Sod Lawns Are A Professional Solution
Unlike a regular seeded lawn, which will require the homeowner to tend to by themselves, sod is grown by professionals. Sod farms grow their sod using the best quality seeds and use specialist machinery. Furthermore, sod farms harvest to order, so you can guarantee you receive a top-quality product.
Maintaining a lawn requires a lot of hard work and patience. A seeded lawn will take a fair amount of time to establish itself, and that is not to say you wont experience teething issues along the way. Even if you have a green thumb, opting for a sod lawn will save you a lot of time and effort.
Keeping a nice lawn does not have to be difficult. It could be as easy as following a routine that will rapidly become your favorite part of the day.
Its maintenance may come with a little price, but it doesnt always require a professional to have an immaculate-looking lawn. You dont need to pay a fortune to have an envious lawn in the neighborhood. So allow us to tell you a piece of confidential information: lawn professionals are not doing anything to your turf that you cant do alone. They know exactly what to use on your lawn and when and how it is used.
Factors Affecting The Number Of Solar Panels For Pool Heating
As we said above, some factors could affect the solar pool heating process and in turn, the number of solar panels.
The factors that could affect the solar pool heating process are:
- Shady locations.
- Inappropriate solar panel orientation.
- Low collector efficiency.
If any of the above applies to your situation, youll probably need to install more solar panels.
On the other hand, if your roof is ideally facing southwest or south or has the opposite of what we listed above, you might set up fewer solar panels.
Another thing to consider is the length of time you intend to swim, particularly during cold seasons. If you want to swim in warm water all year, get a bigger heating system.
Having a deeper understanding of your specific goals will significantly help you figure out the number of solar panels needed and pick the ideal system for your requirements. The delightful news is that solar pool heaters are available in several different types, each of which has its own pros and precise fit.
For beginners, solar experts strongly suggest discussing your concerns and plans with an authorized solar contractor so that you can come up with the right number of solar panels to heat swimming pool.
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Gather All Your Tools In One Place
Before you start cleaning, gather all the cleaning equipment in one place in a caddy, bucket, basket, or something similar. This will make cleaning easier as you wont have to keep leaving a task just to get the necessary cleaning tool. You can also include baking soda in your caddy to freshen up your home.
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Do Solar Panels Increase Home Value
Installing solar panels in your home not only helps reduce your current monthly utility bills could potentially increase the value of a home by up to 4.1% over comparable homes without solar panels, according to a recent Sun study conducted by Zillow or an additional $ 9,274 for a U.S. mid-range home
Can You Run A Pool Pump With Solar Cover On
It is completely safe to start the pump while the solar cover is on the pool. It is recommended to run the pump for 5-12 hours a day, depending on the weather. With the solar cover you can save heat while the water is circulating. By starting the pump with a lid, you can save time and money on pool maintenance.
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How Much Does A Solar Pool Pump Set Up Cost
The benefits of an off-grid solar swimming pool pump are clear. But before you dive in, consider the set-up costs and the projected working life of the system so you can compare it to the costs of running your existing grid-connected pool pump.
New solar pool pump: Youll need to replace your existing pool pump with whats known as a Direct Current pool pump for solar connectivity, suitable for pools with a capacity up to 90,000 litres. Solar pool pumps are relatively affordable, and cost anywhere from $250 to $750, depending on the brand and the power output that will required to suit the size of your pool.
Solar panels: How many solar panels you need to power your pool pump, and the cost of purchasing and installing them varies depending on the number of panels needed to power the solar pool pump, the ease of installation and your location. Typically, you will need between four and six solar panels, and the cost to purchase and install will likely be somewhere between $1,500 and $4,000.
These estimated costs include installation, which needs to be done by a qualified professional.
Some retailers supply a solar pool pump kit complete with the pump, solar panels, cables, accessories and installation to make it easy to purchase and install.
When you compare that to the estimated annual cost of using electricity from the grid to power your existing pool pump, the payback period will be between three and seven years.
