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It’s not uncommon for people to mishear or misunderstand the name FAFCO as Fasco, Fastco, Falco, Fabco or something else. FAFCO is an acronym for Freeman A. Ford Company. Freeman is a visionary in the solar thermal industry, having revolutionized/started the solar pool heating industry in addition to a variety of other solar thermal technologies. The local Southwest Florida dealer is actually Fafco Solar (note capitalization). Fafco Solar is a fictitious name (dba) of Solar Pool Heaters, Inc., a Florida corporation. FAFCO, Inc. Is the California manufacturer of a variety of products. The FAF in Fafco Solar is Freeman A. Ford.Read More →

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What are you looking to get out of a solar pool heating system? Do you know how it works? What made you consider a solar pool heating system? Why do you want a solar pool heater? Have you experienced a solar heated pool at a friend or neighbor’s house? What other pool heating sources have you considered? Are you aware of the alternatives? Are you aware of the options? How did you find us, and what prompted you to call me? What are your concerns about buying a solar pool heater? These are all things you might hear out of a solar company’s sales professional.Read More →

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I’m in Las Vegas learning and sharing with colleagues, and let’s just say I’m feeling lucky… not just in the Sports Book, but because of the valuable information and face time we will get this week. This is the time of year we all get a good status check and go over trends in the industry. Serious meetings – with a little fun sprinkled in. 😉 Naturally I was reflecting on the plane about the “gamble” of going solar. Is it a safe bet? What is the risk/reward trade off? If I head down to the Casino and drop $100 on red, there is aRead More →

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Unlike the southern tip, the northern end of North Captiva, FL, not accessible by land vehicles, actually has utility electric power available. Just like any mainland homeowner, this one wanted to offset increasing utility bills with solar energy. Working on an island is obviously a challenge, but our amazing crew pulled off this 4.6kW SunPower solar photovoltaic system in two days. This system is comprised of fourteen SunPower 327W modules, among the most efficient modules commercially available. Paired with a SunPower branded SMA SB-5000US inverter, this system is expected to cover the majority of this homeowner’s electrical consumption. The system was installed to meet theRead More →

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Net Metering, the concept and laws that allow solar electricity producers to connect to the grid and sell back energy, is under attack in the United States. Florida has been spared from the recent trend of utility companies working publicly to repeal or amend Net Metering laws. Utility companies in other states have taken various public and well-funded measures to repeal Net Metering laws or to make Net Metering less attractive to solar energy customers. For example, Arizona utilities recently succeeded in adding a fixed charged for solar producers based on photovoltaic system size. While it was opposed by the solar industry and the finalRead More →

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I left my phone in the living room last night, and awoke in panic when I saw my charging cord dangling on my nightstand. Being without my phone makes me feel naked. Alone. Rendered useless. Okay, maybe it’s not that bad, but I do have a bit of an iPhone addiction. It got me thinking… Could I do my job without my phone? Could my employees do theirs? What would solar energy sales and contracting look like without our phones? The phone has long become “not a phone” at this point. Calling people still happens, of course. Of the time I spend “on my phone,”Read More →

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Solar pool heaters are usually installed as an afterthought, which means we often need to get creative with plumbing. Obstructions created by windows, doors, gutters, electrical equipment, and sometimes the pool equipment itself can present quite a challenge. I’m always impressed with how our guys can visualize a plumbing run, select the best route, and execute it with a combination of fittings. It’s funny that after years working with my employer, I can often identify the installer based on how they built a valve manifold or ran plumbing around a gutter. In this picture I have to admit that I have no idea who didRead More →