What is Solar Thermal Water Heating?
Solar water heating uses the sun’s rays to heat hot water. The average individual uses between 20 and 30 gallons of hot water a day. A family of 4 could use between 2,400 and 3,600 gallons every month – this can be provided by harnessing the free rays from the sun’s energy.
Based on families current water usage determines the size of system required. A families life style and habits do not have to change when switching to solar thermal hot water system. Once the system is installed, the only thing that will change is your monthly bill.
Solar Thermal Hot Water Heating – What are the Advantages?
Reduced Energy Costs
American homeowners can take advantage of solar hot water as a affordable, effective form of clean, renewable energy. Utilizing the sun’s energy lowers energy costs, creates free hot water for your home, and greater energy independence.
Solar evacuated tube collectors provide high performance, efficient, and long lasting. Areas with a colder climate, longer winters, or in areas that suffer from frequent cloudy or overcast weather conditions evacuated tube collectors are frequently utilized.
Benefits of Home Solar Thermal Hot Water Heating
Homeowners can reduce energy consumption by as much as 40% to 50% by installing a solar thermal water heating system. Families are unaware of how much energy needed to heat hot water. Heating water for things like laundry, cooking, cleaning, dishes, and showers consumes on average 20% to 25% of families energy consumption.
A solar thermal hot water system can provide heat for other needs in addition to heating hot water. Radiant floor system, pools, or other applications that require hot water can be heated by a solar thermal hot water heating system.
Solar thermal hot water systems may qualify for Federal 30% tax credit. The next time you file your taxes you may deduct 30% of the installed cost of your solar thermal hot water system. This reduces your out of pocket expense, and a faster rate of return on the costs of your solar water heating system. Please confirm with your tax consultant.
How a Home Solar Thermal Hot Water Heating System Works
A home solar thermal hot water heating system is a simple and maintenance free application to immediately reduce your monthly energy costs.
Cold water flows into the bottom of the solar storage tank on most residential solar thermal hot water systems that use evacuated tubes.
Solar collector connects to a loop that transfers water and a glycol mixture by a pump.
The sun’s energy heats the inside of the solar collector. The evacuated tubes are very efficient at trapping. Heat from the sun transfers it into this fluid through the very efficient evacuated tubes.
The solar tank is heated as the fluid moves through the solar evacuated tube collector and heated up, it is then pumped back down inside the heat exchanger in the solar tank, heating the water inside.
The solar thermal hot water system described is just one of the more common designs used in a home. Depending on your specific application other designs are available, and can be used.
FEB