on a home. Since solar panels are ubiquitous in Florida, especially solar pool heating panels, it is an accepted norm to place …
Should I Clean My Roof Before Installing Solar Panels?
While it’s not required, it is always a good idea to consider cleaning your roof before installing solar panels. It is an opportune time to get a thorough cleaning, and cleaning where the panels will be installed ensures that the area will remain clean because solar panels actually help keep the are under them in great condition. Some solar dealers …
Solar Pool Heating Panels on a Tile Roof – Design to Reality
We have a lot of tile roofs in Florida. Sometimes known as barrel tile, S-tile, Roman tile, Spanish tile, or Mediterranean tile (among other names), these roofs are popular, especially in gated communities. Installing solar pool heating panels presents challenges on tile roofs, and we like the aluminum rack method. This method uses structural aluminum channels to act as a …
My Solar Electric System, One Year After Installation
I just got a $54 electric bill for my 3,000 square foot home. Pretty good, right? I’m walking the walk! Well, it’s not what I had hoped when I installed my solar electric system, but that’s because I’m wildly wasteful now (not that I’m proud of it). I was spoiled by the low electric bills that started coming after I …
Beware of Shady Solar Installers
It would be great to work in an industry that is self-policing and largely above any major ethical breaches. While most solar dealers are good people, driven by ideals of a better world, there are shady solar companies out there, and you need to stay away from them. Why is it so important in this industry, and how do you …
Decisions, Decisions; Where to Put Solar Pool Heating Panels
We are often faced with options when selecting a roof on which to place solar pool heating panels. Sometimes the optimal roof is too small to accommodate the number of panels that we suggest for ideal performance. In the images below, there are two viable options for solar pool heating, the south and the east roofs. There are trade-offs that …
Should I Put Solar Panels on the Front of My House?
Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. We’ve been taught that lesson all our lives. Maybe I’m biased, but I think solar panels look great! A frequent question, and often a conundrum, is whether a client should put solar panels on the front of their house. The answer boils down to a balance between aesthetic, performance, and legal concerns. …
Urban Solar vs. Suburban Solar in Florida
I have been asked “why Southwest Florida.” The markets in Tampa, Orlando, and Miami are much larger urban centers with far greater population. It seems like the solar energy business would be much better in these populations centers where there are far more residential energy customers. Florida is a sleeping giant when it comes to solar energy market potential, but …
Floridians for Solar Choice Sponsors Ballot Initiative
Floridians for Solar Choice is sponsoring a Constitutional Amendment that we support, and you should, too! The purpose of the initiative is to encourage and promote local small-scale solar-generated electricity production and to enhance the availability of solar power to customers. The essential goal here is to allow individuals and business the freedom to produce and sell electricity, and to purchase …
What Happens With Solar Panels When It’s Cloudy?
In a now-famous video among solar energy industry colleagues, the Chairman of the Florida Public Service Commission suggested the The Sunshine State is just a license plate slogan. Solar energy opponents have included Florida’s often cloudy weather in talking points that express doubt about the viability of solar energy in Florida. In fact, Florida Power & Light’s parent company, NextERA …
Reports of Unfair Early FPL Solar Rebate Applications
Note: See updates in Comments below. The last round of the FPL Solar Rebate Program was supposed to begin taking applications at 8:30 am ET today on FPL’s website. There are reports rolling in of applications being started (and possibly even completed) prior to the start time. Several applicants reported that the Apply button showed up as early as 8:23 …
Don’t Buy the Wrong Variable Speed Pool Pump
You may have heard about the fantastic energy savings that can be realized with a variable speed pool pump (aka Variable Frequency Drive or VFD pumps). It’s true that these pumps can save a ton of money. Even running at the same flow rate, variable speed pumps are inherently more efficient than the single speed variety. When used at a …
Practice What You Preach – My Solar Energy Home
Last year I finally installed a grid-interactive solar energy system on my own home, and I couldn’t be more proud. Of course, it was expertly installed (by me), and it looks and performs great. I have learned so much about living with grid-interactive solar energy – more than I could have imagined. It is, as I knew, a seamless experience. …