Why Solar Water Heating Is The Place To Start
Why is Solar water heating the place to start?
Many people look at solar electricity and think that if they have that, they are going to save money. The truth is that solar electricity is among the most expensive to produce. It has it’s place and it has great advantages, don’t get me wrong. But it is not cheap, so for those looking strictly at the numbers, it does not usually work out.
One thing that does work out, though is solar water heating. I am referring to a system that directly heats water. There are a few types of solar water heating systems but in Canada, we generally go with a closed loop system. This means that a special water mixture is used to transfer energy from the heating panels to the tank you are heating up. The heat is transferred to the tank via a heat exchanger. This way, the actual water you are using never went up through the collectors, just the energy is transferred from the panels to the heating tank. The benefit here is that the system can be designed with some sort of anti-freeze solution (usually propylene glycol) so that the system can continue to function in our climate and produce results. Other types of systems can be an open system – where the actual water being used gets heated in the solar collector and a drain-back system where the system drains itself of water to prevent freezing up. These types of systems are only of potential use in a seasonal application in Canada. Anything that is expected to work year round has to have an anti-freeze solution involved.
These systems are cost effective and very practical for a number of reasons. In the first place, it is far more effective and efficient to heat water directly rather than try and produce another form of energy (electricity). The sun produces heat so heating something up is a natural extension of that.
A solar water heating system usually involves very little interaction meaning that you can own one without knowing how it works or having to think about it. Have it installed and forget about it (except that you get lower energy bills). You don’t have to understand a myriad of components and how they interact with each other – as is usually the case with a solar electric system.
Solar water heating systems are usually priced such that a homeowner can afford it. It is reasonably priced and easily installed, making it quite attractive.
A significant portion of your energy bill each month goes to heating your water. It is something, that, if you can eliminate or reduce this cost, you will notice it right away and it will have a lasting impact to your budget.
Hot water is something that everyone uses and can be produced for free by the sun. This is a great place to start when looking for alternative energy solutions.
How Do I Cut Down My Energy Bill?
I had a call this week from a fellow who had a simple question. He wanted to know what it would cost him to set up a solar electric system to cut down his hydro bill. He was looking to cut it by about half.
This is a fairly common question, and fortunately, the answer is quite simple…
If you want to reduce your bill, you need to use less energy. Plain and straight forward 
So, now the question becomes “how”. No problem. Start by looking at your appliances. If you are running an extra fridge you don’t use often, you will want to get rid of it. In fact, if your fridge is more than about 10 years old, you can probably through it out and go buy a new one. The money you save on your monthy bill will pay for the new fridge faster than you might think.
So appliances is one of the first thing you want to check, the next thing is to look for any inefficiencies. It is far better to reduce your waste than it is to try and figure out how to get cheaper energy. So, check your lights, you can change out your 100 W light bulbs with about 15 W CFLs (which are readily available), that is considerable savings. Look around for what we call phantom loads. All those little transformers pwering modern day electronics, your TV, when not in use, still draws power, same thing with your stereo system. Put those items on a power bar and swtch it off when not in use.
The biggest energy use in your house – outside of heating your home – is water heating. You want to make a significant impact on your energy bill? Use solar for your hot water. This is the place that solar energy is most cost-effective. When it is used to heat water directly. Forget making electricity, you can heat your water directly and not even use as much electricity in the first place.
Unfortunately, solar electric energy is not very cost effective if you have grid power available. But again, if you want to cut your bill, just don’t use so much power. A solar water heating system can be easily installed and will make a difference every month. The system is priced within reach and provides a great return on your dollar! Contact us today at activeenergysolutions.ca to get more information.
