Using solar heating costs can be expensive when it’s cold out, so finding ways to save money on heating your residence is imperative. Solar panels are used to collect energy from the sun and transform it into electricity that can be used throughout your home. This same solar energy technology can be used to heat your home.
Heat collectors, or solar thermal systems, work in a similar way to solar power cells, except they absorb heat and light generated by the sun and use it to heat air or a liquid. This heated air or liquid is then used to transfer heat into your home. You have many options that allow you to enjoy a warm home and save money on gas and heating costs with solar energy.
Passive solar heating is highly effective on large windows that face south, allowing sunlight to enter your home. Sunlight and heat are absorbed by floors, walls, or any dark-colored containers or items. When this heat is absorbed, the temperature of the home rises several degrees. Since the hot air rises, the heat will spread throughout the house quite efficiently.
activesolar
With active solar heating, heat collectors containing liquids or air will be used to collect heat from the sun. This heat is stored in much the same way that solar panels store energy in their batteries. When you want to heat the home, the hot air is used to send heat to the whole house or just to individual rooms, depending on the system you have installed. Using liquids, the house is heated by a pump that allows the liquid to move through the pipes of your home, providing heat.
Liquid Active Solar using liquids requires pipes or tubes, a radiant floor system, to be installed under the floors or in the walls of your residence. To heat your home, the liquid is heated and the heat radiates from the pipes, causing the temperature to rise. Other methods of home heating, such as furnaces and hot water radiators, use stored hot water to heat rooms. When using liquid active solar heat, water can also be heated, saving you a ton of money.
Solar and geothermal combination
Solar collectors absorb heat from the sun and store it to heat the air, or even the water, in your home. Heat can also be collected due to geothermal heating systems. These systems require water pipes to be installed near your home below ground. They connect to heat pumps, transferring hot water from the ground so that it can be used in the home. Combining geothermal systems and other solar heating methods can increase efficiency in areas with extreme cold or long periods of low sunlight.
When it comes to solar energy, there is no end to what can be achieved. Not only can you save money by heating your home with solar energy, but you can also heat water.
For more information on solar power and solar panels, check out these links.
