HOA HomeOwners Save On Fees

Measure Costs HOA Homeowners can save on electric and hot water. Like Pools and Spas. The electrical energy needed for swimming pools and spas is consumed by a water circulating pump motor in the spa (or occasionally gas or electric heaters). A rough estimate of energy consumption per month for each can be made if the horse power of the motors can be determined. Circulation pumps operate 8 to 12 hours per day, 100% of the year due to health and sanitary reasons. Spa blowers operate when the unit is used. Twenty minutes per unit, per day is a reasonable estimate of time use for spa blowers on smaller projects. Large projects would use up to 12 hours maximum. Larger spas and pools will require larger motors.also HOA HomeOwners Save On Energy Fees

Solar Heating Give Ways to HOA Saving.
Solar Pool and Spa Heating (www.dre.ca.gov/pdf_docs/OCM_final_2007.pdf )
Solar systems for pools can greatly reduce or eliminate the need for expensive natural gas for pool heating, depending on the level of swimming comfort and the length of swimming
season desired. Solar can also be used to heat hot tubs or spas in conjunction with conventional heaters and may reduce gas consumption by up to 25%.
Active solar pool heating includes collector panels, controls, and plumbing. The pools own filter pump serves to pump the water up to the collectors, where it is warmed, and back down to the pool. The collector area needed to provide 100% of pool heating needs is equivalent to the surface area of the pool; typically,systems are sized to provide 60-75% of the need. Price per square foot installed is in the range of $12 – $14. Home owners association sized pool heating systems cost in the range of $4,500 – $8,500. Security gate motors can vary depending on size and weight of the gate and method of opening.

Home Owners Save with Solar Water Heating
Solar water heaters are generally sized so as to meet 70% of the demand for hot water on an annual basis. Back-up systems using electricity or natural gas supply the other 30%. In a condominium building, solar water heating is most economically installed as a central system with centralized back-up. In a townhouse-type development, individual systems for each unit
are often used. Solar water heating systems may be integrated with solar pool heaters.

Solar water heating systems include glazed collectors, a storage tank, a pump, controls, and plumbing. The size of system required depends on the hot water needs of the residents. Common rules of thumb hold that hot water use is 20 gallons per person per day in multi-family housing; that 1/2 – 3/4 square foot of collector space is needed for every gallon of demand;
and that 1 1/2 – 2 gallons of storage capacity must be provided for every square foot of collector space. Thus, a family of 4 using 20 gallons of water apiece will require 40–60 square feet of collector and between 50 and 120 gallons of storage space.On multi-family new home construction, the California Energy Commission estimates the cost per unit for solar water heating to be about $1000. Townhouse-type construction with individual solar systems generally cost more.
The California Energy Commission estimates that the average family of four living in a multifamily housing structure will save 211 therms of gas a year with a solar water heater.Ideal installation can expect a maximum savings in energy consumption for space heating of 50%.
Leasing Solar Equipment It has become more popular to lease solar equipment for hot water and pool heating.In many cases, the monthly savings in energy is enough to make the lease payment.In addition, users of a leased solar equipment may still be eligible for some tax credits. If your association leases equipment,the monthly payment amount should be included in the budget. Also (www.dre.ca.gov/pdf_docs/re25.pdf )