Water Heating
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Solar Water Heating
Most people are aware of using solar heating for hot water supply in the home. This is because about one third of our home energy bill goes towards hot water heating, as Florida State's electrical utility companies confirm. It is the third highest cost, following heating and cooling.
Solar Hot Water Systems
A solar water heater can operate together with your current electric or fossil-fuel water heater to supply a portion of the home's total hot water heating requirement. This will reduce greenhouse gas emissions, air pollutants and the cost of your water heating.
What Are Air-Based Solar Collectors?
The vast majority of solar thermal installations are based around solar collectors which use a fluid for thermal transfer. However, there are some designs which use air as the transfer medium.
Air collectors are just like their liquid counterpart flat plate collectors: they come in a frame that's insulated on three sides and glazed on the fourth, they have a flat absorber plate, they're of similar size to liquid-based collectors and they work in a similar fashion.
Large Hot Water Storage Tanks
If you're planning a solar thermal installation for a large building or a communal property such as apartments, you may need to consider a very large water storage tank. This is also true if your project is solar space heating – both of these installations require outsized tanks. Think big: we're talking between 300 and 500 gallons, here.
Can I simply switch to Solar Power?
If you've decided to go the whole hog and switch your entire home over to renewable electrical sources, there are a few issues of which you should be aware. They may not affect you, depending on your circumstances and location, but you need to understand that it's not necessarily all roses.
Is a Solar Thermal System Worth the Investment?
The bottom line with any renewable energy solution is, of course, whether it's worth the investment. Since solar thermal systems don't generate electricity and will never be a single solution for a net-zero or net-positive home, are they worth the money?
The simple answer is, as always, "it depends". Your particular location and circumstances will always determine whether any given option is suitable so you should look for a local expert with whom you can discuss options and possibilities.
What are Active and Passive Solar Thermal Systems?
When you're considering installing a solar thermal system, it's very important to consider all your options. Some of your choices will be governed by budget and climate; others are governed by what's practical for your home.
Tanks and Collectors for Solar Thermal Systems
When you install a solar thermal system, you always need a collector (the bit that does the heating) and often need a tank (unless you're able to use a simple "batch system"). The tank is pretty simple but the collector format and setup is more complex.
How much Water does my Home use?
Before you decide what kind of solar thermal system to install, you need to estimate your home's hot water use. There are two important parts to this equation: your actual water usage and your pattern of use. By changing the latter, you affect the former, so it's worth not only estimating but understanding how you and your family use water.
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