Heating your pool water is essential to ensure that you enjoy the swimming sessions. You can heat your pool using either gas, electric, or solar pool heater. A solar pool heater is cost-effective than other methods though it is not reliable in the winter and chilly months of the year.
After purchasing and installing a solar pool heater, you will not incur high operational costs. Most solar heaters can last for over a decade, but maintenance and repair more often is essential for top performance. How do you repair a solar pool heater? Continue reading to get a detailed answer.
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What are the Components of a Solar Pool Heater
A solar pool heater has several components. One of the components is the solar collector(s). The solar collector is the device where the pool water is circulated for heating by the sun. In addition to that, the system has a filter that filters water coming from the pool into the solar collector.
Besides that, a solar pool heater has a pump. The pump is the one that circulates water from the pool through the filter to the collector and back to the pool. Also, the heater has a flow control valve, which can be manual or automatic. Its purpose is to divert pool water through the collector(s).
How Does It Work?
Water is pumped through the filter to the solar collector, where it’s heated by the heat from the sun. After the heating, the water flows back to the pool. This cycle continues until all the water in the pool gets heated to desired temperatures. On the market, you can find advanced solar pool heaters with advanced features such as sensors and automatic valves for best performance.
How Do You Repair a Solar Pool Heater?
Solar pool heaters will have issues as the years go by. For that reason, you should learn how to repair some minor issues. One of the main issues that you can handle is leaks. If you note a drop in water level in your pool, know that your system is leaking. Pump the water, identify the leakage, switch off the pump, and repair the leakage in the collector.
In addition to that, if the solar heater is not heating water like before, you should check collector shading. Shading of the collectors will affect the performance of the heater. Therefore, get rid of vegetation growing on the collectors and clean the collectors more often. Also, check for plumbing, ductwork, and wiring connections. If you can’t handle the duct connections and seals, hire a technician for the best results.
When Should I Turn on My Solar Pool Heater?
You Should turn on your solar pool heater any time you want to heat your pool, preferably from May. However, during the winter and chilly months of the year, your solar heater may not give positive results. When you get an advanced solar pool heater with an automatic control unit, you will not need to turn it on or off. It does the work automatically based on the pool water temperatures and the amount of sunlight available.
Final Words
A solar pool heater will keep your pool warm for months at pocket-friendly operational costs. Repairing and maintaining the solar pool heater more often is essential and cheaper than replacing the whole system. However, if you can’t handle the repairs, just hire a professional.
