Solar Water Heating – What is the Solar Heater?
Solar water heaters use the solar energy from the sun to produce heat for heating water for domestic as well as commercial needs.
For the last 20 years solar water heaters have become extremely popular (especially in regions with warmer climates) and advanced in absorber coating technologies. This resulted in solar collectors that can consistently convert over 50% of accessible sunlight for domestic hot water source. The use of solar water heaters is more financially profitable and energy-efficient than of their counterparts that use electricity, gas or heating oil.
Basic components of solar water heaters
Collectors, storage tanks, piping, controls and pumps (used in the active systems) are the main components of solar water heater systems. There are two types of solar water heater systems – active and passive ones. Active systems use pumps and controls to circulate water or other heat transfer fluid. Passive systems do not have pumps and rely on gravity or natural convection to circulate water.
Solar water heaters use the energy of the sun in heating your water. This is rewarding in several ways. Read on to find out more about that.
Independence from the fossil fuels
Solar energy helps you become independent from the fossil fuels. Solar is as reliable as obtaining your energy from the utility. Energy is there as long as there is sunlight. However, it is not bad for the homeowners with solar hot water supply to use the utility for backup.
Impact on the environment
Burning fossil fuels is inevitable if you want to get energy out of them. This leads to a whole set of environmental problems, including climate change caused by humans, acid rain, health effects around power plants, etc. So why risk the environment if we could freely use the sun energy for our needs and protect our planet at the same time?
Financial benefits
You can save on your utility bill using solar water heaters. Over 50% savings on your bill will become evident as soon as you start using these outdoor heating systems. As a result the original investment will be retrieved in 3-5 years. Your local solar resource and the cost of utility energy will largely determine the period of reimbursement.
So in case if you have decided to install a water heater, the next step is to find a trusted professional who can install the water heater for you. At Downey Plumbing Heating & Air Conditioning we have specialists just like that. Having been in plumbing and HVAC business for over 80 years, we are more than able to correctly chart your water usage and provide the correct system and size for your water heating needs.
