New pools and new homes in Lehigh
Solar Pool Heating and Solar Water Heaters in Lehigh Acres, FL
Cape Coral Solar Water Heater Pros designs and installs solar pool heaters and solar water heaters for Lehigh Acres families, many of them in new block homes with a first pool. The quarter-acre lots off Lee Blvd, Joel Blvd and Homestead Rd give solar plenty of open sky to work with.
We have heated Southwest Florida pools since 2010, so we size by your pool's surface area and the way your lot catches the sun rather than selling a one-size package. Lehigh Acres is 35 to 45 minutes from our Cape Coral base, and repair visits are usually booked within 2 to 3 business days.
Most homes here run on private wells and septic, and that changes which solar water heater we recommend and what we check inside the tank.
Built for Lehigh
Solar Heating for Lehigh Acres' Newer Homes and Pools
Lehigh Acres homes suit solar well, because the lots are open, many roofs are new and pools often sit in full sun. Four local conditions shape the design: wind exposure, well water, newer construction and owners heating a pool for the first time.
Unscreened Pools on Open Lots
Many Lehigh pools have no screen cage, so the water takes direct sun by day and loses more heat to wind and evaporation at night. A correctly sized solar system raises the water 8 to 15 degrees F over an unheated pool on sunny days, and a blanket at night holds more of that gain.
Newer Roofs on Newer Block Homes
A large share of Lehigh homes went up in the 2010s and 2020s, so the roof usually has decades of life left and the panels will not have to come off for a re-roof any time soon. Every penetration we make is sealed and covered against leaks for 10 years.
Private Wells and Solar Tanks
Iron and sulfur in Lehigh well water stain and corrode tanks, and hard-water scale coats backup elements and heat exchangers. On well water we favor closed loop glycol systems, so mineral-heavy water never runs through the rooftop collector.
When a tank gives out early, our solar water heater tank replacement service swaps it in 3 to 5 hours.
First-Time Pool Owners
Most families want their pool at 80 to 84 degrees F, and an unheated Southwest Florida pool drops into the mid 60s in January and February. Inland Lehigh also tends to see cooler winter nights than the coast, which is one more reason we size toward the full pool surface area.
New pool builds
Adding Solar During a New Pool Build
The best time to plan a solar pool heater in Lehigh Acres is while the pool is being built, because the plumbing can be designed in instead of retrofitted. We work with your pool builder in four steps so the solar loop is ready the day the pool is filled.
Share the Pool Plans Early
Send us the builder's plan as soon as the pool shape is set. The surface area gives us the panel count, about 6 panels for a 12 by 24 foot pool or 9 to 10 for a 15 by 30, and the house plan shows which roof face points south or west.
Place the Equipment Pad With the Roof in Mind
Ask the builder to set the pump and filter pad on the side of the house below the panel roof face where the layout allows. Shorter pipe runs mean less friction, less heat lost on the way back and a tidier wall.
Size the Pump and Leave a Tee for the Diverter
Solar needs about 4 gallons per minute per collector, so the pump should be chosen with the panels in mind, and a variable-speed pump often adds nothing to the bill. The builder leaves a capped tee in the return line after the filter, where our motorized three-way diverter valve goes.
Install Once the Roof and Pool Are Done
We mount the array in 1 day on most shingle and metal roofs, or 1 to 2 days on tile, and plumb it to the waiting tee. We pull the Lee County permit for the solar work and schedule its inspection.
Panel brands, controllers and warranty terms are covered on our solar pool heater installation service page.
Ground racks
Ground-Mount and Rack Systems on Larger Lots
A ground or low rack mount is worth considering in Lehigh Acres when the roof faces east, is shaded or is too small, because many quarter-acre lots have open yard to the south or west of the pool. The panels sit on an angled frame aimed at the sun and are plumbed back to the pool equipment.
A rack usually costs more than a roof mount because it needs its own frame and longer pipe runs, so we price both when the roof is borderline.
