Solar thermal energy has been used to heat our homes and water since the beginning of the human race. Now we have systems using modern pumps and storage tanks to better collect and distribute that energy. The systems necessary are fairly easy to integrate into one’s home and extremely easy when building from scratch. There is a wealth of information out there on the internet, but finding the right information for your project can be daunting. I hope to answer questions people have, help with ideas they wish to explore and new projects they need help on.
There are many different kinds of collectors and storage options available today, leading to some confusion. Quite often people ask the question: “Which is the best system for me? Like any home improvement project, we design and build the solar hot water system for each unique situation. We take into consideration space for storage, roof or ground space for mounting collectors. We also take into account which backup water heater would work best for each situation, tank or tankless. When we come out and look over the property, we fit the best products for the best results for energy savings.
We also take into consideration the money saved each and every year for decades. Yes. Decades. I’ve worked on tuning up solar thermal systems that have more than thirty years in operation. How about $8.00 a month for all those years to heat an Eichler home while getting all the hot water you need!
In addition to the money saving opportunities available by switching to a solar thermal system for your hot water heating, you may also qualify for a 30% credit on your federal taxes. If you use natural gas you may receive a substantial rebate from PG&E. This means the out of pocket costs for your system are very low for a lifetime of savings. There has never been a better time to switch to a solar thermal heating system. We will discuss these financial incentives in our next blog.
Stay tuned for more on this resurgence of SDHWHS’S, (solar domestic hot water heating systems).
9/25/2016
