• Solar Water Heating

    Approximately 20-to-40 percent of residential energy use is consumed for heating hot water. Solar hot water systems can be the most economical alternative versus conventional water heating systems when evaluated over the life of the installation. Of all the renewable energy options, the technology for solar water heating is the most proven and time tested. Also, an investment in a solar hot water system can have a very high return, depending on water usage and the cost of conventional energy sources a system can pay for itself in as little as 3 years, with 7-to-10 years typical.

    The most reliable and cost effective solar hot water system for the Connecticut climate is a closed-loop antifreeze system with flat plate collectors. The antifreeze eliminates the threat of freezing and the collectors self-clear snow. This system heats the solar fluid in a roof or ground-mounted collector array. The solar fluid is continuously circulated in a sealed piping loop into a liquid-to-liquid heat exchanger. The heat exchanger transfers the heat gathered from the solar collectors to the domestic hot water supply. The heat exchanger may be located inside the domestic hot water tank or may be externally mounted on the storage tank. Configurations vary depending on the purpose of the system – for example a system designed to provide domestic hot water (for bathing, etc.) will be different from a system designed to support space heating. It is possible to integrate a solar hot water system into existing hydronic space heating systems.

    The harsh New England climate affects the overall efficiency of a solar water system – typically a system can supply 60-to-90 percent of domestic hot water needs. Consequently a back-up system is required. Depending on the purpose of the system the back-up may be as simple as using an electric hot water heater as the storage tank or integrating a tankless hot water heater into the system.

    Solar water heating is very efficient and cost effective for heating swimming pools. This type of system is different than domestic hot water systems and is directly tied into the pool circulation system. Given the lower costs of these systems and their effectiveness, the cost of the system can pay for itself in a few years.