Solar Fountains
Garden Fountains ArticlesEco-Friendly Home Improvement With Solar Fountains
Nothing is lovelier in a garden or courtyard than a water fountain. But if you’re concerned with the environment and preserving our natural resources, an outdoor fountain can be quite energy consuming. This is no longer a problem with the introduction of solar fountains. These fountains are exactly what their name suggests: outdoor water fountains powered solely by the sun’s rays. Using no excess electricity, these fountains are an economically friendly, and beautiful way to spruce up the landscape of any home.
Solar fountains are quite lovely, just like their electrically powered counterparts. The biggest differences lie in the fact that they are much cheaper to run – given that the power of the sun is completely free – and that you may experience a fluctuation in the water flow during evening hours. Other than that, most owners of solar fountains say that they do not notice the difference between their new solar powered fountains, and their old traditional ones.
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Types Of Solar Fountains
Solar fountains come in as many varieties as their energy-guzzling counterparts. There are free standing, statuary fountains; floating fountains for your pond or lake; and spray fountains.
Statuary solar fountains come in all shapes and sizes, ranging from smaller birdbath sized fountains; to much larger fountains like the ones found in elegant courtyards. These fountains generally have detached solar panels that can be placed anywhere there is sunlight. The nice thing about these detachable panels is that your fountain does not have to be placed directly in the sun – it can even be placed under a tree, due to the fact that the panel will send power to the fountain no matter how far away it is.
Floating solar fountains are self-contained devices that include the pump and panels directly inside the unit itself. Floating fountains typically are not able to produce quite as much water movement, however, and are generally only used for smaller yard fountains.
Spray style solar fountains can be placed into your larger pond or lake, and will produce a lovely stream or spray of water that will help to keep your pond aerated. The panels for spray type fountains sometimes are set up to float on the surface of the water; but most typically will be located in an area offshore. Spray fountains require professional installation.
Whichever of the different types of solar fountains you choose to use, you will enjoy the beauty they bring to every yard. Harnessing the power of the sun, and turning it into a tranquil environmental improvement, solar fountains are a welcome addition to any landscape!
| About The Author Percy Troughton runs his own Garden Center in California. Click on the following links for more info on Solar Fountains or more general Garden Resources articles and resources. This article may be reproduced as long as the author is kept intact including the hyperlinks. |