Solar Water Heaters Overview

Installing a solar water heater is one of the easiest ways to get the sun to work for you and conserve our valuable natural resources. When correctly installed, a solar hot water system can reduce your hot water costs by 40-80%, depending upon water consumption. In addition, when a solar hot water system is combined with an electric water heater, pollutant emissions are reduced by about 2,800 pounds per year. A solar system replacing natural gas will reduce pollution by 1,200 to 1,600 pounds annually.

There are two types of solar water heaters available, passive and active. The passive system consists of a water container on the roof that preheats the water prior to entering the water heater. A passive system is usually combined with a natural gas water heater, which is used as a backup during the cloudier periods and when hot water use increases. The active system consists of a roof-mounted collector with a drain back unit and a special 80-gallon solar water heater. The primary circulation loop passes through the collector and is heated before going to the drain back unit where the heat is transferred to the solar water heater. For the cooler months and during high water use periods, the electrical element in the middle of the water heater provides backup hot water. Contact us today to learn more about solar water heaters.