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Solar Energy Services
1514 Jabez Run
Millersville, Maryland 21108

info@solarsaves.net

410.923.6090

Maryland Solar Pool Heaters – Top 10 FAQ’s

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  1. Maryland Solar Company, Commercial Solar EnergyWhy Heat My Pool?
    Private swimming pools are a significant investment. As with any investment, it’s all about payback. A fully sized solar pool heater can raise the pool temperature 10 – 15 degrees, so many of our solar pool heating customers are able to swim from May until October – doubling their swim season, and doubling the payback on their swimming pool investment.
  2. How does a Solar Pool Heater work?
    Pool heating is the most fundamental use of solar energy. Much like when water is warmed in a garden hose, thin plastic solar pool collectors are custom-fitted to a nearby sunny roof. Automatically controlled pool water is pumped, using your existing pool pump, through the pool collectors and the heated water returns to the pool.
  3. How much does a Solar Pool Heater cost?
    A site visit (provided at no cost) is needed to provide an accurate cost proposal, as all pools, roofs and solar exposure levels are different. However, based on experience – most systems have an installation cost of $13 – $16 per square foot of collector area. This area size is equal to at least HALF of the surface area of the pool. (i.e. a 18’ x 36’ pool has a surface area of 648’ sq. ft. Therefore the homeowner would need at least 324 sq. ft of solar pool collectors).
  4. How does the cost of buying a solar pool heater compare with heat pumps?
    The upfront cost of installing a solar pool heater is much the same as installing a heat pump. However, with a heat pump the homeowner will continue to have elevated utility bills, whereas solar energy is free.
  5. Can community pools be solar-heated?
    Yes. The main requirement is a large enough nearby roof to house the solar collectors. Collectors can also be ground mounted if the facility has a large enough, unused ground area nearby.
  6. Can the solar collectors also be used to heat my home’s water tank?
    No. The solar collectors used for i) domestic water heating and   ii) solar electric are entirely different both from each other, as well as pool heating collectors. SES installs all three types of solar energy and can provide proposals for each.
  7. What about maintenance? Do I have to hire anyone to open or close the pool heater?
    Solar pool heaters require no regular maintenance. They are simply opened and closed with your pool at the beginning and end of each season. The panels drain automatically.
  8. Will the solar collectors hurt my roof?
    No. In fact, the collectors are made from a strong polymer compound that actually serves to protect your roof from the elements.
  9. How long can I expect my solar pool heater to last?
    We use Solar Industries (Aquatherm) pool collectors which were tested and survived a grueling 23 year life expectancy test performed in the Arizona desert.   In addition, Solar Industries offers the strongest warranty in the industry.
  10. How long does the installation take?
    Most installations take a single day, but sometimes two.
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Solar Thermal Energy for The Delano

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Residential Solar Panels, Solar Service,Installation

2745 29th Street NW Washington, DC 20008. Photo ÂĐ Tony Powell. April 17, 2012

WASHINGTON, DC:  The Delano, an upscale Apartment complex in downtown Washington DC, now has a solar thermal system providing a large portion of the building’s hot water supply.

Working in conjunction with Skyline Innovations, a third party solar developer, SES designed and installed a system that will offset a large portion of the building’s conventional gas-powered water heating system.  The solar system consists of 32 solar thermal panels and a 3,200 gallon solar storage tank, as well as a 200 gallon buffer tank.

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Annapolis Restaurant Harry Browne’s Installs Solar Water Heater

