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November 07, 2009  |  Login
Heating Your Home with a Solar Thermal Water Heater
By Eric Corey Freed
 

A solar heater is a wonderfully simple device. This 2-x-4-foot box sits on your roof.

There are no moving parts, just a coiled pipe entering at the bottom and exiting at the top. As the sun shines on this box, the water in the pipe is heated. The heated water rises through the coiled pipe automatically, where it is stored in a standard water heater tank. You can see how this works in the figure below.

Although you can use the heated water to meet the hot water needs in your house (showering, dishwashing, and so on), you can also use it for heating your home. The hot water can be converted into heat in the form of:

  • Radiators: Hot water is sent through pipes to a typical radiator.
  • Forced-air fan: A fan blows air over copper tubes filled with the hot water. The hot water, in turn, heats the air.
  • Radiant heat (see the following section): The hot water is used for a radiant heating system.


Powered solely by the sun, the solar thermal heater provides hot water for free, greatly reducing the operating costs for all these heaters. Because it relies on the light and not heat to warm the water, the system even works in the winter. When the sun sets at night, the hot water is stored for later use. If carefully planned, this system can provide for all your hot water and heating needs.

Warning: Be sure your roof is strong enough to support the weight of the solar heater before you install it. If your home was built before 1980, ask your architect or engineer to confirm the strength of your existing roof.

 
 
 
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