Installing Solar Pv With Solar Pool Heaters
If you have a sunny roof and are looking to save the maximum amount of money on your utility bills, consider pairing a solar pool heater with a solar PV system. This is a feasible option for property owners who have a sufficient amount of roof space to fit both solar PV panels and solar thermal collectors on their roof. Alternatively, if you have a limited amount of roof space, you can install a solar PV system to cover the electricity needs of your electric pool heater and other home appliances with solar power.
By signing up on on the EnergySage Marketplace, you can receive multiple quotes from pre-screened installers to compare costs and savings estimates for installing a solar PV system. If youre interested in also exploring your solar pool heating options, simply note it in your account many PV installers also install solar pool heaters .
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How Many Solar Panels Do I Need
Each solar system is designed to meet the needs of the household. An in-depth assessment is always carried out by trained professionals, whose purpose is to make a proper assessment of how much electricity you will need. Naturally, this also takes into account the electricity requirements of a heat pump.
Another question I sometimes get asked is what happens if the solar panel is not able to meet the requirements of the heat pump.
Worry not. If your solar panel is not able to meet your energy needs, you will just have to use some extra energy from the grid to meet your demands.
The solar panels will still work and produce the electricity they normally do, and you will need to supplement the rest with electricity from the grid. This will result in higher energy consumption and, ultimately, a higher energy bill.
When considering the consumption of a heat pump, its coefficient of performance needs to be considered.
The average COP of air-source heat pumps varies between 3.2 and 4.5, and the COP of ground-source heat pumps is between 4.2 and 5.2
An average home situated in a mild climate requires between 5,000 and 30,000 kW per year for heating alone.
So lets consider an average of 15,000 kW for cooling and heating and 5,000 kW for a total of 15,000 kW per year.
We also have a standard 5kW solar panel system that produces 5,000 kW per year. After a quick calculation, we end up with 10,000 kW per year that will be used from the electrical grid.
How To Run A Pool Pump With Solar Panels
There are two ways to run a pool pump on solar power. Hook up solar panels to a regular pool pump or use it with a grid tied system. Let us look at the pros and cons of each one.
Method 1 Connect a DC Pump to Solar Panels
If you have a DC pool pump, you can connect the solar panels to it. Unlike AC appliances that need an inverter, pool pumps run on DC power so you can hook it up directly to the PV modules. Once it is configured just wait for the sun to rise and the motor will start running.
Advantages
There are several advantages here. One, you dont have to hook it up to an inverter as mentioned, which can be expensive given the size of the pump. There is no risk to directly connecting it to solar panels. Second, you can go completely off the grid and the pool pump will still run. There is no need to ask permission from the grid if you can use this setup.
You can install the solar panels near the pool, and you dont have to find solar cables that will somehow connect it to your roof panels. It is convenient and wont take up real estate on your roof.
The solar panels wont generate as much power during winter, and thats perfectly all right since you wont be using the pool anyway. The PV modules will be at their peak during summer when pool usage is as its highest.
Disadvantages
The biggest drawback is if you dont have a DC pool pump. You need to buy a new one. If your existing pool pump works, its a tough decision to have to replace it.
Advantages
Disadvantage
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Is It Worth To Power A Heat Pump With Solar Panels
It is true, the combination of a solar panel system and a heat pump can provide adequate heating for your home while lowering your energy bills.
Although a solar panel system can work with an air-source heat pump, it synergizes best with a ground source heat pump. When one system is at its lowest efficiency yield, the other one is at its peak and vice versa. These two systems provide the best level of flexibility in terms of cooling and heating.
But this is where we are also presented with the inherent problem of the two systems. They usually work best and are needed most at different times. A solar panel system will produce the most energy and work best during the summer seasons and the day, while a heat pump may be most needed during the colder seasons and not always during the day.
So if you want to use the solar panel explicitly for powering a heat pump, you may run into some problems.
However, the benefits of the two systems are still present.
One will provide direct heating while the other will generate electricity which can be used any way you seem fit.
The biggest, and only, downside to combining a solar panel system and a heat pump together is the price. Yes, the high installation costs are usually what will deter many homeowners. Often the high initial costs will make the potential pay off not really worth it.
