Solar Water Heating

The California Energy Commission (CEC) estimates that the average homeowner using electric water heaters can save up to 60–70% on the cost of water heating by installing a solar water heating system. This translates to a savings of up to $750 a year.

With soaring natural gas prices, the savings on gas water heaters continue to climb. Contact Pure Energy Systems to discuss the many water heating options we have available.

How it Works

Solar water heating systems come in two basic designs: passive and active systems.

Passive Solar Water Heating Systems – Passive solar systems have no pumps, controls, or moving parts. Passive systems come in two basic designs. One is the “Batch Type” Integrated Collector-Storage (ICS), which operates on in-line water pressure to move the hot water from the ICS to your domestic storage tank. The other type is a thermo-siphon system which has a separate panel and a well-insulated storage tank. These systems use the natural flow of gravity to move the hot water into the solar storage tank located above the panel on the roof. They typically produce between 60–80 gallons of hot water per day. The simple nature of these systems provides the most reliable and cost-effective solution for solar water heating on a smaller scale. Multiple units can be connected together to produce greater volumes of hot water.

Active Solar Water Heating Systems – Active solar systems have circulating pumps and controls, and typically use ‘flat-plate’ solar collectors. These solar panels employ insulated metal boxes, copper pipes with black absorber plates, and glazing to produce hot water temperatures between 120–140 degrees F for domestic use. Because these systems circulate water through the collectors, they are better suited for producing large volumes of hot water. For that reason active solar systems are generally used for larger homes, or for heating pools and spas.

Benefits

Cost-Effective –An average household with an electric water heater spends about 25% of its home energy costs on heating water. In contrast to that, solar water heaters offer savings as high as 50–85% annually on utility bills over the cost of electric water heating.

Long Term – In addition to having “free” hot water, after the system has paid for itself in reduced utility bills, you and your family will be protected from future fuel shortages and price increases. Also, in some cases adding a solar water heater to an existing home raises the resale value of the home by the entire cost of the system.

Customizable Solutions – Systems can be sized to meet your current hot water requirements. As your needs grow, you can add to the system. If you move locations, you can take the system with you.

Ease of Use – Once installed, systems require very little attention or maintenance. No special training is required to own one.

Environmentally Friendly – Solar water heaters do not pollute. When a solar water heater replaces an electric water heater, the electricity displaced over 20 years represents more than 50 tons of avoided carbon dioxide emissions. Carbon dioxide traps heat in the upper atmosphere, thus contributing to the “greenhouse effect.”