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Commercial Solar Energy,Solar ServiceSlowly but surely the skyline on Annapolis’ State Circle is starting to change. First, the Governor’s Mansion in 2009 and just this month, the ever-popular Harry Browne’s Restaurant (http://www.harrybrownes.com) has joined the ranks of businesses jumping on the solar bandwagon. Not only an enthusiastic and self-professed carbon footprint reducer, Rusty Romo, Harry Browne’s owner since 1979, is a savvy businessman, “Although I have a vested interest in reducing my carbon footprint, there’s no question that the solid Return on Investment was the final straw in deciding to install a solar water heater.” This viewpoint extends throughout Rusty’s business dealings, particular with regards to his restaurant’s waste production. Prior to January of 2012, annual trash pick up was costing the restaurant around $13,000 per year. That cost has now been reduced to $4000 due to Rusty’s implementation of two recycling solutions: 1) Veterans Composting visits several times per week to pick up all of the restaurant’s food waste turning it into compost for farmers, gardeners and landscapers. 2) A Cardboard baler compresses all of the restaurant’s cardboard, hugely reducing the bulk for taking to a dumpster storage facility where it is pulled and weighed. Harry Browne’s averages at least two tons every twenty eight days. Depending on the market cost, cardboard reclamation pays him from $30 – $100 per ton. Restaurants have a large hot water load, and Harry Browne’s is no exception. The 250-seat restaurant easily consumes the 160 gallons of hot water per day provided by the solar water heating system installed by Millersville based Solar Energy Services, Inc. (solarsaves.net) The system includes two, 30-tube solar collectors, (approved by the Historic Commission), mounted on a flat roof in the back of the restaurant. These panels are joined, via a copper pipe run and pump control unit to two, 80g stone-lined water tanks in the basement. The solar system acts as a pre-heat to Harry Browne’s conventional gas system, offsetting around 50% of his annual hot water load.

ABOUT SOLAR WATER HEATERS and SES, Inc.

Solar water heaters are a time-tested, mature technology that are deployed every day by Solar Energy Services, Inc. (SES) of Millersville (solarsaves.net). In addition to restaurants, apartment buildings, universities, carwashes, detention centers and other government and institutional buildings continue to expand SES’s customer list. Roger Perry, a 35-year solar veteran and partner at Solar Energy Services, Inc., is still servicing solar water heating systems that he installed during the early eighties. Roger notes that “Given current financial incentives, solar water heaters are a no-brainer for any business in MD and DC that has a daily hot water load.”

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DC Condos Use Solar Energy to Pre-Heat Hot Water

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Residential Solar Panels ,Solar Service ,Home Solar PanelsWASHINGTON, DC:  Solar Energy Services, Inc., in partnership with third party solar developer Skyline Innovations, recently finished the installation of a solar water heating system for Shoreham North, a condominium building in downtown Washington, DC.

The solar thermal system includes 26 collectors southerly mounted on the roof, closed-loop plumbed to a 1,500 gallon solar storage tank inside the building.  The system is expected to reduce the building’s water heating utility bill by about 30%.

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Hagerstown Correctional Facility Installs Solar Water Heating Systems

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Commercial Solar Energy ,Residential Solar ,Panels Solar ServiceHAGERSTOWN, MD:  Earlier this week Solar Energy Services, Inc., a Maryland based solar installer, completed installation of five separate solar water heating systems at the Hagerstown Correctional Facility.

SES was engaged by Johnson Controls, Inc. to design, install and commission the solar systems in order to offset a larger portion of the facility’s traditional heating system.  Four of the systems, each consisting of 6 solar thermal panels closed-loop plumbed to 220 gallon solar storage tanks, were installed on four housing buildings.  The larger 12 panel system and accompanying tanks were installed on the facility’s dining hall.

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Assisted Living Complex Installs Solar Water Heater

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Commercial Solar Energy, Solar Energy ServicesGLEN BURNIE, MD:  Glen Square, a senior assisted-living complex in the heart of Glen Burnie, MD now have a solar water heating system that will offset a large portion of their natural gas water heating system.

The solar system is financed by Skyline Innovations, Inc., a Washington, DC based third party solar developer, who engaged Solar Energy Services of Millersville, MD to design and install the 42 panel solar thermal system.

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Capital Manor Housing Cooperative Goes Solar Thermal

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solar energy, Solar Service,installationWASHINGTON, DC:  Earlier this week Solar Energy Services, Inc. completed the installation of a solar water heating system on Capital Manor Cooperative’s residence building on the 1400 block of W Street in Northwest Washington, DC.

SES was engaged by third party solar developer, Skyline Innovations, earlier this year to design and install the solar water heating system consisting of 48 evacuted tube solar arrays and three, 1,500 gallon solar storage tanks.

