T&D used to sub out solar to Jacks before they decided to do it in house. Solar is nice, but the so called free heat probably is at best a break even to recover the cost of installation. Also, when solar is running, your pool pump has to work much harder to circulate the water up to your roof and through the solar system, which burns more electricity and shortens the life of the pump. You get lots of free heat when it’s so warm out you don’t need it, and when you need the heat the sun (if it’s out) is too low and the days are too short. Solar is nice in the spring and early part of fall, but not much value in the summer or winter. A couple of cautions regarding solar. It’s not worth installing it unless you have a relatively new roof. It’s expensive to remove and reinstall it if the roof needs replacement. Also, if you are a snowbird and are not at your home for long periods of time, you need to run the solar when you are not there. If chlorinated water is not frequently run through the system, a science project will quickly grow within the system. If that happens, the phosphate levels in your pool will spike when you return to your home and fire up the solar system. Don’t get me wrong, solar has benefits, but it is at best a supplemental heating system best used with either a heat pump or gas heater.
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