The Best Way To Lower Energy Cost With Solar Panels For Hot Water

3 Great benefits of water heating with solar panels

    1. Hot water all year round.
    2. Lower energy costs. Sunlight is free. So after you pay for the installation of the solar panels and the price of the solar system, your gas bill will be lower.
    3. You will pollute less. When you use solar panels for hot water, you have a green and renewable energy source, which reduces carbon dioxide emissions into the air.

    The resources we need in our daily lives are beginning to be more and more difficult to access and automatically more expensive. Electricity or gas are among the first to suffer from increasingly frequent price changes. However, there are alternatives that can save us some of this expense. An example would be water heating with a hot water solar panel system. Solar panels have become an increasingly popular option for heating water or getting electricity for free, using sunlight. Such a system can provide you with hot water almost all year round, thus reducing the cost of your monthly bills. In addition, it is a great benefit for the environment, being a variant of ecological energy.

Lower Energy Cost With Solar Panels For Hot Water 

    However, although they are a good replacement, hot water solar panels are not suitable for everyone. It is very important to take into account the place where you can mount them and of course, the exposure to sunlight. So, if you intend to install solar panels for water heating on the roof, you will need at least 5 square meters with direct orientation to sunlight from East to West or South. Another aspect that needs to be taken into account is whether you have the space needed for a solar hot water boiler and whether the boiler you have is compatible with solar panels. 

    These types of panels convert solar energy into heat, depending on the material they can be flat or with vacuum tubes. Both have the role of absorbing solar energy, the difference being that the flat ones are made of copper plates, and the others have vacuum tubes made of borosilicate glass. Of the two models, the vacuum tube system is more efficient due to the heat-pipe technology that allows a higher degree of absorption of solar energy. This ensures a more efficient heat distribution because the sun's rays are captured from several angles. On the other hand, flat panels do not depend so much on climatic conditions. 

    Depending on the operating system can be pressurized and non-pressurized. The pressurized ones act under pressure at the tank, while the non-pressurized systems need a pump to regulate the pressure at the valve. In areas where in winter, temperatures drop below -10 degrees C (14 F degrees) it is recommended that in both cases the water tank be emptied during the winter.

    How does it work?

    Solar panel heating systems capture energy from the sun and use it to heat the house. The process is quite simple:

• Solar panels mounted on the roof of the house capture solar radiation. They are also called solar collectors.

• The water in the solar panel heats up.

• This water is pumped through the coil in the boiler.

• Here the heat is transferred to the accumulation of water.

     How much hot water does a solar panel produce?

    How much hot water does your house use? If you evaluate the hot water consumption from the beginning, you can choose a solar boiler according to your needs.

    It depends on how much interest you give to the solar system, and how you adapt to using solar energy. For example, you will have more domestic hot water for showering in the evening than in the morning.
    How big is the solar boiler? Many boilers store hot water for a day, and if it's going to be cloudy or rainy for a day or two, it means you have to turn on the boiler or the heater.
    Very good insulation for the boiler and for the connecting pipes.
If you do not use hot water at very high temperatures, you will need less backup help from the boiler. However, it is important that at least once a week the boiler has a temperature higher than 60 degrees, to prevent the risk of Legionella.

    What is the efficiency of a solar hot water panel?

  The efficiency of a solar panel means the percentage of solar radiation that reaches its surface and is transformed into thermal energy.

    Among other things, the efficiency of solar panels also depends on the operating status of the panels. When the panel is heated, it emits some of the heat into the environment through thermal conduction, radiation, and convection.

    The maximum efficiency of the solar panel is obtained if the difference between the temperature of the solar panel and the environment and the thermal losses is zero. The higher the collector temperature, the higher the heat loss and the lower the efficiency.

    Solar panels for hot water with vacuum tubes are the most efficient and I recommend them if you decide to install them. The acquisition cost of the system is between $ 750 and $ 1800, depending on the capacity, brand, and type of panels. The savings you make after installing such a system are between $ 350 and $ 700 per year, so the investment pays off in about two years.

    If you want to know how to lower energy costs without investing money, click here!

    If you have any questions or would like to help with advice, feel free to leave a comment and I will answer as soon as I can. Thanks!