Solar Hot Water FAQ
Q1: How much does a solar water-heating system cost?
Q2: What are the benefits of using solar energy to heat water in my home?
Q3: Aren't solar water heaters bulky and unattractive?
Q4: Can a solar water heater replace an electric or gas water heater?
Q5: Can solar water heaters be used in northern states and other colder climates?
Q6: Can I use a solar water-heating system to heat my swimming pool?
Q7: Can solar power be used to heat my home and business?
Q1: How much does a solar water-heating system cost?
A: Unfortunately, there is no one answer to this question. The cost of a solar system depends on a number of factors, such as the size of the system and the particular system manufacturer, retailer, and installer. However, any solar rebates and other incentives available in your area will reduce that total cost This information can be found at www.dsireusa.org
For solar water heaters and space heaters, you will also be taking into consideration the price of the fuel used to back up the system. In most cases, you will have to add in the cost of supplemental natural gas, fuel oil or electricity to get a fairly accurate estimate of how much you can expect to pay for a solar system.
Q2: What are the benefits of using solar energy to heat water in my home?
A: Once you recover the higher initial costs of a solar system through reduced or avoided energy costs (that is, lower utility bills), your solar system will require expenditures only for maintenance. When you include the cost of a solar water heater in a mortgage on a new home, the system often provides a positive monthly cash flow from the first day of ownership.
Second, solar water heaters and other solar technology applications do not pollute. They do not add to the carbon dioxide, nitrogen oxides, sulfur dioxide, and other air pollutants and wastes produced by most of today's power plants, even those that run on natural gas. They will reduce the amount of electricity, fuel oil or gas that you use.
Q3: Aren't solar water heaters bulky and unattractive?
A: In the 1970s, solar water heating technology was being developed and installed quite rapidly in response to that decade's energy crises. At that time, efficiency and ease of installation were the priorities, often at the expense of appearance. Many people thought that roof-mounted solar collectors were unsightly, even though they helped to reduce the amount of unsightly smoke billowing from coal-fired power plants! Still, the resulting attention to aesthetics has resulted in the "skylight" look of many of today's solar collectors.
Q4: Can a solar water heater replace an electric or gas water heater?
A: Not completely. Conventional electric or gas water heating systems are still necessary as a supplement to the solar water heating system, largely because the sun might not shine in a particular area for several days at a time. However, because solar water heaters are designed to provide hot water directly to the tank of a gas or electric water heater, they reduce the need for the water heater to run on conventional fuels which reduces your gas or electric bill. Depending on where you live, solar water heaters can provide up to 80% of your home's annual water-heating needs.
Q5: Can solar water heaters be used in northern states and other colder climates?
A: Yes. Solar water heating technology is effective regardless of the outside temperature. In colder climates, more energy is required to heat cold incoming ground water, so using solar energy in such conditions could dramatically lower a consumer's utility bills. In addition, colder incoming ground water helps solar water heaters to operate at higher efficiencies.
Q6: Can I use a solar water-heating system to heat my swimming pool?
A: Using a solar system to heat a swimming pool is the most common use for solar energy in the United States today. Solar pool-heating systems increase an unheated pool's water temperature by 10 degrees or more, and they can extend the swimming season by two to three months. Solar system prices range from $2,500 to more than $5,000, depending on the size of your pool and other conditions, such as shading from nearby trees and buildings and how close the pool is to the ocean. When solar systems replace a conventional gas or electric swimming pool heater, the initial investment can usually be recovered in about three years or less, because of reductions in subsequent utility bills.
Q7: Can solar power be used to heat my home and business?
A: While there aren't any pre-engineered residential solar space heating systems available on the market, our solar energy professionals could engineer a system for you. However, these types of systems are considerably more expensive than solar water-heating systems and, depending on the size of the heated space, could range from $3,000 to more than $10,000. You may want to consider increasing your insulation and using passive solar technologies - such as large, energy-efficient, south-facing windows - as an alternative.
