Solar water heating has reached a high level of popularity in a lot of residential homes in the past years. It is not an uncommon sight anymore to have an in ground pool solar heater. This way of heating is very efficient and cheap, since you are using a free and renewable energy, your electric bills would have reduced up to 50%. Because of the high demand, several manufacturers produce and retail different models and makes to the consumers.
There are two basic types of solar heating sytems: passive and active. An active solar eating system uses electric pumps and controllers to be able to circulate water through the collectors. These systems are usually more expensive than passive ones. Passive heating systems basically rely on physics and transfer and collect power more naturally, making it more reliable and easier to maintain. The setback though is water flow is slower so it can be less efficient. AmeriMerc is one of the online websites that offer different in ground pool solar heater. One of their products is the SunGrabber Deluxe Solar Pool Heater item NS715, which includes the system kit and 4 – 2 X 10 solar panels, priced at $ 534.75. The system kit consist of a ball valve, check valve, couplers, tie-downs and a vacuum relief alve. The packages they sell are basic and include only 4 panels but for optimal coverage it is advisable that the panels be 50% of the area of the pool.
Another in ground pool solar heater made by the same manufacturer is the SunGrabber Economy Solar Heater Item NS700, which costs $ 699.75 at AmeriMerc's website. This base package includes 4 – 2 X 20 solar panels and related hardware. These solar panels are horizontally mounted on the roof and have large headers which maximize solar efficiency and also make for better circulation. You can also purchase additional accessories and parts to go with the base package. You can buy add-on solar panels for about $ 150 each to be able to achieve optimal heating. The website also offers a sizing chart to help you better understand how many panels are needed for a certain pool size. Both of these SunGrabber products manufactured by Fafco come with a 10 year warranty on the solar collector.
AmeriMerc also sells the Sunheater in ground pool solar heater which has an over molded fiberglass header pipes and can up the temperature of the pool by 10 degrees. This product can be easily installed on the house's roof or just placed on the ground on a mounted rack. The price would depend on the kind of package you want to purchase but the lowest priced one is Item S601 which includes 2 – 2 x 20 solar panels which is able to gather up to 80,000 BTUs every day. Freight shipping is free and the product costs $ 229.95 on their website. Other packages can include up to 8 solar panels with a system kit included and costs $ 949.95. All of these come with a 5 year limited warranty. The initial installation of an in ground pool solar heater may not be that cheap but you will be able to reap its benefits in the long run. These systems are more efficient and reliable than other heating systems that are electric or gas fueled.
Aside from pools, solar heating can also be used for spa systems and residential household needs.