The Solar Hot Water Heater – Why It Is Our Favorite Diy Solar Project For Beginners
If you are new to DIY solar power conversions the solar hot water heater is the very best place to start. We love the water heater as a first project for the following reasons. First, it is limited in scope, meaning that it has a very specific purpose which won’t overwhelm beginners. At the same time, the project teaches important solar concepts along the way.
It is also very inexpensive to complete and has a huge and immediate impact on your power bill. Most people don’t realize it, but heating water usually accounts for a full 1/3 of the average monthly energy expense. Only HVAC (air conditioning and heating) uses more energy in the average home.
You can usually build a solar hot water heater for under $100 – very impressive considering that a professionally installed system will cost well over $1000. The local home center or hardware store usually has all the parts you need. No special tools are needed. As long as you have a very basic understanding of plumbing connections, which most DIY’ers do, you’ll be on your way. It only takes a weekend to complete and you can be heating water for free on Monday morning.
People use solar water heaters in every part of the world, so the local climate is not an issue. The design technology has been around a lot of years and is very reliable. However, like with any solar component, it is recommended to have a backup source for long periods of cloudy weather. You will rarely need your backup because unlike some other solar applications, once the water is heated it stays pretty hot for quite a while.
Still, your sunlight and consumption may be different than mine so it is better to have backup and not need it than wish you did at some point down the road. Fortunately, your backup is already in place. You just keep your existing water heater and use it if/when you need it. Because the unit isn’t running on a regular basis it will last years longer than it would when being used every day.
By the way, your solar water heater will require very little regular maintenance and should actually last years longer than a conventional gas or electric water heater.
Much of the information on the internet about building solar water heaters is just plain wrong. I can tell you that the claims of
1000
being able to build one for $5 are false. These are usually held together by duct tape and wire or worse. If you are going to do this project, do it right and make sure you can produce enough hot water for your entire home.
The honest truth is you can spend less than $100 and save 33% on your monthly energy bill simply by converting your home to solar hot water.
By: Nick Molinar
Article Directory: http://www.articledashboard.com
Learn more about solar hot water heaters including tips, recommendations and resources for completing this great project at your home. Then visit our other resources for all your solar and wind projects at diiyhomepowergrid.com
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