December 17th, 2009 | 
Author: Did you know that the sun can give you almost free hot water? Building a diy solar water heating system is easy and cheap – some people manage to do it for less than 100 dollars. Ready made solar water heaters usually cost over 1,000 dollars so building your own solar water heater will save you several hundred dollars, repaying its cost in one or two months. And think of the savings every month after that!
The sun will heat your water anywhere in the world – even in the winter! It might not provide all your hot water (although it often does), but it will certainly make a large dent in your utility bills. Savings of one third are quite usual. These solar heating systems are efficient, simple and environmentally green. Typically, you can make and fit a complete solar hot water system in a weekend, provided you plan it properly beforehandand assemble all the necessary parts.
A typical solar water heater system simply includes a collector box with integral water pipes that are connected to the existing domestic hot and cold water pipes near your hot water cylinder. A drain valve is usually fitted in case you need to isolate the solar water heater for any reason, such as leaving the house empty in winter. Doing this work is very easy, and you do not have to be any kind of expert. Position the collector box so that it faces the mid-day sun, mounting it on the roof if you wish, or attached to a wall, but ideally close to your hot water tank to minimize heat losses through the pipes. You will be able to get all the materials needed at your local hardware store, although you will probably find you already have some of them in your shed.
You will not damage your existing hot water system when making and fitting a solar water heater. In fact, by lowering the use of the existing heaters, the solar hot water heater will help extend the service of your boiler or immersion heater as well as save on utility bills. Also, this is free energy that helps reduce our dependence on fossil fuels and reduces our carbon emissions, so there is an green bonus for fitting a solar water heater as well.
You can use it for other things as well. Solar hot water systems can help heat a swimming pool with constant, gentle heat all year. Are you thinking about underfloor heating, or do you already have such a central heating system? This typically uses a constant supply of warm (as opposed to hot) water with a low flow rate. Diy solar water heating is a great way of warming your house for free.
There is something very satisfying about making a simple device that saves you money, gives you free hot water on demand and helps save the planet at the same time.
But, as always, there are pitfalls for the inexperienced when trying to make and fit a solar water heater. It makes a lot of sense to get expert guidance and advice at the planning stage and before you start to build. The cost will be very small, and you will get full assurance that you are doing the job properly and safely. You will find out more about this on our specialized website.
In conclusion, we know from experience that making and fitting a solar water heating system will give you immense satisfaction, a lot of fun and really significant savings, so why not give it a try?
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Hello, nice to come to your blog!
You made some good points there. I did a search on the topic and found most people will agree with your blog.