Why Solar Hot Water?

Solar Thermal or Solar Hot Water Systems

Solar thermal is the collection, storage, and use of heat from the sun to make hot water. It is one of the most efficient uses of the sun's energy. Think about how hot your car can get when you park it in the sun. A Solar Hot Water System uses the same principle to heat your water. Hot water that can be used to wash your clothes, dishes, heat your pool, or even heat your house! The sun is POWERFUL. The sunshine on one square foot in one year is equal to the energy in 2.5 gallons of oil. Two or three solar thermal collectors can easily supply all the hot water for an average family on sunny days. Even on cloudy winter days, a substantial contribution can help cut utility bills. A properly installed system works year-round even when it's cloudy. You size the system to meet your daily usage needs. It can be used as your primary source for hot water, but to guarantee hot water at all times, a backup heating source is required.

How Simple Drainback Works

• The sun heats the solar collector on the roof.
• The temperature sensors read that the collector is a higher temperature than the water in the storage tank.
• The controller turns on the pump sending solar water from the storage tank to the collector to pick up the extra heat and return it to the tank.
  
• As long as the temperature in the collectors remains higher than the tank temperature, the system continues to run until the set maximum tank temperature is achieved; Then the pump shuts off and the solar water drains back to the tank.
• The cold domestic water is plumbed through a copper heat exchanger submerged in the tank. When hot water is turned on in the building, the cold domestic water is drawn through the heat exchanger and picks up the stored heat in the tank and comes out hot.
• If the solar collectors are still hot as the temperature in the tank drops, the solar water is pumped back up to the collectors, where it is once again heated by the sun.
• In freezing climates, the solar water will remain in the tank until the collector temperatures achieve levels above the tank temperature. As the collector temperature falls toward freezing, the system turns off and the water drains back to the tank leaving the collectors and pipes completely empty.

If a solar hot water system sounds like a good idea for you, the first step is to determine if your property is a candidate.

Hot Water- If you have a flat or south facing roof with little or no shading, solar thermal panels can be mounted for best efficiencies. Even with some shading, indirect sun rays will supply about half of the energy of direct sun rays. Trees that lose their leaves during the winter will not completely impede the panels when the winter sun is closer to the horizon and more likely to be shaded by those trees. The more hot water that is used, the more energy savings that these systems can realize. Businesses such as restaurants and hotels that use large volumes of hot water are prime examples of entities that would benefit greatly from such systems. There is no limit on the 30% federal tax rebate for all hot water systems, so the return on investment can be quite good. Anyone using propane or electric hot water heaters are prime candidates for these systems. The payback in these circumstances is very fast, because propane is so expensive and electricity is so inefficient for heating.

Heating- A radiant floor heating system can integrate solar thermal panels to supply much of the energy necessary to heat the space. Heating bills would then be reduced or eliminated. As the price of natural gas or propane continues to rise, your solar heat will remain virtually free.

First Things First. Installing a Solar Hot Water System is a wonderful way to help the environment, but before you install a system make sure to learn the art of Conservation.

Conservation - The most simple and cost effective way to reduse your energy bills and your carbon footprint is to conserve energy. Here is a list of some simple ways to decrease your energy usage:

• Install compact flourescent light bulbs; they use about 1/4 the energy of incandescents
• Insulate ceilings, walls, hot water tanks and pipes
• Install a programable thermostat; turn down the heat and turn up the A/C temperatures when they are not noticed such as when no one is home or everyone is sleeping, or during non-office hours for businesses
• Install energy-efficient appliances, including: clothes washers, clothes dryers, refrigerators, dishwashers, room air conditioners and dehumidifiers
• Install energy efficient, double paned windows