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Solar Heating Explained

The idea behind solar water heating is simple: capture free energy from the sun and use it to heat the hot water in your home. It's environmentally friendly and cuts your fuel bills, so shouldn't you be using it?

Admittedly, the early domestic solar heating systems were not always very cost-effective. But improved technology and the rapid rise in conventional energy prices have changed that situation. Today, solar heating is a viable option for most homes and more people are choosing it – not just committed environmentalists.

How it works

Solar thermal panels are fitted where they will collect the maximum amount of energy from the sun. This is usually on the roof, but can sometimes be on the wall of a house if the roof is unsuitable. A south-facing roof is considered the best because it faces the sun all day, but an efficient system can also be designed using an east-facing panel during the morning and a west-facing panel in the afternoon.

There are two types of solar thermal panels:

• a flat plate collector, with thin metal tubes sandwiched between a black metal plate underneath and a sheet of glass on top.
• an evacuated tube collector, which consists of a number of special glass tubes laid next to each other and connected at one end.

The flat plate solar panel is the most commonly used. The evacuated tubes are slightly more expensive but, because they are better insulated, they can be more effective in less favourable positions.

The thermal panels contain an antifreeze fluid, and it is this that is heated by the solar energy. When it is hot, this heat transfer fluid flows through a coil in a hot water cylinder to heat the water that you use in your home. As the water in the cylinder heats up, the transfer fluid cools and is pumped back to the solar panel.

Two systems are better than one

Contrary to popular belief, solar heating does work on cloudy days and even in a British winter! This is because solar panels collect radiation from the sun, not its light. But it is true that a domestic solar heating system can't produce the same amount of hot water on a cold, dull day as it does on a hot, sunny day. For this reason, solar heating is usually linked into the existing hot water system of a house.

When the solar heating system is installed, it will include a controller box that monitors the temperatures of the solar panel and the water cylinder, and regulates the flow of the heat transfer fluid. It also ensures that your conventional hot water boiler is only switched on when the solar heating alone is unable to keep the water at the required temperature.

Is solar heating right for you?

The exact figures will vary in individual cases, but solar heating can usually supply 50% to 70% of the average household's hot water throughout the year. That's a lot of showers and washing-up! How much difference would that make to your bills? And you'd also have the satisfaction of reducing your carbon footprint and doing your bit for the environment.

If you want to know more, ask for a free consultation with a professional plumbing and heating company that employs specialist solar heating engineers.

About the Author

Ivor Bates is the director of Bates Heating and Plumbing Limited, a plumbing and heating company established in 2001 and covering all areas of London, Docklands and Essex. Bates Heating is CORGI registered and all engineers are fully qualified and specially selected for their experience and range of skills. A 24 hour emergency plumbing service is also offered. For more information visit www.batesheating.co.uk or telephone 020 8924 3558.

Solar Heating System - DIY Solar Heating Systems