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DC Apartment Building Installs Solar

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]WASHINGTON, DC:  Skyline Innovations, a third party solar developer, engaged Solar Energy Services, Inc. to design and install a solar water heating system on an apartment building on MacArthur Blvd. in downtown Washington, DC.

The solar thermal system will include 20 thermal panels on the south facing roof of the building, as well as a 1,000 gallon solar storage tank.  The system will act as a pre-heat to the building’s existing gas water heater, reducing their utility costs by around 30% annually.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]

Solar Energy for Frederick County Detention Center

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]FREDERICK, MD:   Solar Energy Services, Inc., (SES) a leading solar energy products and services provider, announced today that it will begin work this week on a large solar water heating system for the Frederick County Adult Detention Center in Frederick, Maryland.

The renewable energy system, equivalent to approximately 130kW of power, will consist of 57 Apricus (AP-30C) evacuated tube solar thermal collectors, collecting thermal energy to deliver to the building’s water heating system. With each collector holding 30 tubes, the completed system will generate more than 2,500 gallons of hot water per day for the facility, using a total of more than 1,700 solar tubes.

SES Vice President and founder Roger Perry noted that prisons make excellent applications for solar water heating. “The occupancy is constant and all the hot water needs for laundry, bathing, cooking and cleaning are substantial.  Aside from the environmental benefits, this system will pay for itself in a short period of time.”

The solar project is funded in part by ARRA funds, but also from the sale of Solar Renewable Energy Credits (SRECs). In 2011, Governor O’Malley signed a bill into law to include solar water heating in the state’s solar goals, thus allowing solar water heating systems to benefit from the sale of SRECs.

About Solar Water Heating

A very mature solar technology, solar water heating is 3 to 4 times as efficient as solar electric (photovoltaic) technology and therefore can be very cost effective where there is a regular, daily requirement for hot water. Residential, multifamily, prisons, hotels, dormitories, military barracks, industrial processing, health clubs, car washes and restaurants are all very good candidates for solar water heating systems. The solar systems are designed to provide preheating for all domestic hot water, allowing the traditional heating source to provide any supplemental thermal energy as required.

About Solar Energy Services, Inc. and Solar Water Heating:

With more than 30 years of experience, Solar Energy Services (solarsaves.net) is a leading solar firm in the mid-Atlantic, with a unique expertise on commercial scale solar water heating. Based in Millersville MD, SES provides design, installation and service for commercial, institutional and residential applications.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]

Going Solar? Top 10 Things to Consider…

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SES gives the skinny on going sunny

  1. Commercial Solar Energy ,Residential Solar ,Panels Solar Service1. Cut your Energy Losses
    In most homes, heating and cooling accounts for the most energy usage. Regardless of where your energy is coming from; gas, coal, solar, electric, wind, etc. a homeowner’s first consideration is to reduce the loss of incoming energy:
    â€Ē Replace old windows and doors with Energy Star products. This can reduce energy consumption by 7 – 15%.
    â€Ē Seal up any air leaks throughout the house, attic and basement.
    â€Ē Insulate! This blocks air loss in the winter and preserves cool air in the summer.
  2. Consider those Big Appliances
    Refrigerator:
    Keep the condenser coils clean. Keep refrigerator away from oven/washer/dryer and other heat producing appliances. Place with consideration to air circulation.
    Stove: Remember that gas is generally a more cost-effective choice than electric.
    Attic Fan: An excellent way of pushing hot air outside in the day, and drawing cool air at night.
  3. Need a new roof?
    If you think your roof may need repairing or replacing within the next 5 or so years –it may be worth replacing before the solar panels are installed. If you’re on the fence about replacing your roof prematurely, remember that installers such as SES do provide a Remove and Reinstall service where, for a reasonable fee, the panels will be safely removed then re-installed after re-roofing.
  4. Small Bite or Full Monty?
    Just about every solar energy company sells and installs Solar Electric (Photovoltaic) systems. However, solar water heaters are an entirely different type of solar panel and not every solar company installs them. Thus, not every solar company is likely to tout the cost-effectiveness of this mature technology. Solar water heaters require only a fraction of the roof space (and often a third of the cost) that a solar PV system requires. For a family of four, currently using electric to heat their home’s water – solar water heating may provide the biggest bang for your solar buck, providing around 75% of a home’s annual hot water. However, a family of two heating their water with gas may consider investing in a solar electric (PV) system sized for their usage. Insofar as solar electric (PV), many homeowners cover 60 – 100% of their electrical needs from solar. Some choose to offset as little as 25% and opt to add panels as their budget allows.
  5. READ your Energy Bill
    For electricity, your energy bill should tell you how many kilowatt hours you use per year. This is an important number as you generally do not want to install a system that will exceed your annual consumption. Experienced installers can help you assess this, but a good rule of thumb is to divide that number by 1200kwH and that will tell you the approximate max sized PV system you should consider. That will be represented in kW – probably something like 8 to 10 kW if you are an average consumer. If you heat your water with electric, then solar water heating should absolutely be considered first.
  6. Best way to pay for your solar system
    The beauty of an increased popularity in solar is that there are a number of ways a homeowner can finance their project. Without question, whether immediately or over time, Solar Power is far cheaper than your Utility bill.