Certified energy advisors can make these assessments.
Pros And Cons Of Solar Pool Pumps
A solar pool pump is a significant investment, and as such we think its important that you take some time to assess both the positives and negatives associated with the technology. Lets take a look at the pros and cons of solar pool pumps.
Pros:
Cons:
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Are Solar Heaters For Pools Any Good
An effective pool heater for above-ground pools, Fafco Solar Bear pool heaters is very economical. With its wide solar collector, it excels in heating performance and can be easily mounted on the ground, rack, or a nearby roof. For these reasons, it is the best value-for-money product on the list.
Renogy Solar Supplies Innovation Meets Quality Shop Now
Note: The above assumes optimum orientation, tilt angle and partial shading optimized by micro-inverters.
There is a slight problem with the above calculation it uses energy usage and production figures over the whole year.
However, if the heat pump is used mostly for space heating, with a small proportion for water heating, then most of the energy will be used in the winter months!
The table below shows the irradiation from the sun for each month of the year for Jackson, Mississippi.
|
Insolation by month for Houston, Texas by month |
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How Does My Home Size Affect The Amount Of Solar Panels I Need
While solar panel dimensions have more or less remained steady over the past several years, the power output with the same area has dramatically increased. In fact, many manufacturers like SunPower have reduced the size of gaps between panels and use invisible framing and mounting hardware to keep the panels tight, efficient, and aesthetically pleasing. Check out the table below for a ballpark estimate of how many solar panels your home would need based on its square footage.
How many solar panels can I fit on my roof based on my homes square footage?
| Home Size |
|---|
| 44 panels |
Feet Of Resistance/total Head
The last important calculation you need to make is to determine your pools total feet of head . Once youve worked this out, youll be much better equipped to determine which solar pool pump system is going to work best for you, since youll know what kind of horsepower youll require, and whether the particular pool pump youre eyeing has enough Feet of Head to meet your requirements.
To calculate your pools feet of resistance, you must perform a few calculations .
- into the filter tank) x 2.31 make note of the result
- from the vacuum) x 1.13 make note of the result
- Add together both results to find your pools feet of head/feet of resistance
For example, with a PSI of 10, then 10 x 2.31 = 23.1. With a suction line reading of 5 PSI, then 5 x 1.13 = 5.65. Thus, by adding the two together we get 28.75 feet of resistance.
Youll need this number, along with your pools total volume and optimum flow rate, to work out which solar pool pump is going to work best for you. In other words, you can work out what kind of horsepower youre likely to need from any given pool pump, thus narrowing your search.
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Solar Panel Heat Pump Combination
In order to determine how much energy a particular type of heat pump will need, we first need to know what type of system they are running off of: air-to-air or ground source.
Once we know what type of system the homeowner has installed, then we can figure out which wattage rating needs to be put into play for their solar panels.
This is an important question for anyone who is considering installing a solar panel system to power their home. The answer will be dependent on several factors including the size of your solar panels:
- the size and type of heat pump you have installed in your house
- how efficient the heat pump is
- what other forms of heating you use in your house
Solar Pool Pumps: Costs Options And Benefits Explained
A backyard pool is the quintessential lifestyle accessory in Australia, and around 13% of Australian homes have a pool in the backyard. Having a pool provides relief from summer heat without taking a trip to the beach, and hours of fun for family and friends on warm days.
On the flipside, it costs a lot of money to own and run a pool. Not only is installation expensive, running costs are high. The largest annual cost by far is electricity to run the pool pump for essential filtration. This needs to be done year round, though less often in the winter months when pools are likely not used very often, if at all.
It is estimated that a typical in-ground pool can account for 17% of a homes electricity usage, which potentially adds $660 to $1,000 annually to a household electricity bill even if pool pump timers are set to run through the night, when electricity is cheapest.
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A Background That Offers Privacy
Having a background or landscaping that offers privacy is another thing you should consider when updating your home exterior because it will help place more emphasis on your front entrance. This added privacy screen can also minimize noise pollution from nearby roads, so people dont feel bothered by outside distractions once they step onto their property.
