Homeowners with considerable plumbing and electrical skills can build their own solar hot water systems, although I don’t recommend this approach for any system other than the batch heater, the simplest of all solar systems. I don’t mean to thwart creativity and independence, but as a general rule it is far better to purchase a reliable, well-built system and install it yourself or hire a professional to do the work for you than to build and install your own system.

Why not build your own solar hot water system?

Solar panels are exposed to extreme temperatures, wind, and hail. They live a pretty hard life up there on our rooftops. Over the years, manufacturers have made great strides in solar collector design and materials and are producing solar panels that can withstand the harsh treatment they’ll receive. It is unlikely that you could come close to matching the solar collectors on the market today. One of the trickiest aspects of solar design is selecting black paint or coatings to paint the interior of the collector. Although store-bought black paint might work well for a few years, it is very likely going to vaporize. When paint turns to vapor, the vapor deposits on the inside of the collector glass, impeding solar gain and making the panel look pretty ugly.

Unless you’re pretty good at plumbing and electrical work, you should probably also let a professional install your system. They’re fast and experienced and will be done in the blink of an eye. For the homeowner, installation might take a full weekend interspersed with numerous trips to the hardware store to pick up plumbing supplies. A professional will have everything he or she needs in the truck.

For those who would like to install their own systems, I recommend an excellent series of articles published in one of my favorite resources, Home Power magazines. Issue 94 covers installation basics—information that applies to all pump-driven systems. Issues 85 and 95 cover closed-loop antifreeze systems and issues 86 and 97 describe the installation of drainback systems.

What is a Solar Hot Water System?