Can solar panels to heat pool be used for other household purposes?

Question

Hi there, my father just bought a house that has solar panels on the roof to heat the water for his pool. The water goes through pipes by the panels and flows back into the pool. I was wondering if there is any way to use that solar energy for other areas of the house. The panels were put in when the house was built in the mid 80's and the house is in Central Florida/E. Orlando.

Thanks in advance!

Answer 1

Yes, you can use them to make hot water for the house, supplementing your hot water heater. These panels have just been made mandatory in Hawaii. During the summer, when you don't need to heat the pool, you could add a valve and piping to send the water from the panels to your hot water heater.

"imintowater" has a point, you wouldn't want to use the same water for the pool as for drinking water, and you'd have to valve the system to prevent mixing, unless you installed a heat exchanger so that the fluid that goes through the panels just transfers heat to the drinking water without mixing with it.

Answer 2

Solar for pool is one system.  Totally separate is solar heating for the house and you have to have a 200 gallon water heater to store it all in.

You're welcome!!

Answer 3

Hold on, Don C...Heating the pool water, with the use of solar panels means that the pool water is going through the pipes. The pool water is treated with chlorine, and muriatic acid. If you pipe that treated water into the house, you will contaminate the household water supply. You could use the hot water for hosing out your garage, maybe. Not for drinking water.