A Solar domestic hot water is also known as a solar hot water system or a solar thermal system. A solar thermal hot water system is a great way of saving on energy costs and it also reduces pollution caused by harmful emissions from fossil fuels. Aside from saving on energy costs and reducing pollution, there are several important facts to note about a solar domestic hot water.
Important facts about a solar domestic hot water systems
- A solar thermal can be used in any sort of climate. It may sound unbelievable, but that’s the truth.
- The system is fuelled by sunshine. That’s right. And the sun is absolutely free as we all know.
- A solar system reduces water heating bills for most homes by 50% to 80%. And with the energy costs surging worldwide, the amount in savings will be even higher.
- o Apart from reducing energy costs, a solar system protects you from energy increases in future. You will no longer have to rely on fossil fuels for your electricity.
- When buying, building or refinancing a house, a solar hot water system helps you to reduce overall costs and this, from an economic point of view, is important.
- Solar systems significantly reduce carbon emissions in homes. They reduce the usage of fossil fuels which pollute the atmosphere.
- A Solar domestic hot water can be installed together with a back up system. In deed, they can be installed just next to other existing water heating systems in homes and they enable the switch to traditional water heating at any time easy. This guarantees that there is always hot water at home.
How the solar thermal systems works
The sun provides the main source of energy for heating the water. Cold water from the water tank is pumped to collectors on the solar panel. Solar energy then falls on the collectors to heat up water in the process. And as the hot water flows to heated water storage tank, it goes with the heat from solar panels which ensure that water remains hot in the tank.
A few other solar hot water systems have also got shut off valves that close automatically after the sunset so that heat is retained in the water.
Types of solar domestic hot water systems
Basically, there are two types of solar energy technology for hot water systems; active and passive solar domestic hot water systems. Both these systems work in a pretty similar manner.
The only difference between the two is that the active solar domestic hot water system has a pump or some other mechanical means to move water through the system and the passive solar domestic hot water system basically depends on one of the principles of nature: warm water rising to the top with cold water sinking at the bottom. So with a passive solar hot water system, the storage tank must always be placed in a position above the solar collector.
Active solar thermal hot water
The active solar system is made into two designs. It all depends on the climate one lives in when choosing the best system for one’s home. The first type of water heater is called the ‘indirect circulation system’ and the other one is called the ‘direct circulation’ system. The indirect circulation system is ideal for colder climates while the other one works well in milder climates.
Passive solar thermal hot water
Passive solar systems are often cheaper compared to active solar hot water systems because they neither need pumps nor controls to circulate the water. But they are generally less effective than active systems. These systems are however known to be reliable and ideal for warm climates.
Cost and Installation
A number of factors make the total cost and installation of solar hot water systems vary. Factors like the manufacturer of the system, the type of system, the size, the installer and whether the water heating system is being installed in an existing house or as part of a new building determine the cost and installation of the system. The amount of money invested on a solar domestic system will also play a very significant role in determining the overall monthly energy costs.
The costs of installing solar domestic hot water systems will vary depending on the various sizes of storage tanks and the total surface areas of the collectors. The cost of installation can be as low as $8000 for a given household and up to a high of $18000 for another household. And all the costs depend on the storage tank sizes, collector surface areas and of course the sizes of households.
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