Welcome to the new Solar Breeze Blog Site!

Solar-Breeze is trying something new! Blogging is a great way to connect to our customers and we want to hear from all of you. Our blog will provide information on the Solar-Breeze, great pool cleaning tips, how to live green, and whatever else we want. Let’s start blogging!

Solar-Breeze Holiday Promotion

Are you tired of cleaning your pool, instead of enjoying it?

 Especially in the winter when you’re not even using it?!

CHeck out the Solar-Breeze, the world’s only solar-powered robotic pool cleaner!

• Eco-friendly
• Cleans all day FREE with energy from the sun
• Catches 95% of ALL debris before it sinks
• Reduces pool pump and energy costs by 2/3 
• Easy to use and fun to watch!!

The Solar-Breeze takes the back-ache out of pool cleaning, letting you spend more time relaxing!

The Solar-Breeze makes the perfect gift especially with this limited time

$100 holiday discount!!!

To learn more and purchase your Solar-Breeze, visit www.solar-breeze.com

To receive discount, enter this code at checkout:

SBHOLIDAY

*Act NOW! Offer expires Jan. 12th*

Damaging Effects of Pools

Did you know that there are 6 million in ground pools in USA alone? Actually, there are about 12 million pools worldwide, meaning America alone dominates half of all those installed water luxuries. But did you also know how much electricity a pool uses and how much burnt coal that relates to? One pool uses 5 tons of coal to operate its’ pump and other various attachments, and this burnt coal correlates to 13 tons of carbon dioxide released into the air each year. That’s just one pool. If we totalled all 6 million pools in the US (and remember, we are only counting in-ground pools, not above ground installations that also rely on electricity) that would mean America releases about 52,000,000 tons of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere just with operating our pools. This is a very scary thought for all of those who are looking to be more “green.”

What if we could cut back on the pool pump running time? If that could happen then that would mean less usage of electricty. But it’s practically impossible to do that as all pools with a traditional pump and bottom cleaner require at least 9 hours of run time. So what do we need to do? Install a pool cleaner that does rely on the power of a pool pump but energy from the sun and keeps your pool clean at the surface, preventing the bottom from virtually ever getting dirty.

The Solar-Breeze, the world’s only environmentally and pocketbook friendly pool cleaner, does just that. And by keeping your pool clean in a much more efficient manner and not needing the assistance of a pool pump, a pool owner can cut their pool pump run time by 2/3 and their chlorine consumption by 1/3. But what does that actually translate to in terms of saving energy of the atmosphere. Putting one Solar-Breeze in your pool will save you atleast 3.3 tons of coal, 8.6 tons of carbon dioxide, and $786 in energy savings (saving you this amount of money means you pay for your skimmer in the first year plus get an extra $300 back.) Pretty cool huh? These amount of savings is actually equivalent to the emissions of one SUV so putting a Solar-Breeze in your pool is like taking a 16 mpg SUV off the road every year.

This is just one closer step to saving our environment.

Calsaway- Cleaning Pools and Saving Water

Calsaway Pool Services Inc. is a Phoenix based company run by Jon Grobe, David Morgan, and Ken Scheer and recently were noted in an article on msnbc.com. Calsaway is a very unique pool cleaning company because they have one thing in mind: the environment. Every two to four years, pool owners have to drain their pools and then refill them with fresh water to remove any harmful chemical buildup from the previous years- this process is essential as a buildup of minerals damages pool pumps. However, draining and refilling your pool is a long costly process and worst of all wastes a ton of water (about 17,000 gallons), a commodity that Arizona and other Southwest states do not have a great luxury of. The difference with Calsaway though is their patent-pending filtration system that literally strips away the minerals and recylces the water back into your pool. As a result, Calsaway saves pool owners hundreds of dollars on services, prevents water waste, and because their process is so effective, a pool owner can use the same water for up to 12 years. Kudos to Calsaway for helping our pools and saving water.

Recycle your Pool Debris

Pool inlet baskets, that net on a stick, and even the filter tray in your Solar-Breeze all collect debris from your pool. And what do we do with this debris? We throw it away. Next time, instead of dumping out those trays in the trash, how about throw those sticks and leaves on top of a compost pile. They will degrade because they are organic matter and will make delicious food for a plant in your yard.

Pool Pump Run-time Guide

Running your pool pump can cost a ton in energy and also cash. The average pool owner will spend $55 to $75 per month due to pool pump run time on their electric bill (figures obtained from APS and SRP). So how do we cut back on these costs? Here are some very cost effective tips.

Only run your pool pump during off peak hours, normally 9pm to 9am, but check with your local provider to see what the off peak hours for your district are. Running your pool pump at these times will help cut back costs because rates are much lower than those during on-peak hours.

Cut back your pump running time. Remember the golden rule of pools: run your pump one hour per every 10 degrees. If it is 90 degrees farenheit outside, it’s safe to say you will need to run your pump for 9 hours. You can’t really get away from running your pool pump this amount of time during summer unless you have a top water cleaner that is not connected to the pump, like a Solar-Breeze. It will prevent debris from sinking which means your pool pump will not have to work as hard at night to clean. Normally with this addition to your pool, it is safe to cut back on your pump running time by 2/3. During the fall and winter months though, you won’t have to run your pump as much because a) the outside air temperature requires less run time, b) you don’t swim in your pool as much and hopefully c) you are using a pool cover.

