Solar Water Heating Systems

As the name implies, solar water heating systems make use of solar energy to heat water. These water heaters can supply up to 85% of household hot water energy in some climates. Combined hot water and space heating systems are used to provide 15 to 25% of home heating energy in several northern European countries. If you’d like to invest in solar water heating systems for your home, the following checklist might make it a little easier for you to keep it simple and organized, and to keep you sane!
 

Solar water heating systems usually cost more to buy and set up than conventional water heating systems. However, in the long run you would save money, depending on the quantity of hot water you use, your system’s performance, your geographic location and solar supply, existing financing and incentives, the price of conventional fuels, and the price of the fuel you would use for your backup water heating system, if you have one.
 

People have started building their own solar water heating systems from scratch or purchasing easy to install kits with the ever-increasing do-it-yourself community and their heightened environmental awareness. Plans for these solar heating systems are available on the Internet and people have started building them for their own family needs. A lot of solar devotees are also purchasing easy off-the-shelf solar DIY kits, instead of building systems from scratch. For the remaining two weeks, find out what kind of certification you need to get tax breaks from Uncle Sam, and have your system inspected by the relevant authorities. You should also examine local building codes, zoning regulations, and subdivision covenants, in addition to any special policies concerning the site.