Home Improvement DIY

If you’re looking to replace your current water heater you will find that there are a number of different options available to you.  Although the most common types are gas and electric, you should also consider the benefits of buying a solar water heater too.  Unfortunately they do tend to cost more money to begin with however you will find that you can end up saving yourself anywhere between 50 and 80% on your energy bills.  And this is certainly a very attractive thought.

Solar power is actually not that new however being environmentally aware have become much more known about these days and it even very fashionable to say that you’ve bought items which are from sustainable sources, organically grown or fairly traded.  Despite being fashionable, solar technology has been used for heating water as far back as 1800, which is certainly a long time ago.  You don’t have to live in the middle of a scorching desert to be able to make use of solar power, most people around the world are able to take advantage of the sun.

The most important part of the any solar water heater are the solar panels which take the solar energy and covert into usable energy.  Another very important thing you should have is good insulation on your storage tank so that the heat can be retained for longer.  When looking around for a solar water heater to buy you will see that there are two main types; a two-tank and one-tank system.  You will also notice that the solar collectors come in a number of different designs too however normally it will just be a glazed flat-plate.  You can locate your solar collector in a number of places however normally you would place it on the roof of your home or on the ground.  For the most efficient performance you should have the solar collectors facing towards the sun and an area which isn’t going to be overshadowed by trees and buildings.

Even if you are not that bothered about your impact on the planet, there are still plenty of advantages in owning a solar water tank.  OK, so it’s very unlikely that you’ll be able to generate enough power to heat your water tank for the whole time, however you will be able to drastically reduce your energy bills.  This is why you also should have a regular gas or electric heater for days which aren’t so sunny.  There may well be a bit more work involved in having the solar collectors fitted however you will be glad that you went to that extra effort.

If you are interested in this subject generally you might also want to look at a wood boiler.

 

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