subject: A Solar Hot Water System is a Low Cost Way to go Solar [print this page] Author: Michael Wilson Author: Michael Wilson
If the high cost of solar equipment has discouraged you from using solar energy there is a low cost alternative to solar electric panels. Heating your home's water with a solar hot water system can be a more efficient and more affordable way to use solar energy. Solar electric panels or photovoltaics convert sunlight directly into electricity which is great but they can be costly if you buy them retail. Heating water is as simple as leaving water out in the sun in a container that absorbs heat. You may have noticed how quickly water in a garden hose can get if you leave it out in the sun.It is this same concept that powers solar hot water systems. Solar water heaters can be built with low cost components so they can cost a fraction of what photovoltaic panels cost. They can be built to integrate with your traditional water heater system so when the sun isn't shining you will still have hot water. In some locations that get enough sun year round all of a home's hot water needs can be met with a solar hot water system with the proper storage capacity. You can buy these systems and have them installed for a few hundred dollars to a few thousand. The actual cost to build solar water heaters can be much less since they use simple inexpensive components. If you build your own you can get the parts for a fraction of what even a traditional gas or electric water heater would cost. A growing number of people would love to be able to use solar energy. It's clean, renewable and free once you have the equipment to capture it. But most homes don't use solar because of the high cost of buying the equipment. If you have any interest in going solar I suggest you learn more about how affordable solar water heaters can be. Learn more about solar hot water systems and how to build one yourself.About the Author:
