Solar Domestic Hot Water Heater

Saturday, August 16th, 2008 at 8:01 am

Solar Hot Water Heater

Solar energy is a clean and abundant energy resource that can be used to supplement many of your energy needs. Solar energy can be utilized as a form of heat, such as solar water heating, and as electricity, such as solar photovoltaicc. Solar water heating systems are commonly referred to in the industry as Solar Domestic Hot Water (SDHW) systems.

Solar hot water heater collectors are good for your wallet and the environment. Heating domestic hot water accounts for about 20-25% of your home heat energy requirement. A correctly-sized solar system can provide 60%-70% of a household’s hot water needs. Providing more than this is not advisable, as too much heat will be produced in the summer.

Solar should not be seen as an alternative to gas or electricity, but rather as a supplement. Solar cannot totally replace the need for gas or electric heating as there are sometimes days when there is little sunlight.

Consumers can now buy "off-the-shelf" solar water heaters that meet industry-wide standards, providing a clean alternative to gas, electric, oil or propane water heaters. Freeze-protected solar water heaters have been specifically designed to operate reliably through the entire year, even when the outside temperature is either well below freezing or extremely hot.

From March to September solar energy could provide all your hot water but will only partly heat the water during the winter months, when your conventional heating method will need to be used to bring it up to temperature. Most homes will need to replace their current hot water cylinder, with a dual coil solar model.