This article is part of a series: The 12 Days of Solar Pool Heating. iSwim Solar Pool Heating Systems feature Two-Piece Header Clamps, which are designed specifically to work with the iSwim 2 inch headers. The two-piece header clamp idea is not revolutionary, and the iSwim clamp is not an industry first, but it is the best. The idea of a …
Day 3: Two Inch Headers & Plumbing
This article is part of a series: The 12 Days of Solar Pool Heating. iSwim Solar Pool Heating Systems feature Two Inch Headers & Plumbing, meaning there is less restriction in the system. Less restriction results in better heating performance. What most people don’t realize is that system performance is a function of flow rate, not panel rating. Most competitors …
Day 2: Full Body Tube & Web Design
This article is part of a series: The 12 Days of Solar Pool Heating. iSwim Solar Pool Heating Panels feature a full body tube & web design, meaning the panel bodies are made by extruding individual tubes connected together by fins or webbing as it is sometimes called. This panel body design results in the best balance between heating performance …
Day 1: Full Flow Tubes
This article is part of a series: The 12 Days of Solar Pool Heating. iSwim Solar Pool Heating Panels feature full flow tubes, meaning the tubes that make up the body of the panel are molded into the header during manufacturing, resulting in 100% of the tube cross-section extending into the header and no resistance to flow. The iSwim panel …
The 12 Days of Solar Pool Heating
The 12 Days of Christmas has been corrupted over and over into a retail stunt over the years, with businesses trying to sell something on the 12 days leading up to Christmas Day. We former Catholic school students know that the 12 Days of Christmas actually starts on Christmas Day, but I am not above the blasphemous usurping of the Twelvetide …
Charlotte County PACE Financing for Solar Panels
Attention Charlotte County, Port Charlotte, and Punta Gorda home and business owners: PACE financing is available for funding your solar panel installations! PACE stands for Property Assessed Clean Energy, and it is a financing mechanism that allows you to finance energy efficiency projects with no money down. The payments are made through your property tax via a non-ad valorem assessment. …
October 2015 Solar Panel Design Layouts
Here are a variety of recent solar pool heating and solar electric (photovoltaic) system designs from the first half of October 2015 by Florida Solar Design Group. For a free evaluation of your roof with 3D computer modeling, contact us! See more solar designs here.
The Most Efficient Solar Pool Heating Panels on the Market
Solar pool heaters come in all shapes, sizes, and types, but one basic design has proven to be the most efficient on the market. The basic black polymer panel that comes in 4’x8′, 4’x10′, or 4’x12′ nominal sizes converts a large percentage of the sun’s available energy that hits it into heat for your pool. When most people ask about efficiency …
Heating a Florida Pool in Winter
Fall is here and winter is fast approaching. Florida pools are starting to drop in temperature as nighttime temperatures dip into the 60’s and 70’s. Pools lose most of their heat at the surface to the ambient air, and this time of year the daytime sun is not enough to recover the heat lost to the night sky… unless you …
Fort Myers, FL Home with Roof Vents Wants Solar Panels
Solar Energy System Design by Florida Solar Design Group LOCATION Fort Myers, FL 33919 PRODUCT(S) Solar Pool Heating Panels BRANDS FAFCO Sunsaver™ ST NOTES This Fort Myers, FL home has several roof vents and other obstructions making solar pool heating difficult to arrange. However, by placing gaps between panels we are able to fit a suitably sized system to get the …
Do I Need to Use a Pool Cover on My Solar Heated Pool?
Pool covers, also known as pool blankets or solar covers, are used to keep heat in a swimming pool. At night or during cool weather, pool heat is lost to the ambient air through evaporation and radiation. Keeping this heat in the pool is the job of a pool cover, regardless of the heat source. By drastically reducing evaporation, pool …
Are Permits Required for Solar Panels in Florida?
The answer is yes — in most jurisdictions in Florida, permits are required for all solar panel types. And when there is a permit, there is naturally an inspection. However, there are some exceptions and the requirements differ by building department and panel type. Your solar contractor should secure all necessary permits and schedules required inspections. You will not have to …
How Many Solar Panels Are Needed to Heat a Swimming Pool
When buying a solar pool heater, you may be surprised to find a range of suggestions for how many panels are needed to heat a swimming pool, but there are some guidelines that you can rely upon. The correct answer depends on your location, the orientation of the panels, shading impacts, the panel type, the panel performance rating, your desired …
Event: Learn About Solar Pool Heating | October 21, 2015
Pool heating season is here! As temperatures begin to drop out of the 90’s, outdoor living in Southwest Florida gets busy as pools get cooler. Learn how to heat your pool to extend your swimming season with the power of the sun. Solar pool heating is the low cost alternative to traditional pool heating, and it works great! If you …
Solar Pool Heating Panels in Naples, FL
Solar Energy System Design by Florida Solar Design Group LOCATION Naples, FL 34109 PRODUCT(S) Solar Pool Heater BRANDS FAFCO Sunsaver NOTES This home in Naples, FL has a great west roof, but the owner wants maximum performance, so we maximized the south roof on the front of the house first, then placed additional panels on the west to get adequate …
Solar Pool Heater Design in Naples, FL
Solar Energy System Design by Florida Solar Design Group LOCATION Naples, FL 34109 PRODUCT(S) Solar Pool Heater BRANDS FAFCO Sunsaver NOTES This home in Naples, FL has a huge roof, but only on the east or west side. The decision about where to put panels usually comes down to pool equipment location, aesthetic concerns, or whether the owner is looking …
Small Solar Pool Heater in Bokeelia (Pine Island)
Solar Energy System Design by Florida Solar Design Group LOCATION Bokeelia, FL 33922 PRODUCT(S) Solar Pool Heater BRANDS FAFCO Sunsaver NOTES This home in Bokeelia already has an electric heat pump to heat a small 12’x12′ pool. A small solar pool heater is all that is required to reduce heating costs, and because the homeowner does not want to use the front of …
The Perfect Roof for Solar Panels | Chasing a Dream
In the solar pool heating industry we all dream of that perfect roof — the one that has ideal pitch and orientation, no shading, no obstructions, and plenty of space to meet the heating requirements of the pool. It also helps if the pool equipment is ideally located for plumbing requirements. Sadly, very few roofs are perfect, and many are …
Solar Pool Heaters | Roof Penetrations | The Truth
The truth is that regardless of the brand of solar pool heater you choose, to secure them to your Florida roof properly a solar installer must use screws to achieve resistance against wind uplift. This strikes fear in some people, but the risk of roof leaks is extremely minimal. Dealers (and the industry as a whole) would not survive for …
Cape Coral, FL – Solar Panels for Pool
Solar Energy System Design by Florida Solar Design Group LOCATION Cape Coral, FL 33914 PRODUCT(S) Solar Pool Heater BRANDS FAFCO Sunsaver NOTES This home with a beautiful tile roof in Cape Coral, FL is getting a solar pool heater installed. The south roof is the perfect size for an 8-panel system, which is pretty typical for pools slightly above average size. This system …