Solar Power for Your Home and Pool

October 23, 2010

By Kim Carlton

In this month’s issue of Home Décor and Renovations we talked about how in Ontario you can make money by putting solar (Photovoltaic or PV) panels on the roof of your house and sell energy back to the grid. However, there are other ways to take advantage of the power of the sun. You can also use solar power to heat your hot water and pool – saving big bucks and reducing pollution.

Solar water heaters preheat cold municipal water to use in your home. Rooftop solar panels heat water in a tank, which would run through faucets and showerheads. According to Summerhill Impact and the Ontario government’s Go Solar information book, heating water with a solar water heater can save a four person household approximately $200-$300 per year. These systems cost approximately $4000-$8000 to install, and generally supplement gas or electric water heating systems. Using a solar water heater can eliminate two tonnes of CO2 emissions per year.

Solar pool heaters preheat water for your pool. Many families can meet all of their pool heating needs with solar pool heaters. A typical pool heating system for a 16 by 32 foot pool would cost approximately $3000-$6000 to install. Replacing a natural gas or propane heater with a solar heater could stop three to 10 tonnes of carbon dioxide from entering the atmosphere each year.

For more information about opportunities to use solar panels to your home’s advantage, go to www.gosolarontario.ca.


Filed under: LIVING GREEN