Before you bought the pool, you figured "this is Florida, I don't need a pool heater".  Well, maybe the pool builder didn't tell you all the facts about pool temperatures in central Florida.  Or even worse, maybe he actually explained the facts and then did you a huge disservice and sold you a "gas" heater.  I'll address that mistake in a minute.

The fact is that in central Florida, if you have a screened in pool, the warmest it will ever get without a heater is about 85 degrees.  Sounds nice, huh?  It is nice, but only for July and August.  If you consider the "comfort zone" to be 82-85 degrees, you only get about three months of comfortable swimming.  If you don't have a screen over your pool, the temperature of your pool will be about 6 degrees warmer year 'round.  That's right...those screens block out about 6 full degrees.  Now you think this would give you a longer swimming season, right?  Well, maybe not.  Remember the 85 degree maximum temperature for an unheated screened in pool?  If you add 6 degrees to that, your pool without a screen will get to 91 degrees or even more.  For some people, that's not very refreshing in July and August.  So, if you don't have a screen, you may not even use your pool in the summer.  

A solar pool heater can address all of these issues and give you about 9 months of comfortable swimming.  Sure, some salesman will tell you twelve months, but December, January and February are a crap shoot.  If the weather is nice in these months, the pool will come up to temperature.  Back to the unscreened pool...remember those summer months when the pool is too warm for swimming?  The solar heater can actually be run at night (reverse cycle) and cool your pool back down to a comfortable temperature. 

The only other valid option to heat your pool is a "Heat Pump".  This is an electric appliance, but it is extremely efficient.  A heat pump does not use electricty to actually heat your pool, but rather uses electricity to run a compressor.  It's hard to say exactly how much it will cost to operate because of all the variables, but most of our customers report about $300 to $500 per year in FPL increase.  Gas heaters might cost less up front, but they are the most expensive heaters to operate and maintain.  Up to 5 times more expensive.  My advice to anyone thinking about a "gas" heater for their pool.....RUN... RUN AWAY FROM IT AS FAST AS YOU CAN!  We recommend heat pumps for some good reasons.  Here are a few:

* Not enough good roof exposure for solar

* You just don't like the looks of a solar heater on your roof

* You are a "snow bird" and are only here in the winter

* You are a theraputic swimmer and need a certain temp no matter what the weather conditions 

Here's the simplest way to think about pool heating: Solar can heat you pool about 15 degrees year 'round.  This will give you at least 9 months of comfortable swimming, and possibly some winter swimming if the weather is warm.  All of this comes with absolutely no operating costs.  A heat pump can heat your pool to any temperature you desire, any day of the year, no matter what the weather conditions.  There is an operating expense, but it might be worth it to you.  Excel Solar offers a complete line of the highest rated solar panels and heat pumps available.  Why not call us today for a free, in home analysis of your pool to help you decide which heater is right for you.