Green Glaze

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It is a very good-looking idea to use the power of the sun to enhancement a domestic hot water heating system. Making a solar panel water heater is easy and very cheap. Commercial solar water heaters usually cost more than $1,000 so a solar water heating system will save you hundreds of dollars, paying for itself in about a month. And you will be making significant savings every month after that!

Solar water heating works anywhere in the world – even in the middle of winter! It might not meet all your hot water requirements (although it often does), but it will make a large hole in your utility bills. Savings of one third are usually the case. These systems are simple, effective, eco-friendly and, typically, can be made and installed as a weekend project.

The system consists of a simple glazed solar collector box containing water tubes that, in turn, are connected to the hot and cold water pipes of an existing hot water cylinder. A drain valve is usually added in case you need to isolate the solar water heater for any reason, such as going away on vacation during the winter. The plumbing is easy and no special skills or tools are needed. The solar collector box will be sited and angled to face the sun at noon, and this can be on a roof or against a suitable wall. All necessary materials can be bought from the local hardware store, although you will probably find you already have some of them in your tool shed.

Making and fitting such a system will not interfere with or harm your existing hot water installation in any way. In fact, by reducing the operating demands on your existing system, the solar hot water heater will help prolong the life of your boiler or immersion heater as well as save on utility bills. And remember, this is free energy that helps reduce our dependence on fossil fuels and reduces our carbon emissions, so there is an environmental bonus for fitting a solar water heater.

And it could have other uses as well. Solar hot water systems can be used for heating swimming pools by providing a gentle, all-year-round source of free heating. How about under floor heating? This is a popular type of central heating these days and typically operates on a constant supply of warm (as opposed to hot) water with a low flow rate. A solar water heating system is ideal.

There is something very satisfying about making a simple device that saves you money, gives you free hot water on demand and helps save the planet at the same time. Even though these systems are simple, it is easy to make mistakes during installation if you are not experienced enough. It is really sensible, therefore, to invest in an expert to give you professional guidance and help. The outlay will be very small, and you will get full assurance that you have done the job properly and safely. We have provided more advice and recommendations on our website, which you are welcome to visit.