Everything You Should Know About Solar Water Heating

  

Many folks have heard of solar heating nowadays more folks are using it to heat their houses and pools and to save lots of cash on their energy bills. But even if somebody has heard of solar heating they may not be acquainted with the systems!

How Do Solar Heating Systems Work?

Most people consider passive solar heating to be the most cost-effective way of providing heat for a building. This is because the amount of solar energy that typically falls on a building in a day is more than enough to power and heat that same home for the day. When passive solar heating systems are used in a building’s actual design, it costs nearly nothing extra and results in a huge reduction in energy costs.

When a home has a passive solar heating system, the house itself basically becomes the collector for solar energy. Each surface of the home that’s exposed to the sun’s rays is picking up them. To adequately collect this daylight, a passive solar heating system needs south facing glass and thermal mass to take in, distribute and store the heat.

The commonest kind of passive solar heating system is known as a direct gain system. This system uses tangible living space as a solar collector daylight comes into a room, strikes thermal mass materials in the house and gets kept where it raises the room’s temperature!

What Types Of Solar Collectors Are Used For Solar Water Heating?

There are three types of solar collectors used in residential homes that are using solar water heating systems. A flat-plate collector is a waterproof, insulated box that has a dark absorber plate underneath a glass cover. Plates used when solar water heating pools typically do not have a cover on them.

Integral collector-storage systems, sometimes called batch systems, feature one or more black tubes or tanks that are contained in a glazed, insulated box. Cold water passes though the solar collector in this solar water heating system and the collector preheats the water. The water then filters into the conventional water heater and then to the home’s pipes.

And finally, another type of collector is called an evacuated-tube solar collector. These collectors have parallel rows of glass tubes that are transparent. Each individual tube has a glass “outer” tube and then a metal tube which is attached to a fin. The fin’s special coating absorbs energy and keeps heat in. This type of solar water heating collector is typically used for more commercial aspects.

There are also two main types of solar water heating or solar pool heating systems: direct circulation systems and indirect circulation systems. Direct circulation systems circulate water for the actual household through the collectors and then into the home. This type of system is used in climates where the temperature never falls below freezing. Indirect circulation systems actually circulate a non-freezing fluid through the collectors and then through a heat exchanger. This heats up the water and then filters it to the home.

Considering all the perks that go along with a solar water heating system it’s really no wonder people are converting.

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Build a Solar Hot Water System

Do you believe that solar power is a wonderful way to get free hot water in your home?  Making a solar hot water heater is easy and very cheap – less than $100 is often quoted.  Commercial solar water heaters can cost over $1,000 so building your own solar water heater will save you several hundred dollars, paying for itself in a month or two.  And think of the savings every month after that!

The sun will heat your water anywhere in the world – even in the winter!  It might not provide all your hot water (although it often does), but it will certainly make a large dent in your utility bills.  At least one third is quite common.  Solar water heaters are simple devices, very efficient and environmentally friendly.  Making a solar water heater is easily a weekend project, provided you get properly organized firstand get all the parts assembled.

Solar hot water systems comprise a simple glazed collector box fitted with a chain of water pipes, which connect to the domestic hot and cold water pipes at or near your hot water tank.  A drain valve is usually fitted in case you need to isolate the solar water heater for any reason, such as going away for a winter vacation.  Doing this work is very easy, and you do not have to be any kind of expert.  The solar collector box will be sited and angled to face the sun at mid-day, and this can be on a roof or against a suitable wall.  You will be able to get all the materials needed at your local hardware store, although most likely you will have some or all of these materials already.

Installing a solar water heater will not harm your existing domestic hot water system.  In fact, by lowering the use of the existing heaters, the solar water heater will help extend the life of your boiler or immersion heater as well as save on utility bills.  Remember also that solar heating is free energy that reduces our use of non-renewable fuels and lowers the carbon footprint, so there is an eco-bonus for fitting a solar water heater as well.

You can use it for other things as well.  Solar hot water systems can be used for heating swimming pools by providing a gentle, all-year-round source of free heating.  Do you have, or are you planning on fitting, underfloor central heating?  This typically uses a constant supply of warm (not hot) water with a low flow rate. A solar water heating system is an ideal way of getting free heat in your house.  You can find out more here.

There is something very satisfying about making a simple device that saves you money, gives you free hot water on demand and helps save the planet at the same time.

However, even though these systems are simple, it is easy to make mistakes during installation if you are not experienced enough.  It makes a lot of sense to get expert guidance and advice at the planning stage and before you start to build.  The cost will be very small, and you will get full assurance that you are doing the job properly and safely.  We have  more information about this on our specialized website.  In conclusion, we know from experience that making and fitting a solar water heating system will give you immense satisfaction, a lot of fun and really significant savings, so why not give it a try?

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