Try solar water heating and save energy and your money

Posted by AmandaTom on September 7th, 2014

Solar power or the energy of the Sun is one of the biggest energy resources on this Earth. Unlike other resources like fossil fuels, solar power is not harmful to the environment. It is renewable and abundant because we all know that the Sun isn’t going anywhere. Use of solar power helps in slowing down the effects of global warming and helps in making the world a little better place. Solar power is not something that can be only harnessed on a large scale and used for commercial purposes. You can use solar power on domestic levels too. Solar water heating is a popular way of utilizing this resource. It can also be used to heat swimming pools. Solar pool heating is helpful in saving large amount of non-renewable energy.

Solar water heating system consists of a water storage tank that is placed horizontally near the solar energy collectors or solar panels on the roof. The water fills into the tank by a very slow pumping force. The solar panels should be facing the sun and the storage tank should be insulated. On an industrial scale, parabolic mirrors are used to increase the concentration of the sunlight. Solar pool heating also uses collectors that heat the water. A pump circulates the water through a filter, collector and back into the pool.

Solar water heating collectors are made of different material based on the climate and usage. For a freezing climate, unglazed collectors are appropriate. They are made of rubber and plastic and UV inhibitors to extend their life. This makes them cost effective. Glazed collectors are made of copper tubes on an aluminum plate. Heat exchangers and transfer fluids make them very efficient and expensive. Cost and efficacy of solar pool heating systems depend upon the number of pipes and panels used, the thermal performance rating and installation charges.

Copper is an important part of a solar water heating system. It is used in pipes and circuits and is efficient as a heat exchanger due to its high conductivity. It is also immune to corrosion through atmosphere and water and has high durability. Sensors are used in some solar pool heating systems to detect if there is sufficient temperature difference between the collector and pool water. Size of the collector depends upon the size and capacity of the pool. The surface area of the collector should be more than 50% of the surface area of the pool.

Solar heating systems are of many types. A pre-heated solar tank combined with a storage tank is mostly used in houses. An existing water storage tank is linked to the pre-heat tank with some extra plumbing and is provided with hot water. In another type, the water passes through the solar tank, gets heated and goes onto an existing heater. This helps in reducing the heater’s load, saves energy and saves you money. A combo solar tank has an electric heater to heat water in days without much sunlight. Solar pool heating systems last longer than gas or electric pool heaters. You need to be aware about the size of the system that you require, proper orientation of the collector and environmental regulations. All your doubts and queries will be answered by experts when you contact them online.

Solar water heating is cost effective and a responsible decision. Solar pool heating is actually economic and has low maintenance.