- An east-facing roof needs extra panels, while a south-facing rack can use fewer
- A rack keeps fasteners out of a brand-new roof entirely
- Panels stay within reach for inspection and repairs
- The rack location goes on the site plan Lee County reviews
Wind exposure is higher on an open lot, so a rack is anchored and strapped to the design wind speed for the address, the same standard we apply on roofs.
Heating on a budget
Budget-Friendly Ways to Heat Your Pool
The lowest-cost way to heat a new Lehigh pool over its life is a solar pool heater with a manual valve, from $4,200 to $5,600 installed for a pool of about 12 by 24 feet. A heat pump costs about the same to install but adds to the electric bill every month it runs.
The table compares the three setups we quote most often for Lehigh pools.
- Start with a manual valve. You open it in the fall and close it in late spring, and an automatic controller can be added later.
- Plumb now, add panels later. If money is tight during the build, the builder leaves the capped tee now and we add the array in a later season.
- Cover the pool at night. A blanket keeps the day's solar gain in the water and lets a modest array do more.
- Add a heat pump only for on-demand heat. Pairing one with solar covers cloudy cold spells, but you pay its price and its running cost.
| Setup | Installed price (2026) | Running cost | Typical life |
|---|---|---|---|
| Solar, manual valve, small pool (6 panels) | $4,200 to $5,600 | Extra pump time only, often nothing on a variable-speed pump | 15 to 20+ years for quality panels |
| Solar with an automatic controller | Add $650 to $950 | Same as manual solar | Panels 15 to 20+ years |
| Pool heat pump, 100,000 to 140,000 BTU | $4,800 to $7,500, plus $500 to $1,200 for a new circuit | Can add $100 to $300 a month in winter | About 7 to 10 years |
The solar vs heat pump pool heater comparison goes deeper, and our pool heat pump installation service covers Hayward HeatPro, Pentair UltraTemp and AquaCal units. For every pool size, see the solar pool heater cost guide.
New build questions
Lehigh Acres Solar FAQs
New construction raises its own questions. These are the ones Lehigh Acres buyers and pool owners ask us most.
Should solar go in before or after my pool is finished?
Plan it before, install it after. The plumbing tee and equipment pad location should be settled while the pool is being built, and the panels go up once the roof and pool are complete, which avoids cutting into a finished wall or deck later.
Is solar or a heat pump better for a brand-new pool?
For a new Lehigh pool in full sun, solar costs about the same to install, runs for little or nothing and lasts roughly twice as long. A heat pump earns its place only when you want a set temperature at night or on cloudy days, and the full solar vs heat pump guide compares them line by line.
Will well water damage a solar water heater?
It can shorten its life if the system is not chosen with well water in mind. Iron, sulfur and hardness attack tanks and backup elements, so we recommend a closed loop system that keeps well water out of the collector. Our solar water heater installation service explains closed loop and direct systems side by side.
Permits and travel
Permits for Lehigh Acres Properties
Lehigh Acres is unincorporated, so solar pool and water heater permits are issued by the Lee County Department of Community Development. We pull the permit, submit the collector's SRCC certification with the roof or rack layout and schedule the county's inspection.
Your electric utility is LCEC, the Lee County Electric Cooperative, which currently offers no rebate for solar water heaters.
From central Cape Coral we cross the Midpoint Bridge and head out Colonial Blvd to Lee Blvd, 35 to 45 minutes in all. We work across Lehigh, including:
- Central Lehigh off Lee Blvd and Joel Blvd
- Newer streets off Homestead Rd and Sunshine Blvd
- The Gunnery Rd and Alabama Rd areas
- Leeland Heights and the older streets around it
Free estimate
Get a Lehigh Acres Solar Estimate
Send us your address and, if the pool is still being built, your builder's plan and contact. We will size the system from the pool's surface area, check the roof or yard for a rack and send a written quote the same day or the next.
- Free on-site estimates, usually within the week
- Coordination with your pool builder on pad location and plumbing
- Well-water advice for solar tanks and heat exchangers
- Based in
- Cape Coral, Florida, serving Lee and Charlotte counties
- Monday to Saturday
- 6:00am to 9:00pm
- Sunday
- 9:00am to 9:00pm