Solar Hot Water Basics
Solar heaters, or solar thermal systems, provide environmentally friendly heat for household water and space heating.
The systems collect the sun’s energy to heat water or another fluid. The fluid then transfers solar heat directly or indirectly to your home, water, or pool. Although solar water heaters cost more initially than conventional water heaters, the fuel they use—sunshine—is free.
The three main components are: a roof or ground mounted collector, a pump and control station, and a solar cylinder or storage tank. In this set-up, a pre-existing boiler or hot water heater provides back-up heat.
Bright sunshine is not necessary for your system to work.
On cloudy days and in hazy conditions there is usually sufficient solar energy for the system to provide the required amount of heat. Moreover, the solar collectors work well in New England and will still provide sufficient hot water on the coldest winter day.
On some occasions such as prolonged overcast periods or when your hot water demand is very high, your existing hot water heating system (electric, gas or oil) will kick in and ensure that you always have hot water.
In most installations, the solar collectors will provide about 60 to 90% of your hot water year round with the ’back-up’ electric or fossil fuel providing the rest. Essentially, a Solar domestic hot water system turns your home’s existing water heater into a backup system and meets the majority of your family’s hot water needs.
Your Solar hot water heating system will work with your existing hot water source.
In most cases, your existing hot water heater will serve as back-up. If your old hot water heater is in need of replacement anyway, then a new single tank can be installed that will both store the hot water from your solar collectors as well as produce the back-up hot water from your gas, oil or electric hook-up.