Whereas most people think of solar power as a wonderful way to generate power, it can additionally be used to heat the water in your home. A solar water heater utilizes the thermal component found in sunlight and can heat all the water your home typically needs with only simple sunlight for fuel. A solar water heater is simple to install and a very cost-effective way to lower your monthly power bills.
Containing only a few components, solar hot water systems can be installed on your home in an afternoon. The main component in the system is the solar collector and this is regularly installed on a southern-facing roof. The solar collector looks very similar to a solar panel used in a typical solar power system, but is essentially different in every other way. In the solar collector is a netting of thin pipes that are mounted inside its weatherproof enclosure. These thin pipes are all connected to an entry and exit plumbing fixture and will guide any water passing through the collector into this meshing. During the day these thin pipes become very hot when exposed to sunlight and can quickly heat up any water that is passing through them. You can use this thermal collector to heat the water you use for bathing and cooking by connecting this solar collector to your home’s hot water system. The best part is this system can be very passive and will use the water pressure in your home to circulate the water through the collector naturally.
A slightly more advanced solar water heater is used in colder climates or on larger homes that need more considerable quantities of hot water. These sorts of solar hot water systems use a small circulating pump to force a specialized liquid through the solar collector and back down into a thermal holding tank. This circulation system is a closed loop and the same liquid makes the round trip through the collector several times each day. The home’s hot water plumbing is also passed through this thermal storage tank and as it sits in the container, it is warmed by the hot solar plumbing. The home’s water is simply heated through contact with the pipes, never making contact wth the liquid passing through the solar water heater.
The benefit of this type of system is that it can be used in colder climates where water would freeze if it were passed through the solar collector directly in the winter months. By using this specialized liquid you can enjoy all the benefits of a solar water heater without the chance of freezing. By using a thermal storage tank you will always have the other advantage of a good source of hot water for use. This allows you to enjoy the benefits of a solar water heater through the evenings when the sun is no longer able to heat the water.
These sorts of systems have also been modified for heating the water in pools. In this sort of system the solar collector is linked to the circulatory system for the pool’s water and heats it with the sun. This provides a very economical way to keep your pool at a comfortable temperature for swimming without spending any money on fuel.
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