Installing A Solar Power Water Heater - Will You Save Money
by: AdrianFletcher |
Total views: 9 |
Word Count: 574 | Print View
Solar power water heater systems can help to lower your energy usage and the associated costs (heating water often accounts for a large proportion of the average households energy bills) so should you install a system ? This article will set out the criteria for making this decision easier and asks if you can justify installing a solar water heating system on purely financial grounds.
Solar power water heater systems are normally used with an existing hot water system. The principle behind such a system is that they absorb the sun's heat energy. They are constructed to maximize this ability to absorb heat and insulated so that the heat is not lost to the environment. This is known as a solar collector and can be a specially design water tank or a length of piping that absorbs the sun's energy.
Water is pumped past or through the solar collector based on it's temperature. By passing through a heated source the heat is transferred to the water. From the solar collector it moves to the house plumbing or hot water cylinder.
So the saving on energy bills comes when the boiler does not have to use as much electricity or gas to heat the water up to an adequate temperature for the home. But does this cost saving justify the hassle of putting in a solar water heating system and the associated cost ?
To start with, you should look into your existing hot water system. Saving money is not only about looking at free sources of energy but making your use of energy as efficient as possible. You should consider installing the latest energy saving boiler and get proper lagging to insulate the tank. The boiler should be the right size for your hot water needs. An over sized boiler will cost more over time.
Once you have worked this out, there a 5 things to think about when it comes to the viability of a solar power water heater. These are :
The annual amount of hot water used by your family - Take an average over a few months or record a whole year if you have the time. If you are taking an average remember that usage may increase in colder seasons and factor this into the total.
What time is hot water used - There will be greater efficiency of the solar system when the sun is at it's hottest. This will be the best time to use the system.
What the current heating system is and it's compatibility with the solar system.
What will a solar power water heater system cost - this really depends on the size of the system which is dependent on your usage of hot water. However, prices of solar water systems should drop in future as more emphasis is placed on renewable or free energy sources.
The cost of traditional fossil fuels that power your current hot water system - It is almost certain that this price will rise in the future.
So it seems clear that in the future it will make sense to get a solar water system but it cannot really be quantified. But what about the here and now ? when you investigate possible systems you will be given indications of the saving you can make. You can factor this into the predicted annual usage of your home and get a figure on how much savings can be made. Again it is not rigorous but it will give you an idea.
About the Author
Find out more on solar powered water heater systems and information on solar powered landscape lighting visit solarpowerappliances.com.
Can You Have More Sales, Too?
Helping over 57,000 businesses like yours raise profits and build customer relationships using AWeber's opt-in email marketing software for over 10 years.
Rating: Not yet rated
