Home & Garden

Solar heat is an economically efficient, environmentally safe way to heat your home. Solar water heaters are now commonly used as heat sources for radiant floor systems. Normally, a large solar heated storage tank, with electric, gas, or oil backup, supplies hot water to the radiant system, and often provides for domestic needs as well.

Solar heat can also be generated through flat plate collectors and evacuated tube collectors, such as Sunda. Flat plate solar collectors are highly insulated boxes containing a grid of copper pipes bonded to a flat black copper absorber plate, with special glass enhancing solar absorption. Sunda collectors, on the other hand, use multiple vacuum filled glass tubes, each with a tiny amount of anti-freeze hermetically sealed within a small central copper pipe; when heated by the sun, this anti-freeze converts to steam, rises to the top of the tube, transfers its heat to a collector header, then condenses back into liquid.

Solar Heat Working in Conjunction with Radiant Heat
Solar heaters interface well with radiant heated floors, because the large thermal mass common to radiant systems provides an excellent storage unit for the energy generated during the day. At night, this stored thermal energy is slowly released into a homes living space, and a consistent comfort level is achieved and maintained.

Environmental benefits are another reason many folks invest in a solar heat system, besides their inherent compatibility with radiant heating systems. Solar heat systems boil down to simplicity, efficiency, and proven performance time and time again. It makes this equipment an excellent and easy choice to serve as your homes primary heat source.

Theres never been a better time to install a solar hot water system within your home. With fuel prices soaring to the moon, solar hot water heaters are not only clean, efficient, and environmentally sound, but will deliver years of quality service long after theyve paid for themselves. They are commonly used as heat sources for radiant floor systems.

Solar hot water interfaces well in radiantly heated floors, which is due to the large thermal mass common to radiant systems. It provides an excellent storage medium for energy generated during the day. At night, the stored thermal energy is slowly released into the the living space and domestic water supply, helping maintain a consistent comfort level.

Making Solar Hot Water Affordable
Many people think the price of a solar hot water heater is going to make them wince. Not so! A solar hot water system, which includes two panels, mounting hardware, expansion and purge kit (solar EPK), heat exchanger, all Tekmar controls, along with all valves and gauges–basically everything accept the storage tank–will cost less than $3,000. The best part is, a solar heater will continue to be effective long after youve made the final payment.

Solar energy has become increasingly popular in recent years. Theyre not only limited to the American Southwest either, many Americans in northern states utilize their efficiency. They can supply up to 98% of all domestic hot water and space heating requirements, which makes solar hot water systems practical any place the sun shines.

Installing a solar hot water heater may seem like a daunting task, however, after studying a schematic and accompanying photos, it will all make sense. There are ten elements that are necessary for effective installation. They include: a way to collect and transfer the free solar heat to a storage/back-up tank; a way to prevent the heat transfer from freezing; a back-up system for guaranteed hot water on sunless days; a method of tempering the extremely hot water a solar panel can produce; a design to prevent stagnation; sensors to trigger the pumps when heat is available; pressure relief safety valves to protect the system; gauges to monitor the systems performance; a way to control the expansion and contraction cause by the daily heating and cooling of the anti-freeze; a method of filling and draining the system.

Heres what a set-up may look like: the solar EPK is a factory pre-assembled and tested component; a Grunfos circulator pump is mounted into a set of flanges and the entire assembly is simply affixed to the wall. Two vertical copper pipes are the supply and return lines from the soon to be heated radiant slab. The tank is a propane fired water heater (size may vary); during periods of no sun, this water heater will guarantee plenty of heat for your domestic and space heating needs.

The Other Elements in Your Solar Hot Water Heater
Many different elements will come together to make your solar hot water heater experience a successful one. While you will have to put down some money initially, this system will easily pay for itself in a short period of time. So, when you finally reach that break even point in your payments, you can be confident that youll continue to have a great system for years.

A solar hot water heater will also go a long way in protecting the environment. It is much less fuel dependent than some other systems, relying mainly on the suns natural energy. Its a simple, efficient, clean, and safe way to keep you and your family warm and snug during winters in the north, and cold desert nights in the Southwest.

Solar hot water heating is commonly used as a heat source for radiant floor systems. A large solar heated storage tank supplies hot water to the radiant heat system, and often times provides for a homes domestic needs as well. Solar hot water heaters will interface well with radiantly heated floors; this is due to the large thermal mass common to radiant systems, which provides an excellent storage unit for the energy generated during the day.

At night, a solar heater will slowly release its stored thermal energy into the living space, helping to maintain a consistent comfort level. Solar hot water heating isnt as steep in price as many people think. In fact, a highly effective system, which includes two panels, mounting hardware, solar EPK, heat exchanger, all Tekmar controls, valves and gauges–everything except the storage tank–will come in well under $3,000.

The Benefits of Solar Hot Water Heating
Even if a solar hot water heating system may seem too steep for some folks, the realization is that it will continue to be effective long after youre through making the payments. Environmental benefits are another reason people are drawn to a solar hot water system. Theyre cleaner and more fuel efficient, which is especially good news considering the soaring cost of fuel.

In the deserts of Americas Southwest, two solar panels can provide enough hot water to supply up to 98% of all domestic hot water and space heating requirements. Northern tier states may require four. The point is your initial investment will pay off greatly over time, and you can feel good knowing that youre relying less on environmental deterrents.

A solar hot water system can interface well with radiantly heated floors. This due to the large thermal mass common to radiant systems, which provides an excellent storage medium for energy generated during the day. At night, the stored thermal energy is slowly released into the living space and a consistent comfort level is maintained, while the domestic hot water supply remains hot.

Solar water heaters can be used as heat sources for radiant floor systems. They usually incorporate a large solar heated storage tank, with electric, gas, or oil back up, that supplies hot water to the radiant system. Solar hot water systems are generally reasonably priced, and have many environmental benefits, including less reliance on gas and oil.

Solar Hot Water Systems Go beyond the Desert
Its true, many who inhabit the American Southwest, use solar panels to heat their home and domestic water supply. In fact, two to four panels can provide enough hot water to supply up to 98% of all domestic hot water and space heating requirements in a home. However, if you live in a northern tier state like Michigan, four or more panels can provide the same results.

Sizing the proper number of solar collectors depends upon how well insulated your home is, how much area you plan to heat, and how much domestic hot water you use. You will pay initially to bring the elements of a successful solar hot water system together; however, the system pays back your investment every operating day. So, when your break even point is finally reached, it will continue to pay energy dividends for years.