Pool covers are great for many different reasons. They help prevent your pool from getting as dirty as if it were open to the elements, helps to keep heat from escaping the water which will prevent you from having to heat the water from some other external source, and finally will keep water from evaporating. In very hot, arid climates, pools tend to lose 5 feet of water due to evaporation every year. This means that at some point, you are always refilling your pool which will cost you in the long run. In addition, pool water isn’t perfectly clean; it contains all sorts of chemicals, especially chlorine. When the water evaporates, these chemicals go too, polluting the atomsphere.

Natural Pools

I read an article on a green blog about a new type of pool (atleast new to me) called a natural pool. It’s almost like having your own private, swimable pond in your backyard. The idea behind the natural pool is utilizing resources found in nature to construct the pool making it act more like an embedded watering hole rather than a fiberglass installation and also incorporates plants in the pool, beside, or a hybrid combination of the two to filter the water.

Terravita Gardens is one of the first companies to start implementing the technique of plant filtration systems for swimming pools. They claim that natural pools have many benefits:

– Swimming in chemical free water with no risk of skin or eye irritation.

- The water actually tastes like water

- Wildlife will also reappear, bringing with it greater varieties of birds that have found a place to drink.

- The absence of heavy and costly machinery with the subsequent saving on reparation bills.

– Since the pools are basically self sufficient there is less need to hire professionals for pool maintenance..      – No two of our pools are alike, they are in harmony with the surroundings;  natural forms and materials are used.

– No two of our pools are alike, they are in harmony with the surroundings;  natural forms and materials are used.

Terravita Gardens will build these pools from scratch or they can revamp an existing chlorine pool into a natural oasis. Check out their website http://www.iwebnet.com/terravita-gardens/english/terravita.htm to view images of their designs plus learn more about what they do.

23 Eco-Friendly Gadgets

Here is an article titled “23 Excellent Eco-Friendly Gadgets for a Greener Lifestyle.” You can find it by following this link.

http://thehottestgadgets.com/2008/09/23-cool-eco-friendly-gadgets-for-a-greener-lifestyle-001637

It contains info on some pretty interesting gadgets like bamboo speakers, solar lighting, and of course the Solar-Breeze (we’re number 18 on the list). But check it out; maybe one of these items will make it onto your holiday wish list this year.

Solar Pool Heaters

Solar water heaters can be used to heat swimming pools and spas.

In a solar pool-heating system, the existing pool filtration system pumps pool water through the solar collector, and the collected heat is transferred directly to the pool water. Solar pool-heating collectors operate just slightly warmer than the surrounding air temperature and typically use inexpensive, unglazed, low-temperature collectors made from specially formulated plastic materials. Glazed (glass-covered) solar collectors are not typically used in pool-heating applications, except for indoor pools, hot tubs, or spas in colder climates. In some cases, unglazed copper or copper-aluminum solar collectors are used.

In residential applications where the goal is usually to extend the swimming season into spring and fall, heating a swimming pool with solar energy requires a solar collector that is 50% to 100% of the surface area of the pool. In general, adding more square footage lengthens the swimming season and allows owners to use the pool in colder weather. A pool cover or blanket significantly reduces heat loss in a cost-effective manner and helps maintain warm temperatures for long periods.

A solar pool-heating system costs between $2,000 and $10,000 to buy and install, depending on size. Costs run between $7 – $12 per square foot depending on system design and collection type. This provides a return on investment between 1.5 and 7 years, depending on the cost of the auxiliary energy being displaced.

Maintenance of solar pool-heating systems is minimal. The systems are pre-engineered and can be sized for any pool by simply adding additional solar panels to obtain an adequate solar collector area.

The only moving part on a solar pool-heating system is the diverting valve. This valve controls when the water circulates through the collector loop. If the collector temperature is sufficiently higher than the temperature of the water in the pool, water is diverted from the filter systems through the collector loop. The water bypasses the solar collectors during the night or cloudy periods. Some smaller systems are operated manually or with timers. Larger systems are operated by electronic sensors and controls.

http://www1.eere.energy.gov/solar/sh_basics_pool.html  US Department of Energy 07/20/2006

Note Worthy Article

Solar-Breeze Phoenix-based Company Creates the World’s First Solar-powered Pool Skimmer

 

	NewswireToday – /newswire/ – Phoenix, AZ, United States, 12/06/2007 – Solar-Breeze makes pools “Green” with world’s first solar-powered pool skimmer.
	Phoenix based Solar-Breeze plans to make pools all over the world “greener” by introducing the world’s first solar-powered robotic pool skimmer. TSolar-Breeze introduced the world’s first solar-powered robotic pool skimmer. A unique solar-power system allows the Solar-Breeze to operate whenever the sun is shining, collecting debris from the pool surface and preventing it from sinking to the bottom. “Your pool will be clearer than ever,” says Denis Ruzsa, President and Founder of Solar Breeze. “The ‘green’ comes from reducing the use of your pool pump by two thirds and consuming far less electricity.” “The robot skims your pool surface all day while the sun is shining, consuming no electricity. Since it keeps dust and debris for sinking to the bottom of the pool, the time require to run the pool pump is significantly reduced,” says Ruzsa. “Our customers are telling us that their pools are cleaner and clearer, and that their pool pump usage is way down.” The Solar-Breeze robotic pool skimmer is the first of its kind in the world and Ruzsa is hoping that pool owners world-wide will jump on board with the idea of having “greener” pools. While sales have currently been limited to North America, discussions are underway with distributors in Australia and other regions. “People all over the world want to take action to reduce their carbon footprint,” says Ruzsa. “This is one small investment they can make that has a tremendous impact over time.”

Solar-Breeze Commercial

So, check out this YouTube videa of Solar-Breeze. Totally cheezy in some instances but it stars my parents!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MJ5Gp5IGJuQ