Conserve Fuel Using A Solar Water Heater

How much money do you spend each year on heating water for your home? If you want a break on the amount of money you pay for gas or electricity for heating water, try installing a solar water heater. This may reduce your cost of heating water by fifty percent or more.

You will notice that solar heating systems come in two different general types. The one which works best for you will depend on your geographic location. In warm locations, a passive solar tank, a black plastic tank which is installed on the roof and allows water to be warmed in the sun may be all that is necessary. In other areas, an active system will work best. The active system has solar collection panels installed on the roof that either allow the water to pass through for heating or use a heat exchange solution for heating the water in the storage tank.

The tank of the passive solar water heater is painted black in order to absorb the most heat from the sun. The water is kept at a constant level by a float mechanism that is attached to the cold water supply of the home. Water that has been heated in the tank is fed into the hot water supply of the home by gravity. As water flows from the tank it is replenished from the cold water.

Passive solar heating requires that the structural integrity of the roof be strengthened to support the weight of both the tank and water. In comparison, solar collector panels are light in weight and do not require structural changes.

The passive systems are not appropriate for colder climates.

One way to install a solar water system is to use it as a pre-heater so that your tank is not filled with cold water but water that has been warmed by the sun in the collector panel. This water then fills a normal water heater that is fueled with gas or electricity. Other systems use a pump to draw cold water from the storage tank and pass it through the collectors to be heated. In either of the cases, if the solar system is not able to keep the water at the correct temperature, the secondary source of heat will come on so that water is always at the correct temperature.

Active solar water heating works best if you have a flat roof. If your home does not have a flat roof, then you will want to place the collector panels on the south facing side of the home’s sloped roof.

You will have special instructions for protecting your system any time there is the danger of a freeze. Not following these instructions can cause major damage to your water heating system.

In climates where winters can become very cold, a heat exchange system is more appropriate for the solar system. This active system uses a heat transfer solution in the solar collector. The solution is passed through a heat exchange system in the storage tank to heat the water. The solution then continues through the solar collectors once again.

If your electric or gas bill is much too high due to the cost of keeping water hot, why not buy a solar water heater and have 100 percent free hot water. More info on solar water heaters now a click away.

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