Solar Heating Courses

Is Solar Heating Right for you?

Solar water heating is a system that uses solar panel called collectors that are normally installed on the roof of your house as this is the most convenient and successful way of collecting heat from the sun to warm up water which is stored in hot water cylinders. Solar water heating panels come in 2 types which are evacuated tubes and flat plate collectors.

What are the benefits of solar water heating?

You get hot water throughout the year!

Solar water heating systems work throughout the year even in cold climate, though during winter, you’d need to boil it further with a boiler or immersion heater to get things hot.

You save in bills!

Unlike gas or coal, sunlight is absolutely free and so the only paying you would need to do is for installation of the panels and then you’d find that your hot water costs will reduce significantly over the months. A typical solar water heating system can help you save between $50 to $90 in a month.

You save the planet!

Sunlight is considered renewable energy and it is also environmentally friendly. You help reduce your carbon footprints on earth and do your part by reducing carbon emissions and pollution. You can save up to 580kg of CO2 emissions.

 

Is Solar Heating For me?

If you cant tell if solar water heating is for you or suitable for your home, here are a few questions to ask yourself.

Do you have a sunny location to install your solar panels?

Ideally, you would need at least 5 square meters of roof space that faces east to west through the south. This location receives direct sunlight during the first part of the day. You can also locate your panels in the south side facing the roof. You can either install two panels, if you have the space- one facing east and the other facing west, though installation would be costly. The roof is the ideal location but if this can’t be done, and then it can be mounted on angle frames on flat roofs or on the ground.

Do you have space for a hot water cylinder?

You would need adequate space for a larger or an extra hot water cylinder if a dedicated solar cylinder is not already installed with your solar panels. Either that or you would have to replace the existing cylinder or add a dedicated cylinder with solar heating coils.

Does your current boiler support solar water heating systems?

If you already have a boiler, than most likely it is compatible with solar heating systems as is with water cylinder systems. If you have a combination boiler with no hot water tank, than this may not be so compatible.

Does your home need planning permission?

Most of the time, solar water heating systems do not need planning permission but if your house is a Listed Building, or is built in a Conservation Area or World Heritage site, and