Payment plans range from No-Money-Down leasing options to initial investments ranging from $2000 – $50,000 depending on your energy usage and type of solar system. Thanks to current financial incentives, many Marylanders receive over 50% of their upfront investment back the first year. Some of our customers have transferred funds from low yield CDs and even borrowed from 401ks in order to fund their higher-return solar investment. Other homeowners have no interest in ROI’s and fund-juggling and simply want a lowered electric bill/carbon footprint. Thankfully there is a wide variety of financing options available.

  • Know YOUR solar energy tax credits, grants and incentives
    Any solar salesperson worth his/her salt will visit your home with full knowledge of the available financial incentives for your state and county. For example, an Anne Arundel County resident has the good fortune of FOUR different financial incentives (for both PV AND solar water heating) that combine to offer a huge discount on their system. Acclimating yourself to current incentives for your county will help the sales process be much more informative for you. Every solar homeowner is eligible for a 30% Federal Tax Credit. Then SRECs (solar renewable energy credits), state grants, county tax credits differ across the region.
  • Solar Panel Placement
    Whether solar water heating or solar electric (PV), a south facing shade-free roof provides optimum conditions for solar panel placement. However, any shade-free roof – including East and West orientations provide excellent rooftops for solar panels. The number of panels installed depends upon system size, roof space and budget. Homeowners with a good amount of spare land may also consider ground-mounted systems, some of which offer solar tracking options where panels are mounted to motorized pole that literally follow the sun, improving solar efficiency by 40 – 45%.
  • How many solar panels on the roof?
    Insofar as solar water heating, a shade-free area of 64 square feet is typical to house two 4′ x 8′ solar thermal panels (sized to provide a family of four with around 75% of their annual hot water load). Most solar electric (PV) panels measure 3′ 6″ x 5′ 6″. So, a roof that is 30′ wide by 14′ from gutter to ridge will fit two rows of 9 panels. An experienced solar designer will get precise roof measurements and ensure the panels are placed in the most space-efficient and visually appealing design.
  • Choosing a solar energy installer
    Of course, the author of this blog would like to gleefully exclaim, “Choose Solar Energy Services!”. However, most educated consumers know that the best way of finding the best fit for an installer comes from shopping around for the popular 3 proposals/estimates. There are a lot of solar installers our there in today’s market. Some considerations:

 

Time in the Business: This matters. Obviously the more systems a licensed installer has installed – the more experience they’ve gained – and the more they’ve refined their installation technique. Just as important, however, is the question of whether the installer will be around in 5, 10 or 15 yrs when perhaps the incentives for solar have declined. An older company is likely to have deeper roots in the industry regardless of current solar trends and incentives. You want your installer to be around for the life of your system, 25 – 35 yrs plus. This narrows the field considerably.

Service Department: Solar Water Heaters require a 3 – 5 yr simple service visit. Does the installer provide this service?

All Options on the Table: A company who offers both leasing AND upfront purchase will likely lay ALL your options out on the table. This also goes for installers who offer both solar water heating AND solar electric.

There should not be a charge associated with a site evaluation of your home for solar energy. This is a necessary part of the sales process and should take place before the cost estimate/proposal is presented.

Happy Solar Shopping![/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]

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