For our valued customers, we have released a solar pool heating how-to video that we call our Solar 101 video. This video is applicable to all past and future customers. Note that the section on valves will be most relevant to installations performed after March 2018 when we started pre-manufacturing our valve manifolds. However, our installations prior to this date …
Solar Pool Heater Plumbing – Before or After Gas and Electric Heaters
There is a certain way that all solar pool heaters should be integrated into the plumbing of a new or existing pool. Solar panels are always installed after the pool filter and a series of vales controls operation. One of the questions we get is whether we plan to install the solar pool heater before or after an existing gas …
Solar Panels And The Added Pressure on Pool Pumps
A common belief is that solar panels add pressure to pool pumps, causing damage and premature failure. It simply is not a problem. This is an often-repeated myth perpetuated by pool service companies or dealers that sell traditional heaters (scare tactics). The thought process goes something like this: when using solar panels to heat a pool, you have to lift …
Solar Pool Heating Manual
By popular demand, we have published a solar pool heating manual for our systems. This manual is supplemental to any manufacturer instructions you may have received. Since all systems are arranged and plumbed differently, it is very difficult to have a one-size-fits-all manual covering all scenarios. However, we believe our manual is general enough to cover most solar pool heating …
Glazed Solar Pool Heating Collectors in Florida?
Why don’t we use glazed solar pool heating collectors in Florida? It isn’t a common question, but it’s one that we get occasionally, especially from our northern friends. The idea behind a glazed collector is that the glazing creates a greenhouse effect that increases the temperature of the collector surface. The main problem is that the cost of the collector …
Collier County Reduces Permit Fees for Solar Pool Heaters
Collier County Building Department has recently reduced permit and inspection fees for solar pool heaters. Fees are now approximately 1/3rd less than previous rates! The jurisdiction previously had the highest permit fees in the Southwest Florida area. We never understood why the fees were so far out of line with other building departments, and it seems they have realized the same …
Do Heated Pools Cause More Evaporation and Water Use?
Heated pools do result in more evaporation, so more make-up water is required to refill heated pools than unheated pools. Whether using solar heating, heat pumps, or gas heaters, heated pools do require more water. But how much will the increase in water usage cost? We have heard just about every question imaginable when it comes to solar pool heating. …
Pentair Introduces Intelliflo VSF Variable Speed/Flow Pump
The Industry Leader Gets Better Pentair has combined the features of its variable speed (VS) and variable flow (VF) pumps into one model that does both. The new model is the Intelliflo VSF. This is the first swimming pool pump on the market that can perform variable speed and flow functions in a single unit. We previously recommended the Pentair …
Solar Sales Consultations are Enlightening
Our clients consistently comment that they learned so much after having us in their home for a sales consultation on solar panels. When we hear that, we know we’ve done our jobs. Sometimes they say that after making a decision that solar isn’t right for them, and that’s okay. Other times, they have shifted gears completely after learning a key …
New Aerial Solar Site Analysis Tool
Florida Solar Design Group has acquired new tools to process solar site analyses. This exciting technology provides three-dimensional site maps from unmanned aerial systems (UAS). We can now process huge amounts of data with amazing precision. This provides shading analysis, visualization, layout assistance, and crew mobilization advantages. As the only solar contractor in Southwest Florida who is also a FAA licensed …
Finance Your Solar Pool Heater
Solar Loans and Deferred Payments For Every Budget We are pleased to announce a new financing option for our valued solar pool heating clients. Through a manufacturer relationship we can now offer low payments on solar pool heaters starting at just $50 per month. Enjoy Your Pool Without The Up-Front Cost! Pay Less Than a Traditional Heater For less then the …
Do Solar Pool Heating Panels Melt or Burn
the We have heard just about every question about solar pool heating panels. But we never gave much thought to what happens to them in a fire. We just assumed that in a serious house fire or if exposed to flame that the panels would simply melt. We did some research and found that polyethylene, which is in the polyolefin …
Solar Panels for Swimming Pool in Naples, FL
These solar panels for a swimming pool in Naples, FL were installed by Florida Solar Design Group recently. This “banked” system was sized for a large pool with lots of water features, needing maximum heating performance. Naples has one of the highest densities of swimming pools in Florida. Despite the southern Florida location, most homeowners find that they need to …
March 2017 Solar Panel Design Layouts
Here are some recent solar panel layout we have done for clients. These three dimensional computer models are produced to accurately size and depict solar panels on roofs using aerial imagery and a proprietary process that we developed that results in a high level of accuracy. Solar Panel 3D Computer Renderings Using two dimensional aerial imagery is not adequate, as skewed …
Don’t Buy a Two-Speed Pool Pump
I keep asking myself, “am I missing something?” Why are pool builders still building new pools with two-speed pumps? If you are buying a new pool, I can’t say it any other way: Don’t Buy a Two-Speed Pump! The basic idea behind two-speed pumps is good. You can run the pump at a lower speed, saving electricity. Unfortunately, there are …
How We Stack Up Against Competition’s Years in Business
Solar Pool Heating Competition Let’s come right out and say it. Our business was officially started in 2014. That makes us a young company by most definitions. Our competition would like you to think that we are inexperienced and don’t have the credentials to install your solar pool heater. But that couldn’t be further from the truth. So how do we stack …
Solar Heated Water From Pool Jets Is Not Hot
Occasionally we get a call from a client that says the solar heated water coming out of their pool jets does not feel very hot. Our response is pretty simple: “Good!” It’s not that we are being dismissive. If you feel a large temperature difference in the heated water coming from the solar panels, that usually means the flow rate …
Real Stories of Solar Panel Service Calls: Episode 1
We service all brands of solar pool heating panel. The stories range from sad to funny and everything in between. While most service calls are routine issues resolved, some are not so simple. And others are incredibly simple. We’ve decided to share some of our stories as we come across them, and this is Episode 1. We’re calling this one …
Naples Home in Raffia Preserve Gets Solar Heated Pool
So many new neighborhoods are popping up as new home construction starts increase in Southwest Florida. One of the top new neighborhoods in Naples is Raffia Preserve, just off Collier Blvd. This community built by Pulte Homes is home to many pool homes. Many of those homeowners are opting for solar pool heating. Not surprisingly, we have been very busy installing …
Solar Panel Rubber Couplers Leak (myth)
One of our friendly competitors has been using yet another scare tactic regarding the iSwim solar pool heating system. This time they are saying that between solar panels rubber couplers leak. These are the couplers that join together individual solar panels. Note: the technically correct term is rubber couplings, but many people use couplers and couplings interchangeably. Alternative to Rubber …