How To Add Water To Your Home Heating System
DIY Solar Water Heater
Updated: Nov. 29, 2019
Cut your water heating bills l per centum with this sun-powered solution! Read more about a DIY solar h2o heater here.
You tin install a solar hot water kit yourself to supplement your existing arrangement and save on free energy costs. The system will often pay for itself in several years.
All photos courtesy of FAFCO.
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Solar water heater overview: How a solar hot h2o organization works
If you've ever left a garden hose lying across your lawn on a sunny twenty-four hour period and felt the squeamish hot water coming out the end, you know that sunlight is an effective water heater. Solar hot water systems of yesteryear were frequently leaky, failure-decumbent and ineffective, but the industry has matured. Today, you tin choose between super-efficient, professionally installed collectors and this less expensive DIY-friendly solar hot water heater organisation. And if federal tax credits are bachelor or additional state and local incentives, you may be able to recoup your investment in a few years, and savor cheaper hot water for years beyond that.
Using a solar water organization doesn't mean surrendering the convenience of your regular hot h2o system. Solar hot water systems are designed to necktie in to conventional electrical and gas water heaters. The tank stores the solar-heated water and serves as a backup heat source. Even if the water from the collector isn't shower-hot, you'll nevertheless save money since your tank volition take had a head start heating the h2o. With all solar water systems, it's vital that the panels exist installed where they will receive the well-nigh directly sunlight. Ideally, you'll desire to use a south-facing section of roof. An east- or a west-facing roof will also work, just you'll demand boosted panels to collect the aforementioned amount of oestrus.
Airtight-Loop Solar Heating Arrangement
Hither'due south how a solar powered h2o heater works: When the controller senses that the sun is shining and your tank needs a warm-up, it signals the pump to ship h2o through the blackness collector panels. The heated h2o then flows into the storage tank before it'south channeled into the heat exchanger. There, it transfers its solar estrus to the libation water coming from your hot water tank. In this closed-loop arrangement, the water in the console never mixes with the water in the tank, so at that place's no hazard of contamination. When the sun is down or the temperature drops, the controller protects the console from freezing damage by automatically draining the rooftop panels into the storage tank.
A dependable, affordable DIY solar powered h2o heater arrangement
Joining roof sections
The FAFCO kit'south push-together fittings mean no fancy pipe joinery or soldering.
Flexible PEX tubing
The FAFCO kit's plastic PEX water lines are uncomplicated to cut (the tool is included) and flexible, making them piece of cake to feed downward to the utility room.
Leakproof system
Flashing panels consummate with prophylactic grommets make for leakproof roof penetrations. The hold-downwards straps proceed the panels in place.
Until now, most solar hot h2o systems have required professional installation with a price tag of $iv,000 to $8,000.
But here is an affordable (about $2,000) alternative that you can install in a weekend if you have rudimentary plumbing skills. FAFCO's Hot2O arrangement (search fafco online) uses unglazed polymer collectors (photo above) instead of glazed flat-plates. Although the arrangement is less efficient than professionally installed systems, the lightweight panels don't crave roof reinforcement and are easy to install.
The kit includes everything yous need to connect the solar panels to your existing electric h2o heater on a single-story firm (you may need extra tubing for two-story homes). If you accept a gas h2o heater, you'll need to add a 2nd tank to store the solar-heated water and purchase a hook-up kit from FAFCO. Or you can use your erstwhile water heater as the storage tank and replace it with a new, more efficient water heater. The solar-heated water from the second tank is connected to your water heater, saving you energy and coin.
Estimate the Payback
To estimate the price, system size and payback of a solar hot water system for your home, go to the American Solar Energy Social club's Web site, ases.org, and click on "Go Solar." This site can also help you locate a professional installer for higher-efficiency systems to help determine the bodily costs.
Required Tools for this solar powered water heater Project
Have the necessary tools for this DIY solar powered h2o heater project lined up before you start—you'll save fourth dimension and frustration.
Required Materials for this solar powered water heater Projection
Avoid terminal-minute shopping trips by having all your materials set up ahead of fourth dimension. Here's a listing.
Originally Published: November 29, 2019
How To Add Water To Your Home Heating System,
Source: https://www.familyhandyman.com/project/diy-solar-water-heating/
Posted by: joneskinesen.blogspot.com
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