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Solar Home Heating Today

Solar home heating today is becoming the leading solar technology being used by people just like you. Using the Sun's free solar energy to heat your home and water is the next step to a sustainable lifestyle. Keep reading and you will think differently about solar heating.

Solar heating can dramatically reduce your need for conventional heating. Begin by plugging leaks and drips and save money with basic energy conservation. Energy conservation by far gives is the most cost effective strategy to lower your heating bill while reducing you carbon footprint. You will enjoy the results.

Now let's talk about solar hot water. Typically heating water for showers, clothes washing and washing dishes makes up about 15 to 20 percent of your heating bill. Heating domestic hot water with solar can reduce that monthly utility bill. When it comes to heating a home or business, radiant heat can do that job nicely. Rather than fossil fuels the solar heating captures the sun's free solar energy.

You experience solar heating every day. Have you ever got into your on a hot summer day?  You have just experienced solar heating. The sunlight heats the interior of the car. Because the heat is trapped in the car its temperature rises. The same principle applies to a solar collector that heats water.

Next are some real basics about how a solar hot water heating system works. A solar water heater captures the Sun's free solar energy that heats water that would otherwise be heated using your typical electric or natural gas water heater.

There are two types of solar heaters, either active or passive. Active heaters use pumps and controls to move fluids through the system. The second type is a passive heater. They depend on natural convection to move fluids through the entire system.

Solar hot water heating systems have two main components: the solar collector and a storage tank. Solar collectors capture the Sun's solar energy, then transforms that energy into heat water or a heat transfer fluid.

A heat transfer fluid is a nontoxic glycol antifreeze solution. This fluid is never mixed with water. The solution transfers its heat to water in the storage tank. The reason for using a heat transfer solution because in cold climates freezing temperatures prevent its use in the collector.

The hot water or fluid moves to a storage tank and available for your use.

Often your existing hot water heater storage tank is used. Solar heating storage tanks are exceptionally well insulated. Typically they are larger than a traditional hot water tank. This allows you access to hot water when the Sun is not available to heat water/heat transfer fluid in the collector. The increased size enables the storage of a large quantity of hot water available to you when the Sun doesn't heat water.

You can expect to get 50% to 80% of your water heating requirements. If you should live in areas with lower solar potential, larger solar panels are required.

Active solar heaters are suited for cold climates where freezing occurs. Since passive heaters, do not need any pumps they do not need any additional power to operate efficiently. These system are best suited where mild climate.

The selection and installation of a solar home heating system requires proper planning. The availability of adequate solar radiation, system type and size and taking advantage of solar incentives and financing. After all their is nothing new under the Sun.

Go to www.solar-heating-today.com to find out more about solar hot water heating.

 

About the Author

My name is Merlin Berg the publisher of Solar Heating Today. I'm an ardent supporter of solar heating. For the last 30 years assisting agriculture producers to curb soil erosion, save water and now energy. I'm committed to conserving natural resources like soil, water and energy.
My interest in renewable energy has been focused on solar heating. I've learned that solar heating offers anyone with a home the potential to become part of the green energy economy. My goal is to absorb and share what I've learned about solar heating.

KS90-solar Low temperature Stirling engine